NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR OCTOBER 18, 2020 : TOPIC – MEETING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS
Read previous NBC Sunday Sunday School Manuals here
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
OCTOBER 18, 2020
MEETING THE NEEDS OF OTHERS
Devotional Reading: John 4:1-15
Background Scriptures: Leviticus 19:18, 34; Luke 10:25-37
Lesson Scripture: Luke 10:25-37
GOLDEN TEXT
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37
Primary Learning Outcome/Indicators
Learners will know that God has commanded us to love one another as He loves us and indicate achievement of this by:
• Discussing what believers should do to inherit eternal life, according to the passage;
• Examining some fears and barriers that hinder people from showing hospitality to strangers;
INTRODUCTION
Deaconess Abigail Amram is the Sunday school superintendent in her church. She is one of the faithful, respected and spiritually mature Christians in her church. She is regular, punctual during the preparatory classes and Sunday services and she encourages others to do same with the fear of God. Deaconess Abigail is gifted in teaching and as a result, many members always look forward to her creative ways of opening the session every Sunday. One rainy Sunday morning, while her family was on their way to church, they saw an accident victim by the roadside,. While Deaconess Abigail wanted the victim assisted to a nearby hospital, her husband was reluctant because of the fear of being accused falsely and their possible lateness for service. Her husband and their children hurriedly went to church but she waited and took care of the unknown wounded man who later identified himself as a pastor. Though her husband was part of the Sunday school service, he was not fulfilled because the topic for the day was “Meeting the Needs of Others.”
One of the most popular parables Jesus told is the parable of the good Samaritan. Jesus told the parable to illustrate that a real neighbour is one who gives help whenever it is needed, even to strangers. The lesson is a reminder that when Christians allow the Holy Spirit to guide them in meeting the needs of other people, crimes will greatly reduce and Jesus will reign in the hearts of many people. Meeting the needs of others is the height of true spirituality.
THE LESSON EXPLAINED
A. THE KEY TO ETERNAL LIFE LUKE 10:25-28
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Pharisees and teachers of the law were constantly looking for an opportunity to accuse Him. On one occasion, a teacher of the law came to test Jesus’ ability as an interpreter of the Scriptures. Teacher he said, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Interestingly, Jesus who is the Wisdom of God did not give any direct answer. Jesus simply asked two important questions “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” (v. 26). The man replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.’ According to Jesus’ assessment in verse 27, the man answered correctly. Then Jesus told him, “Do this and you will live.” By implication, though it seems the man knew the law but he did not fully understand it as the key to eternal life. This can be likened to some Christians who read the Bible but lack the knowledge of the power of God in His Word. The principle of loving God and our neighbours as much as we love ourselves is the summation of the whole Law of Moses (Leviticus 19:18, 34; Deuteronomy 24:10-22), which Jesus referred to in this text.
Basically, the command to love God and humankind is the key to inheriting eternal life. This happens when we accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord and His love is imputed in our hearts. God’s law of love is the ultimate fulfilment of biblical law, including the Ten Commandments, as it fulfils the intent of such laws. Apostle Paul subscribed to this when he said, “The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14) Therefore, through Christ’s salvation and His law of love, Christians are released from the Mosaic laws in the Old Testament. Instead, we have been called to obey Christ’s law to love, which should guide our interactions with others as we strive to meet their needs.
DISCUSSION TIME
1. Discuss the possibility of loving one’s neighbour as oneself, according to biblical command.
2. Discuss the experience that can lead to having eternal life.
3. What was the teacher of the law’s intention when he came to Jesus?
B. JESUS’ EXPLANATION OF A NEIGHBOUR. LUKE 10:29-36
Jesus’ discussion with the teacher of the law did not end with His command to do what he has confessed in verse 27, in order to inherit eternal life. Because he wanted to justify himself, he asked
Jesus, “Who is my neigbhour?” Jesus made his question arguable when He told the story of the Good Samaritan to illustrate the true meaning of who a neighbour is. According to Jesus, a man was travelling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers who beat and left him half dead. Unfortunately, a priest and Levite both travelled the same route, yet failed to care for him, but when a Samaritan saw him, he had pity on him. He cared for him and took him to an inn. The next day, he paid two silver coins (equivalent to two days’ wages, Matthew 20:2) to his keepers with the promise to pay whatever else will be spent. “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man?” Jesus asked. “The man who had mercy on him”, the man replied correctly. Jesus simply presented the Good Samaritan as a good neighbour because of his exemplary service to a stranger. It is worthy of note that the person Jesus commended among the three for doing good was from a hated nation (the Samaritans). The religious leaders (the priest and the Levite) paid no attention probably with the assumption that anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:16). Well, it would have been better for a priest or Levite to be ceremonially unclean for seven days than to ignore the biblical principle of showing love to our neighbours who are in urgent need. These days, people are scared of showing hospitality to people. They deliberately ignore the command to meet the needs of their neighbours for fear of being robbed, attacked, wrongly accused, their indifferent attitude and some inconveniences involved. The story of the Good Samaritan is a reminder that it is obligatory for believers to ignore these excuses and always be ready to meet the needs of their neighbours because it is a key to inherit eternal life.
DISCUSSION TIME
1. Why do people love titles and positions more than being true and faithful to God’s command to love their neighbours as themselves?
2. Discuss the benefits of personally caring for someone’s needs, in line with today’s lesson.
3. Which one is more helpful: to perform religious duty or to meet an urgent need of someone?
C. THE COMMAND TO DO LIKEWISE. LUKE 10:37
The teacher of the law’s response to Jesus’ question in verse 37 gives a better understanding of Jesus’ definition of who a neighbour is. The man said, “The one who showed mercy to the stranger.” In this way, Jesus removed limits to the definition of who a neighbour is to counter the Jews who regard only their fellow Jews as their neighbours. Jesus commanded the man saying,
“Go and do likewise”. Ironically, most Jews held strong prejudice about the Samaritans but with the example of the Good Samaritan, Jesus challenged their narrow-mindedness with the law of love towards all, notwithstanding race or gender. It is surprising that where the priest and the Levite failed the test of showing love, a Samaritan did excellently well. He spent his time and money to ensure that the wounded man recovered quickly. He was a true keeper of the law of God. Even though it appears he does not know the law, his action reveals that the law had been written on his heart, unlike the priest and Levite who failed to help a neighbour who was in need. The implication of Jesus’ command to go and do likewise is applicable to all believers. We should not just read and talk about the law, we must be moved with the love of God to care for our neighbours. This suggests that we should remove all prejudices and segregation that sometimes hinder us from showing love, and care to others without any form of barrier __ they could be people who have been affected by natural disaster, diseases, bereavement, accident victims, abandoned children and other troubles.
DISCUSSION TIME
1. Discuss Jesus’ command to “go and do likewise.”
2. What can the church do to keep societal prejudices from interfering with being good to our neighbours?
3. Why is the love of many Christians for other brethren waxing cold?
Commitment Based on Today’s Lesson
My Personal Commitment___________________ Commitment to My Church_______ _____________
Commitment towards My Relationship with Others_____________
Prayer Points
• Help me, Lord, to obey Jesus’ command to do good to my neighbours.
• Father, help me to be open and responsive to the Holy Spirit whenever a need arises.
• May I not merely read and talk about the law, help me to obey it. Fellowship Building Activity
• Identify someone in your group who needs special help. Make an arrangement to meet such a need before the end of the week.
Take Home
• You do not know the law unless you practise it.
• Believers should be willing to put other responsibilities on hold in order to meet an urgent need of someone around them.
• Do not miss any opportunity to help your neighbour in need.
• There should be no barrier to helping people.
• Heaven rejoices whenever you help a needy person.
• Those who obey the law and practise it will inherit eternal life.