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March 30, 2025: How Can I Be an Optimist in This World?
BIBLICAL BASIS: Understanding the Christian's Hope
FOCUS TEXT: 2 Corinthians 4:15 -- 5:10
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Daniel 3:16-18; John 14:1-4; Philippians 1:18- 24; Titus 2:11-14
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 42:1-11
KEY VERSE: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD (Psalm 31:24).
CENTRAL TRUTH: God, unchanging and absolute, is the ground of man's hope and undergirds the Christian's confidence, security, and expectation.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify things for which a Christian hopes.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Basis of Our Hope (2 Corinthians 4:15-18)
II. The Assurance of Our Hope (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)
III. The Perseverance of Our Hope (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)
March 23, 2025: How Can I Identify Truth?
BIBLICAL BASIS: Understanding How to Identify Error
FOCUS TEXT: 2 Peter 2:1-10; 1 John 4:1-6
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Jeremiah 9:3-8; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 6:3-5; 2 Peter 2:1-22; Jude 1:1-18
DEVOTIONAL READING: 1 John 2:21-29
KEY VERSE: Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
CENTRAL TRUTH: God provides dependable guidance through His Word for identifying truth.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify the characteristics of false prophets.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Conduct of False Teachers (2 Peter 2:1-3)
II. The Condemnation of False Teachers (2 Peter 2:4-10)
III. The Recognition of Error (1 John 4:1-6)
March 2, 2025: What Is God Like?
FOCUS TEXT: Psalm 145:1-13, 17-20
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Psalms 5:4-6; 33:6-11; 90:1,2; 147:3-8; Isaiah 40:12-15; Jeremiah 32:17-24
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 139:1-10
KEY VERSE: Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable (Psalm 145:3).
CENTRAL TRUTH: God is worthy to receive man's full devotion.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list some attributes of God.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Greatness of God (Psalm 145:1-6)
II. The Attributes of God (Psalm 145:7-10)
III. The Reign of God (Psalm 145:11-13)
February 2, 2025: Encouragement for the Downcast
FOCUS TEXT: Isaiah 51:1-16
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: 1 Samuel 30:1-6; 1 Kings 19:1-8
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 66:1-12
KEY VERSE: Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away (Isaiah 51:11).
CENTRAL TRUTH: God's people will always find encouragement when they truly seek and listen to the Lord of hosts.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students will be able to list three words of encouragement they found in today's Bible text.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. Clarifying Our Focus (Isaiah 51:1-8)
II. Expressing Our Need (Isaiah 51:9, 10)
III. Listening to Our God (Isaiah 51:11-16)
Dr. Noel Scott Tributes
Tributes for the late Dr. Noel Scott will be published in the March 2025 issue of the Banner. Except for family, please keep your tributes to 100 words or less, as difficult as that will be! Email your tribute to editor@heraldandbanner.com. Tributes should be submitted by February 15, 2025. Let's honor a great man!
January 26, 2025: A Model for Servants
FOCUS TEXT: Isaiah 42:1-12
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Matthew 12:14-21; Luke 4:16-21; 2 Timothy 2:24-26
DEVOTIONAL READING: Philippians 2:5-11
KEY VERSE: He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law (Isaiah 42:4).
CENTRAL TRUTH: As servants of God all Christians seek to model their lives after God's perfect Servant.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson, my students will be able to identify three specific ways the Model Servant has challenged them to greater spiritual growth.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Character to Which Christians Aspire (Isaiah 42:1-4)
II. The Mission Christians Pursue (Isaiah 42:5-9)
III. The Song Christians Sing (Isaiah 42:10-12)