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Do you have a predisposition for forgiveness?
In "God's Word for Today", David Woods writes the following discussion question:
What does it say to you that Jesus was known for His forgiving spirit while the religious leaders were known for condemnation? Is our church known for its willingness to forgive or its tendency to condemn?
He follows this up by saying:
Our passion obviously is to live holy before God. But what does it say when our church is known for strict, even judgmental, attitudes, rather than a caring love for others? Did Jesus, while He was on earth, have a reputation for holiness or for loving the sinner?
Discussion: Are we more like Jesus or more like the religious leaders in regards to forgiveness? What is our predisposition?
Source: Jesus, the Son of God: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 5.
The Forgiving Savior
Lesson 1 - March 6, 2016
Focus Text: Matthew 9:1-7; John 8:1-11
Central Truth: Christ’s character is marked by His forgiving love.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list at least two ways Christ’s forgiving love should change our lives.
Lesson Outline:
- Jesus' Power for Forgiveness (Matthew 9:1-7)
- Jesus' Predisposition for Forgiveness (John 8:1-5)
- Jesus' Perspective on Forgiveness (John 8:6-9)
- Jesus' Purpose in Forgiveness (John 8:10-11)
Teaching is Not Reading
Have you ever attended a Sunday school that was just a reading session? You know what I mean, don't you? First one person reads a verse and its commentary. Then the next person reads the second verse and commentary. And so the class continues until time is up or the material in the Sunday school quarterly is exhausted.
Please don't misunderstand. There is nothing wrong with reading a verse and its comments. Our lessons have been prepared so that you can easily read both scripture and its commentary. And, a good lesson may include reviewing a good amount of this commentary. But a true lesson is not made up of just reading material that anyone could read any time. Rather, a lesson includes information, exploration, discussion, collaboration, and application.
A question we should always ask ourselves is: how will my students' lives be changed as a result of this lesson?
Forgiveness for All Sin
Read Isaiah 43:22-28
“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins” (v. 25).
My desk in grade school had an ink well that held a bottle of black ink. I learned to write with a quill pen. After dipping the tip of it in the ink, I then had to move it lightly across the paper to form neat letters. Lingering or pressing too hard caused the ink to flow and spread, blotting out any letters it contacted. The blot could not be removed, and anything covered by it could not be read. That blotting out was far more thorough and permanent than attempting to erase, for it covered and totally concealed what had been there.
The sins and iniquities of Israel were a record against them, as are ours! Neither they nor we can blot out or conceal our own record, as much as we might wish to do so. We don’t have the power to undo what we have done! However, the LORD says He can, and He will blot out our transgressions, and by choice not remember our sins! The blot on our record indicates past transgressions that no longer bear record against us because He blotted them out! (Rodney Stearns)
They are covered by the Blood; they are covered by the Blood.
My sins are all covered by the Blood.
Mine iniquities so vast have been blotted out at last.
My sins are all covered by the Blood.
— Nellie Edwards
While God never discounts our transgressions, He is willing to blot them out.
This devotional is the Monday, February 29, 2016 entry of Opening the Word.
Prayer: Lesson 13 – The Gift of Sight
Heavenly Father,
Bless our teachers and classes today as they conclude this quarter on the Miracles of Jesus. Help us to realize that while You do not always choose to perform miracles of healing in response to our prayers, You are still a miracle-working God. Increase our faith in You. In Jesus' name, we pray this. Amen.
How to Take Advantage of Your Opportunity to Gain God's Help
In "Word Focus" William Sillings writes:
Cry out (kradzein — v. 47) means “to cry out or to scream.” Bartimaeus recognized his time of opportunity and began to go to work to get the most he could out of it. He did not sit by the roadside mumbling in his beard about how hard life was and how unfair it was that Jesus would pass by that way and not stop to help him.
He was not concerned about what other people thought right then. In fact, some of them tried to get him not to be so loud. They charged him (v. 48) that he should hold his peace. Charged (epetimen — imperfect) is a strong word, and the imperfect tense suggests “they continually rebuked him.” They told him to hold his peace (siopasoi), that is, to keep silent. In other words, the crowds kept telling him to shut up and quit his loud yelling.
But Bartimaeus was not to be denied access to this one great opportunity. There are times for refined decorum, of course, but this was not one of them. If Bartimaeus did not get Jesus’ attention this time, who knows how long it would be before He came that way again — if ever?
Discussion: How serious are you in taking advantage of the opportunity to gain God's help in your life?
Source: Miracles of Jesus: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 75.