bsf lesson 24 Archives - AtoZMom's BSF Blog (2024)

Summary of John 19:8-16

Pilate was afraid, thinking Jesus may be the Son of God. When he questioned Jesus again, Jesus did not answer. Pilate still tried to free Jesus, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting and accusing Pilate of not being a friend of Caesar. Pilate gave in.

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 5: John 19:8-16

13) Hearing that Jesus may be the Son of God and probably knowing it’s truth somewhere deep inside of him. Jesus refused to answer Pilate.

14a)“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?”

Jesus answered,“You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.Therefore the one who handed me over to youis guilty of a greater sin.”

b) Pilate’s loyalty to Caesar was being questioned by the Jewish leaders. The Jewish leaders also would not quit shouting to crucify Jesus. Pilate had no rebuttal, so he gave in.

c) Out of fear of a rebellion maybe. Out of fear that Jesus was the Son of God.

15) Sin becomes a habit, which can be hard to overcome. Once sin takes root in the heart, it grows and you are blinded to the light of God’s truth. Staying the course is always better.

16) Many. In the hardships of my life, He is there. He gets me through. God is good. God is faithful. God is Almighty. I respond by giving Him the glory.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 5: John 19:8-16

Humanity does not change, and how Pilate reacted has been seen throughout history. Giving into peer pressure is very similar. It’s hard to stand for Truth. But, we must.

End Notes BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 5: John 19:8-16

Jesus gave no answer as he had already explained himself: his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36).

Pilate was not used to people not being afraid of him and groveling for freedom. Yet, Pilate was weak. He gave into the Jewish leaders.

God granted Pilate power.

In reality, Pilate was not a friend of Caesar. He was a puppet, a pawn. And, he was afraid of losing his position.

In reality, Pilate was the one on trial.

Pilate presents bloodied, beaten, and mocked Jesus to the crowd. They reject him — a fatal mistake.

God often gives us multiple chances to respond to His Truth, like He did with Pilate. Failure to respond has eternal consequences.

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Summary of John 18:39-19:7

Pilate bowed to political pressure and custom, allowing the Jewish people to decide if they wanted to execute Jesus or not. They did.

Jesus was flogged and had a crown of thorns placed on his head. He was clothed in a purple robe and beaten.

Pilate told the people that Jesus was innocent. But, the Jewish leaders and the people wanted Jesus crucified. Still, Pilate does not want to kill Jesus. But, the Jewish leaders insist.

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 4: John 18:39-19:7

10a) “I find no basis for a charge against him.But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”

b) They asked for Jesus to be crucified.

11a) He was flogged. A crown of thorns was placed on his head. He was beaten.

b) I think it got the Jewish people even more determined to crucify Jesus since Pilate was trying to stop it.

12a) With shouts of crucify. They demanded Jesus be killed because he claimed to be the Son of God.

b) With love, compassion, and the truth.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 4: John 18:39-19:7

This whole scene is sad. Pilate being a weak leader. The Jews calling for an innocent man’s death. Human sin and man’s fallen nature can be so vile.

End Notes BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 4: John 18:39-19:7

Pilate tries to release Jesus, but the crowd says no. Calling Jesus the King of the Jews was intended to get the people to release Jesus.

Barnabas was considered a terrorist and opposed the Romans. Therefore, he was a hero in the eyes of the Jews.

Next, Pilate whips Jesus and mocks him, hoping the crowd will set him free after that.

Being whipped or scourged often killed people. Yet, Pilate hoped this would satisfy the Jewish people and have Jesus set free. Ironic.

No leader wore a painful crown of thorns. The purple robe (only Roman leaders wore purple) was meant to mock Jesus.

Pilate’s role was to free Jesus. But, he did not.

Once more, Pilate presents Jesus to the crowd, bloodied and beaten. This sight did nothing to soften the Jews’ hearts towards Jesus.

Pilate tells the people to look at Jesus. The religious leaders’ cry to crucify Jesus was pure hatred of God.

Pilate says Jesus is innocent for the third time.

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Summary John 18:33-38

Pilate questioned Jesus and asked him if he were king of the Jews. Jesus says his kingdom is not of this world. Jesus says he testifies to truth. Pilate, exasperated, tells the Jewish leaders there is no basis for charges here.

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 3: John 18:33-38

7a) Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus says, “Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?”

b) He was trying to see if Pilate thought he was guilty, or if he was just being a pawn. Did Pilate really want to know the answer?

8 ) Pilate asked Jesus what he has done. He missed the opportunity to ask Jesus who he was.

9a) “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

b) He immediately focused on Jesus as being a king, but an earthly king.

c) Same. They are looking for tangible Jesus, when Jesus is of the heart. They miss his meaning completely.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 3: John 18:33-38

I love how Jesus constantly reaches out to his enemies, hoping to turn them to him. If Jesus does this for unbelievers, imagine how he helps us/believers each and every day. God is so good!

End Notes BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 3: John 18:33-38

John leaves how how Jesus was taken to Herod and this is a second appearance before Pilate.

Pilate expected someone else who was not Jesus. He was not a criminal like he was used to dealing with. He was our Lord.

When Jesus said his kingdom is not from here, Pilate could have concluded Jesus was not a threat. But, he did not.

Jesus claimed to be a King of Truth, to which Pilate sneered, believing there was not spiritual truth. That being said, Pilate knew Jesus was innocent.

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Summary of John 18:28-32

Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. Pilate came out and asked what charges Jesus was facing. Pilate did not want to deal with this, but the Jewish leaders told them they could not execute Jesus.

BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 2: John 18:28-32

3a) To avoid ceremonial uncleanness and maintain ritual purity since it’s Passover.

b) Not really. They were seeking to kill someone illegally and without justification, and that breaks the 10 Commandments. In Biblical times, there were many ways to be unclean, including by skin diseases, discharges of bodily fluids, touching something dead (Num 5:2 ), or eating unclean foods (Lev 11;Deut 14). In this case, the Jewish leaders were unclean because of their evil hearts.

4a) He was not happy. It was early in the morning. He probably was asleep and did not want to be bothered with Jewish things. And, he had to come out, so he had to get dressed. He did not want to deal with this.

b) Jesus would have to die on the cross as Moses predicted to save the world.

5) The lengths that the religious leaders are going to to execute Jesus. They know Pilate will be angry, but they do it anyways.

6a) We do this all the time. Try to make up for our sins by doing good. We do this out of guilt and hopes of feeling better for our sins. We also do this to ignore our sins, and we feel better by doing good.

b) Jesus. Confession of our sins. Accepting Jesus as our Savior.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 2: John 18:28-32

We see the true twistedness and evil of the Jewish leaders here.

End Notes BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 24, Day 2: John 18:28-32

John leaves out the details of Jesus’ trials (Assembly of the council recorded inMatthew 26:57-68 and the daylight meeting of the Sanhedrin (Luke 22:66), instead focusing on Jesus and Pilate.

The Jewish leaders expected Pilate to condemn Jesus immediately and order his execution. Instead, Pilate demanded the charges against Jesus. Since they answered with no specifics, he told them to deal with Jesus.

By Roman law, the Jews did not have the authority to kill anyone.

The Jews would probably have stoned Jesus to death, which would not have fulfilled prophecy.

Fun Fact: Jesus faced 6 trials before he was crucified. Can you imagine this modern day?

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SUMMARY OF ZEPHANIAH 3:9-20

The remnant of Israel will be restored. They will trust in God and worship Him. They will be purified.

Be glad that God has taken away your punishment.

God will be with His people and save them. He will delight in them and love them and no longer rebuke them. They will be gathered to Him.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 5: Zephaniah 3:9-20

14) I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may callon the name of theLord. The remnant of Israel will trust in the name of theLord. They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies. No one will be afraid. God will be with His people and save them. He will delight in them and love them and no longer rebuke them. They will be gathered to Him.

15a) God promises to care for those who believe in Him and trust Him. He does.

b) God calls all those to Him, but only the believers will have eternal life.

16) Verse 15: TheLord, the King of Israel, is with you;never again will you fear any harm. I always love the idea that God is with me. This is something I need to be told over and over again.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 5: Zephaniah 3:9-20

Great lesson on God’s restoration of His faithful people.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 5: Zephaniah 3:9-20

All will worship the Lord once again. There will be peace and prosperity in the Second Coming.

God will be joyful along with His people. He will sing over them (what a great picture!).

God’s people will find rest in His presence.

We should not fear and should keep serving Him.

God promises to encourage us, defeat our enemies, heal us, and gather us to Him. What a beautiful picture!

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SUMMARY OF ZEPHANIAH 1:1-3:8

Zephaniah warns of judgment against Judah and Jerusalem, as well as the judgment of the surrounding nations.

God will judge the entire planet on the day of the Lord (Second Coming of Christ). God will destroy all idol worship, punish the officials and the king’s sons, and all who fill the temple with violence and deceit.

Judah is asked to repent. All of the surrounding nations will face judgment, including Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, and Assyria.

Jerusalem has been given chances to repent, but still does not.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 4: Zephaniah 1:1-3:8

9) During the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah. Josiah entered into a new covenant with God and issued reforms after reading the Book of the Law, which was found. He wiped out pagan cults and removed idolatry from the temple.

10)

Zephaniah 1:2-3: “I will sweep away everythingfrom the face of the earth,” declares theLord.“I will sweep away both man and beast;I will sweep away the birds in the skyand the fish in the sea—and the idols that cause the wicked to stumble. He will destroy all mankind on the face of the earth.

Zephaniah 1:4-5: “I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all who live in Jerusalem. I will destroy every remnant of Baal worship in this place, the very names of the idolatrous priests— 5 those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the Lord and who also swear by Molek,[b]

Zephaniah 1:12-16: God will punish those who are complacent. Their wealth will be plundered, their houses demolished.
Though they build houses,they will not live in them. though they plant vineyards,they will not drink the wine.” That day will be a day of distress, anguish, trouble, ruin, darkness, gloom, clouds, blackness, trumpets, and battle cries.

11) Philistia, Moab, Ammon, Cush, and Assyria. God judges both believers and unbelievers. Everyone will be accountable to God for their actions.

12) They are disobedient, oppressors, rebellious, and defiled. They don’t trust God nor do they draw near to God. The officials and rulers are corrupt. The prophets are unprincipled. They are treacherous people. The priests do violence to the law. The people are unrepentant for their actions.

13) I think people today don’t think about God’s judgment and live their lives ignoring God. Or, they sin and believe that doesn’t matter because God will forgive them. This is because people don’t believe in God or they only believe the parts of God’s word they want to believe.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 4: Zephaniah 1:1-3:8

Love this lesson! Love the tender judgment of God and His constant call to have His people repent.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 4: Zephaniah 1:1-3:8

Zephaniah preaches what the other prophets did: he condemned the people of God for their sins and predicted their coming judgment. However, he also predicted the day of the Lord for a small remnant. Zephaniah was the last of the prophets, so by now, he is merely repeating the others warnings of judgment.

Zephaniah promised judgment to idolaters, royalty, merchants, and the complacent. The judgment will be intense, and it is certain.

Fun Fact: The Day of the Lord is used more than 25 times in the Bible.

Now, is the day of the man; the Day of the Lord is when God reigns again on earth.

God calls his people to repent while there is still time.

All the nations will be judged: the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Cush (Ethiopia), and Assyria.

Jerusalem is wicked, but God is righteous. God offers everyone a chance to humble themselves and repent. They offer a way of salvation for those who seek Him.

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SUMMARY OF NAHUM 2-3

Nahum 2

Nahum tells Nineveh they will be attacked. The Lord will restore Jacob and Israel. Nineveh will be exiled and carried away. It will be pillaged, plundered, and stripped. The Lord is against them.

Nahum 3

Woe to Nineveh. The Lord is against them. Many will die and be taken captive. Nothing will be able to save them.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 3: Nahum 2-3

6)

The enemy’s appearance: The shields of the soldiers are red; the warriors are clad in scarlet. They had flashing metal chariots. They look like flaming torches;they dart about like lightning.

The siege and looting of the city: Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! The supply is endless, the wealth from all its treasures! She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!

The flooding of the city and its results: The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses.

The fall of Nineveh’s fortresses: All your fortresses are like fig trees with their first ripe fruit; when they are shaken,the figsfall into the mouth of the eater.

The sins for which Nineveh is judged: all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute,alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft.

7a) Psalm 119:89: Your word,Lord, is eternal;it stands firm in the heavens.

Matthew 5:18: For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

What God says, God does. Nineveh was destroyed and God’s people were saved according to God’s plan.

b) That I can trust in what God says and does. I know He is in control of all world events. He has it.

8 ) Nahum 1:7: TheLord is good,a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. I know I can turn to Him if I just trust in God, His ways, and His plan for my life.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 3: Nahum 2-3

Great study of Nahum! Loved reading this often-forgotten and overlooked book.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 3: Nahum 2-3

Nahum 2:

Nineveh is destroyed in a great battle, brought low by Babylon. They will be brought low and plundered. No one wants to hear that the Lord is against them. But Nineveh did.

God will avenge evil and deliver His people. He defends His people against those who come against Him.

Nahum 3:

Nineveh was a violent and immoral city. It will be humbled and judged. It would be flooded, burned, and plundered.

God can handle our judgments for us; we don’t need to seek vengeance.

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SUMMARY OF NAHUM 1

The Lord is slow to answer, but He does not leave the guilty unpunished. He will punish Nineveh for their evils.

Yet, the Lord is good. He is a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.

He will destroy Nineveh.

BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 2: Nahum 1

3a) The Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and vents his wrath against his enemies. 3 The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.

b) The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. He afflicts Judah but promises to do so no more. Yet,theLord will not leave the guilty unpunished.

c) We are saved by Christ’s blood. There will be justice but also salvation for believers. It’s comforting to know that God will be the judge of everything. We only have to believe and follow Him.

4) Jonah’s message about their doom was believed by the Ninevites and they worked to changed their ways. God relented his anger and punishment because of it. In Nahum’s time, his message was ignored, and Nineveh fell. God showed no mercy.

5a) It gave them hope that they would be freed and could return home one day. It also gave them faith that God keeps His word and enacts revenge; that God has their back. That God is in charge.

b) I know that God cares about what is right and wrong, so that no matter what evil is around me, they will pay one day when they stand before God.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 2: Nahum 1

Great lesson on how God is in control and He will enact revenge in His timing.

End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 24, Day 2: Nahum 1

Nahum preached against injustice and predicted the downfall of Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria. God addresses nations as much as He addresses individuals.

God shows mercy, but He also judges.

Nahum means “comfort.”

God will deliver His people and defeat their enemies.

Assyria returned to idolatry, cruelty, and arrogance after Jonah’s warnings. Judah emulated Assyria. Yet, God saved Judah.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN MATTHEW 24 BSF LESSON 24

• With Jesus, there is hope
• Persevere in faith with Christ’s help
• Jesus will return for us
• Be prepared for Jesus’s return at any time
• Continually spread Jesus wherever you go
• God is in control

TAKE AWAY: Deception is everywhere. Only God’s truth will set you free.

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SUMMARY OF MATTHEW 24:32-51

You know summer is near when the twigs and leaves of a fig tree get tender and come out. This generation won’t pass away until all of these things have happened. Jesus’s words won’t pass away.

Only God knows when the Second Coming will be. When the Son comes again, life will be normal as it was in the days of Noah before the flood. People ate, drank, and got married as normal. Some will be taken; others won’t.

Jesus says to keep watch because no one knows what day he will come, and he will come at an hour no one expects. It’s good for the faithful and wise servant to be taking care of the master’s household until he returns. If he is wicked, however, and beats his fellow servants and hang out with drunkards, he will be cut to pieces when the master returns and assigned a place amongst the hypocrites with weeping and gnashing of teeth.

BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 24, Day 5: Matthew 24:32-51

10) This generation won’t pass away until all of these things have happened. Jesus’s words won’t pass away.

11a) When the Son comes again, life will be normal as it was in the days of Noah before the flood. People ate, drank, and got married as normal. In Noah’s day, people were so wicked God destroyed them.

b) Only God knows when the Second Coming will be.

12) The man did not watch his house as he should, so thieves snuck in. We need to be watchful so we are not lost when Jesus comes.

13) We must keep the faith and God’s commands, so that we are ready when Jesus comes because no one knows when that will be. We are to be faithful and serve.

14) Just be mindful that Jesus is always watching, that this earth is temporary and not my home, that I belong elsewhere, and remind myself periodically that Jesus is coming again soon.

Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 24, Day 5: Matthew 24:32-51

I didn’t remember that only God knows when Jesus will return. This is encouraging since none of us know, so it’s best to treat every day as if Jesus will appear.

Great reminder!

End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 24, Day 5: Matthew 24:32-51

The fig tree grows abundantly in Isreal and is mentioned many times in the Old Testament as a symbol of abundance. We see in Jeremiah 24:1-10andHosea 9:10, figs or fig trees represent Israel. The Luke version of this story Luke 21:29-31: shows clearly that the fig tree is used a sign that the kingdom of God is near.

When these signs appear, so will Jesus:

• Catastrophes
• Abomination of desolation
• Israel will flee
• Tribulation and cosmic disturbances

The generation is the generation that sees these signs. Some Bible scholars believe that “generation” really means race and refers to the Jews, meaning they will survive to the end. No one knows which generation it will be.

Many are confused by how Jesus’s coming cannot be known since only God knows it, yest Daniel says it will be exactly 1,290 days after the abomination of desolation (Daniel 12:11).

The days of Noah were marked by evil, violence, and demons, which is why God destroyed humanity and decided to start over.(Genesis 6:1-5).

Again, how can people go on living with such evil all around them?

Bible scholar William Barclay on this passage: “It is in two sections and they seem to contradict each other. The first (verses 32-35) seem to indicate that, as a man can tell by the signs of nature when summer is on the way, so he can tell by the signs of the world when the Second Coming is on the way. The second section (verses 36-41) says quite definitely that no one knows the time of the Second Coming, not the angels, not even Jesus himself, but only God; and that it will come upon men with the suddenness of a rainstorm out of a blue sky.”

This dicotomy is explained by knowing that there are two second comings here: the rapture (where all believers will be caught up and meet the Lord in the air. The bodies of the dead will be resurrected, and all believers, living and dead, will be glorified) and then the Second Coming (where Jesus will set up his kingdom, judge his enemies, and reward the faithful).

While we wait for Jesus, we must wait for his coming, be faithful, and we’ll be rewarded when he comes. The evil servant is not ready, instead not attending to God’s business, mistreating others, and indulging in the pleasures of this world.

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