THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT– Adult Sunday School Lesson for 5/25/2014

“Show 'Em Some Love!”

This review is brought to you by the Hope Temple Church of God in Christ Sunday School Department.  

BIBLE TRUTH: God is love.

LESSON AIM: By the end of the lesson, you will; explore the roots of the ancient Hebrew tradition of loving our neighbors; understand how to express genuine kindness to everyone even when it isn’t easy; and pray for forgiveness for when we haven't universally applied God's love to those around us.

Leviticus 19:18; King James Version (KJV)

18 Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the Lord.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 | King James Version (KJV)

4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:

5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.

19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the Lord hath spoken.

Mark 12:28-34| King James Version (KJV)

28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

The Sunday School Lesson is action packed! It will certainly encourage those who have had time to understand and live out the true meaning of loving God with our entire being, as well as our neighbor. And, for those who are yet “on the wheel” and being transformed into the children God is requiring us to be, this will definitely continue to point you in the right direction.

The 3 sections of scripture bind together the main thought of loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength AND to love our neighbor as ourselves. Let’s take a look into each part.

Leviticus 19:18 declares that we shouldn’t hold grudges. Wow! This is very difficult to master, for some people. Sometimes, when you’re hurt, although time can heal all wounds, our minds can hold us captive of the memory of the hurt and, because the mind is so powerful, it can cause us to relive the hurtful situation over and over again. It is horrible to be held as a prisoner in your own body! Many times, the offender is walking around, carefree, and has moved on from the situation. Anne Lamott said, “Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die.” But, why are we seeing this in today’s lesson about love? In order for the people of God to have a healthy prayer life and a successful walk with Christ, we can’t focus on revenge and grudges like a bunch of spiritual pirates (Arrrghh!) Instead, God declares that we must love our neighbors as ourselves and move on!

Side Note: Have you ever laid before the Lord in prayer, only to find that “something” is hindering them to be answered? Check yourself for unforgiveness and grudge-holding! Jesus says "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matt. 6:14,15).

Consider this excerpt from WebMD:

In the study, about 70 undergraduates -- roughly half males and half females -- repeatedly imagined actual situations in which they either forgave a wrongdoer or nursed a grudge. The researchers measured the students' facial muscle tension, amount of sweating, heart rate, and blood pressure through electrodes placed onto their skin. The students were told to imagine four responses: remembering the hurt, holding a grudge and/or plotting revenge, empathy with the offender, and granting forgiveness.

The measurements showed researchers how agitated the volunteers were. Witvliet says participants rated the imagined situations in which they did not forgive as more depressing. "They reported that they felt less dominant than when focusing on forgiving responses," she said.

So, not only can hold a grudge be naturally dangerous, but not letting go can stop your prayers from being answered with your God! “Let it go!”

Now, we move into the section of scripture which is the first that every Jewish child must commit to memory. It’s called the “Shema”. It’s the declaration that God is one. Remember, the Israelites we in a strange land where the Egyptians worshipped many gods. It was important for God’s people to remember that He is jealous and that idolatry is a sin. God requires His people to love Him with their:

·        minds (by thinking on Him, praying, and most of all, keeping His commandments),

·        heart (God’s love should overtake every believer’s heart, thus making them an extension of God to others. Showing compassion, unusual long-suffering, kindness, and exhibiting selflessness),

·        soul (worshipping God, the author and finisher of our faith, honoring the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and living a life full of purpose and holiness), and

·        strength (Energetically living as a witness for God! Drawing others into the faith, by being a sanctified witness, and willing to go forth into the uttermost parts of the world, as Christ leads)

The law was passed down from one generation to the next. Jesus is here in the temple and the Pharisees are battling over which of the 616 laws were most important. In their attempt to trick Him, they asked Jesus to tell them which was most important.

Jesus shed a new light on their old way of thinking. He combined all of what they learned in the Old Testament into this, “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Many have said that the entire 10 commandments are covered by the way that Jesus shares this passage of scripture. After that, the scribe agreed with Jesus. Because what Jesus said was so simple and the ultimate truth, no one dared to ask anymore question.

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TEACHING ON THE LAW– Adult Sunday School Lesson for 5/18/2014

“The Head of the Class”

This review is brought to you by the Hope Temple Church of God in Christ Sunday School Department.  

BIBLE TRUTH: Don’t allow tradition to violate the spirit of the Law.

Matthew 15:1-11; King James Version (KJV)

1 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? For they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

4 For God commanded saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

5 But ye say, Whoseoever shall say to his father or his  mother, It is a gift, by whatsoeverthou mightiest be profited by me;

6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus ye have made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear and understand:

11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this deflieth a man.

Matthew 15:15-20; King James Version (KJV)

15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murderers, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man.

We’re at an interesting place in the Scripture. Let’s allow history to take us centuries back, when the Jews were captured and enslaved by the Babylonians. They no longer had a temple, but they still had the Law of God through the ministry of Moses. Some so called “spiritual” elders wrote a check list of things that a devote Jew must do in order to make sure the Jews were keeping the Law. Over time, the elders’ instructions turned into a whole new religion! Somehow, the true Law had become convoluted and severely overlooked. Now, Jesus shows up to call them on it.

Only the proper sacrifices were able to be offered in the temple. Elders were “inspecting” these offerings and being a tollgate which decided whether or not the sacrifice would be accepted, or if they needed to sell the worshipper an acceptable one. This leads up to Jesus’ outrage in Matthew 21, where we’ll find Jesus running them out of His Father’s house!

Side Note: Have you noticed those who treat church and service to God as if it is a chore or job? They seem content in going through the motions of it all, to please human eyes, and to hear their praise! Don’t they know that when their heart is not committed, to align with their works, they entire act is of none effect!

Jesus was not impressed with this form or fashion. He warned the people against going through the motions and checking items off a list to say that they “completed” their obligations to worship in the eyes of men.

Peter comes to Jesus afterwards and asks Jesus to explain the parable that He spake of moments earlier. Jesus explained that we shouldn’t fear the things that we eat as food, but rather the words that come from our mouths because they are a direct reflection of our heart and mind. Then, Jesus began going down the list of all of the sins that begin merely as a thought, eventually festers and morphs into a desire, until our inner man is driven to perform that very sin. So, it’s the heart that is wicked! Jesus taught them to humble themselves, be cleansed, and saved from themselves so that God could truly use them.

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JESUS' MISSION ON EARTH– Adult Sunday School Lesson for 5/11/2014

“The Hometown Hero!”

This review is brought to you by the Hope Temple Church of God in Christ Sunday School Department.  

LESSON AIM: By the end of the lesson, you will; understand the particlar significance of what Jesus read in the synagogue at Nazareth; be motivated to explore our spiritual gifts and consider what God may want us to do with our lives; and create a list of our spiritual gifts with ways that God can use each of these gifts.

Luke 4:14-21; King James Version (KJV)

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.

17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

What a message! When was the last time you attended a service where the Word of God was short, sweet, to the point, and absolutely AMAZING? This is what the congregation experienced when Jesus spake to them in the synagogue in Nazareth.

Last week, we walked through Jesus overcoming Satan in the wilderness. He is strengthened and filled with the Holy Ghost, ready to move towards the next portion of the mission, which His Father, God, has sent Him to do.

Jesus frequented the synagogue weekly, as was His custom. He was known as a good teacher, so He was invited to “preach” there. The people of God had been hearing down through the years that The Day of Salvation would be at hand, it was coming. So, now, Jesus is here saying, “the time of fulfillment has come”. Remember, the people have been waiting on such a promise for two-thousand years…all the way back to Abraham.

As Jesus reads the scrolls, He creates a sense of “NOW” from what has been written in Isaiah. The people must have been hanging on His every word. Could this really be the scriptures coming true for us? Is this really what we’ve been waiting for? Jesus assures them, “The Lord has put his Spirit in me…”.

Side Note: Think about a time when you heard of something and how great and wonderful it would be. (A milestone in life, a marriage, a graduation, a trip to another country). When you actually began to be IN the present tense of what you have been awaiting, how did you feel? How did it compare to all of the time you had to wait for it?

Jesus had a message for the “poor”, to encourage them and share concern for them. This should not be narrowed to a socioeconomic status of those who have low income, but rather those who are spiritually lacking. Jesus came to lift up the bowed down heads. Leader in the synagogue were stirred by Jesus’ proclamation that He is spreading the good news of the “acceptable year of the Lord!” This is referenced directly back to the Year of Jubilee.

The Year of Jubilee was a great and wonderful time for those who owed debt, not so much for the debtors. In holding true to the Jewish tradition, every 7 years, the people would allow the land to “rest” and replenish. So, this was done 7 times (49 years) and then, on the 50^th year, all property must be returned to its original owners and debts are cancelled! (Find more on this law in Leviticus 25:8-55).

If you have a relationship with Christ, you know that His claim of being able to set prisoners free is true. He can do this physically, or spiritually. He is more than capable of recovering sight for the blind in a natural sense, but testify about how He does this spiritually as well. He saved you didn’t He? What about liberation for the depressed, distressed, and down-trodden? He’s able!

Side Note: This set of scriptures are key tools to witnesses of Christ to win others to Salvation. Most lost souls fall within one of these major categories, you can let them know that Jesus is able to “save” them from all of these things! It’s a time of Jubilee for them, if they will only receive Him.

Jesus is saying, “It’s Jubilee!” The people were excited and sort of shocked at the same time. They knew Jesus. They knew he was just Joseph’s son, yet he was right in front of them sharing God’s promises and giving them new hope. It was a moment of decision. They had to either dismiss his teachings, or fully trust and believe. Jesus ended it all by saying, “today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”. God’s Word is always final, whether or not we believe it.

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JESUS RESISTS TEMPTATION - Adult Sunday School Lesson for 5/4/2014

JESUS RESISTS TEMPTATION - Lesson for 5/4/2014

“The Devil DIDN’T Make Me Do It!”

This review is brought to you by the Hope Temple Church of God in Christ Sunday School Department.  

Deuteronomy 6:13-16 | King James Version (KJV)

13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;

15 (For the Lord thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the Lord thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

16 Ye shall not tempt the Lord your God, as ye tempted him in Massah.

Matthew 4:4-11 | King James Version (KJV)

4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

This week’s lesson meets us all in a common place, that of temptation. No matter who we are or where we are, temptation is a part of the world we live in, as it was when Jesus roamed this Earth.

This passage of scripture hones in on Jesus 40 days and 40 nights after he has been baptized. He spends time in the wilderness, to gain closeness with His Father through fasting and prayer. After his body is weakened through lack of food, the devil tries to step in and ruin the plan of salvation.

Side Note: It’s amazing how the devil times his attacks. He waited until Jesus’ human strength was low, in order to approach Him with a life-changing decision/offer. We are no different. Be aware and cautious of making deals with the devil at your low points in life. They will surely be the cause to your destruction.

Jesus’ faith and devotion to God is exemplary during this time. Remember, He is human here. He was our ultimate example. The devil tried to tempt Him with what seems to be the 3 main temptations any human can face in this world we live in today: Temptation of hunger or lust, Temptation of covetousness, and Temptation of power.

Think about it, whenever you hear of the sad news of someone being overtaken, it stems from one of these three things.

Jesus responded to the devil in a way that God could be pleased and honored…with His faith and confidence in God, and with a Sword (The Word of God).

Side Note: It’s SO important that we study the scriptures and are sure of our place in God. When the day of adversity comes, the devil knows the scriptures and will work to turn them upside down for his own purposes. You’ll have to have enough knowledge to understand and respond according with the true Word of God! If the devil had the audacity to use the word of God on the Word of God, don’t be surprised if he tries to trick you too!

God has a plan for each of our lives. When we trust in His plan, despite the fear of pain and discomfort, there will be a blessing in the end. As a human, the fear of facing the cross was on Jesus as well (Luke 22:42) but He allowed His faith to cancel out this fear.

1 Corinthians 10:13 declares that there hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

What a blessed assurance! Never will we be placed in a position where we will fall to certain death, as relates to a temptation. Breathe in, think about God’s promises for your life, recall the Word of God, open your eyes and look for the way of escape. It will always be there.

Visit our International COGIC Sunday School Site.