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The Fruit of the Christian
Focus Text: John 15:1-17
Central Truth: Abiding in Christ requires knowing Christ’s words.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to explain how abiding in Christ brings fruitfulness.
Lesson Outline
1. The Vine and Its Caretaker
2. The Vine and Its Branches
3. The Vital Connection
4. The Link of Love
Seek Holy Spirit’s Guidance
I may be wrong, but I doubt that teaching Sunday school is the only thing that occupies your time. If you are like most of the lay workers in the church I know, you have got quite a bit going on besides preparing for this lesson. In the busyness of life, we can often get the job done on our own strength, and then we wonder why our ministry is not very fruitful. Take time to ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as it says in John 16:13, “When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” Ask Him to lead you into all truth as you lead your class members. Ask Him to be your Guide, and depend on Him to do the work you cannot do. “Holy Spirit, be my Guide. Holy Spirit, my door’s open wide. Make me to know Thy will divine; Holy Spirit, be Thou mine” (Mildred Cope).
Support for the Meek
Read Psalm 37:8-13
“But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (v. 11).
Sometimes as we look around and see what is going on in the world, we are tempted to be discouraged, and overcome with hopelessness. It seems like evil prospers. The powerful get more powerful even though they arrogantly reject God. At times we wonder — why doesn’t God do something about it? Psalm 37 is the answer to that type of thinking. David tells us that God has a plan that is bigger and longer than our ability to grasp sometimes. Though in our minds the wicked seem to never go away, from God’s perspective they are like grass on a hot summer day. As you read through the psalm, you can see how David gives us the solution for dealing with discouraging problems around us. We are to “commit our ways to God.” He tells us to trust in God; He knows what is best. David tells us to delight ourselves in God. In other words, God is in control; we aren’t. And then in verse 11, he gives us a promise, it will be those who are meek that will inherit the earth. God isn’t caught off guard by the evil. He is aware, and He is keeping track of the righteous! (Robert W. Booth)
God has a solution for all our problems!
The Spirit of the Christian
Focus Text: Matthew 5:1-12
Central Truth: The Christian’s joy is God’s delight.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to contrast the world’s idea of happiness with Jesus’ principles of highest joy.
Lesson Outline
1. The Teacher and His Hearers
2. The Character that Blesses
3. Experience that Blesses
Change Your Plans
Sometimes we need to skip our Sunday school lesson and do something more important. I am not advocating that you not come prepared to teach so you just find other things to occupy your lesson time. So, do not put this down and show up unprepared. What I am saying is there may be times when you need to get out of whatever routine you are normally in and let the Holy Spirit work. If there is a pressing need in your community, a class member’s loved one is critically ill, a spiritual need is presented for either a class member or someone else, or any other need is presented, skip the lesson and pray. Nothing we can say through our lesson is more important or powerful than prayer. All too often, we do not give enough time to the things in our lives that concern us. God cares and wants us to bring our needs to Him. So change your plans. Pray.
Christ’s Victory
Read Luke 4:1-13
“And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season” (v. 13).
We have all been in situations where it seemed like the best thing that could happen is for someone — the troublemaker — to leave. Jesus was there! Of course, Jesus could simply have commanded Satan to leave, but that was not the plan. Instead, the plan was for Jesus to withstand everything Satan could throw at Him until, in the end, Satan left by his own choice. Perhaps to the human side in Jesus, it seemed that Satan would never leave. And it often seems that way to us as well. But Jesus just kept parrying Satan’s thrusts until Satan decided it was no use to try anymore. There is an old adage that “he who turns and runs away, lives to fight another day.” And it is true; some things are just not worth fighting for. But when we are up against Satan, as Jesus was, the best strategy is to keep using the Word of God until Satan realizes that continued fighting is useless. Jesus must have felt relieved when Satan turned and walked away. But He must have also felt grateful that He had learned to trust in His Father’s Word. (Gordon L. Snider)
If we are in Christ, we are always victorious.