C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON, Eternal Plan of God for Man, April 28th, 2019 : Topic –  WORSHIP IN ETERNITY

By | April 24, 2019

C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON, Eternal Plan of God for Man, April 28th, 2019 : Topic –  WORSHIP IN ETERNITY


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C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Eternal Plan of God for Man.
April 28th, 2019.

LESSON EIGHT
WORSHIP IN ETERNITY

The worship in heaven is going to be greater than what our human faculty can fathom now. Just make sure you don’t miss it.

MEMORY SCRIPTURE
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands (Revelation 7:9).

BRIEF COMMENT
The great multitude are those triumphant saints who have passed beyond temptations, trials, and troubles of this world to heaven. They are the jubilant and exalted multitude in the presence of the Lamb. They are before God who is on the throne. They are clothed in white robes. This symbol is of purity, victory, and righteousness (Rev. 4:4; 6:2). The palm branches in their hands were used by Romans to symbolize the victory of returning soldiers with victory. Likewise, the great saints who have died in Christ, are greatly rejoicing because of the victory they have accomplished, through the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 17:14; 1 Jn. 5:4).

At the time this vision was given to John, those who are dead in Christ are seen giving praises to God. All of them fall on their faces before God, and worship. The triumphant community of God that is comprises every nation, tribe, people, and tongue is now worshipping before the God of who radiates power and authority.

DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING FOR WEEK ONE
Mon.     22:    Worship Yahweh in His Holiness (Psa. 29:2)
Tue.      23:    Watch How Praise Did Wonders (2 Chro. 20:22)
Wed.     24:    What Sacrificial Giving Does (Acts 10:4)
Thur.     25:    When Men Began Calling On God (Gen. 4:26)
Fri.        26:     Worship God in Spirit (Jn. 4:24)
Sat.       27:      Worship Altar Built by Noah (Gen. 8:20)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
1.   God’s plan that man would worship and serve Him alone, now, through eternity. Redemption restores man to this divine eternal plan.
2.   When we praise and worship God, we are giving God acknowledgment that, He is our Creator, all-powerful, sustainer, eternal, holy and righteous. We are telling Him that He is our God, and He alone deserves honour, glory, majesty, and power. This is what we shall be doing in eternity. That is God’s eternal redemptive plan for man.

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Psalm 96:1-13

AIM AND OBJECTIVES
AIM:   To show that God demands everyone to praise and worship Him now, and in eternity.

OBJECTIVES:  At the end of this lesson, it is expected that the learners should be able to:
i.   discuss the need to worship God always, i.e give adoration and honour to God;
ii.  present worshipping God as something we must do, because God expects our praises and worship;
iii. discuss the acceptable way to worship God; and
iv. show that only the saints and redeemed people will have opportunity to worship God in eternity.

INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: PSALM 89:5-8; HABAKKUK 2:18-20; 1 TIMOTHY 3:14-16; ISAIAH 35:10, 65:18; REVELATION 7:9-12, 21:1-5, 22-27, 22:3-4
The good Lord helped us by His Spirit to discuss the importance of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in the previous lesson. The two weeks of study has been refreshing enough to refocus our attention on God’s eternal purpose for allowing the suffering, death and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Jesus. May His expectations over us not be in vain, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

We are focussing on what worship would be in the context of eternity in the two-week lesson we start today. Worship is an important element that takes place in the church of Christ’s disciples. We worship the Father through Christ, in the strength and power of the Holy Spirit. The three things on which true worship stands upon are the worship from the heart of the regenerated (Jn. 4:23-24). The third is place where we worship, be it personal, private, or public worship. The third is place where we worship.

In the Old Testament, the seventh day of the week is the day of worship —- the Sabbath day (Exo. 20:8-11). But in the New Testament, the first day of the week (Sunday) is the day of worship. It is also called the Lord’s day (Rev. 1:10); the day that the Lord Jesus Christ resurrected (Matt. 28:1-10); the day when the Church of God came into being (the birth of the church) (Acts 2).

All of the aforesaid, point to the relevance of a topic like this for discussion, as we move towards the end of the ages. May we be accorded a deeper understanding of this concept, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

INTRODUCTION TO EACH DIVISION
This lesson is divided into 2 sections, I and II, and each is further divided into A and B.

DIVISION I: WORSHIP HERE AND NOW
This part of division highlights the meaning of worship and acceptable ways to worship. It makes us to understand that we must show respect and humility to God in our worship. We must not worship God with arrogant heart, or with pride in our heart. We must not be haste in our worship but worship God diligently.

DIVISION II: WORSHIP IN ETERNITY
This division discusses the way to worship God in eternity. There is no place of worship, like church or temple in eternity. All over the city in heaven, there will be glory of God to worship. The throne of God will serve as a wall or fence round the Holy City, and it is very high. The thrones of God and the Lamb will be clearly seen throughout every part of the Holy City. The beauty of the City is enough for joy and gladness. Only the Saints, the redeemed and beloved of God, will be allowed to worship the Majesty. The people can worship anywhere and anytime, because the glory of God will fill all the places. Therefore, everybody has full grace, free access, and equal opportunity to worship God in eternity.

LESSON OUTLINES
I.    WORSHIP HERE AND NOW
A.   AS WE WORSHIP
B.   ACCEPTABLE WAYS TO WORSHIP.
II.   WORSHIP IN ETERNITY
A.   NO TEMPLE
B.   NATURE OF WORSHIP

LESSON EXPOSITION
I.    WORSHIP HERE AND NOW (Psalm 89:5-8; Habakkuk 2:18-20; 1 Timothy 3:14-16)
The Lord is Almighty. He is God; there is no one to compare with Him. He is faithful God. We must worship Him with fear and sincerity of our heart.
A.   AS WE WORSHIP (Psa. 89:5-8)
And the heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord; Your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints (Psa. 89:5).
i.    Worship means giving adoration and honour to God. It is the bowing down in respect and humility to God (2 Chro. 20:18; Neh. 8:5-6; Psa. 89:7). It also involves giving praise to God by singing and praying to Him, the way by which man can seek his he favour of God.
ii.  Worship is the sign of love, hope and total dependence on God, for provision, security and assistance, in all aspects.
iii. God deserves and expects our worship because:
*    He is our Creator, even the Creator of heaven and earth;
*    He is so great, incomparable, the awesome One who fills the heavens and the earth (Psa. 89:6-8);
*   To appreciate God for giving Jesus Christ to mankind for the atonement of of our sins (1 Jn. 2:2);
*   So that the work of Jesus as our Chief High Priest (Advocate) interceding for us at the right hand of God would be regularly kept in our memories everyday (Rom. 8:34); and
*    To appreciate God as the source of all blessings.
iv.  The unchangeable Changer is our God. We must worship Him with all our hearts to change our bad situations to better in order to meet His standard. He who chooses not to worship His is the immediate and ultimate loser. We must be sincerely loyal in worshipping God, because of His faithfulness unto us.

B.   ACCEPTABLE WAYS TO WORSHIP (Hab. 2:18-20; 1 Tim. 3:14-16)
But is I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15).
i.   Psa. 100: 1ff: Enter God’s presence reverently, humbly and with obedient heart, as and when due to be a positive role model to late comers and careless people. Praise God and pray to God with eagerness and fervency in spirit.
ii.  Hab. 2:20: Come to the church, bearing in mind that God is in His Holy temple. Do not be in a hurry before Him, but diligently serve Him (Heb. 11:6).
iii. The parents should take proper care of their children by taking them to the children’s chapel, under the able children’s teachers.
iv.  Isa. 66:2: Be teachable, tremble at the His Word in God’s presence.
v.   Rom. 12:1: Present your entirety to Him as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable. Sanctify your heart to worship God in the beauty of His holiness (Psa. 96:9).
vi.  Things to be avoided in God’s presence include using the church building for political affairs, daily or weekly contribution, sleeping or dozing during the service, eating snacks, reading newspaper and the likes during service, use of vulgar languages (Eccl. 5:6), noisemaking (Eccl. 5:2-6), keeping malice, and gossiping (Matt. 5:23-24), etc.
vii. The church needs to pay special attention to the children department (cf. Jdg. 2:10).
viii.Believers are to have determination, be holy, and have intimate relationship with our Creator, before we can give Him sanctified and acceptable worship.
ix.  The worship begins in the heart of the worshippers, not in the place of worship or the form of worship.

LESSON DERIVED
1.   We must give God meaningful worship while we are still here on earth.
2.  We are created to worship God acceptably. For our services to be acceptable we must worship Him according to His standard.

WORK TO DO
Discuss some of the negative (unbecoming) things that people do in church during services. How can these be stopped?

SUGGESTED ANSWER TO WORK TO DO
Negative things done in church during services:
i.  Holding departmental/ group meetings during the service.
ii. Collecting of group donation money, meeting, during the sermon.
iii.Selling of books, cassette, and other materials during the service.
iv. Holding political meeting during the Sunday Service and in the church auditorium.
v.  Reading newspaper during the service.
vi. Making use of phone (handset) to browse, make and receive calls during the service.
vii.Discussing with others while the preaching or teaching is going on.
viii.Instrumentalist leaving the church auditorium and going to the back of the church for frivolities, when they are not playing the instruments.

Solutions:
i.   The fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:7).
ii.  Remembering that we are in the presence of the awesome God who is greater than the greatest judge. If no one, not even lawyers, dares to misbehave in the court, like using phone, etc. During the court session, why should we do same in the presence of the awesome God? Is is suicidal.
iii. We must put an end/stop to holding departmental, or group meeting during the service.
iv.  We must honour God as we stop holding political meetings during the service, and in the church auditorium.
v.   Whenever in the church, we must put off our mobile phones during the service.
vi. Our Bible must be our friend during the service, not newspapers. We must concentrate on reading scripture, not newspapers.
vii. We must stop collecting group meeting donations, during the service, in the church.

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