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Assurance for the Church
In "God's Word for Today" Gordon Snider writes:
“The check is in the mail.” There is likely no other promise received with so much skepticism as this one. We have heard the promise before, and it didn't prove true. We will believe it when we see the check. Many people hear the promises in the Bible with the same skepticism. The promises seem too good to be true. In fact, Isaiah was facing the same response to his ministry. God was making great promises to His people through the prophet, but the future seemed to contradict the assurances of good. So in 61:11 Isaiah raised the problem dealt with in our lesson today: “How can I be sure that the good God has promised will really happen?” In our lesson today, God's Old Testament people were facing captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem – the holy city. The modern church is facing renewed persecution from without and increased apathy from within, either of which potentially could destroy our “holy city.” Still, some people say that “the future is as bright as the promises of God.” How can they be so sure? The answers Isaiah gave to the Old Testament church are relevant to the New Testament church as well.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 10.
Promise of a Universal Gospel
Read Isaiah 60:3-7
“And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (v. 3).
As an insect is drawn to light, the conversion of souls is described here as they fly to Christ, to the Church, and to His Word. As we embrace the wonderful light of salvation, we become a lighthouse for the gospel. The gospel message is universal, reaching around the globe to extraordinarily transform lives for God's glory. Sowing seeds for the Master will always result in a harvest. His Word is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” God's Word assures us that when we are busy doing His work, He will give an increase, an abundant harvest (Isa. 55:11). God is no respecter of persons. As He has faithfully dealt with us through conviction, He will speak to those for which we pray. He created us and knows the best way to get our attention! We can confidently bring our burden for lost souls to Him. He will break down language barriers whether we are in China or Chinatown. We can pray on the continent of Asia, and He can answer our prayers for someone in Europe. Prayer is the original WiFi connection available 24/7. The gospel has no boundaries as its followers carry the good news throughout the world. (Beverly Tatum)
Bear the good tidings all over the world,
Let the bright banner of love be unfurled,
Wherever sorrow and sin shall be found,
There let the news of salvation resound.
— Eliza Edmunds Hewitt
Let Him shine brightly through you!
This devotional is the Thursday, June 8, 2017 entry of Opening the Word.
Learning by Restating Truth
Many teachers struggle with incorporating discussions into their classes because they feel their job is to “teach,” i.e., give information. And when they don't give information, they feel guilty, as though they have not done what they are supposed to do. Let's begin this journey by emphasizing that you don't need to feel that you cannot share new information with your class. After all, you have studied the details of the lesson, and you feel that you have something to say. That is fine! Say it! But how do you know if your students understood what you said correctly? Or just as importantly, hopefully, your students have studied their lesson as well, and they have learned things in the process that they are excited about and want to share. Class involvement meets both of those needs. From the feedback you get, you will know if you have stated your points clearly, and you will also have the advantage of learning from your students. It is OK to be the “sage on the stage” part of the time. But balance that with being a “guide on the side.” Your students will retain most of what they have been allowed to restate in their own words!
Source: Snider, Gordon. "Tips for Teachers." The Church: God's People: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 9.
Prophetical Picture of the Church
Lesson 2 - June 11
FOCUS TEXT: Isaiah 62:1-12
CENTRAL TRUTH: God planned that the Church should be a vibrant and victorious organism.
OBJECTIVE: By the end of this lesson my students should be able to list at least three prophecies concerning the Church which have been fulfilled.
LESSON OUTLINE:
- God's Promises for His Church (Isaiah 62:1-5)
- God's Watchmen (Isaiah 62:6-9)
- God's Holy People (Isaiah 62:10-12)
To Whom Does Your Church Belong?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Don Callaway writes:
Naming a church can be an important step toward expressing the mission, personality, and goals of the congregation. Contemporary names of churches usually include terms like “hope,” “grace,” “faith,” or “community” in an attempt to make a public statement of an important quality of the gospel that church wants to promote. In a neighboring town, a local non-denominational church was established several years ago. The name they chose was “The People's Church.” Likely this name was chosen to convey the openness of the gospel that the church is committed to promote — whoever comes is welcome. However, the name also suggests that they are the sole owners and decision-makers of the congregation. If this human-centered philosophy of the church is the real message of the church, they have missed the whole meaning of the church.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 8.
Who is the Rock upon which the Church is built?
In "Word Focus" Glenn McClure writes:
Verse 18 has been a source of controversy, and calls for a closer look. Here we need to ask the question, Does “this rock” refer to Peter, to Peter's confession, or to Christ? The contrast between Peter (petros) and rock (petra) sheds some light on the matter. Petros is a stone, loose and movable. It was used as a proper name and is used here in the masculine form. On the other hand, petra is feminine and therefore may not refer to Peter. Petra means a rock, immovable, like the one the wise man built his house upon (Matt. 7:24). Most Protestants, as well as some early Church fathers (Augustine, Jerome), feel that this refers to Peter's confession and not to Peter himself. This may be because this meaning had been abused by the Church of Rome, and therefore another meaning was sought. Yet from verse 23 we realize that Peter was neither the foundation nor the builder, but Christ alone, whom he had confessed (see also 1 Cor. 3:11).
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 4.