QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (99)

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Questions have been asked since the beginning of time. 

 

B.   Questions will be asked until time comes to an end.

 

C.   Most of the time questions are asked in order to gain knowledge.

1.    God wants us to grow in our knowledge (2 Pet. 3:18).

 

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…

 

2.    There is no growth, however, until the knowledge that we acquire is practiced in our lives.  James put it this way in James 1:25.

 

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

 

D.   We hope individuals ask questions on our Q&A Sundays in order to gain knowledge and to make application of that knowledge in their lives. 

 

E.   Today is our Q&A Lesson.  Let’s look at three questions in this lesson.

 

I.             QUESTION #1:  Entertaining angels unawares

 

A.   Stated:  When the Bible says we can “entertain angels,” is that literal or figurative?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    The question comes from the words found in Hebrews 13:2.

 

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers:  for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

 

2.    The text does not tell us to entertain angels.  The text tells us to entertain strangers.

a.    Entertain

1)    Strong (5381):

a)    The Greek word is philonexia

b)    It is simply defined as hospitableness.

2)    Thayer defines the word as “to love a stranger.”

3)    Vine reveals that it comes from two words:  philo (love) and xenos (stranger).

b.    Christians are supposed to be hospitable individuals. 

1)    We are to manifest love to those we do not know.

2)    Romans 12:13 commands us to be “given to hospitality.”

3.    In the latter portion of the verse, he tells us one of the reasons we should be hospitable to strangers.  We never know who we might be entertaining.

a.    In the past, Abraham entertained angels unawares (Gen. 18:1-5)

1)    Abraham was sitting in the door of his tent in Mamre.

2)    Three men came near to him and ran from the tent to meet them.

3)    Abraham manifested love toward these men whom he had never met (Gen. 18:3-5).

 

And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:  let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:  and I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on:  for therefore are ye come to your servant…

 

4)    NOTE:  Hospitality is more than being kind and welcoming.  Hospitality seeks to serve and provide for the needs of the stranger.

b.    If we were to study the text in depth, we would find that one of those messengers was not just an angel.  One of them was the second member of the Godhead (See the words found in Genesis 18:1).

 

And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre…

 

c.    When the words were written to the Hebrews Christians, they were living in the age of miracles. 

1)    It would have been possible for an angel to manifest himself to them unawares.

2)    Thus, the writer reminds them of those who had done so in the past.

d.    We no longer live in that time period.

1)    Does this mean we no longer need to practice hospitality?

2)    Absolutely not.  Remember, Paul exhorts us to be “given to hospitality.”

3)    The truth is that we never know who we might be entertaining.

4)    There have been occasions when individuals have provided hospitality to powerful, important, wealthy individuals and did not know it until after the fact.

5)    NOTE:  Even if the person is not popular and well-to-do, we should still be hospitable.  Every person is made in the similitude of God (See Jam. 3:9).

6)    Perhaps all of us need to keep in mind the words of Jesus found in Matthew 25:40b.

 

…Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

II.           QUESTION #2:  Jesus’ activity in the hadean realm

 

A.   Stated:  When Jesus died on the cross, ascended to Heaven and emptied out the righteous part of the unseen realm of the dead; did the righteous know that their loved ones who fell away from the faith now had a path of salvation?  Did they rejoice?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    There are some questions that are difficult to answer because more information is needed in order to understand exactly what is being asked. 

a.    This is one of those questions.

b.    Parts of the question seem to spring from the Bible. 

c.    Other parts of the question involve information not revealed by Holy Writ.

2.    Parts of the question found in the Bible.

a.    Jesus did die on the cross (Mark 15:37).

b.    Jesus did ascend to Heaven after His resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:9-11).

3.    Part of the question that resembles aspects of the Scriptures.

a.    Emptied out the righteous part of the unseen realm of the dead.

b.    The unseen realm of the dead is divided into two parts.

1)    One is called Paradise (Luke 23:43) or Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22).

2)    The other place is known as torments (Luke 16:23).

c.    Nowhere are we told that Jesus emptied out the righteous part of the unseen realm of the dead when he ascended into heaven.

d.    We are told that when Jesus was resurrected, some came forth the from dead and appeared unto many (Matt. 27:52-53).

 

And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and when into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

 

1)    We are told that many bodies which slept arose, but not the entire section of Paradise.

2)    We are told that it was the bodies of saints.  Therefore, they were brought forth from the righteous portion of the hadean realm.

3)    We are not told the identity of those to whom they appeared.  The text simply states that they appeared unto many.

4)    NOTE:  Others had been resurrected from the dead during the earthly ministry of Jesus.  The loved ones of those who were resurrected would have rejoiced that their loved one had returned to them.  This would have been the case of those raised on the day the Lord came forth from the tomb.

4.    Part of the question is confusing.

a.    The question asks:  “…did the righteous know that their loved ones who fell away from the faith now had a path of salvation?  Did they rejoice?”

1)    To whom does the word “righteous” refer?  I am assuming that it refers to those who were raised from the dead since the Bible calls them saints.

a)    These individuals would have come back to the world as the same people they were prior to death.

b)    If they understood the mission of the Christ and that He was raised from the dead, they would have rejoiced that anyone they knew who were unfaithful would have a way of salvation through Jesus Christ.

2)    If the word “righteous” is applied to the righteous living, then the question contains a contradiction. 

a)    It would mean that those who had died were the ones who had fallen away from the faith.

b)    This could not be so because the questioner tells us that they came forth from the righteous part of the unseen realm of the dead.

5.    Another passage that needs to be studied (1 Pet. 3:18-20).

 

For Christ also hath once suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:  by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls were saved by water.

 

a.    The text reveals that Jesus preached unto the spirits in prison.

b.    The question that must be asked is:  “When was this preaching done to those individuals?”

c.    We will take up this discussion in a bulletin article or in another Q&A lesson.

 

III.         QUESTION #3:  Mission Work Being Supported in June

 

A.   Stated:  What mission work will be supporting in the month of June with our contributions that are over budget?

 

B.   Answer:

1.    This year, we left one month open for a mission work that might solicit our help this year. 

a.    There are usually several requests that come our way.

b.    I have had three of my friends who have requested help for various projects and works.

2.    Before we announce the work for June, let’s consider a few verses from the Bible.

a.    Galatians 6:10

 

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

 

1)    When opportunity comes our way, and when we have the ability, we are to do good unto all men.

2)    Notice Paul’s emphasis in the last portion of the verse, “especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

b.    Romans 15:25-26

 

But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.  For it hath pleased them of Macedonian and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

 

1)    There are seasons in the life of a church wherein times really get difficult.

2)    Here, Paul mentions the “poor saints which are at Jerusalem.”

3)    The Gentile churches of Macedonia and Achaia determined to make a contribution in order to assist these brethren in their afflction.

c.    2 Corinthians 8:1-2

 

Moreover brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed upon the churches of Macedonia; how that in great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

 

1)    In this text, Paul reveals how the churches of Macedonia responded to the need of the poor saints in Jerusalem.

2)    They did so liberally, even though they were in “great trial of affliction” and in “deep poverty” themselves.

3)    Paul reveals the secret of their generosity in 2 Corinthians 8:5.

 

And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.

 

3.    With these thoughts in mind, let’s talk about the work we will support in June.

a.    Recently, the elders heard that the Dean Road church of Christ is struggling financially.

b.    Since March, OceanSide has been sending $500.00 each month to assist them.  Arlington has also been sending support as well.

c.    The elders have also promised all of the funds over budget for the month of June will go to Dean Road. 

d.    It is hoped that this support will get them through this difficult time and that the doors of the church will not have to close.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   We have looked at three questions that involve some very different aspect of God’s Word:  the need to entertain strangers, the resurrection of the saints at the resurrection of Jesus, and support of our brethren who are in need.

 

B.   Remember that the Word of God must be internalized, that is, applied to life for it to be of benefit to us. 

 

C.   This is also true when it comes to initial obedience to the gospel.

1.    The Lord has done His part in the salvation process.

2.    The conditions for salvation have been provided by the Holy Spirit in the precious pages of the New Testament.

3.    Now, individual must trust and obey in order to be redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.