C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL FOR MARCH 13, 2022 UNIT ONE, LESSON FOUR / DEVISION II : TOPIC – GRACE WORKS SALVATION
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH WORLDWIDE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
(KINGDOM OF GOD FAMILY)
THEME: GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD
JANUARY – JUNE, 2022
UNIT ONE: THE GRACE OF OUR LORD
MARCH 13, 2022
LESSON FOUR
GODS GRACE IS REALISED IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
DIVISION II
GRACE WORKS SALVATION (Matthew 9:36; Luke 4:22; John 3:16-17; Titus 2:11-14).
In this perspective, grace is an action word which must be demonstrated as Christ did in signs, wonders, teaching and sharing to the admiration of even the Pharisees (Matt. 7:29; Mk. 1:22; Jn. 3:2). This results in salvation, healing, deliverance and victory for all that comes to Him. He concluded and perfected this work by going to the cross for our sake. Oh! We must live Him!
A. CHRIST EXPRESSLY DEMONSTRATES GRACE (Matt. 9:36; Lk. 4:22; Jn. 3:16-17)
So all bore witness to Him, and marvelled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” (Lk. 4:22).
i. Lk. 4:22: Jesus was well known for the words of grace which came from his mouth (BBE). His teachings were filled with grace, and not condemnation, i.e. such appealing words (CJB) that drew people’s attention to God (cf. Col. 4:6), that we must also possess.
ii. Matt. 9:36: Jesus graciously shows great concern for, empathising with all category of people, in their different conditions (14:14; Heb. 4:15). His grace is manifest in that He is fully touched by our situations; and intervenes to bail us out, even when we least deserve it (cf. Jer. 29:11).
iii. Jn. 3:16-17: For God so loved the world… Jesus came into the world not to condemn it (His mercy in action), but that He might give us eternal life (His grace in action) (10:10). The case in Jn. 8:1ff shows this.
iv. Jesus showed His graciousness in the way He employed divine wisdom to save the condemned adulteress (Jn. 8:4-5) from jungle justice. He didn’t condemn her, only that she would have to go and sin no more (vv. 10-11). He sees every sinner as a potential Saint, and never gives up on anyone till the end — Grace in action!
v. Isaiah 53:7: summarises how Jesus would ultimately epitomise GRACE by, and on the Cross. The Gospels reveal how He, as a sheep before its shearers, was silent, during His jungle trials, summary sentence, and horrid crucifixion, when He unexpectedly prayed for His tormentors, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do (Lk. 23:34) — grace and mercy in action!
vi. Let us emulate this gracious Spirit of Jesus (Phil. 2:5ff).
vii. Gracious acts come from gracious hearts. For Jesus, He came not to condemn the world like the law, even when they hated Him. No wonder, no sinner meets Him and remains the same, except the son of perdition (Jn. 17:12). Christians must be gracious in heart, as to affect every life they come across, positively.
B. CHRIST’S GRACE BRINGS SALVATION (Tit. 2:11-14)
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men (Tit. 2:11).
i. v. 11: …the grace that brings salvation… Grace is unmerited favour. God demonstrated this in how He chose to roll our His eternal redemptive plan, instead of destroying man when the latter fell in Eden. At the appointed time (Gal. 4:4), God Himself, in His only Son, Jesus, the end of the law (Rom. 10:4), came to perfect our redemption (2 Cor. 5:21).
ii. Whoever accepts the finished redemptive work of Christ (Jn. 3:16a) is automatically saved (Jn. 1:12; 3:12; 3:16b). That is the salvation that grace brings through faith in the person and power of Jesus (Rom. 10:13).
iii. The beauty of this grace manifested in Christ’s substitutionary/atoning work on the cross is that it is for all men: Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, black and white (1 Tim. 2:3ff)
iv. v. 12: Yes, Christ has graciously saved us, yet, we mustn’t continue to live in sin, expecting this grace to abound (Rom. 6:1,2). The purpose of God’s grace is for us to live unadulterated lives. GRACE is God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense that we can’t afford to abuse.
vv. 12-13: As we deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, remembering that we are strangers here (1 Pet. 2:11, 12), we find more of Christ’s grace, as we look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
vi. v. 14: We are here reminded of Christ’s gracious giving of Himself. The purpose is to redeem us from every lawless deed and purity for Himself His own special people, zealous for good (cf. Eph. 2:10; 4:24), as we await His Second Coming.
vii. Gracious work is sacrificial. Jesus though sinless, chose to die for the sinful man (Rom. 5:7,8; 2 Cor. 5:21). If we have found Him, and are in Him, we must commit our lives to bringing others to Him (Matt. 28:19, 20).
LESSON DERIVED
1. Jesus, being the fullness and expression of God’s grace, sufficiently demonstrated grace while He tabernacled with us here on earth.
2. Jesus is the grace that perfects redemption for all men, Jews and Gentiles alike. Only those who reject this grace would regret in the end. Be wise!
QUESTIONS
1. Discuss why God gave the law to Israel and yet they were not saved by it, except by the grace of Jesus Christ.
2. If truly believers in Christ have been redeemed from lawless deeds unto good works, why do we still have Christians who are idolaters, cultists and ritualists?
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
ANSWER TO QUESTION 1:
i. Take note of the dispensation in the Bible: innocence, conscience, human government, promise, law, grace and millennial reign.
ii. The law was given to Israel on Mount Sinai (Exod. 20; Deut. 5) to regulate their conduct in the society. The only thing were just becoming a nation, coming out of Egypt. Therefore, they needed a constitution to regulate their ways of life. God gave them His law.
iii. The law was a binding covenant between God and His people. The law was given as a means of binding Israel to her God, so that they would not follow other gods (Exod. 10:1-5). They were expected to show allegiance by observing all the covenant rules.
iv. Since Israel couldn’t keep these laws, but broke them for weakness of the flesh, punishment awaited them (cf. Num. 25:1-9).
v. The obedience demanded by the law couldn’t be satisfied by a mere legalism, because the nature of flesh is weak.
vi. The law demanded love for God, which was difficult for man to meet.
vii. However, the law only has the power to reveal sin, but not to deal with, or give victory over, deliverance from it.
viii. Since God still loves Israel, in spite of all the above, He came in His Own Son, Jesus Christ, to restore the several relationship between man and God—reconciliation.
ix. Jesus became the perfect gift for every man (Jews and Gentiles) to be able to please God. Remember the Jews still came to John for baptism in preparation for Jesus’ coming. The disciples were once Jews before Jesus found them. Nicodemus came to Jesus by night (Jn. 3:1).
x. Many others who came to Him were received by Him (Jn. 1:12; Mk. 10:46ff; Lk. 19:1ff).
xi. When the old covenant didn’t work, the new one, through Jesus, came by grace, and must be embraced, for that will also lead us home.
ANSWER TO QUESTION 2:
* Truly, believers in Christ has been redeemed from lawless deeds unto good works. Yet, there are still many who claim to be Christians that are not saved in the first place.
* Some others refuse to know and accept the power of Jesus Christ.
* Many want the good (benefits) in the hand of the King without love for the King.
* Some are pretenders; are not being cleansed, washed and sanctified, and this reflects in their vain thoughts, actions, reactions and inactions.
* Some partially accepted Christ. They still hold on to their former things (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17).
* Some, like Demas, who truly accepted Jesus before, have lost their first love, for the things of this world (2 Tim. 4:10; 1 Jn. 2:15).
* The love of money (1 Tim. 6:10).
* To sọ many, Jesus is tarrying too long, and they are finding it very difficult to wait for Him (2 Pet. 3:9).
LIFE APPLICIATION
Nations that seek independence from their colonial masters would heave a sigh of relief when a new government finally approves them for freedom after series of failed attempts from previous government. They had thought they would secure their freedom at every attempt. Has anyone received anything from above if it had not been given them (Jn. 3:27)? But there is joy and jubilation when this is finally achieved. Different modalities have been adopted by man for his own redemption, to no avail. But thank God for the perfect initiative through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Though the law was powerful in a way to scare away people from sin, it couldn’t take away sin and its power, nor fully sanctify the people, because it was weak in that respect. Thank God for what the law failed to do, Jesus came in the likeness of the sinful man (not that He was sinful) to pardon and sanctify everyone who will come to Him. To fully enjoy the freedom you gained through Christ, you must endeavour to grow in His grace and knowledge, until you assume the full measure of His stature (Eph. 4:13). If you have been set free, you must maintain you freedom with holy and righteous living, in order not to return to slavery. Be free, and be free indeed!
COMCLUSION
Hallelujah! What a gracious benevolence from the our God, for the conclusion of this lesson and for the lessons learnt so far. If we had a time for the coming of a visitor, we might conclude he isn’t coming again when the time given has elapsed
But since our Lord and Saviour did not tell us the exact time of His coming, let us wait in anticipation, and without wavering, as He brings our rewards soonest
May we receive the grace to reach home. Amen.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS FOR WEEK TWO
Mon. 7: Jesus Saves From This Untoward Generation (Acts 2:37-40)
Tue. 8: Jesus Saves By Renewing Our Hearts (Tit. 3:3-5)
Wed. 9: Jesus Christ Forgives Our Sins (Acts 13:38)
Thur. 10: Jesus Becomes Poor For Our Sake (2 Cor. 8:9)
Fri. 11: Jesus Comes For Sinners (Mk. 2:15-17)
Sat. 12: Jesus’ Grace Doesn’t Exclude Children (Mk. 10:13-16)