Download Good lessons, Bad Examples 4

June 25, 2017
Unit 1, Study 4
Reject Ungodly Attitudes
Study Texts: 1 Samuel 2:12-35; 4:17; Acts 5:1-11; 8:9-24
Acknowledgements

 Material adapted from
Radiant Life: Adult Teacher Guide
June-July-Aug 2017
Unit 1, Good Lessons from Bad Examples
Unit 2, Good Lessons from Good Examples
Volume 91 Number 4
Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO 65802
@2017 ISSN 1059-3233
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New
International version @, NIV, Copyright 1973 Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights
reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
All Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version of the bible.
?Question?

 Why do you think attitudes matter to God?
 Attitudes are important to God because they reflect the
desires and motives of the heart.
 Today’s study examines 3 examples of ungodly
attitudes, and the consequences of allowing sinful
desires to grow and mature
 Ungodly attitudes lead to ungodly actions
 While God condemns wrong attitudes, He restores
those who repent
Reject Ungodly Attitudes

 Key Verse: Psalm 139:23-24

23 Search
me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my
thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead
me in the way everlasting. (KJV)

23 Search
me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my
anxious thoughts.24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.(NIV)
 Focus: to identify and avoid attitudes that lead to ungodliness
 Central Truth: Motives of the heart lead to a lifestyle that either
pleases God or rejects Him
Total Disregard for God
1 Samuel 2

 Hophni and Phineas-The wicked sons of Eli
 Described as the sons of Belial (2:2) “Worthless”
 Contempt for the Holy 2:12-17
 Sacrilegious-Immorality-Godlessness 2:22-35

Contempt for the Holy
1 Samuel 2:12-17 (NIV)

12 Eli’s
sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD.
13 Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the
people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a
three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled
14 and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or
pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for
himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to
Shiloh. 15 But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant
would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the
priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you,
but only raw.” 16 If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned
first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer,
“No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.” 17 This sin
of the young men was very great in the LORD’s sight, for they were
treating the LORD’s offering with contempt.
Sacrilege Brings Judgment
1 Samuel 2:22-25 (NIV)

 Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his
22
sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the
women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
23 So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear
from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. 24 No,
my sons; the report I hear spreading among the LORD’s
people is not good. 25 If one person sins against another,
God[a] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins
against the LORD, who will intercede for them?” His sons,
however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the
LORD’s will to put them to death.
[a] Or the judges
Sacrilege Brings Judgment
1 Samuel 2:34-35; 4:17 (NIV)

 2:34 “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and
Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on
the same day. 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful
priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and
mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they
will minister before my anointed one always.
 4:17 The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled
before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy
losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are
dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”
?Question?

 What are some ways people (Christian and nonChristian) demonstrate a disregard for God today?
 Why is this so serious?
Motivated by Greed and
Acclaim -Ananias & Sapphira

 What poses the greater danger to the Church:
persecution from the outside, or sinful conduct from
the inside?
Deception Exposed
Acts 5:1-4(NIV)

 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife
Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s
full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself,
but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then
Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your
heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept
for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it
was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made
you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to
human beings but to God.”
?Question?

 What do you think Scripture means in saying that
they lied to the Holy Spirit and to God (v3-4)
 By lying to the Apostles, they sought to deceive God’s
representatives in ministry as well as their fellow
members of the body of Christ
 This was not just a lie to others, but also a lie to God

5
Greed Brings Judgment
Acts 5:5-11(NIV)

When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great
fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some
young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried
him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came
in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me,
is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?”
“Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of
the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband
are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that
moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men
came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her
beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and
all who heard about these events.
?Question?

 What was the judgment on Ananias?
 Why do you think it was so severe?
 How did the other Christians in the early Church
respond to this tragic series of events?
Lust for Power and Fame

 Simon the Sorcerer
 Motivated by Arrogance
 Desire for power and fame
Motivated by Arrogance
Acts 8:9-19 (NIV)


9 Now
for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and
amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all
the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man
is rightly called the Great Power of God.” 11 They followed him because he had
amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as
he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ,
they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was
baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and
miracles he saw. 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted
the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they
prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands
on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was
given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said,
“Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive
the Holy Spirit.”
?Question?

 What evidence was present when these Christians
were baptized in the Holy Spirit?
 Why do you think Simon offered money for the
power of the Spirit?
Restored through Repentance
Acts 8:20-24 (NIV)

 20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you,
because you thought you could buy the gift of God with
money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry,
because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this
wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may
forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For
I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that
nothing you have said may happen to me.”
?Question?

 Was Peter being too harsh in his rebuke of Simon?
 How did Simon respond?
 How was this different from Ananias & Sapphira?
 Why are fame and power so appealing, even to
Christians?
 It goes to pride, lifting us up in the eyes of others, giving us
a false sense of approval and worth
Practical Application

 “Attitude is everything”
 We may become preoccupied by actions, but we must not
forget that our attitudes drive our actions
 Sinful deeds are often rooted in ungodly desires
 Unrighteousness begins in hearts that do not respect God
 Lets pray for God’s help in establishing attitudes that
please Him, and align with His plans for our lives
 Lets value the things he values; holiness, compassion, love
 Identify attitudes that threaten these values, and seek His
help in removing ungodly attitudes like greed and pride
June 25, 2017
Unit 1, Study 4
Trust God’s Infinite Grace (Manasseh)
Study Texts: 1 Samuel 2:12-35; 4:17; Acts 5:1-11; 8:9-24