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God, the Son
Lesson 3 - March 15, 2015
Focus Text: John 1:1-18
Central Truth: Christ is God's revelation of Himself to mankind.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to explain how to imitate Christ's example of revealing God and His love to our community.
Lesson Outline:
- The Word Is God (John 1:1-8)
- The Word Became Flesh (John 1:9-13)
- The Word Provides Grace (John 1:14-18)
God, the Father
Lesson 2 - March 8, 2015
Focus Text: Exodus 3:13-15; Deuteronomy 6:4, 5; John 4:21-24; Revelation 21:22, 23; 1 John 4:7-10
Central Truth: Infinite God has revealed Himself to finite mankind.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to give a clear, concise statement on who and what God the Father is, and to know how to answer several common objections to the Christian teaching of who God is.
Lesson Outline:
- God's Nature - Eternal (Exodus 3:13-15)
- God's Nature - Incomparable (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
- God's Nature - Light (Revelation 21:22-23)
- God's Nature - Love (1 John 4:7-10)
The Perfect Law
Read Psalm 19:1-14
“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (v. 7).
The United States government has written laws which are thousands of pages long. Even with such length, these laws do not cover a broad range of possibilities. We can have laws thousands of pages long yet still need hundreds of laws to cover every contingency.
This problem is not new. Israelite religious leaders had a tendency duriing Jesus’ time to create intricate laws about even the most minute details of everyday life. These laws were terribly burdensome.
Somehow humanity thinks more laws will make us better able to stay in line. God knows better. His law is perfect in its simplicity. This world’s wisdom does not compare to God’s. (Michelle Avery)
The law of God is good and wise,
And sets His will before our eyes,
Shows us the way of righteousness,
And dooms to death when we transgress.
Its light of holiness imparts
The knowledge of our sinful hearts,
That we may see our lost estate
And seek deliverance ere too late. — Matthias Loy
God’s law shows His wisdom and His love.
This devotional is the Monday, February 23, 2015 entry from Opening the Word.
Photo credit: "Light reading" by Loozrboy used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Resized, text added.
Are You Master or Slave of Your Desires?
Lesson 12 - February 22, 2015
Printed Text: 2 Samuel 12:1-8; 1 Timothy 6:6-10; Philippians 4:10-13
Central Truth: The essence of loving others is respecting their rights.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify ways a person can develop an attitude of contentment.
Lesson Outline:
- A Sad Example (2 Sam. 12:1-8)
- Perils of Covetousness (1 Tim. 6:6-10)
- Cure for Covetousness (Phil. 4:10-13)
Master Your Desires
Read Proverbs 5:15-23
“Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running wa- ters out of thine own well” (v. 15).
We were created with very real needs for relationship, love, acceptance, a sense of self-worth, recognition, and purpose. Our Heavenly Father has lovingly made provisions for each of these needs. God never fails His child, but we fail each other. We experience rejection instead of recognition; abuse destroys our sense of self-worth. It is hard to love or receive love. We have a choice. Will an unmet need control life, or will we allow God to control when, where, and how our needs will be met? This choice has life-changing importance. Turning to the world to meet legitimate needs often starts a downward spiral. Decisions are made; attitudes develop. Motivation that originated as a desire for relief, escape, recognition, comfort, or acceptance turns destructive. The attempt to meet a need becomes bondage — a bondage unwanted and hard to break free from. No longer the master, the individual unwittingly becomes the victim of the choices made.
We have the opportunity and responsibility to choose whether to be the master of our desires and needs or to allow them to have mastery over us. Lord, help us to be careful in meeting the needs of others and allow you to meet our needs! (LAD)
Lord, I choose to trust you with this day.
This week's featured devotional is from the Monday, February 16, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.
Photo credit: "Israel - Nimrod - fortress cistern" by Matt Mickelson used under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Resized, text added.
Put Lying Lips to Silence
Read Psalm 31:17-24
“Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous” (v. 18).
Several men were seated in a circle talking, and the subject turned to fishing. As it often happens in such circles, one story is told, and another tops it with his story of success. Glenn, who could have been described as having some cognitive limitations, was among the men. He had a story of his own. He said he had caught a very big fish. He was asked, “How big?”
“Well,” he said, “it was so big it took a half hour for the hole in the water to close up!”
Now that was a story!
As I remember it, about that time the group erupted with laughter and dispersed. They had been bested by someone they thought was incapable of such declarations, but remember that lying, shading the truth, and exaggerations come under the condemnation of God.
God is truth. God expects truth from the lips of His people. Truth is the very fabric of the gospel, and we discredit it if we fail to tell the truth. God tells us about how really sinful and helpless we are apart from God, and by God’s grace we will dwell in a realm where truth and truth alone is the order of the day. (Lonnie Witt)
They who practice lying are not a reflection of the Author of truth.
This week's featured devotional is from the Wednesday, February 11, 2015 entry of Opening the Word.
Photo credit: "38 Pounder from Eldean" by Tim Creque used under CC BY 2.0 / Resized, cropped.