Our Blog
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?
The Supreme Authority
Lesson 12 - May 22, 2016
Focus Text: Mark 11:12-26
Central Truth: Christ has all authority over the world.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to name three ways God's power and authority affect them.
Lesson Outline:
- The Cursed Tree (Mark 11:12-14, 19-26)
- The Cleansed Temple (Mark 11:15-18)
- The Challenged Authority (Mark 11:27-33)
Prayer – Lesson 11, Christ, Our Intercessor
Heavenly Father,
We thank You again for Your love for us. We stand amazed before Your goodness. For not only does the Holy Spirit intercede on our behalf, but the Son also continually intercedes for us! Help us to live in the confidence that You are good and have planned what is best for us.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
If Jesus Prays for Us…
In "God's Word for Today" David Woods writes:
We are aware that one of the primary ministries of the Holy Spirit is intercession with the Father on the Christians' behalf. Our scripture today highlights another wonderful truth: Christ intercedes with the Father for us. As we read in Romans 8:34: “Christ . . . also maketh intercession for us.” And if Christ's regular intercession is anything like His prayer in John 17, we ought to live every moment of every day with supreme confidence!
Discussion: How does Jesus' intercession give you courage?
Source: Jesus, Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 66.
The Trinity and Sanctification
"And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." (John 17:19)
In "Biblical Perspective" Randall McElwain writes:
It is God's Word, the truth, that provides the power by which the disciples would be transformed (Beacon Bible Comm.). It is God's Son and His self-consecration that makes sanctification possible. While we correctly associate the Holy Spirit with sanctification, it is a trinitarian doctrine; all members of the Trinity play a role in our sanctification. When Jesus prayed for their sakes I sanctify myself, He used the same language used in New Testament atonement passages. Examples include Mark 14:24 (“this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many”) and John 6:51 (“and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world”). Just as Jesus provided for our atonement, He provided for our sanctification.
Source: Jesus, Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 67.