ADVANCED Bible Study

UNVARNISHED TRUTH: LIFE’S GREATEST STORY

UNSTOPPABLE GOSPEL

FALL 2016 | TEACHER GUIDE

Using Advanced Bible Study Teacher Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Unvarnished Truth: Life’s Greatest StorySUGGESTED FOR THE WEEK OF

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

September 4 Session 1 One Great Creator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

September 11 Session 2 One Great Purpose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

September 18 Session 3 One Great Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

September 25 Session 4 One Great Savior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

October 2 Session 5 One Great Commitment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

October 9 Session 6 One Great Task . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Article: Righteousness in Pauline Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Unstoppable Gospel

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

October 16 Session 7 Unstoppable Mission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

October 23 Session 8 Unstoppable Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

October 30 Session 9 Unstoppable Love . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

November 6 Session 10 Unstoppable Opportunities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

November 13 Session 11 Unstoppable Courage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

November 20 Session 12 Unstoppable Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Article: Greek Culture in Paul’s Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Give Thanks—Anyway!

November 27 Special Focus: Give Thanks—Anyway! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Coming Next Quarter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

CONTENTS

Contributing Writers

TEACHING PLANS: Rick Prall (Mt . Juliet, TN)Amy Summers (Arden, NC)

OPTIONAL IDEAS: Matt Tullos (Alexandria, LA)Randy Fields (Grass Valley, CA)

DIG DEEPER: Jim Gantenbein (Port Orchard, WA)Bob Bunn (Nashville, TN)

Advanced Bible Study Teacher Guide (ISSN: 2379-2779; Item 005768061) is published

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HCSB—All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by

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Bible Studies for Life: Advanced Bible Study Teacher Guide

Volume 3, Number 1

Fall 2016

Eric Geiger Vice President, LifeWay Resources

Ronnie Floyd General Editor

Lynn H. Pryor Team Leader

Ken Braddy Manager, Adult Ongoing Bible Studies

Michael Kelley Director, Groups Ministry

Send questions/comments to:

Content Editor, Bible Studies for Life: Adults, One

LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0175; or make

comments on the Web at BibleStudiesforLife .com

Printed in the United States of America

Using Advanced Bible Study Teacher Guide

What’s Inside

Teaching Plan —Each session has a two-page teaching plan. Use it in

accordance with Advanced Bible Study, utilizing the teaching outline to

guide your class through the passage and its key emphases as detailed in

the Advanced Bible Study commentary. Engage class members by leading a

discussion of key points, asking questions, and inviting their insights.

Optional Idea —We learn in a variety of ways. This additional teaching

idea will encourage your class members to use different senses, enhancing

their learning and deepening their understanding.

Dig Deeper—This is an illustration or fact not readily drawn from the

passage that can add depth and meaning as you teach.

Pray

Because the Holy Spirit is the guide for your study, invite Him to show you

how to “rightly divide the word of truth” as you teach your class. Read the

Bible passage several times, asking the Holy Spirit to show you its meaning

and application.

Prepare Your Class Members

Encourage your class members to read Advanced Bible Study prior to class

time. In addition, you may consult one of the following Personal Study

Guides or commentaries:

> Herschel Hobbs Commentary

> Bible Studies for Life: Young Adult

> Bible Studies for Life: Adult

> Bible Studies for Life: Senior Adult

> Bible Studies for Life: KJV Adult

Some class members may prefer to read their book after class as a way to

follow up and reflect on what they have learned and discussed.

UNVARNISHED TRUTH: LIFE’S GREATEST STORY

Churches talk about the importance of evangelism and reaching the lost,

but the truth is that it is a low priority in the lives of so many Christians. Yet

Jesus made it clear how important evangelism is to Him when He told His

earliest followers they would be fishers for people (Matt. 4:19). We need to

rediscover this unvarnished truth about the gospel and accept the challenge

to share our faith as personal soul-winners.

This study connects to Christ because the all-powerful, sovereign God

created everything through Christ and for His glory. God is holy and righteous,

and His wrath is against our sin. Jesus took God’s wrath for us, forgives us

when we believe in Him, and brings us into a relationship with God.

This study connects to community in that believers encourage each

other to trust and follow Christ. We should not assume, however, that people

have made a commitment to Christ simply because they are in our group or

church. Further, we can encourage each other to share our faith with others.

This study connects to culture, for we bring glory to God by living

for Christ in a world that does not know Him. As believers, we are to share

verbally the good news of Christ with lost individuals.

6 B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E

SESSION 1

ONE GREAT CREATOR

The PointGod created us—and He knows each of us.

The Bible Meets LifeHow did we get here? Some people wrongly assume this question only has two views: either science

has the answer in evolution or religion has the answer in faith. Many scientists, however, hold to

neither evolution nor a specific faith, but they contend there was an Intelligent Designer. Intelligent

design doesn’t tell us much; it just presents a stronger argument than the random, purposelessness

found in evolution. The Bible goes beyond talking about an intelligent designer; it gives us a picture

of the character of the Creator.

Psalm 33:6-9,13-15 (HCSB)6 The heavens were made by the word of the Lord, and all the stars, by the breath of His mouth. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea into a heap; He puts the depths into storehouses. 8 Let the whole earth tremble before the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. 9 For He spoke, and it came into being; He commanded, and it came into existence. [...] 13 The Lord looks down from heaven; He observes everyone. 14 He gazes on all the inhabitants of the earth from His dwelling place. 15 He alone shapes their hearts; He considers all their works.

Colossians 1:15-17 (HCSB)15 He is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn over all creation. 16 For everything was created by Him,

in heaven and on earth,

the visible and the invisible,

whether thrones or dominions

or rulers or authorities—

all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things,

and by Him all things hold together.

B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 7

TEACHING PLANSession 1

Get Into the Study

OPENING QUESTION: What difference does knowing how we got here make?

> Viewpoints from science, evolution, and faith attempt to answer the question of how we got here.

> The Bible provides a clear picture of the character of God as the Creator of all.

> Developing a biblical worldview of God as Creator impacts our understanding of what He has done and His knowledge of us.

Study the Bible

PSALM 33:6-9 God Created Me

God used His word to create the heavens, the earth, and the sea.

> Highlight the paragraph that begins “In verses 6-9…” (p. 9 in Advanced Bible Study) to discuss the picture of creation the psalmist paints.

> The psalmist said God created everything by using the “breath of His mouth” (v. 6). What does this say about God’s spoken word?

> Discuss in detail the actions that God took to create everything. (See pp. 9-10 in Advanced Bible Study.)

We should stand in awe before the Creator of all.

> What should be our response to the work of creation which God has done?

> Point out what should be the response of creation as described in the paragraph that begins “As the result…” (p. 10 in Advanced Bible Study).

> Discuss the meaning of the word “tremble.” (See p. 10 in Advanced Bible Study .)

See OPTIONAL IDEA on page 10 for a creative way to discuss our response to God.

> How do you think the world would be different if people recognized God for who He is, what He has done, and what He will do?

PSALM 33:13-15 God Knows Me

God sees everyone from heaven.

> When the phrase “looks down” (v. 13) is used in the Old Testament, it reveals that heaven is God’s home. (See also Pss. 14:2; 53:2; Lam. 3:50.)

> Use the paragraph that begins “The psalmist described…” (p. 12 in Advanced Bible Study) to discuss what God sees when He looks down from heaven.

> God “observes everyone” (v. 13) means He has intimate knowledge of every person on earth.

> What difference does it make for you that God knows what you think, say, and do?

God shapes everyone’s hearts.

> Highlight the paragraph that begins “When we consider God’s gift…” (p. 13 in Advanced Bible Study) to discuss what it means for God to shape our hearts.

> How would Artur Weiser explain free will, if God’s shaping of our hearts refers to His guidance? (See p. 13 in Advanced Bible Study.)

> God’s action of creating our hearts means He understands everything we do.

COLOSSIANS 1:15-17 Jesus Is Central to All Creation

Jesus is the visible image of our invisible God.

> In Jesus, God revealed Himself.

8 S E S S I O N 1

My Teaching Notes

THE POINT God created us—and He knows each of us.

> Refer to the paragraph that begins “The descriptive title…” (p. 16 in Advanced Bible Study) to discuss the correct and incorrect meaning of the word “firstborn” (v. 15).

> What was Jesus Christ’s role in creation?

Jesus is the Creator of all things.

> Everything, visible and invisible, was created by Christ who was God’s agent.

> Refer to the paragraph that begins “The singular everything…” (p. 17 in Advanced Bible Study) to name and discuss the totality of Jesus’ creation.

> Why do you think Paul’s assertion of Christ as the agent of creation does not contradict Genesis 1?

Jesus was present before creation, and He sustains it.

> Jesus is superior to all of creation.

> Use the paragraph that begins “Paul’s second statement…” (p. 18 in Advanced Bible Study) to explain what it means that Christ holds all of creation together.

Live It Out

How should the truths that God created all things and knows us impact our everyday lives?

> God’s creative work should drive us to consistently worship Him.

> Understanding that God sees us and knows us can provide great comfort and reassurance.

> The truth that God created everything helps us to debunk the world’s teachings related to origins.

Share the story from DIG DEEPER on the next page.

B I B L E S T U D I E S F O R L I F E 9

THE POINT God created us—and He knows each of us.

Theoretical physicist and author Stephen Hawking said,

“Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe

can and will create itself from nothing.” This statement

created a debate between those who believe as Hawking

does and those who believe God created everything.

Specifically, Hawking challenged the obvious implication

that God is not necessary for the universe to exist. In

response to criticism, Hawking said, “One can’t prove that

God doesn’t exist, but science makes God unnecessary.” 1

Is it the responsibility of followers of Christ to prove

people like Stephen Hawking wrong? Should we attack

those who reject God as the Creator of all things? There

are people of faith who are also experts in fields such as

advanced mathematics and physics and are qualified to

address scientific particulars. But most of us do not fit in

that category. So what are we to do?

Maybe the answer lies in the movie Rudy, which is

based on the life of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger. At one point,

Rudy seeks advice from a priest about college difficulties.

Father Cavanaugh counsels, “Son, in 35 years of religious

study, I have only come up with two hard incontrovertible

facts: There is a God, and I’m not Him.” We are not God, but

we are His creation and have been entrusted to faithfully

study His Word and live as His servants who are ready to

deal with doubters (2 Tim. 2:15).

1. Nick Watt, “Stephen Hawking: ‘Science Makes God Unnecessary,’” ABC News, Sept. 7, 2010.

Display a smartphone with audio capabilities. Invite the

class members to pass it around, and ask one or two

of them to use the voice-controlled software to ask a

question. If you don’t have a smartphone, display a picture

of a phone and explain that it can understand a question

and provide information, directions, or even play a song.

Ask: Has anyone had an experience with your

smartphone that made you question how smart the

technology really was? Share a technology fail that you’ve

experienced, and then explain that God did not speak

to ask directions, but rather to create the heavens, the

earth, and the seas. God displayed amazing power that

technology lacks.

Psalm 33:6 makes the declaration that by the words of

God, everything in the heavens was made. You can’t help

but be in awe at the mystifying chasm between people

who struggle to create and God who creates simply

by His words. We struggle to get correct navigational

directions with our words. However, with ease, God speaks

an ocean into place. God gathers the waters of the sea and

has storehouses that hold oceans (Ps. 33:7). When we look

at the power of our creative God to make the heavens and

the stars “by the breath of His mouth” (Ps. 33:6), we can’t

help but stand in awe of all He has done.

OPTIONAL IDEA

DIG DEEPER

10 S E S S I O N 1