Intersections Bible Study

1220 Ladies’ Fall Bible Study Group (Tallassee, AL - Tuesday Evenings @7:00)

Theme: Intersections

     Intersection Defined:

1.    The act or state of intersecting.

2.   The point or line in which two lines or two planes cut each other.

3.   The place where two roads meet.

4.   A crossing

5.   Coming together

6.   A juncture

Think about it…the term intersection implies that a meeting of two things or people exists—there is a juncture of some kind. For Christians, this requires a joining of our lives with Christ’s. At the junction of the cross, Jesus offered himself for us; he paid the price of our sin debt. At the point of salvation, He calls us on a journey to follow Him, and we begin walking toward eternity with Him at that point. While it can seem long and overwhelming, the journey between here and heaven is a vapor. Consider James 4:13-17:

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are [just] a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, [you ought] to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows [the] right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin. (NASB)

Like any journey, the walk of faith will not always be smooth. There will be bumps in the road--obstacles, checks, maintenance, wrecks, and sometimes, even though we cannot imagine it ever happening to us, straying from the path we’ve chosen to follow. So this fall, we will be studying about the intersections we encounter, how to navigate through them, and how to get back on the path when we stray. We will be studying what God’s word says about getting tangled up at the intersections of life and faith:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.) For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3, NASB)

We will also be studying about the other intersections in our lives—the ones between us and a world hungry for the love of Jesus. Many who are starving don’t even realize that their hunger can be satisfied. Are we letting hungry people around us spiritually starve to death? Are we living a life that demonstrates the love and power of Christ? There are so many intersections…

Intersections can be daunting…

but, hopefully, when you are driving and approach an intersection, you not only know the rules of the road, but are also following them! The same concept can be used when we encounter spiritual intersections, but we have to know and understand what God’s word says, before we can apply the wisdom He so freely offers!

To yield means to “Give Way.”  Am I yielding to Christ and His will for my life, or am I recklessly doing it “My Way” and ignoring the danger?

 The purpose of a stop sign is for traffic control at intersections or junctions of roads. It instructs drivers as to the right of way and helps to avoid accidents. Drivers are supposed to come to a complete stop and proceed only if the way ahead is clear. If two cars arrive at the same time, the car to the right has the right of way. Some stops are implied…meaning that you as the driver are expected to be aware to stop (i.e., crosswalks, etc.).  God’s word offers Christians everything they “need for life and godliness” (II Peter 1:3). Are we completely stopping and proceeding ONLY if the way ahead is clear? Are we driving over others with inconsideration because we are pulling “rolling stops” through intersections or ignoring implied stops as we busily rush through life with our agendas?

Caution signs are intended to warn a driver about impending danger—one that may or may not be apparent to the driver. Drivers who see these signs should proceed with extreme caution. Similarly, God’s word offers us clear insight into the nature of God and what pleases Him. God’s word “is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16). Are we ignoring obvious caution signs because we don’t have time to heed the caution signs he places in our lives?

  Speed Bumps are designed to slow us down…when we obstinately refuse to YIELD to God, stupidly fail to STOP and rest in Him and spend time with Him, and recklessly throw CAUTION to the wind, he will place SPEED BUMPS in our paths. He will not allow us to avoid correction because He “disciplines those he loves” (Hebrews 12:6).

Let’s read at the following scriptures:

Balaam’s donkey: Numbers 22:15-35

Uzzah’s encounter with the Ark of the Covenant: II Samuel 6:1-11

Jesus’ warning to Peter that he would deny Him three times before daylight: Luke 22:33 & 61

What will it take for us to see the signs, hear the warning, heed the Word? Truly we need to STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN to the Word of life while there’s still time!