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The Gift of Righteousness
“For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17).
The story is told of a young African boy who gave his teacher a beautiful sea shell for Christmas. As the teacher was admiring its delicate beauty, she inquired where the lad had found it. He told her there was only one place where such rare gems could be found, a bay several miles away. As she expressed her astonishment that he would go to such lengths to secure a gift for her, He replied, "Long walk, part of gift."
When we consider the great sacrifice that Jesus made for our redemption, it is hard for us to fathom the extent of His journey from heavenly majesty to earthly poverty. "For God so loved…" Not only did He provide redemption for our transgressions, but He also gives us the gift of righteousness as part of the package deal. He is so far above us, yet He came all the way to earth to present himself as a sacrifice for our sins. (Daniel Edwards)
God looked from the throne of heaven,
Saw the clay his hands had formed;
Love flowed from his heart of mercy,
As he viewed man bruised and torn,
So, He wrapped himself in glory,
Tied it with a bow of flesh,
Tucked it in a lowly manger,
Jesus was his Christmas best.
(Daniel P. Edwards)
He came all the way for me!
This devotional is the Thursday, September 8, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
The Barrier of No Friends
A young couple came for counseling to the parsonage. The young man was struggling with a bad habit, but wanted to be free and to serve Christ. The problem was that all his friends engaged in this sinful activity and made fun of him when he said no. The young man accepted Christ during the visit, but his lack of Christian friends remains a challenge to his spiritual growth and vitality.
People like to be with people they know. People like to be with people who look like them, think like them, and have similar interests. Breaking into a group of which you know no one is quite intimidating, even for the most outgoing. Therefore, you should be aware that the unchurched people who attend your Sunday school class may not have any friends within your class, or even your church. You probably recognize this already, but what will you do about helping the unchurched who visit your class develop friendships in your class?
Responding to the Gifts of God
Lesson 2 - September 11, 2016
Focus Text: Psalm 19:1-14
Central Truth: While all people are blessed by God's gifts, the truly blessed are those who respond positively to those gifts.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify at least three ways they can respond positively to the gifts they have received from God.
Lesson Outline:
- The Gift of Creation (Psalm 19:16)
- The Gift of Revelation (Psalm 19:711)
- The Gift of Cleansing (Psalm 19:1214)
Prayer – Lesson 1, Studies in the Psalms
Heavenly Father, as our classes begin this new quarter, enrich our faith as we study the "hymnal" of the Bible. Help us to respond to crises by worshiping Christ. In Jesus' name, we pray.
How do you approach God in times of trouble?
In "God's Word for Today" David Woods writes:
The faithful respond to crises by expressing faith in God. David was surrounded by wicked nations. He was distressed. Instead of uttering a panicky prayer, however, he worshiped God, and while doing so poured out his concerns and desires to God.
Source: Studies in the Psalms: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 5.
What does it mean for God to be "sovereign"?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" William Sillings writes:
Sovereignty can be defined as the essential quality of God by which He exercises His supremacy because of who He is and in harmony with whom He has revealed Himself to be. His sovereignty does not allow Him to act outside of His other essential characteristics. That is, being sovereign, He is also holy, just, loving, eternal, etc. His sovereignty does not detract from or diminish His other attributes.
For practical implications of the sovereignty of God, see the "Doctrinal Discussion" in Adult Teacher's Insights!
Source: Studies in the Psalms: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 8.