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Lesson Highlight: "left thy first love"
Expositor's Greek Testament, Volume V notes:
Jealous regard for moral or doctrinal purity, and unwavering loyalty in trial, so far from necessarily sustaining the spirit of charity, may exist side by side, as here, with censoriousness, suspicion, and quarrelling.
Discussion: How can we, in our attempt to remain doctrinally pure, avoid the error of Ephesus church, having "left [their] first love"?
Source: Expositor's Greek Testament, Volume V
Lesson Highlight: Love the LORD
In "Biblical Perspective", Dr. Gordon Snider writes:
This basic command to love originates in the Old Testament. With all thy heart ... soul ... mind ... strength. The interpreter should resist the temptation to find subtle differences between these words. They are used here to show that love must flow from the entire person. Love cannot be separated into compartments. The suggestion is that we will either love God with our all, or not at all. This is the first commandment. Jesus did not mean that this is the first commandment given in time, but that it is the first commandment in terms of priority.
Source: Biblical Family Values: Adult Teacher's Insights, p. 5.
The Cost of Love
Read John 14:15-21
“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (v. 15).
I like to poke my youngest nephew in the tummy — or perform some other silly act — just to get him to laugh. I like to spend time with my parents because they mean a lot to me. Sometimes I will get a glass of water or run an errand for my husband because I love him.
When we truly love our family, we like to do things for them. Is this the cost of love? Perhaps. If I had never married, I would have less laundry to do each week. But marriage to my husband is definitely worth the work!
Similarly, obedience to God, when it stems from our love for Him, becomes less of a chore. We want to please Him because we love Him.
First John 2:5 could be paraphrased this way: Everyone who obeys God’s Word is showing how much they love God. Love is the soil, and obedience is the sweet-smelling flower.
If I ever begin to feel like obedience to God is too hard, I am focused on the wrong things. When I think of what love for us cost God — the horrible death of His only Son — I realize that any price I have to pay is never too much. (Ashlee Englund)
Loving God can never really cost too much.
This devotional is the Thursday, September 3, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.
Loving God Supremely
Lesson 1 - September 6
Focus Text: Mark 12:28-31; Revelation 2:2-5; 1 John 4:14-19
Central Truth: The Christian family's primary goal is to keep Christ first in their lives.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify any possession, passion, or person that competes with their love for Christ and submit it to His control.
Lesson Outline:
- The Command to Love (Mark 12:28-31)
- The Priority of Love (Revelation 2:2-5)
- The Model of Love (1 John 4:14-19)
This quarter we are studying Biblical Family Values. Order your Sunday school curriculum today!
Lesson Highlight: "walk circumspectly" – Ephesians 5:15
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." (Ephesians 5:15)
Greg Blake writes in "Teaching Tips" for this week's lesson:
verse 15 is heightened by the imperative command in verse 17 to “become” or “be” (or even “prove yourselves”) “not unwise.” Sounding a definite warning to avoid foolishness and the dangers that the enticing ways of the “unwise” present, verse 17 rephrases Paul’s earlier urgings in verses 9 and 10. The “will of the Lord” is the standard for all Christian behavior. Disregard or disobedience will be evident by ensuing “unfruitful works of darkness.”
Discussion: In a practical sense, how does one walk circumspectly from day to day?
Source: Galatians and Ephesians, Adult Teacher's Insights, page. 75.
Lesson Highlight: "walk as children of light" – Ephesians 5:8
"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor." (Ephesians 5:2)
William Sillings writes in this week's "Word Focus":
Followers (mimetes) presents a nice picture. The word means “an imitator.” It comes from a verb form which means “to mimic.” The picture is of a small child trying to be like his father.
“Be mimickers of God, as dear children.” Follow His footsteps. Seek to adopt His personality. Love the things He loves. Do the things He wants you to do. Obey Him from the heart, hating anything that might disappoint Him. What a beautiful picture of the Christian walk!
Walk in love (agape) means “benevolence” (5:2). It is this word that is used so often to describe the love of God — as it does here. The example for us to follow, the touchstone of love, is the love Christ had for us in giving Himself to die for us. It is also used to describe the love of the heart perfected by the Spirit of God.
Walk as children of light (photos) (5:8). Verse 13 defines light for us — “whatsoever doth make manifest.” Manifest (phanerountai) means “to make apparent.” The idea here seems to be that we should walk in light so much that we continually see the truth for what it really is, and not be deceived or go back to darkness.
Walk circumspectly (akribos) (5:15). This word means “to walk exactly, or accurately, or carefully.” Accurate walking is defined as not walking as fools (without wisdom) but as wise (with wisdom).
Source: Galatians and Ephesians, Adult Teacher's Insights, page 75.