NBC Sunday School Manual For May 15, 2022 : Topic – RECEIVING A GOOD INHERITANCE.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR YOUR PREPARATION
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE
DATE: SUNDAY, 15TH MAY, 2022.
TOPIC: RECEIVING A GOOD INHERITANCE.
Background Scripture: Galatians 3.
Lesson Scripture: Galatians 3:18-29.
GOLDEN TEXT: “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” Galatians 3:29.
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the lesson, class members should be able to:
• State some reasons why the Law was given;
• Discuss the means through which Christians have become God’s children;
• Promote love and unity among themselves, irrespective of their tribe and gender.
INTRODUCTION:
What is an inheritance? What qualifies someone to receive an inheritance from his or her parents? Passing down inheritance from parents to children is common in cultures of the world. In our own context, an inheritance is passed down from the owner to the beneficiary, which is determined by the owner. The beneficiary of an inheritance cannot choose himself or herself; the owner simply gives it to whomever he or she desires. Children (biological or adopted) always look forward to inheriting the properties of their parents, especially after their death. The inheritance could be money, landed property, chieftaincy titles and other valuables.
The nature of the inheritance Paul described in the passage is a little different from what obtains in our culture. God promised an inheritance to Abraham, which is available to his legitimate children (his seeds). But the inheritance is not limited to Abraham’s immediate seed alone but also to those who come to God through faith in Jesus Christ. When we become God’s children through Christ, we become entitled to have a share from the inheritance. All other human categorisations like age, tribe, sex have become insignificant.
THE LESSON EXPLAINED…
A. THE NATURE OF OUR INHERITANCE:
[Galatians 3:1]
In the concluding part of chapter 2 of the book of Galatians, Paul emphasised that the power of sin,and the hopeless effort to do everything the law of Moses required belongs to the old self, which has been identified with the death of Jesus on the cross. He made a clear distinction between faith through Jesus Christ and obedience to the law in chapter 3. He said Christ has redeemed us from the curse,which the Law brings so that the blessing,which God promised to Abraham,might also be given to the Gentiles (W. 11-14). God promised to keep the covenant He made with Abraham but the law which was given 430 years before (probably the length of time from Abraham to the departure of the Hebrews from the land of Egypt) cannot break the covenant and cancel the promise of God(v.l7). On the contrary, if the gift of God is dependent on the law; then God’s promise is worthless. Paul explained better in Romans 4 verse 14 when he said that if what God promised is to be given only to those who obey the law,then faith in Christ Jesus means nothing and the promise of God to Abraham is useless.
Paul’s explanation on the nature of our inheritance shows the supremacy of the promise of God over the law. When it became apparent that humans could not be justified by the law, neither could they obey the law as God would want them to, He sent Jesus Christ whom Paul called “Abraham’s seed” according to the promise made to Abraham. The inheritance is a promise, which God gave to Abraham and his descendants, according to verse 16, which says: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promise made…” No amount of strictness to observing the law can qualify a person to have the promise. Paul did not condemn the observation of the law; his concern was that the law cannot cancel the promise of God. Remarkably, the promise precedes the law. After all, Abraham did not earn this promise; it was given to him because he believed God. This emphasises the fact that salvation is not something we work for; it is by grace through faith in Christ Jesus.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Who are those eligible to enjoy the inheritance and why?
2. How can Christians partake of the promises?
B. INADEQUACY OF THE LAW:
[Galatians 3:19-25]
Apostle Paul did not relent in his effort to enlighten the Galatians about the principles of the law and promise. Even though he had explained that God’s gift does not depend on the law, he did not undermine the importance of the law. He stated the whole essence of the law in verse 19, stating that the law was given to show what “wrongdoing is”, and it was to last until the time the descendant of Abraham (Christ) comes to whom the promise was made without an intermediary (v. 19). Paul acknowledged the fact that the law is not against the promise of God, even though no one can be put right with God by strict observance of the law. The whole world is under the power of sin but the gift that has been promised based on faith in Christ Jesus is given to those who believe. In other words, law kept the people in bondage but when faith was revealed, they were put right with God (v. 23). By implication, they are no longer under the law.
It should be noted that the law of Moses was never intended as a way of salvation because it had a limited and temporary role to play until the coming of Jesus Christ. The law was only meant to guide God’s people for a period of time. (v. 21) The phrase, “…before faith came, we were kept under the law” (v. 23), stresses the fact that the people were guided by the law until the coming of Jesus Christ. Having laws at home, church, school and workplace is good, but Christians should not allow such laws to put them in spiritual bondage. Rather, they should remember and continue to enjoy the freedom, which the death of Jesus Christ has brought to us through faith in Him.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. The whole world is under the power of sin verse 22b. Discuss?
2. Why do we have laws at home, workplace and even church?
C. PARTAKERS OF THE INHERITANCE:
[Galatians 3:26-29]
Paul was passionate about the spiritual stability of the brethren in Galatia. He made constant efforts to explain the superiority of faith in Christ Jesus in comparison with the strict adherence to the law of Moses (v. 21). He made clear the process through which the people can become God’s children and be qualified to partake of the promised inheritance. He said in verse 26, “It is through faith that all of you are God’s children in union with Christ. Having been baptised into union with Christ (whether Jews or Gentiles), automatically, they are clothed with the new life of Christ. By virtue of the privilege, the long existing discrimination between the Jews and Gentiles, slaves and free people, men and women is already settled and they have become one in Christ. Ultimately, those who belong to Christ through faith in Him are the descendants of Abraham and will receive the inheritance God has promised.
The summary of Paul’s explanation is that the true descendants of Abraham are those, whether Jews or Gentiles, who have faith in Christ Jesus. After all, no amount of the law we keep can make us legitimate children of God. No stranger becomes a member of another family by simply obeying some rules; it is either such a person is related by blood or by adoption. The basic truth of the lesson is that we are all God’s children by faith in Christ Jesus (v. 26), regardless of race, status or sex. In other words, we have become seeds of Abraham because we have been united with Christ. Therefore, we are God’s legitimate children and are qualified to partake of the promised inheritance with no Walls of separation.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. How can divisions among Christians be handled, based on today’s lesson?
2. Christians are God’s children by adoption. Discuss.
Commitment:
• Based on today’s lesson, make a personal commitment to remain steadfast in your relationship with God through faith in Christ Jesus.
Fellowship and Ministry Building Activities:
• Divide the class into two. Let group A write the advantages of the law in its time and group B write the superiority of faith. They are to read their compilation aloud and pray that God will destroy every wall of barrier in our homes, churches and the nation at large.
Prayer Points:
▪︎ Pray that what is due you will not be denied you.
• Ask that inheritance of your father’s house that have been denied you will be restored to you.
• Pray that you will always partake of the godly inheritance.
Take Home: Write down three lessons you are taking home from today’s lesson.
• __________
• __________
• __________
Remain Inspired & Be Lifted!