
SUPPLEMENTAL SCRIPTURES
- 1 Samuel 12:15
- Isaiah 1:19
- Matthew 7:21
- John 13:17
- Acts 5:29
- Revelation 22:14
Obeying a stop sign may save your physical life. Reading and obeying God’s Word will save your spiritual life. No doubt one of the reasons Joseph was selected out of a world of men to become Jesus’ earthly father was that he could recognize and then obey God’s command.
QUESTIONS
- What Scripture in our text indicates that Joseph was a man of God? Explain.
- Name one thing that was done which shows that Joseph honored the Law of God. See Luke 2:21-24.
- The Scriptures record in Matthew 1 and 2 at least three times when Joseph heard God’s directions and then was obedient. Name them.
- When do you think Joseph understood what Isaiah 7:14 meant?
- In verse 20, what, in the natural, might have made it difficult for Joseph to obey the command of the angel?
- It would have been a different story if Joseph had not obeyed God. Give a situation of your own experience when obedience paid off. Now jot down and discuss the possible consequences of disobedience concerning the situation you have noted.
- Which of the following prevented Moses from entering into the Promised Land? See Numbers 20:8,11.
speaking to the rock
not smiting the rock enough times
smiting the rock
disobedience - Which of the following saved Noah from the Flood?
his family
the ark
obedience
all of the preceding - In our daily lives, obedience is of utmost importance. What did Jesus say were the traits of a wise man? a foolish man? See Matthew 7:24-27.
THEME THOUGHTS
What makes a hero? Everyone, no matter what his age, seems to have a hero—someone he looks up to and admires. A great deal of a person’s behavior can be traced to the figure he or she has chosen as a role model. Are you in a period of transition? Are you facing the challenge of growing as a Christian. These lessons have been structured with the thought of helping you face this challenge head-on by giving you examples of people in the Bible who exemplified characteristics that would be good to pattern after. We will be studying about heroes found in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, including our greatest Hero—Jesus. These lessons will cover some of the women in the Bible as well as the men. Elisabeth’s faith, Deborah’s confidence, the self-denial of the widow of Zarephath, and the perseverance of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment are wonderful examples of feminine heroes we will be learning about. The other lessons will cover Zacharias’ faith, the obedience of Joseph (Jesus’ earthly father), John the Baptist’s fearless witnessing, Gideon’s example of courage, Caleb’s determination to wholly follow the Lord, the persecution of Stephen, Ananias’ determination to serve God, and Elisha’s willing service. Our aim is that with the concluding lesson, which summarizes this quarter on choosing the right kind of heroes, you will have learned which character qualities make someone a real hero. We pray that you yourself will want to become a good example for someone else to follow.