RCCG Sunday School TEACHER’s Manual For July 19, 2020 Lesson 47 : Topic – The Book Of Life
TOPIC: The Book Of Life
RCCG Sunday School HYMN
- O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?
OPENING PRAYER: Father, help me to serve You whole heartedly so that my name can be written in the book of life.
MEMORY VERSE: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” – Revelation 20:12
BIBLE PASSAGE: Revelation 20:1-15 KJV
1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.
9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.
10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
INTRODUCTION:
The Scripture establishes that there are two kinds of eternity: eternal life and eternal damnation (Revelation 20:6). The Scriptures also establishes that there are two “Books” and there is the “Book” which is the “Book of life” (Rev. 201:12). This book of life is different from “the Book of the living” mentioned in Psalms 69:28. This “Book of life” according to the Bible is the same as with the “Lamb Book of life” (Rev. 21:27).
God is the greatest Recorder and Rewarder. He knows those who are His and has their records. He also has the records of those who do not belong to Him. 2 Timothy. 2:19.
TEXT REVIEW: REVELATION 20:1-15“And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works” Rev. 20:12c.
This is the eye opener to every reader of the Bible that a man may be dead, but not his works. A man may die and be buried in the sea or elsewhere but his work is still in the book of remembrance and judgement.
LESSON OUTLINES:
OUTLINE 1: THE “BOOKS” VERSUS “THE BOOK OF LIFE”
A. CONTENTS OF THE BOOK OF LIFEi. It contains the names of the overcomes that will be clothes in white raiment in Heaven. Rev. 3:5
ii. The names of those who have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus. Rev. 5:9; 21:27
iii. The names of people who have truly laboured for the sake of the gospel ( these are men and women). Phil. 4:3
iv. Those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God. Rev. 20:4.
B. CONTENTS OF THE “BOOKS”i. All sinners who has doomed for ever. Rev.20:10
ii. All those who will appear at the Great White Throne judgement. Rev. 20:12a
iii. All those who will not take part in the first resurrection. Rev. 20:5-6
iv. Those who abandoned their faith (Apostasy). Heb. 6:4-6; Rev. 3:5.
C. Teacher should identify the requirements to be enlisted in the “Book of life” as indicated below:i. Salvation, faithful service to God and sanctified life. Heb. 12:14: 1 Corinthians 15:58.
ii. Remain in the Lord to the end. Matt. 10:12b; 1 Thess. 4:14-16.
iii. Steadfast in faith till the end. Heb. 6:4-6; Rev. 3:5.
D. Teacher should inform the students that there are rewards for those whose names are written in the “Book of life”. 1 Corinthians 3:13-14.
OUTLINE 2: WHO WILL NOT BE IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?
A. Teacher should identify and explain the following categories of people whose names would not be written in the “Book of life”i. The unbelievers in Christ. John 3:18; 5:25
ii. Those who engage in the works of the flesh. Gal. 5:20-21
iii. The abominable, unbelieving, liars, sorcerers, idolaters, etc. Rev. 21:8, 27
iv. Sinners (those who engage in all manners of sins). Romans 1:29-32; 1 Tim. 1:9-11; Col. 3:5-8; 1 Cor. 6:9-10
CLASS ACTIVITY: Class should discuss how to escape from the “Books” to the “Book of life”
SUMMARY: Every human being’s name would either appear in the “Books” or in the “Book of life”
CONCLUSION: To appear in the “Book of life” you must be born again and remain born again with focus on Heaven. Phil. 2:12; Luke 10:20
EVALUATION: What are the “Books” and “Book of life”
CLOSING PRAYER: Father, do not ever let me be blotted out of the Book of Life.
ASSIGNMENT: Identify five (5) contents of the “Books” and the “Book of life”