QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (107)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   We ask all kinds of questions throughout our lives.

1.    Will you marry me?  Relationships

2.    How much does it cost?  Finances

3.    What is the diagnosis?  Medical 

4.    When do I start?  Career

5.    Did I pass?  Education

 

B.   The most important questions we ask are spiritual questions. 

1.    They involve our understanding of God’s Word.

2.    They involve our relationship with God.

3.    They involve the salvation of our souls.

 

C.   This is the first Sunday of February.  It is our Q&A Sunday.  Let’s look at three questions in this lesson.

 

I.             QUESTION #1:  The “Great” I Am

 

A.   Stated:  Some pray and call the Father, “The Great I Am.”  Does this title apply to both the Father and the Son?  Or, does it apply to just to Jesus?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    The words, “The Great I Am,” are not found in the Biblical text.  

a.    This is a combination of words used by man to describe God.

b.    In fact, this description of God is used in the second stanza of the hymn, “On Zion’s Glorious Summit.”

 

Here all who suffer sword or flame

For truth, or Jesus’ lovely name

Shout victory now and hail the Lamb,

And bow before the great I AM,

And bow before the great I AM.

 

c.    NOTE:  This does not necessarily mean that the phrase is unscriptural, however.

 

2.    Definition:

a.    I AM

1.    Am is a form of the verb “be.”

2.    It is also the present tense of the verb.

b.    The word denotes that God has always been.

1)    He is eternal.

2)    He is self-existent.

3)    He was not created or made at some time in the distant path.

4)    He has always been.

3.    Is it acceptable to refer to God and Jesus as “the great” I AM” 

a.    Is God great?

b.    The Bible affirms that He is.

1)    Deuteronomy 10:17

 

For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible…

 

2)    Titus 2:13

 

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

 

3)    In Luke 1:32, the word “great” is specifically applied to Jesus.

 

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest…

 

c.    If God and Jesus are great, and They are.  And, if God and Jesus can be referred to as the I AM, and They can be.  Then, it is acceptable to refer to both of them as “the Great I AM.”

 

II.           QUESTION #2:  Adam and Eve

 

A.   Stated:  Did Adam and Eve repent of their sin, that is, eating the forbidden fruit?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    Sin is defined as “the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4).

 

Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.

 

a.    Transgress:

1)    Strong (458):  illegality, violation of law

2)    Thayer:  contempt and violation of law

3)    Vine:  to do lawlessness

b.    God gave Adam a law in Genesis 2:16-17.

c.    Adam and Eve violated the law when they ate of the fruit (Gen. 3:6).

2.    They suffered severe consequences for their sins (Gen. 3:15-19).

3.    The questioner asks:  “Did Adam and Eve repent?”

a.    Defined:  a change of mind that leads to a change of action that results in a reformation of life.

b.    Once they are driven from the Garden of Eden, we have no information given to us about their lives.

c.    The Bible does not specifically state that they repented.

d.    In Genesis 3:21, we learn that God made “coats of skins and clothed them.”

1)    These were animal skins.

2)    In order to have animal skins, there had to be the death of the animals.

3)    Some surmise that this was the first animal sacrifice made for sins.

4)    NOTE:  If sacrifice was involved, it indicates that Adam and Eve repented of their sins.

e.    We know Adam and Eve had three sons. 

1)    Two of these sons were righteous men

a)    Abel offered a sacrifice of faith to God (Gen.4:4; Heb. 11:4).

b)    After Seth bore Enos, “then began men to call upon the name of the Lord” (Gen. 4:26).

2)    This would indicate that Adam and Eve attempted to rear their children with a knowledge of God and His will.

3)    If so, this could be another indication of repentance on their part.

 

III.         QUESTION #3:  Additional Mission Work

 

A.   Stated:  What will OceanSide be focused on this month?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    Our monthly chart that is in the bulletin states that we will be involved in a congregational activity.  We will be doing that on February 21^st.

2.    However, the elders feel that we also need to focus on another mission work in February.  The mission work involves the hurricane victims of Hurricane Helene.

3.    Facts about Helene:

a.    Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend on September 26, 2024 as a Category 4 hurricane.

b.    The storms path was about 400 miles in length.

c.    The storm invaded Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

d.    It killed 230 people making it one of the deadliest storms on record.

e.    The damage estimates are between $95 billion to $110 billion.

f.     The storms caused over 2,000 landslides and destroyed portions of 8,000 roads. 

g.    Homes and businesses were destroyed.

h.    In some cases, entire towns were washed away.

i.     The infrastructure in many places was destroyed or severely damaged.

4.    The residents of North Carolina and Tennessee are still struggling.

5.    Present needs:

a.    Shelter

b.    Propane gas heaters

c.    Food distributions attempted every 3 or 4 days to those at higher altitudes who were cut off

d.    Clean water deliveries

e.    Hygiene products

f.     Medicines

6.    In the past, we thought that a clothing donation would help.

1.    The church contributed some 30 boxes of clothes.

2.    These, however, were not the prime need at the time.

3.    We donated these to the veterans of Jacksonville, FL.

7.    The best way to help at this time is cash money.

1.    We have found a church, the Crossville church of Christ, in Crossville, TN who is accepting donations and assisting the victims of the hurricane.

2.    They have had almost $200,000 contributed, but the needs continue to be great. 

3.    It is cold and wet at this time year.  Therefore, the OceanSide congregation will be assisting with all funds over budget during the month of February.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have looked at the words “The Great I AM” in this lesson.

 

B.   We have contemplated whether Adam and Eve repented. 

1.    There may be some hints that they did.

2.    In our hearts, we should all desire their salvation.

 

C.   The final point of the lesson is a call to action.  We want to assist the victims of Hurricane Helene who are still hurting (1 John 3:17).

 

But whoso this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him.