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Necessary Instruction
Read Luke 11:1-4
“And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (v. 2).
In an environment where self-aggrandizing hypocrites sought the attention and adulation of others when they prayed, and where idol-worshiping heathen used meaningless repetition in prayer (Matt. 6:2), the disciples wanted to learn how to pray from Jesus, whose prayers clearly received a response from God the Father. What did Jesus teach?
In contrast to those hypocritical and meaningless prayers witnessed by the disciples, Jesus taught them to pray with directness, sincerity, and transparency.
Jesus invited them to begin by addressing God as “Our Father.” From this simple, direct form of address, Jesus’ disciples were reminded of their status in relation to each other (“Our”) and God (“Father”). They belonged in the family of God.
Jesus’ teaching on prayer was also a contrast to the affectation of the hypocrites: it was a call to sincerity. Unlike the pompous language of the self-righteous or the vain repetition of the heathen, Jesus wanted the disciples to pray with sincere simplicity. Their prayers were to be meaningful.
Finally, Jesus taught His disciples to pray with transparency, acknowledging their needs rather than touting their own righteousness. Jesus’ disciples were to confess their physical and spiritual needs while seeking the will of God. Their walk and talk with God were to be authentic. (Lyle A. Witt)
God help us to pray with directness, sincerity, and transparency!
How to Pray
Focus Text: Matthew 6:5-15
Central Truth: Prayer is the earnest expression of our intimate relationship with God.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify ways in which prayer can be made more effective in their lives.
Lesson Outline:
I. Guidelines for Prayer (Matt. 6:5-8)
II. The Focus of Prayer (Matt. 6:9, 10)
III. Petitions in Prayer (Matt. 6:11-15)
Good Works
The last word picture is about Dorcas. Take some time to look back at the pictures you have done, and remember the lessons taught by each Bible character.
Dorcas was a quiet woman who was remembered for what she had done.
How do you think Dorcas related to the people around her? What spiritual gift did she have?
How did the work of Dorcas relate to her being a Christian? Do Christians need to do good works?
A Judgment of Works
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (v. 20).
When I was in eighth grade, we went on a class trip to tour an exhibit on the HMS Titanic. We saw pictures and footage of the building of that great ship, heard stories about the people who booked passage on its voyage, and even walked through life-sized replicas of the rooms. When I made it to the first-class cabin, I noticed the pale mannequin lounging in the corner and quickly went on to study the bed, chairs, clothing, and other curiosities. As I began to walk on down the hallway, a girl in the group behind me screamed. The mannequin had stood up to talk to them!
Of course, it wasn’t a mannequin at all. He was a slender actor who had covered his face and hands with white makeup. No one had looked closely enough to think he was anything other than a mannequin until he moved. The life in his limbs was our first clue that he wasn’t plastic.
These days, people stay awfully busy. We work and volunteer and play hard. As we run from one activity to the next, we rarely have time to notice people around us. Why should we expect anyone, including people not in the family of God, to tell we are Christians if the life in our limbs doesn’t show it? (Michelle D. Avery)
When I was in eighth grade, we went on a class trip to tour an exhibit on the HMS Titanic. We saw pictures and footage of the building of that great ship, heard stories about the people who booked passage on its voyage, and even walked through life-sized replicas of the rooms. When I made it to the first-class cabin, I noticed the pale mannequin lounging in the corner and quickly went on to study the bed, chairs, clothing, and other curiosities. As I began to walk on down the hallway, a girl in the group behind me screamed. The mannequin had stood up to talk to them!
Of course, it wasn’t a mannequin at all. He was a slender actor who had covered his face and hands with white makeup. No one had looked closely enough to think he was anything other than a mannequin until he moved. The life in his limbs was our first clue that he wasn’t plastic.
These days, people stay awfully busy. We work and volunteer and play hard. As we run from one activity to the next, we rarely have time to notice people around us. Why should we expect anyone, including people not in the family of God, to tell we are Christians if the life in our limbs doesn’t show it? (Michelle D. Avery)
Is there life in your limbs?
Dorcas: A Woman of Good Works
Focus Text: Acts 9:36-42, Matthew 5:14-16
Central Truth: Good works are an evidence of a genuine saving faith.
Objective: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify several good deeds they can do for someone this week.
Lesson Outline:
I. An Exemplary Life (Acts 9:36-39)
II. A Miracle Realized (Acts 9:40-42)
III. A Command Given (Matt. 5:14-16)
Before and After Pictures
Work together to create a word picture of Paul for your character notebook.
Paul was an active man who served many generations by serving his own generation.
Compare Paul’s temperament or disposition before and after his conversion.
In what ways can a hot, quick, active, practical, and strong-willed temperament like Paul’s be used by God? How does Paul’s life illustrate this?
How can a person be a boss or a leader and still relate properly with other Christians?