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June 2, 2024: The Lord of the Church
FOCUS TEXT: Matthew 16:13-27
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Ephesians 1:15-23; Colossians 1:12-20
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 24:1-10
KEY VERSE: And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18).
CENTRAL TRUTH: Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to identify ways to put Christ in His place as Head of the Church.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Divine Revelation (Matthew 16:13-20)
II. The Human Misunderstanding (Matthew 16:21-23)III. The Challenge to Follow (Matthew 16:24-27)
May 22, 2024: Choose Only the Best
Read Luke 10:38-42.
“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (v. 42).
Life is filled with details that claim our time and exhaust our energy. At the end of the day, we sag in our recliner with a sigh, having had life dictated to us by the trivia of multiplied moments. In our lesson, Martha busied herself with things that mattered to her and assumed those concerns to be those of Jesus. So she hastily prepared lunch. Her actions were not sinful, but rather, were very well intended. But Jesus said that Mary, who sat at his feet, enjoying his presence and listening to his words, had chosen the “best” part.
Some things have eternal dimensions, while other things are time-locked. Perhaps today, you will meet the challenge of distinguishing between the two. Imagine Jesus sitting in your house, looking over your shoulder, and evaluating your value judgments. Would he say that, like Mary, you have chosen “the best part,” or would He gently chide your well-intentioned efforts by suggesting that you are living life for the “now” rather than the “then?” Lunch won’t matter in heaven, but sitting at the feet of Jesus will. (William Snider)
Engage this roving, treacherous heart.
To fix on Mary’s better part,
To scorn the trifles of the day
For joys that none can take away.
--- Philip Doddridge
“Things which matter most
must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”
--- Johann Wolfgant von Goeth
May 26, 2024: What Will YOU Do With Jesus?
FOCUS TEXT: Mark 15:1-15
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Isaiah 55:1-7; Matthew 27:16-26; Luke 23:13-25
DEVOTIONAL READING: Joshua 24:14-18
KEY VERSE: What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? (Matthew 27:22).
CENTRAL TRUTH: We bear the responsibility for choosing who Christ will be to us.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should have each one decided personally to make Christ the Lord of his life.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Leaders Consult (Mark 15:1-5)
II. The People Choose (Mark 15:6-11)
III. The Savior Is Condemned (Mark 15:12-15)
May 16, 2024: Christ States His Authority
Read Matthew 28:8 – 18.
“And Jesus answered and spake unto them, saying, ‘All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth’” (v. 18).
No one in the universe can make the above statement except God Himself, and in this case, the blessed Son of God, Jesus. But when Jesus makes the declaration, write it down, make a note of it, for it is truth.
Especially in the political world, many talking heads proclaim their power, influence, wealth, wisdom, and authority. They all must fall silent before the throne of our exalted Christ, Who only has ultimate authority. Pilate thought he had the power of life and death, but Jesus told him he would have no control if he did not receive it from above. Pilate must find out that, in Jesus's name, every knee must bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.
For anyone else to make the claim Jesus makes would mark that person as grievously absurd; for Jesus to claim all power creates anthems of praise in the minds and hearts of believers. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. (Leonard Sankey)
“Let all who name Christ’s holy name
give God all praise and glory;
Let all who own His power
proclaim aloud the wondrous story.”
--- Johann J. Schutz/Frances E. Cox
May 19, 2024: The Supreme Authority
FOCUS TEXT: Mark 11:12-26
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Malachi 1:1-14; Matthew 21:12-27; Mark 11:12- 33; Luke 19:45-48; 20:1-8; John 2:13-22
DEVOTIONAL READING: Mark 11:27-33
KEY VERSE: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth (Philippians 2:10).
CENTRAL TRUTH: Christ has all authority over the world.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to name three ways God's power and authority affect them.
LESSON OUTLINE:
I. The Cursed Tree (Mark 11:12-14, 19-26)
II. The Cleansed Temple (Mark 11:15-18)
III. The Challenged Authority (Mark 11:27-33)
May 8, 2024:
Read Luke 9:28-36.
Prayer Brought the Glory
“And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered,
and his raiment was white and glistering” (v. 29).
“Prayer Changes Things” is a famous saying found in various graphic formats posted on social media, hanging in churches, displayed in homes, and stocked for sale in many places of business. Even though that may be true, of greater importance is the fact that sincere, devoted prayer changes people – especially the ones doing the praying.
Have you ever met the “Man with the shining face?” Jesus prayed while His disciples slept but were awakened by the shining light emanating from Him as He prayed. That light can also be ours if we invest time with the Master in prayer.
One of the unforgettable memories from my childhood churches is of the saints in earnest prayer. It seemed that their faces were glowing as they forgot about their surroundings and brought us all into the presence of God. Peter's sentiment was very real as we children (at least this one) wanted to stay in that atmosphere of God’s glory and never return to the struggles of life beyond the prayer room. (Harold Carpenter)
“And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
and He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
none other has ever known.”
--- C. Austin Miles
Pray until your tabernacle is filled with God’s glory and spills over into your daily life.