Nigeria Baptist Church Sunday School Manual For April 26, 2020 : Topic – THE LORD LOVES JUSTICE
IN PREPARATION FOR YOUR SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE
Date: Sunday, April 26, 2020.
TOPIC:THE LORD LOVES JUSTICE
Devotional Reading:Isaiah 42:1-9.
Background Scripture: Isaiah 61:8-62:12.
Lesson Scripture:Isaiah 61:8-11; 62:2-4a.
GOLDEN TEXT:
“For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. Isaiah 61:8
Primary Learning Outcome/Indicators:
Learners will know that God is God of justice and indicate achievement of this by:
• Identifying various ways they can make justice prevail through righteousness;
• Discussing how Israel’s relationship with God was restored and justice prevailed;
• Discussing reasons why the righteous sometimes suffer with the unrighteous.
INTRODUCTION:
Pastor Mike Agbonse is an advocate of justice. He often preaches and encourages people to practice justice because the Lord loves justice, to a point that he was nick-named ‘pastor justice’. One day, one of his sons was provoked because of the pervasiveness of injustice in the community. In his fury, he said to his father, “If God is good why are righteous people suffering and the wicked are not destroyed. Does God still love justice like in the time of old?” With a smile on his face, his father quoted from the book of Isaiah chapter 61 and 62. He assured him that God still loves justice. Although it may seem delayed but at His own time, evil will be punished and good will be rewarded.
The same question the young man asked his father agitates the minds of many today, especially in the face of injustice. If care is not taken, the tendency to doubt God’s promise to punish injustice and reward justice will set in. The focus of today’s lesson is the good news of God’s promise of deliverance to His people who were in exile because He loves justice.
THE LESSON EXPLAINED…
A. GOD LOVES JUSTICE: [Isaiah 61:8-11]
It was the year of the Lord’s favour when God spoke through Prophet Isaiah. God promised to comfort His people, deliver them, show them favour, avenge their enemies and restore them because of the injustice and oppression they had suffered while they were in exile (Isaiah 61:1-7). He was precise in verse 8 about His love for justice. He said, “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness, I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them.” In other words, even though Israel had been robbed and oppressed, in His faithfulness, He will reward (restore) them and enter into an eternal covenant relationship with them. From them on, their descendants will be famous among the nations and everyone who sees them will know that they are a people whom God has blessed. Beginning from verse 9, Isaiah began to rejoice over Jerusalem because of what God has done. First, she is likened to a bride dressed for her wedding and whom God has clothed with salvation and victory. To confirm these promises, he added that as the soil makes the sprout to come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the sovereign Lord will make righteousness (justice) and praise spring up before all nations (vv. 10-11).
God’s promise to restore His people was as a result of His love for justice as it is indicated in the passage. Although some people are tempted to believe that God does not care about giving justice because the righteous and the poor sometimes suffer and are oppressed, God loves justice. Believers may sometimes suffer injustice but they will surely be vindicated at God’s own time and things will turn around for their good. God clearly stated in verse 8 that He loves justice, hates robbery and iniquity but in His faithfulness, He promised to reward and make an everlasting covenant with them. This means that God wants believers in Christ to make justice prevail through righteousness in our workplaces, community, church and everywhere we go. God will vindicate us by punishing those who oppress us and reward us with salvation and victory. All the nations will see it and praise God.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1.Discuss ways that a Christian might be unintentionally involved in acts of injustice and how to avoid it because of God’s promise to punish those who practice injustice.
2.What should be our attitude to oppression, based on today’s lesson?
B. GOD’S PROMISE OF RESTORATION: [Isaiah 62:2-4].
God’s promise in this chapter was that He will no longer be silent about Jerusalem’s oppression until she is saved and her victory shines like a torch in the night (v.1). First, God promised Jerusalem that all the nations will see her justice and all the kings her glory. Therefore, they will be called by a new name that will be given to them by the Lord Himself. Second, they will be a beautiful crown for the Lord and a royal diadem in His hands. When the above promises are fulfilled, then they will no longer be called Deserted, or their land termed Desolate. Instead, their new name will be Hephzibah, meaning God delights in her, and Beulah which is interpreted as married. By implication, God’s promise to the people of Israel is that the relationship between them will be restored and justice will prevail.
The passage pictures the incredible transformation between the God of justice and His people Israel who have been oppressed and denied justice. The aftermath of the restoration and victory will result to the people being called by a new name, which will be given by God who promised to marry and rejoice over her as a bride. This means they will be loved by God and become jewels in His hands. God’s promise of restoration is also applicable to contemporary Christians, particularly at this time when there is widespread persecution and oppression. Today’s lesson is an assurance that the same way Israel’s relationship with God was restored and justice prevailed, so God will intervene in the affairs of His people for victory and salvation. It may seem delayed, it is certain that God’s promise of restoration and victory will prevail.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1.Which aspect of the nation Nigeria do you wish God to bring about transformation and why?
2.What should be our response to God’s promise of restoration and justice?
PRAYER POINTS:
• Lord Jesus, help me to promote and practice justice always.
• Pray and ask God for perseverance as you await justice.
• Let there be transformation in our country, O Lord, so that there will be justice and peace.
Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity:
• Discuss instances when the righteous suffered injustice and the outcome.
TAKE HOME:
• Christians should learn to seek help from God when they are treated unjustly.
• God will surely vindicate the righteous.
• Believers should continually long for God’s salvation and restoration.
• We should endeavor to resist every form of injustice by actively pursuing and supporting just causes.
• Christians should demonstrate justice in their daily decisions and actions.
• Be patient in times of oppression to receive justice.
Remain Inspired and Be Lifted!