C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON. Eternal Plan of God for Man, May 12th, 2019, LESSON NINE : TOPIC – THE GLORY OF THE ETERNAL CITY

C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON. Eternal Plan of God for Man, May 12th, 2019, LESSON NINE : TOPIC – THE GLORY OF THE ETERNAL CITY

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C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
Eternal Plan of God for Man.
LESSON NINE.
May 12th, 2019.


THE GLORY OF THE ETERNAL CITY
The glory of heaven is beyond description. It is better experienced than described. Follow the path of Christ to get there.


MEMORY SCRIPTURE
having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal (Revelation 21:11).

BRIEF COMMENT
Our childhood conception of eternity with God, falls substantially short of the biblical description of heaven. In the words of the contemporary song, “Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace…” If it is such a wonderful place, one wonders why we do not spend more time talking about it. Today, Christians and such Christians scholars have given much more attention to hell than heaven.

Heaven is inconceivable. So many times without count, we want to comprehend eternity and the city to spend it. The human writers who have struggled to describe the beauties of heaven, gave evidence of their frustration and difficulties at striving to give the description of the eternal city. But human descriptions and interpretations of Revelation 21-22 gives us few view of the glory of that city.

The Eternal city is a place, not a mirage, or an illusion. It is a place where glorified saints and angelic beings would live together with God. We are told that God has prepared a city for them, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone… (Rev. 21:11). The city is pure gold, like clear glass. The foundation stones of the city walls are adorned with every kind of precious stone; no collapsing. Moreover, the twelve gates are twelve pearls; each one of the gates is a single pearl. The street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass. No need of the sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb (Jesus) (Rev. 21:11,18,19,21,23). Saints would live in that glorious city for eternity (Lk. 20:36). The eternal city is beyond the grasp of mere mortals. Just as it is written, Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9). May we not miss out, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READING FOR WEEK ONE
Mon.    6:    The City and Her Joyous People (Isa. 65:18)
Tue.     7:    The Anticipated New Heaven and Earth (2 Pet. 3:13)
Wed.    8:    The New Heaven and Earth (Rev. 21:1)
Thur.   9:    The ‘Templeless’ Glorious City (Rev. 21:22)
Fri.      10:  The Glory of God Illuminates the City (Rev. 21:23)
Sat.      11: The Restrictions Regarding the City (Rev. 21:27)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
1.   There is one glory of the sun; another glory of the moon. The glory of the eternal city, human faculty cannot fully fathom.
2.  The fact that there are different degrees of glory is heaven, should stir us up with the godly desires to strive more diligently to bring greater glory to God on earth.

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURES: Isaiah 61:1

AIM AND OBJECTIVES
AIM: To show that the eternal glory and city are real, not a mere fiction or figment of imagination.

OBJECTIVES: It is expected that by the time of completion of this two-week lesson, learners should be able to:
i.    defend the fact that God is the originator of the eternal city;
ii.   show that the city cannot be comprehended or described by human faculty;
iii.  show how the eternal city is the replica of the first lost Garden in Eden; and
iv.  show that the eternal city is for the saints, not for animals or sinners.

INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCES: REVELATION 11:15; 19:7-9; 20:4-6; 21:1-4,10-22; 22:1-6
Thank God for the way He dealt with us in the previous lesson. He has made us to better understand what worship is, most especially, in the context of eternity. It is hoped that we are already applying the truths derived from that wonderful revelation of His. May we never be weary as we continue to search through His purposes for us in Jesus’ name. Amen.

For this week and next next, THE GLORY OF THE ETERNAL CITY, is our focus, in this lesson, we shall be discussing the restoration of the Edenic glory that man lost in the beginning. Man was created for glory as the chief of all of God’s creation. Man lost this glory due to rebellion, but in spite of what man suffered and still suffering, God has promised in His Word to restore that Edenic, eternal glory.

However, not all humans will experience this eternal bliss. It is exclusively reserved for the obedient and saints, gathered all over the earth. We would see how beautiful this city of God is, which should make us to strive at all cost to be worthy of this bliss.

Surely, heaven is God’s city, an everlasting, peaceful, blissful, and beautiful habitation. Revelation 21 and 22 make it clear that is is the new heaven and new earth (21:1), with a new people (21:3), the new Jerusalem (21:10), with the new temple (21:22) and new light (21:23). It is the new Edenic Paradise (22:2), the home of the redeemed (21:9,10; cf. Jn. 14:1-3; Heb. 11:10, 16, 13:14).

May we not be shut out of its gates, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

INTRODUCTION TO EACH DIVISION
This lesson is divided into two sections, I and II. Each of the sections is further divided into A and B.

DIVISION I: THE RESTORATION OF EDENIC GLORY
This section aims at enlightening us concerning the eternally laid down plan of God for Man in the Garden of Eden. Despite the disappointment of our first parents, in His grace, God never left man without hope. He never changed is mind to restore WHT we lost, what He wanted for man’s fellowship and relationship with Him. The issue in eschatology is all about restoration of Eden, and this time around, in a new glory, not expansion of old Eden. He has the ability to create and re-create new ideas, better than the first ones.

DIVISION II: THE GLORY OF THE CITY
The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory (Isa. 60:19). This tells us that the exceeding glory of this Kingdom overshadows the glory of all earthly kingdoms combined. This is a heavenly Kingdom where Christ is King, not only that, but, those who live there with the Blessed One are declared by Christ to be, “priests to His God and Father” (Revelation 1:6) and proclaimed by Peter as “a chosen race a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession” (I Peter 2:9). What kingdom is like unto this Kingdom? What earthly kingdom can be compared to it? There is none.

LESSON OUTLINE
I.    THE RESTORATION OF EDENIC GLORY
      A.    THE REUNION WITH THE LAMB
      B.    THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM

II.   THE GLORY OF THE CITY
      A.    THE DESCRIPTION OF IT
      B.    THE BELIEVER’S LIFE IN THE CITY.

LESSON EXPOSITION
May 12, 2019
I.   THE RESTORATION OF EDENIC GLORY (Revelation 11:15; 19:7-9; 20:4-6; 21:1-4; 22:1-5)
Christ (the Lamb of God) has redeemed us from the fall, but we remain hidden among the trees due to guilt (Gen. 3:7), and that was the abrupt objective of the serpent. Let us accept the Lamb and shake off the guilty that His blood had justified us from. And focus on Jesus and the restoration of the new Eden (the eternal city). Of God restores, it is for His purpose, and we are always included in His purpose.

A.   THE REUNION WITH THE LAMB (11:15; 19:7-9; 20:4-6; 22:3-5)
Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready (19:7).
i.   As God gave Eve in marriage to Adam (Gen. 2:21-25), He would give the beloved of Jesus in marriage to Jesus at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:7-9).
ii.   The glory and blessing the land before the curse of sin, would be restored (Gen. 2:8-9; Isa. 35::1-2; 51:3; Amos 9:13).
iii.  The visitation and fellowship agod had with man in Eden (Gen. 3:8) would be restored. Christ would have His throne on Mount Olive and we shall be worshipping Him as we reign with Him 100 years (Zak. 14:3-4, 9; Rev. 20:4-6).
iv.  As there was peaceful co-existence between all creatures in the Garden, so shall it be in the Kingdom (Gen. 1:30; Isa. 11:6-9; 65:25).
v.  God governed the first man with His rules and regulation (Gen. 2:15-17). Likewise, Jesus will be King, governing in the Kingdom (Rev. 11:15; 20:4-6; 22:3-5).
vi.  Before the Fall, Adam or Eve didn’t encounter any ailment. So shall it be in Jesus’ Kingdom, the one thousand years and unto eternity (Isa. 33:24; 35:5-6).
vii.  Do not expect any reunion and glorification in heaven with the Lamb, if you have brought no glory to Jesus Christ here on earth. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire (Matt. 7:19).

B.   THE EVERLASTING KINGDOM (21:1-4; 22:1-5)
“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea” (21:1).
i.   The things programmed into God’s everlasting Kingdom include The Tree of Life (Gen. 2:9; 3:22; Rev. 22:2).
ii.  Also, there is the river of the Water of Life in the Holy City (Gen. 2:10; Rev. 22:1).
iii.  Different from what happened in Eden when God occasionally visited them in the cool of the day (Gen. 3:8), in the Holy City, the Throne of God and the Lamb will be present all through, and we shall behold His face and worship Him eternally (Rev. 22:3-4).
iv.   Also, God has eternally made provision for everything in the Holy City (Rev. 22:1-2).
v.   God has provided the everlasting Kingdom for us, His beloved as an everlasting resting place after this worrisome world (Rev. 14:13; 21:4; 22:2-4).
vi.   Is it worth gambling away eternity for that which is temporarily, uncertain, and passing away? Heaven is a Kingdom that endures forever; so does hell. Think twice and choose from now, where you want to belong.

LESSON DERIVED
1.   We are expecting the day when we would see Jesus face to face in the eternal union with Him. Don’t miss it!
2.   The everlasting Kingdom of Christ is the perfect resting home of every believer in Christ who endures to the end. Are you a member of the true Church of Christ?

WORK TO DO
Why are people, both inside and outside the church, finding it difficult to focus on the coming eternal Kingdom of Christ and live in line with His standard of holiness that would take us there?

SUGGESTED ANSWER TO WORK TO DO
i.    We have lost focus from Jesus, the Owner of the Eternal Kingdom, and everything related to Him, including holiness.
ii.   We settled for the “so called good things” of this world, forgetting that the best are in the the Kingdom of Christ, which very soon shall come.
iii.  Standard of holiness becomes substandard due to the influence of the devil and his followers.
iv.  There is no more standard teaching preaching and evangelism of the Word of God.
v.   They watered down the Word of God to soothe their lust.
vi.  They see the Kingdom of God as a mere story. Could such people live in holiness? NO.
vii. Some believe that after death, there is no more and no less.
viii….In the latter times, some shall depart from faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrine of devils… (1 Tim. 4:1)(KJV).
ix.  Would you rather lie in the bed of Delilah and then drink from the fire of hell, or have your eternal home by the throne of God and the Lamb and drink from the River of the water of life? Think twice.

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