SS Preview May 6, 2018
Greeting Members and Friends
It time once again for our weekly Sunday School preview so thanks for joining me and welcome back. The Spring Quarter entitled “Acknowledging God” focuses on ways God’s people have acknowledged His Greatness. The May unit is entitled “Give Praise to God,” and has four sessions that emphasize the people’s response by bringing offerings and dedicating their lives to God’s work. Three of the responses are found in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and 2 Corinthians. The unit concludes with one session drawn from the books of Psalms and Hebrews that rejoices in God’s reconciling action on behalf of the people.
This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “Giving from a Generous Heart” or “Generous Giving”. One of the stumbling stone to saving faith in Christ is giving. Whether it’s giving of time, resources, money, gifts or talents or in any other form, people fail to give because of lack of faith in God and selfishness. Godly giving is always sacrificial. Some people give out of the abundance of what they have or give what they no longer desire or have a need for. But giving that denies a person of something they needed, could use or wanted for themselves or that causes them suffering in some matter is the type of giving God calls upon us to give. It is the type of giving Jesus demonstrated in the life He lived and the death He died
The lesson text describes what the children of Israel did when they were asked to give for the building of the tabernacle. This was a freewill offering of whatever they could and wanted to contribute. The text emphasized the fact that people gave anything of value including skills, jewelry, linen, precious stones including silver and gold of a free and willing heart. Another aspect of Godly giving is the motivation and attitude of giving.
The second part of the lesson text comes from 2nd Corinthians which addresses the purpose in giving. We shouldn’t give out of a sense of guilt or obligation or grudgingly, but because we want to help bless others as we ourselves have been blessed by God. The song says we can’t beat God giving no matter how we try. Some people will never prosper because they give so little. If a person plants or sows only a small portion, they can only expect to receive a small portion. But if a person plants or sows a large portion, they can expect to receive a large portion. This is a biblical principle of giving.
To become a Godly giver, we must have faith in God that whatever we give, God will more than take care of it by providing for us all that we need. I know from my own personal experience that it gives me joy to give to the work of the Lord and God has rewarded me many times over and above in countless ways what I have given for His sake. And I know there are many others who can give this same testimony concerning giving. Well, that’s all for this week’s preview. Be sure to join us in Sunday School this week for a fuller discussion of this lesson and the general topic of Give Praise to God. So, until then
Grace and peace
Pastor Jordan
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SS Preview Feb. 25, 2018
Greeting Members and Friends
It time once again for our weekly Sunday School preview so thanks for joining me and welcome back. The Winter Quarter entitled “Faith In Action” explores faith as both belief and action. The February unit is entitled “Self-controlled, Upright, and Godly Faith” and looks at passages from the books of Acts, James, and 1 Timothy emphasizing the importance of faith authenticated by works and faith that helps to transform lives. This Sunday’s lesson is entitled “The Good Fight of Faith” or “Be Strong”.
Timothy was a younger companion of Apostle Paul who travelled many places with him and whom he grew to have great love and confidence. Their relationship reminds me of the one between Dr. MLK, Jr. and Andrew Young in their struggle for civil rights. Dr. King and Apostle Paul were the leaders and mentors of their young companions and took most of the hits. But they trusted and relied on their younger co-laborers to carry out their important assigned task and even to stand in for them on occasion. They were both important to the work Paul and King were doing.
In the lesson today, Paul has send or left Timothy in charge to complete some things in Ephesus he wanted to do himself but was unable to get there to complete. The entire letter addresses the things he wants Timothy to know, do and teach in his place in order to establish the church there in Ephesus. In this 6th chapter of this 1st Epistle to Timothy, there are several major points Paul communicates. Paul addresses the slave’s or servant’s relationship to their masters. To protect the gospel from being maligned, slaves and servants were to give masters their proper respect, especially to those masters who were believers.
He cautions Timothy to be aware of and shun those whose intent is to foster debate and who fail to adhere to the words of the Lord and to godliness. Furthermore, he adds some see Christianity as a means to riches and gain. The desire for wealth and gain leads to apostasy and sorrow. Learn to be content with the necessities of life because we didn’t come into the world with anything and we can’t leave with anything. On the other hand, those who are rich and wealthy, should not trust in their riches, but instead share what they have and do good deeds and works.
Lay hold of eternal life by blamelessly pursuing righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness or meekness trusting and believing that from God you will receive the reward. He ascribes to God the knowledge of Christ’s return, true sovereignty and supreme rule, immortality, and unapproachable and invisible light. Finally, do allow yourself to be taken in or misled by those who trust in false knowledge or science in an attempt to discredit or circumvent the gospel. In other words, Paul is counting on Timothy to exercise the good fight of faith and to be the type of example the young church needs to get in up and going in his place.
Like Paul, Dr. King relied on Andrew Young to do some things he couldn’t get to or do himself and expected he would do them right and get them done. Paul instructed “his son in the Lord” to be faithful to the gospel and get whatever he needed him to do completed while reminding him for whom and for what he was doing it for. You can get a better understanding of this lesson by reading the daily SS readings found in your SS book which can also be accessed through our website and mobile app. Well, that’s all for this week’s preview. Be sure to join us in Sunday School this week for a fuller discussion of this lesson and the general topic of Faith In Action. So, until then
Grace and peace
Pastor Jordan