Jun 03 2009
Bible Study Week 31 - Becoming Like Christ in Excellence
Purpose of This Bible Study Lesson
This lesson will help you to know that it is God’s will that you become Christ-like in the life of faith that you live and that you imitate Christ’s nature of excellence.
Learning Goals
This lesson will guide the participants to:-
- Discover the qualities that distinguished Christ’s character of excellence
- Discover the process of becoming a man or woman of excellence
- Discover the price and sacrifice of spiritual excellence
Introduction
As you mature and become intimate with God, you will discover the ways of God, as the Psalmist wrote in Psalms 103:7Psalms 103:7
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
7 He made known his ways unto Moses, His doings unto the children of Israel.
that “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.” God wants very much to reveal His ways to us because we are His children whom He has called unto righteousness and holiness. It will take strict discipline on our part to understand and follow the path of excellence that Christ has set for us. Excellence was a trade mark of the men and women of old listed in Hebrews 11 who walked with God by faith and pleased Him by faith because “without faith, it is impossible to please Him” (Heb 11:6Heb 11:6
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
).
Therefore, in order to grow in excellence, we must live a life of faith because it pleases God and also believe that we “can do all things, through Christ which strengthens” us” (Phil 4:13Phil 4:13
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
13 I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me.
).
Begin Today’s Lesson by Reading: Daniel 6:1-5Daniel 6:1-5
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
6
1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the whole kingdom;
2 and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give account unto them, and that the king should have no damage.
3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
4 Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find occasion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they could find no occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.
, Heb 11:1-11Heb 11:1-11
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
11
1 Now faith is assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.
2 For therein the elders had witness borne to them.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God:
6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned [of God] concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a [land] not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:
Spiritual Exercise Gives Birth to Spiritual Excellence
Jesus talking to one of his disciples Phillip after he had asked him to show them the Father told him that “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? The person who has seen me has seen the Father. So how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (John 14:9John 14:9
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and dost thou not know me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; how sayest thou, Show us the Father?
).
In telling this disciple that whoever had seen him had seen the Father, Jesus is teaching his disciples the lesson of faith because they need to believe that Jesus was sent from God, and in John 14:12John 14:12
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father.
Jesus stressed again this fact by saying that “Truly, truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater works than these because I am going to the Father”.
The emphasis by Christ himself in this portion of Scripture is that whoever believes in him will do greater works than those that Christ had done while he walked on the face of this earth. There are three things that distinguished Christ’s ministry here on earth:
- He always did things to please his Father; i.e. he was not a man-pleaser. When we do ministry, we should not do things to please men, but the One who has called us.
- He was a humble man, because he wanted God to get credit or glory for the things that he did. God will not share His glory with anybody and that is why many Christians today lack excellence because they want to do things that bring glory unto themselves and not glory for God.
- Jesus withdrew to a lonely place for prayer because a life of spiritual excellence is a life of prayer. Many great men of God like Daniel, Elijah and Moses were disciplined in a life of fasting and prayer. James says that “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”. (Jam 5:17Jam 5:17
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
17 Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months. ). Prayer strengthens our spiritual muscles and disciplines us to perform the “great works” that Christ has said we will do
Bible Study Questions For Discussion - Week 31
- What are the three main things that distinguished Christ’s ministry on earth? Please explain
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - Why do you think it is important for us do works that please God as Christians today? Please explain.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - What role do you think humility plays in becoming like Christ in excellence? Please explain
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - Why do you think we should become prayer warriors if we are to excel in becoming like Christ? Please explain
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - How does faith help us in attaining spiritual excellence? Please explain using Heb 11:1-11Heb 11:1-11
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
11 1 Now faith is assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. 2 For therein the elders had witness borne to them. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. 4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it he being dead yet speaketh. 5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and he was not found, because God translated him: for he hath had witness borne to him that before his translation he had been well-pleasing unto God: 6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him. 7 By faith Noah, being warned [of God] concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out unto a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. 9 By faith he became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a [land] not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: 10 for he looked for the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 By faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised:
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - Why should faith become our trademark in seeking excellence? Please explain using Heb 11:6Heb 11:6
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
6 And without faith it is impossible to be well-pleasing [unto him]; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that seek after him.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - What is the evidence of an excellent life according to Daniel 6:3Daniel 6:3
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
3 Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presidents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. ? Please explain
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - In your own words please explain briefly why you think you should cultivate a spirit of excellence in your Christian walk today. Please explain
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Memorize 1 Corinthians 9:241 Corinthians 9:24
English: American Standard Version (1901) - ASV
24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
“Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize.”
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