Nigeria Baptist Church Sunday School Manual For July 26, 2020 : Topic – DISCIPLES’ RESPONSE TO FALSE ENT-TIME MINISTERS.
Read previous NBC Sunday School Manuals Here
NBC DISCIPLE’S LIFESTYLE
TOPIC : DISCIPLES’ RESPONSE TO FALSE ENT-TIME MINISTERS.
SUNDAY, 26TH JULY, 2020.
HYMN:- BH 419:
“Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus.”
SCRIPTURE:
Luke 9:23-26.
TEACHING METHOD (S): Case Study/Question and Answer
PRIMARY LEARNING OUTCOMES AND INDICATORS: Members will understand what their response should be to the activities of false ministers by:
i. Knowing Jesus’ reaction to the activities of false ministers.
ii. Explaining how Peter and Paul dealt with false ministers.
iii. Stating how churches and Christ’s disciples should handle false ministers.
iv. Encouraging members to be on guard against their evil practices.
ICE BREAKING PERIOD
When God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh to let His people go so they can worship Him, Pharaoh refused and demanded for a miracle to be sure Moses was actually speaking for his God and not for himself. Aaron threw down his staff and it became a snake. Pharaoh summoned the court sorcerers and magicians to also do the same. However, Aaron’s snake swallowed up the sorcerers and magicians’ snakes. Despite Pharaoh’s understanding that Aaron’s snake was more powerful than those of his sorcerers and magicians, Pharaoh refused Moses’ request. What could be the reason for Pharaoh’s refusal to let the Israelites go despite the miracle he saw?
Facilitator’s Opening Remarks
Church history is incomplete without an account of Satan’s attempts to destroy the Church. While some challenges arise from outside the Church, there are also challenges from within. Examples of such are false prophets, false teachers, false miracle-workers and the likes. False gospel ministers take on many forms, custom-crafted to times, cultures, and contexts. Today’s lesson is to open our eyes to the need for believers to respond accurately against the schemes of false end-time ministers.
EDUCATION/INTERACTION PERIOD
I . JESUS REACTION TO FALSE MINISTERS
Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:15 said believers should beware of false prophets. He also warns against people who disguise as believers. Jesus described them as people whose outward appearance appears to be His followers but inwardly, they are “ravenous wolves” seeking to destroy the flock. When Jesus interacted with people who were lost, wandering, or misguided, He was always compassionate on them. He answered them with patience and gentleness. But Jesus responded with righteous fury and bold conviction when He engaged the religious hypocrites and false teachers. An example of Jesus’ arguments in Matthew 23 was His warnings to the crowds against following the evil practices of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus publicly addressed the false doctrine of these religious leaders for the benefit of saving their victims and potential victims from further error. The issues Jesus pointed out about the evil practices of false ministers are the following:
a. Jesus Points Out their Doctrinal Error: Jesus pointed out how the religious authorities were masking error as truth. Jesus confronts their error by telling the crowd, “They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger” (Matthew 23:4). The religious leaders adapt their beliefs so they can remain righteous according to the letter of the law while violating its spirit. Jesus identifies this as false doctrine and addresses it head-on. When our response to error is giving it the benefit of doubt, we are invariably committing the same error as false teachers who mask error as the truth. Like Jesus, we ought to love truth and this we can do by knowing the truth through daily study of God’s Word and obeying it accordingly.
b. Jesus Points Out their Unrighteous Actions: The religious authorities were teaching the people error as truth and acting hypocritically. Jesus warns the crowd of the doctrinal error of these leaders and their ungodly actions (Matthew 23:23-26). He revealed the unrighteous actions of false teachers. Some may find it difficult to reconcile Jesus’ love and His bold rebuke in this scene, but this portrays a dangerous tendency to separate God’s love from His relentless demand for truth. We dishonour God when we call unrighteousness good (Isaiah 5:20). God is honoured when we run away from any form of unrighteousness.
c. Jesus Points Out their True Identity: Having pointed out their hypocritical lifestyle, He appropriately describes the false teachers. In Matthew 23:3-12, Jesus did not shy away from calling false teachers exactly what they were. Jesus pronounced wrath on those who hide the truth and teach doctrines different from what the Bible teaches. As believers, we must always avoid slandering people by calling them what they are not. In addition, we must always make the Bible our guide in words and deeds.
d. Jesus Points Out Their Coming Judgment: Jesus declared to the people the gravity of blasphemy and the impending judgment on false ministers. Jesus told the people that adhering to faulty teachings attracts consequences. From the passage, Jesus repeated the word ‘woe’ about seven times to show the seriousness of the offence. It describes the misery that portends a final, miserable end for false ministers. They will not, and neither will those who submit to such horrible evil will not escape judgment.
e. Jesus Points His Listeners Toward the Truth: Jesus appeals to His listeners to turn away from the absurdity and inconsistency of error toward God’s truth. Contrary to the scribes and Pharisees who do all their deeds to be seen by others, Jesus tells the crowd: “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:11-12).
II. PAUL AND PETER’S REACTIONS TO FALSE MINISTERS
Many think it is wrong to speak against false teachers or false prophets, or to warn Christians not to follow particular teachers because what they teach is against what the Bible teaches. What does the Bible say about this? Some people refuse to speak out against these so called ‘men of God’ for fear of the unknown. However, believers should emulate the reactions of Peter and Paul as examples to follow. Paul specifically exhorts the brethren that they should be careful of false ministers who are deceitful liars and spread wrong teachings. In verse 6, he advises that believers should teach one another the truth of God’s Word without being ashamed so they could become good ambassadors for Christ in the teaching of His Word to others. Paul further warns that we should keep away from evil and foolish discussions which only drive people farther away from God (1 Timothy 4:1-2, 6; 2 Timothy 2:15-18). Also, Peter warns of the rise in false teachers within the church. But it is not without reason as we are in the end time. He noticed that the heresies they preach are “destructive” and that following them will “bring the way of truth into disrepute.” In addition, he said that in doing all these, they bring upon themselves sudden destruction (2 Peter 2:1-3). Other warnings exist in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. This has shown that it is not wrong to confront and speak out against false teachers, because of the spiritual devastation they cause, it is our obligation as Christ’s disciples to speak against their evil practices whenever we have the opportunity and teach others the truth of God’s Word. When people around us know the truth, the truth will set them free.
III. HOW THE CHURCH CAN CONFRONT FALSE MINISTERS
a. The Church should Differentiate False Ministers from True Ministers Student doctors are trained on how to diagnose illnesses by the symptoms as they present themselves. In the same way, Paul in Titus 1:10-13 provides us with some diagnostic tools to recognise false ministers. He instructs us to observe their character (as insubordinate, empty talkers, deceivers, etc.), their tactics (upsetting families, playing to the culture), and their motivation (shameful gain).
b. The Church should Rebuke False Ministers
When Paul told the believers in Titus 1:13-14 to “rebuke them sharply,” he used a play on word with reference to false ministers’ promotion of circumcision. In effect, Paul says, “Use the sharp knife of correction with those who wield the dull blade of circumcision.” Paul is not advocating legal action, neither is he promoting a witch hunt but false teaching is so dangerous that it requires corrective action immediately it is noticed before it spreads its canker worm like cancer. The goal of that corrective action is “so that they may be sound in the faith” (1:13). The word translated “sound” can also mean ‘healthy’. True spiritual health comes from the Gospel, not false teaching.
c. The Church should Resist False Ministers
Having the knowledge of what the Gospel teaches about various subjects is the preventive vaccine that enables the believer to resist false ministers. Truly embracing this vaccine produces not merely head knowledge of the Gospel, but good works that flow out genuinely from the heart through the saving faith. Regardless of whether you are an elder or not, every believer is responsible for identifying true ministers. The Gospel is the only way that we can be made pure, because it points us to the only one who is truly pure – Jesus Christ. Everyone who puts their hope on Him is purified in anticipation of His return (1 John 3:3).
Facilitator’s Closing Remarks
Believers should recognise that we are in the end-time. The Bible has given us various signs which will enable us know that we are in the end-time. Today, the establishment of churches have become a money making venture where people start churches because of the fact that they can pray long hours and explain portions of the Bible. We must ‘BEWARE’ of them. False gospel ministers are now on the increase and they will continue to increase as long as Jesus has not yet come. But Jesus and other patriarchs in the Bible have given us antidotes that can help us recognise and speak strongly against the works of these evil men. We must embrace our responsibility of defending the faith that we have received and protect the vulnerable. Jesus has left us with both the mandate and the model of keeping the faith and helping the weak so that they will not fall prey into the snare of so called ‘ministers of the gospel.’
Activity Period
1. Should we silence our concerns about false teaching regardless of the response of other Christians?
2. Discuss the reasons for many false teachers in the Church today and how can we help them?
ROAD MAP FOR DISCIPLES
Disciples must discipline themselves in the study of the Scriptures so that they can easily recognise the counterfeits when they encounter them. We must be on guard against false teachers, prophets, and miracle-workers so that we are not led astray and so we can help others. Satan’s tactics are studied, clever, predictable and effective. Therefore, we must always remain vigilant. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15- 16a). God’s people have the responsibility to defend their faith and protect the vulnerable. Jesus has left us with both the mandate and the model to carry out this task.
Happy Sunday in Advance.
Stay Home and Stay Safe.