Help for Teacher

7/25/2019 Help for Teacher

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June

6Conquering Temptations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

13Good Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

20Controlling the Tongue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1327Submissive to Separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

July

4Prevailing Prayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

11Reputation of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

18Review of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

25Characteristics of a Model Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

August

1Rapture of the Saints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

8Responsibilities of the Church . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

15The Day of Vengeance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

22The Day of the Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

29Patiently Awaiting the Return of Christ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

HELP FOR THE TEACHER, Sunday School, Vol. 65, No. 3, issued June 1, 2004, is published quarterlyat $1.25 per quarter. Prepared by Charles Swilling; Cover designed by Jeff Allen; Larry E. Clements, Editorin Chief, ; Wayne Sewell, Business Manager, . Copyright 2004, BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE of the American Baptist Association,4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX 75503-2928. Cover Image 1996 PhotoDisc, Inc.

Living for Christ in

the Last DaysJames, 1 and 2 Thessalonians

QUARTERLY AIM: By the conclusion of this quarter the students will gain

a better understanding of how to live for Christ in view of His imminent

return.

Help for the TeacherSUNDAY SCHOOL SUMMER QUARTER, 2004


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Genesis 111

Job

Exodus

Genesis 1250

Romans

Luke 13:2224

Isaiah 4066

1 Timothy

2 Timothy

Titus

DanielEzekiel

Nehemiah

Malachi

Matthew 113

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Hosea, Amos,

Micah, Jonah,2 Kings 1416,

2 Chronicles 2528

Philemon

Philippians

Colossians

Jeremiah

2 Kings 24, 25

2 Chronicles 36

1 Peter

2 Peter

Jude

Revelation 17

Matthew 1428

Hebrews

2 Corinthians

2 Kings 21232 Chronicles 3335

ZephaniahLamentations

Habakkuk

John 112

ZechariahEzra

Haggai, Esther

Revelation 822

Luke 113:21

Isaiah 1392 Chronicles 2932

2 Kings 1720Nahum

Ephesians

John 1321

1, 2, 3 John

2012

American Baptist Association

Through-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons

Acts 114

2 Samuel 524

1 Chronicles 1129

1 Kings 1, 2

1 Kings 3222 Chronicles 124

2 Kings 113Joel, Obadiah

Acts 1528

James

1 Thessalonians2 Thessalonians

1 Corinthians

1 Samuel2 Samuel 14

1 Chronicles 110

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon

JoshuaJudges

Ruth

Mark

Galatians

Winter Spring Summer Fall

2013

2004

2005

2006

2007

2

008

2009

2010

2011


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Sunday DevotionalA Warning Example,1 Corinthians 10:1-13.

The Bible is an illustrative book

on godly and ungodly behavior. There

are examples found in Gods Word

that apply to our modern-day living.

These illustrations are given to us to

warn us of what can happen to us if

we also do what they did.

The Bible is a book that declares

personal responsibility and account-

ability to the Lord. We will personal-ly answer to the One who has given

us physical and spiritual life. The

wise man wrote, Let us hear the con-

clusion of the whole matter: Fear

God, and keep his commandments:

for this is the whole duty of man. For

God shall bring every work into judg-

ment, with every secret thing, wheth-

er it be good, or whether it be evil

(Eccl. 12:13, 14). Moses penned the

words, But if ye will not do so,

behold, ye have sinned against the

LORD: and be sure your sin will find

you out (Num. 32:23). The examplesin the devotional reading were given

to us to warn us about lusting after

evil things. The lust led the people to

commit sin, and the Lord punished

them for their sins. No one gets by

with sin.

Paul warned the Corinthians not

to be idolaters. He warned them

about committing fornication, as

some of them did and were punished

(verse 8). He warned them about

tempting Christ as some of them did

and were destroyed (verse 9). He

warned them about not murmuring

as some of them did and were

destroyed (verse 10). These are exam-

ples of sinning against the Lord andthe chastisement for sin. You can find

your situation in principle in Gods

Word.

Not only did these happen for our

examples, but they are written also

for our admonition. The Lord wants

us to be instructed in right and

wrong living. We live in a day in

which most people are not afraid ofthe Lord. The writer of Hebrews

wrote, For whom the Lord loveth he

chasteneth, and scourgeth every son

whom he receiveth (Heb. 12:6).

Every sin has a price tag to it.

3

Conquering TemptationsJames 1:1-27

Daily DevotionalsSee Daily Devotional Quarterly

M. Temptations of Israel,Deuteronomy 4:31-40.

T. Temptations of Jesus, Matthew4:1-11.

W.Manifold Temptations, 1 Peter1:1-9.

T. Kept from Temptation, Luke11:1-4.

F. Delivered from Temptations, 2Peter 2:4-9.

S. Watch and Pray, Mark 14:32-38.

1 June 6, 2004


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Aim:By the conclusion of this les-son the students will discuss how tocope with temptations.

The lesson today teaches that the

Lords people will be tempted. We will

be tried and we will be allured to evil.

This devotional reminds us of some

examples of temptation in the Old

Testament.

There is not one temptation that

we have to yield to and sin against

God. There are ways by which we can

refrain from sin and remain true to

the Lord in our times of temptation

and testing. There will always be a

way out if we consider it and rely

upon the Lord.

There are organizations that have

support groups to help the group copewith peculiar temptations. Certainly,

the saved have a much better support

group than these other organiza-

tions. The writer of Hebrews teaches

us to exhort one another and so much

the more as the day approaches (Heb.

10:25). The saved need to regularly

associate with and fellowship with

other saved people.The best way to overcome tempta-

tion is to have a close personal rela-

tionship with the Lord. The Word of

God can have a powerful effect upon

those who read and study it and

apply it to their lives (2 Tim. 3:16,

17).

The devil will work on the flesh

and seek to get his way through it.Paul gives a contrast in Galatians

5:19-23 between the flesh and the

spirit. Times of prayer can help a

great deal when we are tempted.

I. THE TEST OF FAITH (James 1:1-

4)Trials and tribulations can con-

firm and even deepen our faith and

bring out the best in us.

II. WISDOM FROM GOD (James

1:5-8)

Wisdom is that quality of percep-

tion and understanding which enables

one to discern the proper balance of

temporal needs, desires, opportunities

and obligations against eternal issues.

III. A REASON TO REJOICE (James

1:9-12)

Even if the most favorable materi-

al circumstances cannot bring truejoy, so believers can rejoice even in the

face of unfavorable circumstances.

IV. HOW TO ENDURE TEMPTA-

TION (James 1:13-16)

Because God is not responsible for

any solicitations for evil, it follows that

believers should seek to avoid situa-tions in which they are likely to be

tempted to commit sin.

V. THE UNCHANGING GOD

(James 1:17-21)

With God there is no variableness

or turning. He is the one thing in the

universe that is always constant andunchanging.

VI. DOERS OF THE WORD (James

1:22-27)

To study the Scriptures without

obeying them is to be self-deceived.

4 Conquering Temptations

ON TARGET COMMENTARY OUTLINE


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1 LESSON FOCUSADULT QUARTERLY

James 1:12-16, 19-25

A First Look

The book of James deals with the

practical problems of behavior that

confront Christians.

A Closer Look

I. THE SOURCE OF TEMPTATION

(James 1:12-14)We read in this passage that

temptation comes from within our

own hearts. It begins with our own

lusts, those sinful desires that live in

the heart of every human being.

II. THE COURSE OF TEMPTATION

(James 1:15, 16)

Lust, left to its conclusion willbring forth sin. Sin is the product of

unchecked and unresolved lust. The

enticement that brought us into

temptation, if not stopped, will lead

us to commit sin.

III. DEALING WITH TEMPTATION

(James 1:19-25)

We have to arrange our prioritiesproperly. We need to be quick to hear,

especially when we are hearing the

Word of God or listening to the lead-

ership of the Holy Spirit.

A Final Word

Everyone will face temptation. No

one is exempt, but we have a wonder-

ful example to follow in Jesus. Wecan learn about His life and read

about how He dealt with temptation,

and we have a great resource in the

Word of God.

.

2 LETS BE PRACTICAL

THE STEPS IN COMMITTING SINJames 1:14, 15

I. LISTENING TO SIN

The devil is active in working on

the sinful depraved nature within

mankind. Jesus said in John 8:44 that

the devil was a liar, father of lies and a

murderer from the beginning.

II. LINGERING AROUND SIN

When Jesus realized that he was

being enticed, he ran away from the

enticement. He did not linger or stay

around. Most sins are committed

because people linger around sin.

III. LOOKING AT SIN

In our day you can see anything

you want to see on television, movies

and the Internet. These used to be for

entertainment only. Now they are the

breeding areas for sin.

IV. LUSTING FOR SIN

If you listen to the devil, linger

around sin and look at sin, you will

soon lust for sin. You imagine and

think about how you want to con-

sume it with your lust. You cannot

sin without getting dirty and unclean.

V. LOSING IN SIN

You will lose when you sin. You

will never win. Many lives are full of

regret because they lusted and

sinned.

Text:James 1:1-27 5


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(The following exercises are a review of the lesson. These are quotations from

the Adult Quarterly with significant words missing. Use them as a closingreview as time permits.)

We will be examining some of the ______________________ doctrines taught

in this book.

The book of James deals with the practical problems of __________________

that confront Christians.

We know that, as we approach the second coming of our Lord, we will once

again face a time of ____________________ and ______________ of our faith.

We are to count it all joy when we encounter various ____________________.

____________________ is not the source of any sin for any human being.

God leads us into paths of _____________________.

We read plainly that ___________________ comes from within our own

hearts.

___________________ is the process that makes something look better than

it really is, and that is just how temptation works.

_________________ will tempt us, but we do not have to listen to him.

Sin is the product of ____________________ and _____________________ lust.

Now we need to know that it ____________ __________ a sin to be tempted.

A child of God has the ___________________ of God in his heart to help him

think and reason differently.

The ___________________ of man does not work the _____________________

of God.

We should do our best to eliminate ___________________ from our lives and

from our minds.

God seeks to do a permanent work in our hearts, and He can do that

through our ____________________ and ______________________ of His

Word.

6 Conquering Temptations

LESSON REVIEW


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Text:James 1:1-27 7

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but

God isfaithful, 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(1 Corinthians 10:13).

LESSON ASSISTANCE

CLASS AGENDA

Greet your class members.Introduce and extend a warm welcome to your visitors.Encourage your members to bring visitors to the class regularly.Make Bibles,Adult Lesson Commentaryand quarterlies available to

all, especially visitors.

Share the goal of this lesson and the information you havelearned in your preparation.Explore the verses in the Lesson Focus.

Find ways by which you may apply this lesson to particular situa-tions in the lives of your class members. Emphasize the need ofthe Holy Spirits leading us and guiding us each day, especially toshare the gospel with the lost.

Quickly review the lesson and link it to the lesson for nextweek. Close with prayer including requests made in class forthose who may yet be unsaved.

Warm-up5 Minutes

Bible

Exploration20-25 Minutes

Application5-10 Minutes

Closing5 Minutes


9/65

Sunday DevotionalFull of Good Works,Acts 9:36-43.

These verses point out the impor-

tance of good works. The death ofDorcas did not stand out, but the

good works that she did as a believer

stood out. She was described as a cer-

tain disciple. Certainly all must die

according to Hebrews 9:27. Paul

taught that death occurs because of

sin (Rom. 5:12). There is nothing out-

standing about her death.

Dorcas was described as a woman

full of good works and almsdeeds.

Paul wrote to Titus, This is a faith-

ful saying, and these things I will

that thou affirm constantly, that they

which have believed in God might be

careful to maintain good works.

These things are good and profitable

unto men (Titus 3:8). Dorcas cer-

tainly manifested that she was con-

cerned about those around her. She

helped them in any way that she

could.

There is always a contrast in the

Bible between good and evil and righ-teousness and wickedness. Dorcas life

was a life of giving to others. She did

works that were described as good.

She also was full of almsdeeds.

Almsdeeds are works of charity. She

helped those who could not help them-

selves.

She was sick and died as a resultof her sickness. When Peter came to

the place where they had laid Dorcas,

he saw all the widows weeping and

showing the coats and garments

which Dorcas had made. These wid-

ows were weeping because the one

who loved them and had helped them

was dead. This woman was loved and

they grieved for her because of the

way she had lived her life. Jesus said,

Let your light so shine before men,

that they may see your good works,

and glorify your Father which is in

heaven (Matt. 5:16).

This account of Dorcas was not

put in Gods Word to take up space.

The Lord wanted to teach us theimportance of doing good works.

Peter knelt down and prayed, and

Dorcas was restored to life. Many

believed in the Lord because her life

was restored.

8

Good WorksJames 2:1-26

2 June 13, 2004


M.Abrahams Good Works,Genesis 22:1-19.

T. Created To Do Good Works,Ephesians 2:1-10.

W.Good Works Displayed,

Matthew 5:13-16.T. Adorned with Good Works,1 Timothy 2:8-15.

F. Pattern of Good Works, Titus2:1-10.

S. Provoked to Good WorksHebrews 10:19-25.


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Aim:By the conclusion of this les-son the students will understand theimportance of good works in the life ofthe believer.

I am the vine, ye are the branch-

es: He that abideth in me, and I in

him, the same bringeth forth much

fruit: for without me ye can do noth-

ing (John 15:5). As we abide in the

Lord who is the true vine, we will

bear fruit to His honor and glory.

This is necessary to give evidence of

the new birth.

In the religious world, there are

two thoughts about good works. One

is that you have to work for your sal-

vation or that works play a part in

salvation. The other thought is that

you are saved by grace through faith

apart from any good works. The Bible

teaches that you are saved by grace

through faith (Eph. 2:8, 9).

Good works are necessary to con-

firm and give evidence of salvation. A

living faith will show good works. A

dead faith cannot produce good

works. James wrote, Yea, a man

may say, Thou hast faith, and I haveworks: shew me thy faith without thy

works, and I will shew thee my faith

by my works (James 2:18).

As the saved are taught Gods

Word, they realize that they need to

be scripturally baptized, become a

member of one of the Lords churches

and go to work for Him. The Lord

expects us to use our talents and abil-ities in His service. Paul wrote, For

we are labourers together with God:

ye are Gods husbandry, ye are Gods

building (1 Cor. 3:9).

I. THE SIN OF SNOBBERY (James

2:1-4)Class distinctions have always

existed in society; however, God is

not pleased with the animosity that

often exists between the rich and the

poor.

II. THE TRULY RICH (James 2:5-7)

God sees the heart, men see cloth-ing. God sees treasurers in Heaven,

humans see bank accounts. True

wealth can be seen only by God.

III. NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS

(James 2:8-13)

James point is simply this: a be-

liever is not to be a respecter of per-

sons.

IV. SAVING FAITH AND DEAD

FAITH (James 2:14-17).

This verse teaches that the kind of

faith which saves will be demonstrat-

ed by good works.

V. SHOW YOUR FAITH (James 2:18-

20).

The only thing about faith that

can be seen is its results. That is why

it is so essential that believers dem-

onstrate their faith in good works.

VI. FAITH COMPLEMENTED BY

WORKS (James 2:21-26)

Abrahams faith was made perfect

by his works. By faith Abraham was

justified before God; by works

Abraham was justified before man.

Text:James 2:1-26 9

COMMENTARY OUTLINEON TARGET


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ADULT QUARTERLY

James 2:14-26

A First Look

Good works are the result of faith;

they are never the cause of faith. We

will err in our reasoning if we believe

that we can somehow produce faith

by doing good works.

A Closer LookI. THE FOLLY OF FALSE FAITH

(James 2:14-17)

Dead faith is defined the same as

a dead body. The form is there, and

everything may look as if there were

life present, but there will be no

movement and no activity. The prin-

ciple is that of profession without

possession.

II. THE ARROGANCE OF FALSE

FAITH (James 2:18-20)

The key thought in these verses is

the phrase shew me thy faith (verse

18). Clearly, this is not about having

faith in the first place; instead, it is

about the demonstration and proof of

faith. Proving or demonstrating our

faith is important.

III. EXAMPLES OF TRUE FAITH

(James 2:21-26)

James gave us two of the many

examples of faith in the Old Testa-

ment. One of these was Abra-ham, a

well known figure of history and theother was Rahab, a lesser known per-

son.

A Final Word

Real faith is not difficult to come

by, and good works will quite natu-

rally flow from it.

WALKING IN GOOD WORKS

Ephesians 2:10

I. THE FATHER AND GOOD

WORKS

We are saved to do the good works

that God has ordained. This is the

will of the Father for everyone of His

children. We are to let our lights so

shine that men may see them and

glorify our Father in Heaven (Matt.

5:16).

II. THE FAITH AND GOOD WORKS

Good works are outward expres-

sions of an inner faith in the Lord

and His Word. Good works give evi-

dence of our faith in the Lord. James

teaches us that faith without worksis dead.

III. THE FRUIT AND GOOD WORKS

Jesus taught His disciples to bear

fruit, much fruit and more fruit in

John 15:2, 4, 5, 8. Bearing fruit is

simply doing the works that we were

saved to do.

IV. THE FELLOWSHIP AND GOOD

WORKS

To bear fruit for the Lord is to

walk in the light as He is in the light

(1 John 1:7). The closer you get to the

Lord, the more you will want to do for

Him.

V. THE FEAR AND GOOD WORKS

The fear of the Lord is to respect

and reverence Him. We do this as we

obey Him and do the works that He

has ordained that we do. We do the

works because we are saved.

10 Good Works

1 LESSON FOCUS 2 LETS BE PRACTICAL


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The ___________________ mentioned in James is the result of faith.

The only way others can see our _________________ is by observing what we

do.

Our hearts are justified before God by our faith, but the ________________

of our faith is seen in our works before men.

The principle is that of profession without ___________________.

The illustration of this is given in the powerless words of the man who

would wish ________________ on those in need without actually helping

_________________ their needs.

This is illustrating the __________________ for faith to be evidenced in some

positive change that can be observed in the life of an individual.

The key thought in these verses is the phrase show me thy ______________.

What we ___________________ often speaks so loudly that no one can hear

what we say.

Faith and veracity are demonstrated by what we do, based on what we

believe. But there is a more personal ___________________ for demonstrat-

ing our faith.

The devils believe in one God and tremble at the prospect, but they are not

_____________________ at all by simply admitting what is obviously true.

__________________ faith must have the accompanying proof of good works.

The application is that the man who has faith but no works is

___________________ and ______________________.

Both Abraham and Rahab _________________ their faith by what they did.

Note that verse 21 is not saying that ___________________ was not justified

until he actually put Isaac on the altar.

Abraham was called the friend of God because he allowed God to so com-

pletely ____________________ his life that he was willing to follow God.

Text:James 2:1-26 11

LESSON REVIEW


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12 Good Works

LESSON ASSISTANCE

CLASS AGENDA

Greet your class members.

Introduce and extend a warm welcome to your visitors.

Encourage your members to bring visitors to the class regularly.Make Bibles,Adult Lesson Commentaryand quarterlies available

to all present, especially visitors.

Share the goal of this lesson and the information you havelearned in your preparation.Explore the verses in the Lesson Focus.

Find ways by which you may apply this lesson to particular situ-ations in the lives of your class members. Emphasize the needof the Holy Spirits leading us and guiding us each day, especiallyto share the gospel with the lost.


Warm-up5 Minutes

Bible



Closing5 Minutes

Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought

him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, andshewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with

them (Acts 9:39).


14/65

Sunday DevotionalA Noble Resolve,Psalm 39:1-8.

The key verse for todays lesson is

James 3:8 which states, But the

tongue can no man tame; it is an

unruly evil, full of deadly poison. All

of us have said things that we regret

saying after we think about it. While

we cannot control the tongue com-

pletely, we can seek to control it by

the help of the Holy Spirit. Several

things can help us control the tongue.

First, read your Bible daily. The more

you read, the more it will influence

your thoughts and speech. Second,

pray to God often. Prayer is commu-

nication with God. Prayers from the

heart will change our manner of

speech. Third, ask the Lord to give

you the grace to listen to Him and to

others.

The psalmist decided to take heed

or give attention to his ways. The

Bible teaches that we are responsible

for our behavior. Paul wrote, For we

must all appear before the judgment

seat of Christ; that every one mayreceive the things done in his body,

according to that he hath done,

whether it be good or bad (2 Cor.

5:10).

The psalmist did not want to sin

with his tongue. We can sin with our

tongues. As believers, we should not

want to sin with our tongues. Paul

instructed the Ephesians in chapter

4 verse 31, Let all bitterness, and

wrath, and anger, and clamour, and

evil speaking, be put away from you

with all malice. These emotions and

attitudes will be expressed with the

mouth.

He would keep his mouth bridled

while the wicked were before him.Some are caught saying things that

they should not say. They are embar-

rassed. They may even be ashamed

because they realize others heard

them. Someone is always listening

when we talk. As we talk, we should

realize that the Lord is listening to

everything that we say. We will give

an account to Him one day.The only time we should do a lot of

talking is when we are talking to

God. Words can be weapons of war or

instruments of peace. You will decide

which way they will be used.

13

Controlling the TongueJames 3:1-18

3 June 20, 2004


M. Wholesome Tongue, Proverbs15:1-7.

T. Glad Tongue, Acts 2:25-31.W.Flattering Tongue, Psalm 5:1-

10.T. Lying Tongue, Psalm 78:32-39.F. Words of Hatred, Psalm 109:1-

8.S. Deceitful Tongue, Romans 3:9-

18.


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Aim:By the conclusion of this les-son the students will grasp the impor-tance of controlling the tongue.

James gave a serious admonition

when he wrote, Wherefore, my

beloved brethren, let every man be

swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to

wrath (James 1:19). Someone said

that God gave us two ears and one

mouth, which means that we should

listen twice as much as we speak.

Words are like Xrays of the heart.

The words you speak will say vol-

umes about your character.

The words you speak can wound

others or win them. The words we

speak can help others or hurt them.

Our words can encourage or discour-

age others. You decide how you willuse words. You will be influenced by

others, but you are responsible for

the words you say. Paul wrote, Let

no corrupt communication proceed

out of your mouth, but that which is

good to the use of edifying, that it

may minister grace unto the hearers

(Eph. 4:29).

Many saved people ruin their tes-timony because they speak quickly

without thinking. Many ruin their

influence by saying profane or vulgar

words. Others are critical and mali-

cious in their speech.

Others may not listen to you

because of things you say.

I. A HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY

(James 3:1, 2)Those who believe that God wants

them to be teachers should accept

that responsibility.

II. RIGHT USE OF THE TONGUE

(James 3:2-5)

James invoked generalization to

underscore the critical role ones

speech plays in the Christ life. Theprinciple to which James declared

compares to Matthew 12:37.

III. THE UNTAMABLE TONGUE

(James 3:5-8)

As a tiny spark of fire can start a

blaze that results in a great loss, an

unwise or unkind word can be the

beginning of trouble which could goon for years.

IV. CONTROLLING THE TONGUE

(James 3:9-12)

Having emphasized that the

tongue is impossible to control

through human strength alone,

James next suggested that it is possi-

ble for the tongue to be controlled.

V. EARTHLY WISDOM (James 3:13-

16)

The expression this wisdom refers

to the kind of wisdom described in

verse 14. Such wisdom is not from

abovethat is from Godbut is from

belowthat is from the earth.

VI. HEAVENLY WISDOM (James

3:17, 18)

Heavenly wisdom is not only bet-

ter because of its source and origin,

but is much better also in its nature

and effects. Heavenly wisdom is

responsible for gentleness and peace.

14 Controlling the Tongue



16/65

ADULT QUARTERLY

James 3:1-12

A First Look

Our lesson today concerns how to

control our gift of language. As it is

with many powerful things, we can

use it or abuse it.

A Closer Look

I. SPEECH CAN CONTROL (James3:1-4).

Perhaps the greatest instrument

ever developed for controlling others

is the simple ability to communicate

and use our language. This control is

shown in the control that we have

over ourselves and the control that

we exercise over other people.

II. SPEECH CAN DO GREAT HARM

(James 3:5-8).

A few words spoken rashly or

angrily can kindle feelings of resent-

ment and distrust that can spread

like wildfire and destroy everything

in its path.

III. SPEECH CAN CAUSE CONFU-SION (James 3:9-12).

A man may indeed curse men and

bless God, but if he does, he is show-

ing to all who hear him that he does

not know God. The man who blesses

God and curses his brother at the

same time has a problem with God,

not his brother.

A Closer Look

When your heart is completely

right with God, and your life is led

and controlled by the Holy Spirit,

good communication will naturally

flow from your mouth.

SPEAK WORDS

Ephesians 4:29

I. SPEAK WORDS OF PEACE.

We are to live peaceably with all

men, as much as lies in us (Rom.

12:18). The words we speak can

declare war or proclaim peace with

others. The wise man wrote, A soft

answer turneth away wrath: but

grievous words stir up anger (Prov.

15:1).

II. SPEAK WORDS OF PARDON.

The words of pardon and forgive-

ness are powerful, wonderful words.

It is a joy to hear the Lord say there

is forgiveness when we confess our

sins (1 John 1:9). It is a joy to hearGods people asking for forgiveness.

III. SPEAK WORDS OF PRAISE.

Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4,

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again

I say, Rejoice. Psalm 146150 all

start with the admonition, Praise ye

the Lord.

IV. SPEAK WORDS OF POWER.

Isaiah said that the Word of the

Lord accomplishes what He pleases

and prospers in the thing to which

He sends it (Isa. 55:11). It will not

return to the Lord void. Your words

can be powerful words.

V. SPEAK WORDS OF PURITY.

We are saved by Gods grace. We

are made new creatures in Christ (2

Cor. 5:17). Our speech should reflect

our divine nature given to us in the

new birth.

Text: James 3:1-18 15



17/65



Most of us have been harmed by ____________________ , and most of us

have been encouraged and strengthened by ______________________.

Our lesson today concerns how to _________________________ our gift of

language.

As words can never be substituted for deeds, ____________________ cannever substitute for words.

We should strive to hear the words of Jesus and to let Him be the true

____________________ of our lives.

Harmony and true fellowship can only come as all of us __________________

the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to ____________________ in our lives.

The complete or perfect man will _____________________ his speech and not

offend others with his words. In this way he will control himself and influ-

ence the others he contacts.

We read of the ____________________ that controls the horse and the

_________________________ that steers a large ship.

There is no greater example than the simple message of the ______________of Jesus Christ.

But sadly, we can also use the ability to communicate to do ______________.

We all have a __________________ nature.

That nature is ready to hear and believe the ___________________ in every

situation.

Jesus taught that what___________________ us was not what goes into our

mouths, but what comes out of our mouths (Matt. 15:11).

No man can ____________________ the tongue.

We cannot control ourselves, but ___________________ can control us.

16 Controlling the Tongue

LESSON REVIEW


18/65


CLASS AGENDA

Greet your class members.Introduce and extend a warm welcome to your visitors.

Encourage your members to bring visitors to the class regularly.Make Bibles,Adult Lesson Commentaryand quarterlies availableto all present, especially visitors.

Share the goal of this lesson and the information you havelearned in your presentation. Explore the verses in the LessonFocus.

Find ways by which you may apply this lesson to particular situa-tions in your class members lives. Emphasize the need of theHoly Spirits leading us and guiding us each day, especially toshare the gospel with the lost.


Warm-up5 Minutes

Bible



Closing5 Minutes

I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will

keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me (Psalm 39:1).

LESSON ASSISTANCE


19/65

Sunday DevotionalThe Warning of Esau,Hebrews 12:14-17.

The admonition in the lesson

today is to live a separated life. Weare new creatures in Christ Jesus (2

Cor. 5:17). We are partakers of the di-

vine nature (2 Peter 1:4). We are the

children of God by faith in Jesus (Gal.

3:26). We are to seek Gods kingdom

and righteousness first (Matt. 6:33).

We are to glorify God in body and

spirit which belong to Him (1 Cor.

6:19, 20). We are to present our bodiesa living sacrifice unto the Lord which

is our reasonable service (Rom. 12:1).

The saved person has two natures

within. One is completely sinful, and

the other is completely sinless. Paul

described the conflict in Romans

7:14-25. It is a real conflict. The

fleshly nature will never submit to

the law of God and cannot (Rom. 7:8).

The new nature will never sin be-

cause we are created in righteous-

ness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24).

The following verses admonish us

to do some things. It does not happen

automatically. You must obey the

Lord and do them by His help. We are

to follow peace with all men. Paul

wrote, If it be possible, as much as

lieth in you, live peaceably with all

men (Rom. 12:18). The price of peace

still places the desire in His chil-

drens hearts to live peaceably with

others. His children are also to follow

after holiness. Paul called upon the

Corinthians to come out from among

them and be separated (2 Cor. 6:17).

This is what the Lord demands of His

people. Live a separated life. To do

this we must crucify the desires of

the flesh. We are to walk in the light

as He is in the light according to 1

John 1:7.

We are to live our lives carefully in

the Lord. Jesus instructed His disci-

ples on several occasions to beware or

watch out for some things. We are to

be looking for His return, and, by so

doing, we will watch our conduct,

knowing that we will answer to Him.

Gods grace is sufficient for all of ourneeds (2 Cor. 12:9). If we do not look

diligently, a root of bitterness or an-

guish can spring up. This root of bit-

terness can trouble the saved. Many

are defiled because of it.

18

Submissive to SeparationJames 4:1-17

4 June 27, 2004


M. Kept from Wickedness, Psalm17:6-15.

T. Treasures in Heaven, Matthew6:19-24.

W.Deceitfulness of Riches,Matthew 13:18-23.

T. Lovers of Pleasure, 2 Timothy3:1-9.

F. Love of the World, 2 Timothy4:9-18.

S. Love not the World, 1 John2:12-17.


20/65

Aim:By the conclusion of this les-son the students will comprehend the

principle of godly living.

We live in a dark and sinful world.

When you read 2 Timothy 3:1-13, it is

like reading a daily newspaper. Paul

wrote of what was to come. We read it

and think that we are in such a sinful

and rebellious time. When you talk

to some about marriage and morality,

it seems as if you are talking a differ-

ent language. Morals seem to be con-

sidered out of date and do not apply

for living today.

Generations may change their

moral values, but the Lord does not

change. He still wants His people to

listen to His Word and obey the

teaching found in it. You cannot finda more informative and correct way

of living than the Bible. The Bible is

an illustrative book on righteous and

wicked living and the results of living

either way.

Paul wrote, Teaching us that,

denying ungodliness and worldly

lusts, we should live soberly, right-

eously, and godly, in this presentworld (Titus 2:12). Life is serious

and we should look at it that way. We

are to live soberly. We will give an

account of the life that we have lived.

We are to live righteously. We are to

live according to the teachings of

Gods Holy Word. This is what John

was writing about in 1 John 1:7. We

are to live godly in this presentworld. The Lord requires and

demands that His people live a life

that would be pleasing to Him.

I. REASONS FOR UNANSWERED

PRAYER (James 4:1-3)In all of the greedy conniving and

grasping, along with the resulting

turbulence and violence, people do

not get what they want. Why?

Because they seek it from the wrong

source and in the wrong manner.

II. SPIRITUAL ADULTERY (James

4:4-6)James accused those of spiritual

adultery who cause strife among

brethren and seek to gratify their

carnal lusts.

III. SUBMITTING AND RESISTING

(James 4:7, 8)

The key to a victorious Christian

life is for one to submit to God andresist Satan. This principle is so sim-

ple and so self-evident.

IV. THE VICTORY OF HUMILITY

(James 4:9, 10)

The world regards meek, humble

people as losers or wimps; however,

the Bible teaches that those who

humble themselves before God areassured of great victory.

V. THE SUPREME LAWGIVER

(James 4:11, 12)

Because God is the supreme law-

giver, no one has the right to set him-

self above any of the teachings of the

Scriptures or install himself as the

spiritual and moral judge of anyone.

VI. A MEANINGFUL LIFE (James

4:13-17)

When we know what God wants

us to do, we have no choice but to do

His will. Otherwise, we are sinning

against God and perhaps others.




21/65

ADULT QUARTERLY

James 4:1-11

A First Look

Godly living is a decision to set our

affections on things above and to

place our hope in things to come, and,

in truth, it is the only wise and ratio-

nal choice that we can make.

A Closer LookI. THE SOURCE OF TROUBLE

(James 4:1-4)

The source of wars and fightings is

the lust that constantly struggles

within us. We read of this constant

battle in Romans 7:14-25. A child of

God has two natures, and these

natures are in a constant state of

spiritual conflict.

II. THE SOLUTION OF GRACE

(James 4:5-8)

When we submit, we then gain the

power to resist. Here is the first gift

of grace. We do not have to be ruled

by lust and envy. We can resist them

and all the other forces of evil.

III. STEPS TO PEACE (James 4:9-

11)

We are to watch our words. We can

allow God to control how we think

and we can think about good things

(Phil. 4:8). When we think right, we

will speak properly, and that speech

will not be evil.

A Final Word

We give up some things and make

positive spiritual decisions. Then God

takes over and reinforces what we

have done and gives us strength we

can get from no other source.

GOD GIVES GRACE

James 4:5-8

I. THE GOD IN THE TEXT

In these verses we find the impor-

tance of our relationship with God as

a saved person. He is the source and

supply of all that we need in this life.

God is active in these three verses.

II. THE GIVING IN THE TEXT

What does God do? God gives grace

to the humble and resists the proud.

We are advised to submit ourselves to

God. He even gives more grace to

those in greater need.

III. THE GRACE IN THE TEXTPaul prayed three times for the

thorn in his flesh to be removed. And

he said unto me, My grace is sufficient

for thee: for my strength is made per-

fect in weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).

IV. THE GUILTY IN THE TEXT

The saved do sin against the Lord.We cannot deny this according to 1

John 1:8-10. But God has made a way

whereby we can be forgiven and

cleansed of sin. First John 1:9 sets

forth a simple and plain way for a

believer to be forgiven and cleansed of

sin.

V. THE GRATITUDE IN THE TEXT

If we draw nigh to God, He will

draw nigh to us. Paul wrote, Giving

thanks always for all things unto God

and the Father in the name of our

Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:20).

20 Submissive to Separation



22/65



Those who _____________________ Jesus Christ as Savior and follow Him

as their Lord have a way to keep from becoming a part of the craziness of

this present age.

To avoid being condemned with the world, we have to ___________________

to live separated from the world.

Godly living is a ______________________ to set our affections on things

above.

We have to know where ______________________ comes from so we can at

least avoid it.

The ___________________ of wars and fightings is the ____________________

that constantly struggles within us.

When we give over to our ______________________ nature, we always lose.

We will only ____________________ fulfillment and satisfaction in the

things of the _____________________.

____________________ with this world system and looking to it to satisfy our

needs is enmity with God.

How we live must be based on a real _____________________ that Christ

lives and that He is able to ________________________ those who follow

Him.

Sin is powerful, and our world is mostly sinful, but the wonderful

______________________ is that God giveth more _______________________.

The Bible declares that the spirit in us, that is our fleshly nature, is_________________________ by lust and envy.

Grace teaches us to take control on a ______________________ level.

The first thing we have to do is ______________________.

When we _____________________, we then gain the power to resist.


LESSON REVIEW


23/65

22 Submissive to Separation

CLASS AGENDA

Greet your class members.Introduce and extend a warm welcome to your visitors.Encourage your members to bring visitors to the class regularly.Make Bibles,Adult Lesson Commentaryand quarterlies availableto all present, especially visitors.

Share the goal of this lesson and the information you havelearned in your preparation. Explore the verses in the LessonFocus.

Find ways by which you may apply this lesson to particular situ-ations in the lives of your class members. Emphasize the need ofthe Holy Spirits leading us and guiding us each day, especially toshare the gospel with the lost.


Warm-up

5 Minutes

Bible



Closing5 Minutes

Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey

God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

LESSON ASSISTANCE


24/65

Sunday DevotionalWhen To Pray,Psalm 55:16-23.

One of the greatest privileges of

the saved is that of praying to theheavenly Father. Jesus gave the disci-

ples a Model Prayer as a guide to

their praying. True praying is not

repeating the Model Prayer in

Matthew 6:9-15. True praying is sim-

ply talking to the Lord. God is our

heavenly Father and He loves to lis-

ten to His children.The psalmist prayed evening and

morning and at noon. The idea is not

to pray at a certain time during the

day such as 6:00 a.m. and 12 p.m.

and 6:00 p.m. The idea is what Paul

was instructing the Thessalonians to

do. He wrote, Pray without ceasing

(1 Thess. 5:17). The idea is being in a

proper relationship with the Lord so

that you can pray to Him anytime

during the day or evening.

We will face troubles and tri-

als in life that make praying to the

Lord comforting. You may be sitting or

lying down. You may have your eyes

opened or closed. Many sleepless

nights have given the opportunity to

pray to the Master. David would call

on the Lord, and the Lord would save

him. A lot of prayers are prayed in

hospitals and funeral homes.

Jesus said, And he spake a parable

unto them to this end, that men ought

always to pray, and not to faint (Luke

18:1). You can pray on your knees in

times of weakness and discouragement

and be strong to take a stand with the

courage that the Lord gives you. Paulwrote, I can do all things through

Christ which strengtheneth me (Phil.

4:13). Praying to the Lord will prevent

you from fainting, and fainting reveals

you have not been praying as you

should.

The psalmist encourages people to

cast their burdens upon the Lordbecause He can sustain you. Jesus

cast His burden upon His Father in

Luke 22:42, Father, if thou be willing,

remove this cup from me: nevertheless

not my will, but thine, be done.

23

Prevailing PrayerJames 5:1-20

5 July 4, 2004


M. Elijahs Prayer, 1 Kings 18:30-

39.

T. Hezekiahs Prayer, 2 Kings

20:1-11.

W.Solomons Prayer, 2 Chronicles

6:12-21.

T. How To Pray, Matthew 6:5-15.F. A Church Praying, Acts 12:5-

17.

S. Effectual Prayer, Luke 18:9-

14.


25/65

Aim:By the conclusion of this les-son the students will provide biblical

examples of answered prayer.

The saved can testify of what the

Lord has done for them. There are

many different kinds of prayer. Many

of the Old Testament men prayed

prayers of praise to the Master for

His deliverance and blessings.

Women have poured out their heartsto God, thanking Him for His good-

ness and blessings upon their lives.

Read the prayer of Hannah in 1

Samuel 2:1-10. She was praising the

Lord for giving her children.

True prayer is talking to God

about your life and service to Him. It

is talking to the One who can mold

you and fashion you into what Hewants you to be. The Lord does not

always give us what we ask for. As

our Father, He knows how to say, no,

maybe, later or yes. True prayer is

talking with the Lord about our

needs and thanking Him for His

blessings. In prayer we should have

faith in God about our needs and

thank Him for His blessings. In

prayer we should trust the Lord

enough to know that He will do what

is best for us.

Sometimes we do not even know

what to pray for or how to pray for it.

The Lord knows our hearts, and,

when we experience this, the Holy

Spirit helps our infirmities (Rom.8:26). The last part of the verse

reads, The Spirit itself maketh

intercession for us with groanings

which cannot be uttered.

All of us have a testimony that we

could give about God answering our

prayers.

I. SELFISH HOARDING (James

5:1-3)Selfishness is a serious sin because

it violates the second greatest com-

mandment, Thou shalt love thy

neighbor as thyself (Matt. 22:39).

II. DISHONEST ACQUISITION

(James 5:4-6)

God is as much concerned with

how one obtains his wealth as how heuses it. It is as wrong to exploit others

to make money as it is to use wealth

inappropriately.

III. CHRISTS RETURN (James 5:7-9)

Among the early churches and

believers, there was a firm belief in

the return of Christ.

IV. PATIENT ENDURANCE (James

5:10-12)

To encourage his readers to main-

tain a faithful testimony despite the

adversities which they had to endure,

James cited the Old Testament exam-

ples of the prophets and the patriarch

Job.

V. THE PRAYER OF FAITH (James

5:13-16)

Regardless of ones experiences in

the Christian life, the proper re-

sponse for believers under all circum-

stances is prayer and thanksgiving.

VI. PRAYING EFFECTIVELY (James5:16-20)

In the preceding passage, James

emphasized the importance of prayer,

especially intercessory prayer. Both of

these matters are dealt with in these

verses with an emphasis on effective

prayer.

24 Prevailing Prayer



26/65

ADULT QUARTERLY

James 5:10-20

A First Look

Our lesson verses offer us a better

way. These are some of the basic ele-

ments of Christian behavior.

A Closer Look

I. GOOD EXAMPLES (James 5:10,

11, 17, 18)One of the best ways to teach and

to learn is to look at examples or real

life situations that are similar to the

ones that we are in.

II. BAD WORDS (James 5:12)

Always remember that there is a

vital connection between our hearts

and our mouths. The warning aboutbad words is in truth a warning

about an evil heart.

III. GOOD WORDS (James 5:13-16)

We are told to pray together.

There is power in prayer and the

more people who are praying togeth-

er the better. We cannot pray to

excess. No matter how much we prayor how many people are praying,

prayer is never wasted.

IV. A NOBLE GOAL (James 5:19, 20)

God has a goal in mind, and the

goal is to bring about repentance in

those who are wrong.

A Final WordGod will love us; He will teach us

the truth, draw us to Him and convict

us of our sins, but He will never put

His finger on us and mash until we

agree to believe in Him. The faith that

can change our lives must be volun-

tary.

FERVENT PRAYING

James 5:16

I. FERVENT PRAYERS IN PRAISE

The psalms are beautiful and

pleasant to read and study. One rea-

son this is true is that they are full of

praise to the Lord.

II. FERVENT PRAYERS IN PROB-LEMS

I am so thankful the Lord wants to

hear about my problems and troubles.

The very best we can do is trust the

Lord in times of problems while we call

on His name.

III. FERVENT PRAYERS IN PAR-DON

Some of the sweetest prayers in the

Word of God have been prayers in con-

fession of sin and asking Gods for-

giveness (Psalm 51:1-12).

IV. FERVENT PRAYERS IN PRO-

TECTION

The psalms are filled with the

writer pleading with the Lord to pro-

tect him and to deal with his enemies.

Except the Lord build the house, they

labour in vain that build it (Psalm

127:1).

V. THE CONSOLATION IN THE

TEXT

The wise man wrote, The fear of

the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:

and the knowledge of the holy is under-

standing (Prov. 9:10). Gods Word

helps us mature in the Lord (2 Tim.

3:16, 17).




27/65



But even if we were to gain all the material things that we seek, we would

still not be ______________________, and even worse, we could not keep the

material goods we have accumulated.

So it is with prayer, good ______________________ and positive interaction

with other believers.

These are not optional; instead, they are essential to ____________________.

One of the best ways to teach and to learn is to look at ___________________

of real life situations that are similar to the ones that we are experiencing.

This is an example of suffering affliction for our _____________________ and

being _____________________ that the Lord will eventually validate our

message.

We should never stop ___________________ the Lord because of persecution.

When we truly understand the source and nature of ____________________,

it will cause us to want to increase our efforts in the service of the Lord.

Job suffered ___________________ and in the end he was rewarded greatly.

Elijah was a man ____________________ to all worries and difficulties of

life.

This is showing us the wonderful ______________________ of prayer to

change us and to change the situations of our lives.

The warning about bad words is in truth a warning about an

_____________________ heart.

When we make promises or curses that we cannot keep, we are subject to

falling into ______________________.

_____________________ is communication, and it is telling God how we feel.

Prayer is not about getting our ____________________ done in Heaven; it is

about getting _____________________ will done on earth.

26 Prevailing Prayer

LESSON REVIEW


28/65


CLASS AGENDAGreet your class members.Introduce and extend a warm welcome to your visitors.Encourage your members to bring visitors to the class regularly.Make Bibles,Adult Lesson Commentaryand quarterlies available toall present, especially visitors.


Find ways by which you may apply this lesson to particular situa-tions in class members lives. Emphasize the need of the HolySpirits leading us and guiding us each day, especially to share thegospel with the lost.


Warm-up5 Minutes

Bible



Closing5 Minutes

Confess yourfaults one to another, and pray one for another, that yemay be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth

much (James 5:16).

LESSON ASSISTANCE


29/65

Sunday DevotionalFruit of the Spirit,Galatians 5:22-26.

In chapter 5 of Galatians, Paul sets

forth the contrast of the works of the

flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. This

truth must be understood to demon-

strate the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

There is a marked difference be-

tween the works of the flesh and the

fruit of the Spirit.

Jesus said, Herein is my Father glo-

rified, that ye bear much fruit; so

shall ye be my disciples (John 15:8).

Jesus said that we are to bear fruit,

more fruit and much fruit in this

chapter. We are new creatures in

Christ Jesus (2 Cor. 5:17). As new

creatures, all things become new, and

we are to experience and express the

fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

Examining the list of the fruit of the

Spirit reveals that these characteris-

tics are not of this world.

Jesus also said, I am the vine, ye

are the branches: He that abideth in

me, and I in him, the same bringeth

forth much fruit: for without me ye cando nothing (John 15:5). The saved

who have a close fellowship with the

Lord will bring forth fruit. We cannot

bring forth fruit on our own.

A fruit tree does not bear fruit to

become a fruit tree. It bears fruit

because it is a fruit tree. We do not

bear fruit to be saved. We bear fruit

because we are saved and the evi-

dence of salvation is the fruit of the

Spirit. Jesus said, By this shall all

men know that ye are my disciples, if

ye have love one to the another

(John 13:35). The first fruit in this

list is love. A spiritual love will help

us manifest the other characteristics.

The fruit of the Sprit is spiritual innature. The Spirit of God helps us

demonstrate the genuine fruit of the

Spirit. Each fruit of the Spirit goes

against the flesh and the sinful

nature. Paul instructed the Ephe-

sians, And be ye kind one to another,

tenderhearted, forgiving one another,

even as God for Christs sake hath for-given you (Eph. 4:32). Paul also

instructed the Ephesians, And that

ye put on the new man, which after

God is created in righteousness and

true holiness (Eph. 4:24).

28

Reputation of the Church1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

6 July 11, 2004


M. Gods Vessels, 2 Timothy 2:19-26.

T. Submissive Servants, 1 Peter2:11-20.

W.Effective Servants, Acts 17:1-9.

T. Phebe: a Servant, Romans16:1-8.

F. Becoming a Servant, Matthew23:1-12.

S. Yielded Servants, Romans6:13-20.


30/65

Aim: By the conclusion of this les-

son the students will demonstrate thesignificance of the three dimensions ofthe Christian life.

The subject of 1 Corinthians chap-

ters 12 through 14 is spiritual gifts.

Paul felt it necessary to write to the

Corinthians concerning the three

remaining gifts. He said these are

faith, hope and charity (1 Cor. 13:13).

These three characteristics are great-

ly needed in the Christian life.

Without them, we are nothing. In

verses 1-8 of this chapter, Paul teach-

es us what charity does and does not

do.

Jesus said, Let your light so shine

before men, that they may see your

good works, and glorify your Fatherwhich is in heaven (Matt. 5:16). We

can readily see the importance of

demonstrating our faith. This demon-

stration will glorify our Father in

Heaven by showing men what God

can do with anyones life. The Lord

intended for the inner birth to pro-

duce outside fruit. There should be a

visible change in a persons conductthat others can see.

The Lords disciples were called

Christians first at Antioch (Acts

11:26). A Christian is a saved person

who lives for the Lord and applies the

spiritual principles of Gods Word to

his life. Our lesson today deals with

Christian behavior. It is important

for believers to live according to theWord of God. A genuine believer will

have a wonderful testimony for the

Lord.

I. THE GREETING (1 Thessalonians

1:1)The apostle Paul and the others

who wrote epistles which became part

of the New Testament also used the

greeting to underscore the goodness

and greatness of God.

II. JUSTIFIED PRAISE (1 Thessalo-

nians 1:2, 3)

The spiritual gifts of faith, love and

hope were especially operative among

the saints in Thessalonica. This trilo-

gy of Christian graces covers the

entire scope of ones life as a believer.

III. BELOVED AND CHOSEN

(1 Thessalonians 1:4)

Even though Paul regarded the

members of the Thessalonian congre-

gation as brothers and sisters in JesusChrist and loved them sincerely, the

fact that they were the beloved of God

was even more significant.

IV. MODEL SOUL-WINNERS

(1 Thessalonians 1:5, 6)

When Paul and his companions

preached the gospel in Thessalonica,

there was a threefold verification oftheir message by power, the Holy

Ghost and assurance.

V. A MODEL CHURCH (1 Thessalo-nians 1:7, 8)Despite all the negative things that

happened to Paul in Thessalonica, theinfluence of that church in Thessalo-

nica was a positive force among thesaints at Philippi and Berea.

VI. SALVATION AND ITS PROOF(1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10)Christian service does not produce

or procure salvation, but it is proof ofones salvation.

Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 29



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ADULT QUARTERLY

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10

A First Look

Most great projects require two

things. They require a blueprint, or a

plan to follow and they require a pat-

tern, or model. The model is used to

show visually what the project

should look like when it is complete.

A Closer Look

I. PRECIOUS MEMORIES (1

Thessalonians 1:2-4)

Paul carefully chose how he used

his memory. He discarded the memo-

ries of the bad treatment that he and

Silas had received from the envious

Jews. Instead, he chose to remember

the wonderful work that God had

done among the believers in this city.

II. AN EFFECTIVE METHOD (1


When the gospel is preached in the

power of the Holy Spirit and when

believers will follow those whom the

Lord has chosen to lead them andwhen we live our lives so that we are

examples to others, a strong, spiritu-

al church is sure to be the result.

III. A SERVING CHURCH (1 Thes-

salonians 1:8-10)

These verses tell us of the positive

things that the Christians did in

exercising their faith, love and hope.

A Final Word

Our faith produces the fruit of the

Spirit and our love makes us want to

serve the One we love and our hope

produces patience in our lives.

THE SPIRITUAL LIFE

Romans 6:12-14

I. THE WORD OF GOD AND THE

SPIRITUAL LIFE

Sin shall not have dominion over

the saved. Paul wrote in Titus 2:12,

Teaching us that, denying ungodli-

ness and worldly lusts, we should live

soberly, righteously, and godly, in this

present world.

II. THE WILL OF GOD AND THE

SPIRITUAL LIFE

Gods will is for His children to

seek His kingdom and righteousness

first (Matt. 6:33).

III. THE WAY OF GOD AND THESPIRITUAL LIFE

The fruit of the Spirit shows the

way the Lord desires that we live. We

were created in righteousness and

true holiness (Eph. 4:24).

IV. THE WARFARE OF GOD AND

THE SPIRITUAL LIFE

There is an inner conflict in thesaved (Gal. 5:17). To wage this war

for God, we need to put on the whole

armor of God. Paul wrote, Put on the

whole armour of God, that ye may be

able to stand against the wiles of the

devil (Eph. 6:11).

V. THE WINNING AND THE SPIR-ITUAL LIFE

In Romans 6:13, we are encour-

aged to yield our members as instru-

ments of righteousness. God will help

us all that He can, but we must be

willing to obey Him. We are to submit

ourselves to God (James 4:7).

30 Reputation of the Church



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We have the __________________ given in the teachings of Jesus in such pas-

sages as Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8.

Notice as we study these lessons from 1 Thessalonians that the patterns we

have are __________________, not physical.

God had done a great work there, and a great __________________ grew fromthe mission work of Paul and Silas.

He chose to remember the wonderful _________________ that God had done

among the believers in this city.

This was possible in part because Paul exercised his right and privilege of

________________________.

Great personal __________________ flow to the heart that is truly thankful.

Paul also remembered their _________________ of love.

One of the differences between _________________ and selfishness is that love

makes us want to serve those we love.

If we truly ________________ the promises of God, we can afford to be patient.

It was __________________ in Jesus Christ, ____________________ for JesusChrist and ___________________ in Jesus Christ.

First, there was the matter of how the people received the Word.

_____________________ comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

The second part of this was that the people in Thessalonica who heard the

Word became ___________________ of Paul and Silas and most importantly

the Lord.

The third part of this divine method was that these believers became

_____________________ to other believers.

Then they had a positive kind of ____________________.

It is a dynamic lesson that should be put into practice in the way we

__________________ and the way we ______________________.


LESSON REVIEW


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32 Reputation of the Church





Warm-up5 Minutes

Bible



Closing5 Minutes

So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and

Achaia (1 Thessalonians 1:7).

LESSON ASSISTANCE


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Sunday DevotionalThe Commission To Evangelize,Luke 24:45-53.

Jesus appeared to two disciples on

the road to Emmaus. They were talk-ing about what had happened in

Jerusalem. They continued talking

as Jesus joined them, but they did

not recognize Him. Jesus began to

teach these disciples beginning at

Moses and all the prophets. He said

they were slow of heart to believe all

that the prophets had spoken. Some

thought all hope was gone when

Jesus died. He reminded these two

disciples that He had told them some

things while He was with them.

Jesus opened their understanding

that they might understand the

Scriptures. He showed them that He

had to suffer and rise from the dead.

Paul defined the gospel as the death,burial and resurrection of Jesus

according to the Scriptures (1 Cor.

15:1-4).

Repentance and the remission of

sin was to be preached in the name of

Jesus (Luke 24:47). The gospel calls

men everywhere to repent. John the

Baptist began his ministry with

Repent ye: for the kingdom of heav-

en is at hand (Matt. 3:2). Study

Matthew 4:17 which states, From

that time Jesus began to preach, and

to say, Repent: for the kingdom of

heaven is at hand. Paul was not

ashamed of the gospel because it is

the power of God unto salvation to allwho believe (Rom. 1:16). Jesus

taught that it was necessary to

repent in Luke 13:3, 5. If people do

not repent, they cannot be forgiven,

and the consequence is eternal death

in hell and the lake of fire.

The disciples were to start in

Jerusalem and preach repentance

and the remission of sin among all

nations. Jesus instructed His church

(churches) to go and teach all nations

(Matt. 28:20). Your sins can only be

forgiven because of Jesus Christ. It

does not matter where you live, this

truth is for all nations and peoples.

John wrote that Jesus is the propiti-

ation for our sins in 1 John 2:2. Paulreferred to Jesus as the one mediator

between God and men in 1 Timothy

2:5. The writer of Hebrews wrote

that Jesus ever lives to make inter-

cession for us in Hebrews 7:25.

33

Review of the Church1Thessalonians 2:1-20

7 July 18, 2004


M. Proclamation of Gospel, Mark16:14-20.

T. Mission of Church, John

20:19-23.W.Witnesses to World, Acts 1:1-9.T. A Chosen Vessel, Acts 9:11-19.F. Mission Vision Acts 13:1-8.S. Ambassadors for Christ, 2

Corinthians 5:14-20.


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Aim:By the conclusion of this les-

son the students will review the cir-cumstances involved in the foundingof the church in Thessalonica.

The Bible is a historical book.

Most everyone is interested in histo-

ry. It may be your family history or

your churchs history. History teaches

us a lot about the present. The impor-

tance of history is vital to under-

standing truth in the present time.

History will tell you who you are and

why. The book of Acts and the letters

of Paul are information about the his-

tory of the churches that Paul started

as a missionary. Many of the church-

es began when Paul went into differ-

ent parts of the country preaching

Jesus Christ as the Savior of theworld. People were saved as a result

of Pauls preaching and teaching.

Paul reminded them of how he

had exhorted them, and it was not

with deceit, uncleanness, nor in

guile. He did not use flattering

words, nor a cloak of covetousness.

God was witness to this and so were

the Thessalonians. Paul and the oth-ers were gentle among them and

loved them dearly.

Our Christian walk should not be

based upon man and our response to

him, but it should be based upon the

truth. Paul exhorted them and com-

forted them and charged them as a

father does his children.

These believers were to walkworthily of God who had called them

to His kingdom and glory. Our service

to the Lord should be rendered out of

love, not selfishness.

I. ENTRUSTED WITH THE

GOSPEL (1 Thessalonians 2:1-4)To be entrusted with the gospel is

the most awesome responsibility any-

one could ever receive. Paul felt a

deep sense of duty with regard to His

stewardship as a minister of the

gospel.

II. APOSTOLIC FORBEARANCE (1

Thessalonians 2:5-7)As an apostle, Paul could have

flaunted his authority and prestige;

however, he would not do so.

III. BLAMELESS CONDUCT (1


Paul reminded the Thessalonian

believers of how he conducted himself

while he was in their midst. Then,Paul called upon God Himself as a

witness.

IV. WALKING WORTHILY (1 Thes-

salonians 2:11-13)

To have a worthy walk for God, one

must be a follower of the Word.

V. THE FULL MEASURE OF SIN(1 Thessalonians 2:14-16)

The persecution of believers is a

grave sin in the eyes of God.

VI. THE CROWN OF REJOICING

(1 Thessalonians 2:17-20)

Among the rewards which Chris-

tians can earn in the service of the Lord

is the crown of rejoicing, which is some-times called the soul-winners crown.

34 Review of the Church



36/65

ADULT QUARTERLY

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12

A First Look

To set these brethren on solid

ground, God inspired Paul to recount

for them some of the circumstances of

the beginning of the work of God

among them.

A Closer Look

I. A RIGHT MESSAGE (1 Thessalo-

ians 2:2-5)

Paul did not use deceit or unclean-

ness or trickery to preach Jesus.

Instead, as we read in Acts 17:3, he

opened the Scriptures and showed

from them that Jesus is the Christ.

II. A RIGHT MESSENGER (1


The object and goal of Pauls min-

istry was to preach the gospel of God

in Thessalonica. He was dedicated to

this job and was willing to do what-

ever was needed to accomplish the

task.

III. A RIGHT RESULT (1 Thessalo-

nians 2:10-12)

A right message preached by a

good messenger who truly cares for

those he preaches to and that falls on

good ground will produce good fruit.

The existence of the church in

Thessalonica was evidence of theeffectiveness of the ministry of Paul.

A Final Word

The overall goal of Pauls ministry

in Thessalonica was that the people

would walk worthy of God and of

their calling into His kingdom.

WALKING WITH THE LORD

Ephesians 5:1, 2

I. WALK ACCORDING TO HIS

WORD.

We are to walk in the light as He

is in the light (1 John 1:7). Walking

in the light is walking in accordance

to Gods Word. His Word is likened to

a lamp and a light (Psalm 119:105).

II. WALK WITHIN HIS WILL.

We are to conduct our lives and

behavior within the will of the Lord.

Jesus prayed to the heavenly Father,

Nevertheless not my will, but thine,

be done (Luke 22:42).

III. WALK IN HIS WORK.

Every saved person should walk

with the Lord in the Lords work. We

are to resist the devil in the faith (1

Peter 5:9). We are to give glory to the

Lord through His churches by Christ

Jesus (Eph. 3:21).

IV. WALK AS A WITNESS.

Jesus said that His first church

made up of individual members

would be witnesses unto Him at

home and abroad (Acts 1:8). You are a

witness for the Lord. You may be a

good one or a bad one.

V. WALK WITH HIS WAYS.

The disciples were called Chris-

tians first at Antioch (Acts 11:26).

The fruit of the Spirit is described

in Galatians 5:22, 23. Our conduct

should be described by these char-

acteristics.




37/65



This was a time of increasing persecutions and misunderstandings, and the

___________________ of these believers was being tried.

To strengthen and build up these believers, Paul __________________ them

of their beginnings and of his ministry to them.

In many ways this was a strong church because it had the benefit of the

faithful _________________ of Paul and others.

Paul began by reminding the Thessalonian brethren of the ________________

treatment that he and Silas had endured in Philippi.

Paul did not use deceit, uncleanness or trickery to ___________________

Jesus.

Paul viewed his preaching as a __________________ trust.

Paul sought to __________________ God, not men.

The simple and convicting truth of the _____________________ stands in

stark contrast to preaching based on flattery and covetousness.

The ______________ of a message has a lot to do with the __________________

of the messenger.

We learn that Paul was not a ____________________ seeker.

Paul and those who served with him were ___________________ with those

they served.

The object and goal of Pauls ministry was to preach the ___________________

of God in Thessalonica.

The existence of the church in Thessalonica was ______________________ of

the effectiveness of the ministry of Paul and Silas there.

The ____________________ is described as holy, just and unblameable.

They exhorted, comforted and charged _______________________ in the same

way a father might instruct his children.

36 Review of the Church

LESSON REVIEW


38/65






Warm-up5 Minutes

Bible



Closing5 Minutes

For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night

and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached

unto you the gospel of God (1 Thessalonians 2:9).

LESSON ASSISTANCE


39/65

Sunday DevotionalGreat Christian Virtues,2 Peter 1:5-11.

Gods divine power has given us all

things that pertain to life and godli-

ness. The all things were given to us

through the knowledge of Him who has

called us to glory and virtue. We are

given exceeding great and precious

promises.

Our lesson today challenges us to be

comforted and established in the Lordswork. The Lord instructed the

Thessalonians to comfort one another

with the words of truth in 1 Thessa-

lonians 4:18. In 2 Peter 1:5-7 we are

given a list of characteristics that are

needed in the Christian life.

We are to give all diligence to devel-

oping these characteristics in our lives.

This is the same instruction Paul gave

to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15.

We are to add to our faith virtue, the

standard of morals presented in Gods

Word. We are to add knowledge tovirtue. The wise man teaches us that

knowledge of the holy is understand-

ing. Peter wrote, But grow in grace,

and in the knowledge of our Lord and

Saviour Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

We are to add temperance to knowl-

edge. Temperance deals with control-

ling emotions and desires in life. Study

what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:27.

We are to add patience to temperance.

Patience helps us endure persecutions

and hardships without complaint. We

are to add godliness to patience.

Without patience we may act ungodly.

We are to live patterning our lives afterChrist. We are to add brotherly kind-

ness to godliness. We are to be kind to

our brothers. We are to add charity to

brotherly kindness. We are to love oth-

ers without expecting them to love us.

All of us would have to confess that

there is work to be done in our lives in

this area. These characteristics are not

easily developed. They are opposite to

the fleshly nature. The Holy Spirit will

help us and enable us to develop these

characteristics.

38

Characteristics of Model Church1 Thessalonians 3:1-13

8 July 25, 2004


M. Preach the Gospel, Romans1:11-17.

T. Justification by Faith, Romans5:1-7.

W.Salvation by Grace, Ephesians

2:4-19.T. Security of the Believer, John10:22-30.

F. Heirs of God, Titus 3:1-8.S. Good Soldier of Christ, 2

Timothy 2:1-5.


40/65

Aim:By the conclusion of this les-

son the students will discuss theessential elements of a model church.

It is not easy to live for the Lord

because we live in a sinful world.

John wrote, For all that is in the

world, the lust of the flesh, and the

lust of the eyes and pride of life, is

not of the Father, but is of the world

(1 John 2:16). The world has no spir-itual appetite. The world will perse-

cute and oppress those who love the

Lord and those who are serving Him.

We should want to make the

church of our membership a model

church with spiritual power and

influence. As each member develops

and grows in the Lord, a church will

manifest Christian characteristics.When people attend your church,

either they will want to hug someone

because of the love they feel or they

will want a pair of ice skates because

of the coldness they feel in the ser-

vices. A church should manifest the

fruit of the Spirit.

You will learn more about your

church and yourself during times oftrouble and conflict. You cannot

change a whole church, but you can

examine your own life and make the

necessary changes with the help of

the Lord. Your changed life will make

an impact on each individual mem-

ber of your church. Study the

Scriptures in the devotional today

and make a personal application. Ifevery member of a church would do

so, it would affect your church as a

whole.

I. TIMOTHY SENT TO THESSA-

LONICA (1 Thessalonians 3: 1, 2)Timothys mission was essentially

twofold, to establish and comfort the

members of the Thessalonian congre-

gation.

II. BELIEVERS AND TRIBULA-

TION (1 Thessalonians 3:3, 4)

The reason why Paul felt that it

was important to send Timothy tostrengthen and encourage the

Thessalonian believers was because

he knew they were being beset with

afflictions.

III. A GOOD REPORT FROM TIMO-

THY (1 Thessalonians 3: 5, 6)

Nothing could have been more sat-

isfying to the apostle Paul than thefavorable report which Timothy

brought to him from the church in

Thessalonica.

IV. COMFORT AMID TRIBULA-

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