Saemoonan English Bible Study

Purpose of English Bible Study Study the Bible in English. Study English through the Bible. Focus on; Proper pronunciation Scripture reading/comprehension Listening/speaking/conversation

Organizing members Teachers: C. Justin Lee, Hong Bong Kim Team Leader: Hong Bong Kim General Secretary: wanted! Associate Secretary: wanted! Treasurer: In Hye Kim Contact: –C. Justin Lee: –Hong Bong Kim: –Sang Hyun Cho:

Time table 8:30 Praise time: 2 ~ 3 songs 8:40 Greetings and Announcements 8:45 Psalm Reading and Prayer 8:50 Lesson - Bible reading - Verse memorization - Today’s Phrase - Conversation - Lecture - Discussion - Pop quiz 9:45 Lord’s prayer 9:47 Dismissal song

Greetings All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. (Eph. 2:3)

Today’s Announcements New prayer sequence is posted. Next week prayer Won Cheol Cho. Psalm 122 Next next week prayer : Hee Man Chae. Psalm 123 Membership fee: 10,000 won for 6 months, voluntary. Download and listen to John MacArthur’s sermon in our home page, Beginning English study in English with Elliot at 9:50AM.Beginning English study in English with Elliot at 9:50AM. Please attend English Worship Service at 11:30AM ~12:30, in the same room as NIV class.

Today’s New Members

Apostle’s Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell, The third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; The Holy Catholic Church; The communion of saints; The forgiveness of sins; The resurrection of the body; And the life everlasting. Amen

Today’s Psalm Reading by Jung Sun Moon Psalms I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? 2.My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3.He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; 4.indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5.The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6.the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

Today’s Psalm Reading by Jung Sun Moon Psalms The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; 8.the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Today’s Prayer Prayer by Jung Sun Moon

This Week’s Verse Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. (Acts 20:28,29) (July 14.)

Next Week’s Verse In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35) (July 21.)

Today’s phrase The church is the most precious reality on earth, since the ultimate price was paid for it when the Lord Jesus Christ purchased it with His own blood. ______ is the most precious reality, since ________ (July 14.) There is no substitute for prayer, for prayer acknowledges dependence on God and lines us up with His purposes. There is no substitute for ______, for ________ (July 21.)

This Week’s Conversation A: Please tell me more about spiritual leadership in the Bible. B: Why are you so interested in it? A: Because I know the best answer always comes from God’s Words. B: Good. The first priority for anyone involved in spiritual leadership is his own relationship with God. A: Then, what should a spiritual leader do first? B: Apostle Paul said to Timothy, “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching.” A: The first step is keep watch my life? B: That’s the start point.

Next Week’s Conversation A: I think my belief is so weak. B: Why do you think so? A: Frequently I lack assurance of salvation. What should I do? B: To some degree many Christians have the same problem. But don’t worry, I know the solution. A: What is it? I really need it. B: God’s Word is the source of spiritual growth and assurance. It will make you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today’s Reading Acts 20:25~38 25."Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26.Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27.For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28.Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29.I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30.Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31.So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.

Today’s Reading Acts 20:25~38 32."Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33.I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. 34.You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35.In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " 36.When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. 37.They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. 38.What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

A Charge to New Testament Church Leaders, Part 2 (Acts 20:29 – 38) Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. (Acts 20:32)

God is even more concerned about leadership in His kingdom. All of those guidelines are summarized in the requirement that a leader be “above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:6). The standards are high because the responsibility is great. Paul charged the church leaders to maintain five priorities: be right with God, shepherd the flock, guard the flock, study and pray, and be free from self- interest. Review

v.29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. v.30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. v. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. It is not enough for a faithful shepherd to feed and lead his flock, he must also protect it from predators. Guard the Flock

Paul had no doubt that after his departure false teachers would threaten the Ephesian church, as they already had entered the church at Corinth (2 Cor. 11:4) and the churches of Galatia (Gal. 1:6). Whenever the truth is proclaimed, Satan can be expected to counter it with the lies of false doctrine. Because of the serious danger they pose to the church, the Scriptures condemn false teachers in the strongest language. Guard the Flock

Peter vividly describes them in 2 Peter 2 as “those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority” (v. 10); “unreasoning animals” (v. 12); “stains and blemishes” (v. 13); “having eyes full of adultery … having a heart trained in greed … accursed children” (v. 14); “springs without water … mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved” (v. 17); “slaves of corruption” (v. 19); dogs returning to their own vomit and pigs wallowing in the mud (v. 22). Guard the Flock

Even more subtle than the attack of false teachers from outside the church, however, is the defection of those within. v.30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. False teachers twist God’s truth for their own perverted ends. Draw away is from apospaō and could be translated “to drag away” or “to tear away.” Guard the Flock

If the undershepherds are not vigilant, Paul warns, the wolves will drag their sheep away to devour them. To guard their flocks from attacks from both outside and inside the church, the undershepherds must do two things. First, they must be on the alert. Knowing that the savage wolves are awaiting an opening to attack their flocks, they must be vigilant. The faithful shepherd must also warn his flock. v. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Guard the Flock

v.32 "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. If an undershepherd is to feed and protect his flock, he must be a student of the Scriptures and devoted to prayer. Only then will he have true knowledge and the wisdom to apply that knowledge. This dual priority of ministry goes back to the example of the apostles, who declared in Acts 6:3, 4, “We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." Study and Pray

The church in Acts lived in a constant atmosphere of prayer (1:14; 2:42). It prayed when choosing Judas’s successor (1:24), when facing persecution (4:23–31; 16:25); at the choosing of seven men to administer the church’s relief efforts (6:6). There is no substitute for prayer, for prayer acknowledges dependence on God and lines us up with His purposes. Prayer also allows God to glorify Himself by answering (John 14:13). Without it the undershepherds’ attempts to feed, lead, and guard the flock will be in vain. Study and Pray

Study of the Word is the other foundational pillar of ministry, since it is the word of His grace that is able to build believers up and to give them the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. In 1 Peter 2:2, Peter echoed Paul’s thought: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” Paul told Timothy that the church was “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15), thus requiring that its leaders know that truth. Study and Pray

The Word is the source of spiritual growth (1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16–17; 2 Pet. 3:18). The Word is also the source of assurance, convincing believers that they have an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Weak, struggling believers who lack assurance of salvation need to be fed the Word of God that they might “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). Study and Pray

Prayer and the ministry of the Word must be the main occupation of the shepherd. If the undershepherd ignores these elements, both he and his flock suffer greatly. Study and Pray

A truly God-honoring ministry must focus on giving, not getting. God will not bless the ministry of someone who is preoccupied with money. The Lord Jesus Christ put it simply and directly when He said, “You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matt. 6:24). All believers are commanded, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have” (Heb. 13:5); that is doubly true of those in positions of spiritual leadership (1 Tim. 3:3; Titus 1:7). Be Free from Self-Interest

Love of money has always characterized false teachers. In the Old Testament, Isaiah (56:11), Jeremiah (6:13; 8:10), and Micah (3:11) denounced the greedy false leaders of Israel. They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain. (Isa ). In the New Testament, Paul described false teachers as those who teach “things they ought not to teach--and that for the sake of dishonest gain.” (Titus 1:11). Be Free from Self-Interest

Paul’s ministry was not characterized by self-seeking materialism. The apostle emphatically declared I have not coveted anyone's silver or gold or clothing. v.34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. Be Free from Self-Interest

Although Paul had every right to receive support for his ministry (1 Cor. 9:3ff.) and sometimes did (2 Cor. 11:8–9; Phil. 4:10–19), it was his custom to support himself (2 Cor. 11:7; 12:13; 1 Thess. 2:9; 2 Thess. 3:8). He did so that he might “offer the gospel free of charge” (1 Cor. 9:18). v.35. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.' " Be Free from Self-Interest

This quotation of Jesus is not recorded in the gospels but was nonetheless known among the early Christians. It is of great consequence that this is the only quotation recorded outside the gospels of a statement spoken by Jesus while He was on earth. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. (John 21:25) Only the divinely inspired Bible, however, contains those words and deeds that He wished us to remember. Be Free from Self-Interest

v.36 When he had said this, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. v.37 They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. v.38 What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship. The parting was an emotional one, reflecting the Ephesian elders’ deep love for Paul and their immense sorrow that they would never see him again. Be Free from Self-Interest

Paul’s ministry was successful because his life was right with God, he made it his priority to feed and guard the flock, he devoted himself to prayer and the ministry of the word, and he was totally free of self-interest. The result was the devoted love of his people and, more important, the approval of God. Conclusion

Today’s discussion Are you free from self-interest?

Today’s pop quiz Which of the following is not true? 1.God’s Word is the source of spiritual growth and assurance 2.The metaphor of a flock and a shepherd is often used to describe God’s relationship to His people. 3.Paul’s ministry was characterized by self-seeking materialism. 4.The faithful shepherd must be on the guard and warn his flock.

The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:9-13)

Today’s Prayer Topic For our life free from self-interest.

God will make a way Where there seems to be no way He works in ways we cannot see He will make a way for me He will be my guide Hold me closely to His side With love and strength for each new day He will make a way.... He will make a way