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What Will YOU Do With Jesus?
Lesson 13 - May 29, 2016
Focus Text: Mark 15:1-15
Central Truth: We bear the responsibility for choosing who Christ will be to us.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should have each one decided personally to make Christ the Lord of his life.
Lesson Outline:
- The Leaders Consult (Mark 15:1-5)
- The People Choose (Mark 15:6-11)
- The Savior Is Condemned (Mark 15:12-15)
Prayer – Lesson 12, The Supreme Authority
Heavenly Father,
We recognize Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. We believe this is true and we acknowledge His authority in our lives. Yet our world does not recognize Christ's authority. Indeed, many actively oppose His authority on their lives. And… this fleshly mindset has also affected many Christians, who believe Jesus is their Savior, but not their Lord. As we study this lesson today, may we be convinced of the absolute necessity of submitting every aspect of our lives to the authority of Christ.
In Jesus' name.
How do you see Jesus' authority being questioned today?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Randy Bland writes:
Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians to refute some heretical teachings that had seeped into the Church. One of these heresies was that Jesus was not divine; He was just a good man who taught valuable lessons to follow. The heretics were trying to convince the Church that they still needed rules and secret knowledge to ensure that they would be saved. This heresy can still be found in some churches today, so Paul's majestic hymn to the supremacy of Christ is as important now as it was then.
Discussion: How do you see Jesus' authority being questioned today, even, at times, in the church?
Source: Jesus, Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 75.
What exactly was the injustice Jesus found at the Temple?
In "Biblical Perspective" Randall McElwain writes:
The moneychangers and them that sold doves operated in the Court of the Gentiles, a large court that was open to Gentile visitors. Because the annual half-shekel Temple tax had to be paid in a standard Temple coin, moneychangers were able to charge exorbitant rates for changing the Roman currency into Temple money. In addition, the priests controlled the sale of doves and sacrificial animals, which were greatly overpriced. These transactions were necessary; foreign money had to be changed to Temple coin, and it was more convenient to purchase animals for sacrifice at the Temple than bringing them long distances. However, Jesus objected to the unjust exchange rates and inflated prices, as well as to the spirit which turned a “house of prayer” into a bazaar.
Discussion: What exactly was the injustice Jesus found at the Temple? Was it that animals were being sold and that money was being exchanged? Or was it something else?
Source: Jesus, Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 72.
Christ Teaches With Authority
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Matthew 7:29)
What a difference between self-imposed authority and God-appointed authority! With great delightful humor I recall my high school history teacher’s love for teaching with authority. Casual observance would estimate her avoirdupois to be approximately 300 pounds, so you can picture this: Twenty-five ninth graders are in their typical rowdy “don’t like boring history class” mood, when Mrs. B. enters the room, whispering the roll call. In a matter of seconds, these perceptive scholars notice Mrs. B. is experiencing laryngitis. This is the perfect time to ignore her raspy voice, so the volume of raucous behavior heightens, only to antagonize Mrs. B. to the next level in order to gain control. She steps onto the desk chair, but seeks to acquire a more authoritative presence by climbing onto the sturdy (we hope) wooden desk. With every ounce of remaining strength, Mrs. B. engages inflamed vocal cords to restore order…and the students inwardly congratulate themselves, “We did it again!”
Of course the foregoing story is silly at best, but perhaps it will serve to illustrate just how significant it is that our Master Teacher instructs with the authority that is inspired by the God of the universe. It is not usurped. It is not arrogant. It is not contradictory. It is not self-serving. On the contrary, it is full of grace and truth. It inspires. It informs. It convicts. (RB Kuhn)
Lord, preserve me from misusing my authority; help me to lead with confidence that comes from submitting to the authority of my Savior.
This devotional is the Thursday, May 26, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
Teaching is Applying
"What good is it if you hear the Word, but don't do it?" James asks. Yet too often we are content in our Sunday school classes simply to hear or discuss a good lesson, with little attempt to put it into practice in our day-to-day lives. As it has often been said, "You must inspect what you expect." Do you take time in your class to "inspect" your students' lives for evidence of how they are applying God's Word?
Yes, many might shy away from such practice, thinking it invasive. Yet we have good precedent for such a practice. In 1729 Charles Wesley began and John led a group called the Holy Club, which was rigorous in its expectations for its members. Close, personal questions were asked often to gauge the members' spiritual life. Later, similar groups - Methodist societies - were formed, which became the backbone of the Methodist church. (http://www.ctlibrary.com/ch/1983/issue2/216.html)
How can you begin to introduce a level of accountability in your class?