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Prayer – Lesson 13, Forever with Christ
Heavenly Father, as our classes study about living in Heaven forever with you, fill each person with hope and anticipation for eternity. We pray this in Jesus' name, Amen.
What does it mean for Christ to come like a thief in the night?
In "Word Focus" Darrell Grim writes:
Paul wrote that “the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2). John Gill writes, “Respect is had not to the character of the thief, nor to the end of his coming; but to the manner of it, in the dark, indiscernibly, suddenly, and when not thought of and looked for; and such will be the coming of Christ, it will be sudden, and unknown beforehand, and when least thought of and expected.” In 1 Thessalonians 5:3, Paul used the analogy of a pregnant woman whose labor pains come upon her suddenly. It seems that he was indicating the coming of the Lord will be sudden and quite painful to those who are not ready to meet Him. A pregnant woman may have a general idea when she is due to give birth, but the exact time can be a surprise. Paul's message to the Thessalonians was the same as Christ's message to John in The Revelation. He will come back suddenly and without warning, especially to those who are not prepared and watching for Him.
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 75.
What can we look forward to in Heaven?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Englund answers this question with several points. In part, he writes:
Heaven will not be a long, exhausting church service nor a continuous vacation. There will be meaningful work opportunities and responsibilities. No one will be unemployed. There will be constant anticipation, continual discovery, overwhelming gratitude, and the joy of being a partner with God himself!
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 78.
Why should the Christian anticipate the end of history?
In "God's Word for Today" Steve Oliver writes
At last, we come to the end of history as we know it, and yet it is but the first instant of eternity. As the angel continued the “tour” of New Jerusalem, John beheld other wonders — a river of life pouring forth from the throne of God, and the trees of life lining the river on both sides. Human history began in a garden paradise, and here God has brought it full circle, back to the ultimate garden paradise of which Eden was but a dim reflection. Here, rather than living with the possibility of expulsion for disobedience, the saints will reign “for ever and ever.”
Source: Christ, the Triumphant Lord: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 75.
Christ’s Scepter of Righteousness
“But unto the Son he saith, ‘Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom’” (Hebrews 1:8)
The bell rang, boys ran, recess began as we all wanted to be - King of the Mountain. It didn’t matter who started as king, he would be knocked off, and another would follow, and that continued until the bell rang to call us back to the classroom.
Today our thoughts are about One who rules with authority and absolute straightness. It is pointed out that His power is the Word, and the Word is His power (v. 3), that his position is God’s Son (v. 5), that He is praised by the angels (v. 6), and that His prominence will never end (v. 8).
As we sat in the classroom, our thoughts were on a strategy to take the mountain at the next recess. Today my thoughts are on how do I live for Him in love, faith, and purity to reflect His scepter of righteousness in my speech and conduct (I Timothy 4:12). Am I allowing that scepter of righteousness to infiltrate my thinking and guide me to living in “holiness and righteousness”? (Luke 1:74) He has given His life for me to be able to do just that!(Steve Martin)
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p style="text-align:center;font-style:italic;">In loving kindness Jesus came, my soul in mercy to reclaim.
And from the depths of sin and shame, through grace He lifted me.
(Charlotte G. Homer; Public Domain)
This devotional is the Tuesday, August 23, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
Summer 2016 Tips for Website
Another important way to "sharpen the saw" is to attend a Sunday school workshop or seminar.
Another important way to "sharpen the saw" is to attend a Sunday school workshop or seminar. A simple online search yields several options of Sunday school workshops. We would also encourage you to contact Herald and Banner Press to see about arranging such a workshop for your church and others in your community. Another option would be to sign up for ministrygrid.com, which provides training of various types for church leaders. A search for ”Sunday school teacher training” on YouTube also surfaces several videos regarding teaching Sunday school. (Note: Be careful in wording your search criteria. Many YouTube videos are not appropriate.) Through iTunes (computer program), several universities offer free courses, which may be of benefit to you.
The advantages of such training, especially in-person events, are obvious: focused training by experts, encouragement from and fellowship with other Sunday school teachers, and the possibility of seeking advice for your specific challenges. Obviously, such training events will require your personal investment. At the least, it will require time and energy. But such workshops may also involve some financial cost.
The question is: are we serious about doing the best for our Master, to the extent that we will reject the status quo and be willing to learn new things, try new methods, and invest in training?