[1]NASHVILLE (BP) — This weekly Bible study appears in Baptist Press in a partnership with LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through its Leadership and Adult Publishing team, LifeWay publishes Sunday School curricula and additional resources for all age groups.
This week’s Bible study is adapted from the MasterWork curriculum.
Bible Passages: 2 Corinthians 4:18; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 11:1, 3
Discussion Questions: Why is the old saying, “Seeing is believing” not necessarily accurate? What things have you seen that were not the truth they purported to be? What experiences have you had or are you familiar with when the invisible was indeed more real than the visible?
Food for Thought:
If you have young children in your life, or perhaps even if you don’t, you might have encountered “The Polar Express” this Christmas season. The book by Chris Van Allsburg, and the movie by the same title starring Tom Hanks, tells the story of children and the wonder of Christmas. In the whimsical tale, the children are taken for a ride on a special train that whisks them to the North Pole to observe a certain red-suited jolly fellow make his annual journey.
[2]While most of the children are caught up in the sights and sounds of the loaded sleigh, prancing reindeer and mesmerizing music coming from the bells on the reindeer’s harnessing, one doubting boy sees the activity but fails to hear the ringing that sounds forth from the bells. He only hears the bells when his doubts are overcome and he begins to believe that the gift-giving fellow exists. For him, believing leads to hearing.
Far from the fairy tales of a magical, jolly elf and his sleigh-pulling, flying reindeer, we Christians face a reality that is only perceived on the active side of belief. Our eyes and ears might confront a reality of this world that seems overwhelmingly certain. Our senses would convince us of the rock-solid proof of what we see.
But the Bible teaches us of a reality we will not see until we first believe. In our MasterWork study this week, author Ron Dunn observes: “There exists an invisible world that is more real than our visible world. As a matter of fact, this invisible world is the ultimate reality. Hebrews 11:3 tell us that ‘the visible was made out of the invisible’ (Moffatt). The explanation behind our universe is not physical but spiritual. What you cannot see is more real than what you can see!”
MasterWork
MasterWork is an ongoing Bible study curriculum based on works from a variety of renowned authors and offers pertinent, practical messages that adults will find uplifting and enriching. The list of authors and their books to be studied in upcoming months can be found at www.lifeway.com/masterwork [3].
Other ongoing Bible study options for all ages offered by LifeWay can be found at LifeWay.com/SundaySchool [4].