Genesis 16 - Nehemiah 5 - Matthew 15 - Acts 15

Genesis 16
- Abram and Sarai had lived in Canaan 10 years and Sarai told Abram to try to bear children with their Egyptian servant, Hagar.
- Hagar gave Sarai a look of contempt and Sarai banished her.
- Why would Sarai tell Abram to sleep with their servant and then get mad at them?
- Why did Sarai deal harshly with Hagar when she was simply following Sarai's directions for her?
- This act shows that Abram and Sarai did not trust God whole heartidly because they tried to come up with an heir themselves.
- An angel of the Lord told Hagar that God heard her and would bless her son and that she should name him Ishmael.
- Why would God bless an Egyptian servant who is not an Israelite?
- How is having a son who is a "wild donkey of a man" a good thing and how is that a blessing?
- Abram called Hagar's son Ishmael.
- Did Hagar tell him that this should be his son's name or how did he know?

Nehemiah 5
- The Jews were exacting heavy taxes on their brothers. They were taking their brothers land and enslaving their children too. Nehemiah told them that this was not good.
- Nehemiah took counsel with himself (not others or God).
-Nehemiah told them that they needed to fear God and not put a burden on their brothers.
- Nehemiah led in this by lending grain to the poor without asking to be paid back and NOT eating his governor's portion which he had full rights to do. Nehemiah's sacrifices and servant heart encouraged others to follow suit. (This shows a Christian heart to serve and sacrifice that I want to have more of)
- The people promised not to do this any more and praised God.
- Former governor's had oppressed the people with taxes.
- Nehemiah asks God to remember his generosity.
- Is it wrong to ask God to bless the good things we do? Doesn't Jesus tell us to do good deeds, fast, and pray in secret?

Matthew 15
- Pharisees were upset because Jesus' disciples didn't wash before eating.
- Jesus told them that it wasn't what goes into the mouth that defiles a person but what comes out of it. They didn't understand what he meant because they had added to the Law.
- Jesus told His disciples when they asked Him that food goes into the stomach and then is expelled but what comes out of the mouth shows what is in the "heart of a person" (sin)
- Sin in people's hearts: evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. Again a tree will be judged by its fruit. (What fruit am I seeing in my own life?)
- If eating doesn't defile a person, was it really a sin for Jews at this time to eat an "unclean" animal since it was a Mosaic Law?
- The Canaanite woman asked Jesus to heal her demon possessed daughter, then turned to the disciples, then turned back to Jesus, but Jesus told her that He was sent to the lost sheep of Israel. He said the children's bread should not be fed to the dogs.
- She replied by saying even dogs get scraps from the table. She did not respond in anger but with wisdom.
- Her daughter was instantly healed because of the woman's faith.
- This was the second time Jesus had healed a non Jewish person (The first being the Centurion).
- Jesus fed 4,000 men with 7 loaves and a few fish and there was some left over.
- Why did the disciples ask how they were going to feed the crowd when He had just fed a huge crowd a few chapters earlier?

Acts 15
- Some in the church were preaching that the Gentiles MUST be circumcised in order to receive the faith. (This seems to be the first doctrinal issue had by the new church)
- They met together to discuss this matter and v. 9 - 11 sum up the truth of the Gospel very well. It said that even the Jews were unable to keep the Law of Moses and it would be wrong to place this burden on the Gentiles, since it is by GRACE we are saved. (It is not works or good deeds that make us right before God. It is only faith in Christ!)
- Peter recounted how God had had him preach to the Gentiles and Paul and Barnabas said the same thing.
- James (not sure which one) recalls a verse from Isaiah which says God will bring knowledge of Him to the Gentiles.
- Who is Simeon?
- They told the Gentiles to abstain from idols and sexual immorality and from blood (murder?)
- Why do they forget to remind them that it is by GRACE they will be saved?
- Judas and Silas join Paul and Barnabas until Paul and Barnabas get into a "sharp disagreement". It is so sharp that Paul takes Silas to return to towns where the Gospel has been preached and strengthen those places and Barnabas leaves Paul with John called Mark.
- Why didn't Paul and Barnabas pray about their disagreement and ask for the Spirit's direction?
- Is Barnabas mentioned in any other places in Scripture?
- John called Mark, Silas, Barnabas, and Judas were not the original apostles. The 12 apostles were not officially called by Jesus until Matthew 10. Until that time there was only Peter, Andrew, James, and John (chapter 4) and Matthew (chapter 9)
- Is Joseph called Barsabbas (acts 1:23) the same person as Judas called Barsabbas (15:22)?