C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL FOR , MARCH 27, 2022 UNIT ONE, LESSON FIVE : TOPIC – THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE
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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 TWO: THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD
MARCH 27, 2022
LESSON FIVE
THE POWER OF KNOWLEDGE
DIVISION II
II. TRUE KNOWLEDGE IS POWER (Hebrews 8:11-12; 2 Peter 1:2-4)
Indeed, true knowledge is power, and it helps one overcome any fear of the unknown. When you learn, you gain more awareness through the process, and you know what pitfalls to look for, as you move on in the faith. This knowledge also affords progressive successful exploits in the faith.
A. GODLY KNOWLEDGE AFFORDS DIVINE POWER (2 Pet. 1:2-4)
As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue (v. 3).
i. Before God put His life in us, we were dead in our iniquity (Eph. 2:1-3). We trusted in Christ because God mercifully opened our blind eyes to see through His Holy Spirit (Jn. 6:44; 2 Tim. 1:7).
ii. vv. 2,3: Knowing God is the key to all things that pertain to life and godliness. Knowing the Source of life is the only path to being fully equipped, even with grace and peace (v. 2) to live as God demands.
iii. The Greek word for power, dunamis, is the source of the English word, “dynamite” and “dynamo.” The power available from God to live and be godly comes through knowledge.
iv. v. 3: God’s divine power has granted us everything we need for life and godliness in Christ, including a calling to glory and excellence, great and precious promotes, and an escape from the world’s corruption, to share in the divine nature (v. 4; cf. Acts 2:38).
v. Christ’s life in us gives us the motivation and power to change and grow spiritually. Trusting in Him instantly gives us the key to His unfathomable riches (Eph. 3:8) supplying us with everything we need to live a godly life.
vi. We have access to God’s own power that never runs dry. However, we don’t earn this power. It is made available to us through the knowledge of God Him who called us by glory and virtue. Little wonder Paul exclaimed, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:10).
vi. Knowledge does not come by chance — thirst and search for it in HUMILITY.
vii. The pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, without seeking God, is foolishness (Eccl. 1:17-18). Increasing in the knowledge of God I part of Christian maturity, and is something all Christians should experience as we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
B. GOD PROMISES US HIS KNOWLEDGE (Heb. 8:11-12)
None of them shall teach his neighbour, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all flesh shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them’ (v. 11).
i. Yahweh offers hope to the Israelites of the exile period that He would restore them to their homeland. At that time, God would re-establish His relationship with them and renew their hearts and minds (Jer. 31:31-34).
ii. The OT is constantly pointing forward. Jeremiah spoke of a new covenant, because the old agreement God had made with His people (Exod. 34:10-28; 20) had already broken down.
iii. The system of sacrifices instituted by Moses, and the tabernacle he had built, were only pointing to Jesus. When Jesus offered up Himself as the one final sacrifice (Heb. 7:27), He perfected a new and better covenant between God and man, the one Jeremiah looking forward to.
iv. v. 11: In this new covenant, the knowledge of the Lord would entrench Him in people’s heart by His Holy Spirit (cf. Jn. 16:8), so much that they wouldn’t need to be laboured much on before they crave for more of God in them (cf. Isa. 54:13; Phil. 3:9ff).
v. Neither our accomplishment nor our own knowledge can make us truly successful, but true knowledge is found in God and true happiness comes from pleasing Him.
vi. v. 12: As we experience God’s mercy, forgiveness and cleansing, being clothed with Christ’s righteousness, our God-expected response should be to want to know our Saviour the more, by the day, in cordial relationship with Him (cf. Phil. 3:7-11).
vii. We have the Bible, we have the teachers, we have the Holy Spirit. Be passionate about knowledge.
viii. God has promised us His knowledge; beware of unbelief (Heb. 3:7-8). A whole generation of the Israelites couldn’t enter the Promised Land because they didn’t trust God. They wandered in the desert till they died, and the Land was given to their children (Heb. 3:16-19). God promises eternal rest in Jesus Christ through His knowledge. Let us respond in faith, putting our trust in Him (Heb. 3:14)!
LESSON DERIVED
1. The more we know God, the more of His presence and power we experience. Don’t joke with the knowledge of God.
2. Don’t take God’s work on the cross for granted. God’s promises remain sure and unchangeable. Walk according to His divine Knowledge stated in His Words.
QUESTIONS
1. Human knowledge without the knowledge of the Lord, can be destructive. Discuss.
2. What happens to us when we pursue and posses more of God’s true knowledge by the day, in Christ Jesus?
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
ANSWER TO QUESTION I:
Human knowledge without the knowledge of God can be destructive, in many ways. Foremost of which is that, God will give people with human knowledge minus God’s knowledge over to reprobate mind (Rom. 1:28).
i. They suppress the truth with wickedness, to their own destruction (Rom. 1:18). They possess the knowledge of the truth, but choose to reject it by their wicked actions.
ii. Despite being aware of God’s existence, they just choose to operate as if He doesn’t exist (Rom. 1:21).
iii. Through human knowledge, they switch their object of affection to godless things. In their foolishness, they choose to worship creatures instead of the One who made them (Rom. 1:25).
iv. Human knowledge without God’s gives them a reprobate mind, this has taken the restriction off their sinful boundaries. They have no limits or restrictions on sinful behaviours. Nothing is off-limits (Rom. 1:29-31).
v. Will not only hold on and continue in their wicked behaviours, they will encourage others who lack the knowledge of God like themselves to follow suit. In fact, they will applaud those who follow them in their degradation, and demonstrate no desire for change.
ANSWERS TO QUESTION 2:
i. We shall be built up. In other words, by pursing and possessing more of God’s true knowledge, we become spiritually strong, virile and robust Christians (Eph. 6:10).
ii. We shall deal drastically with sin. Our bodies are the temples of God (1 Cor. 6:19). When and as we really know God, we shall share His hatred for sin, and deal with it 2 Cor. 7:1).
iii. We shall be greatly enriched. To pursue and possess God’s knowledge is to become abundantly enriched (Obad. 1:17; Jn. 14:27; 15:11; Acts 1:8; Rom. 8:16-17; 2 Cor. 12:9; Col. 2:9-10).
iv. We shall delight in the Lord Himself. As we get to have more of God’s true knowledge, our delight increases in His gifts, service, house, but most of all, in Himself! Also, we begin to find a new desire for the things which give Him pleasure (Psa. 37:4).
v. We shall receive answers to prayer. Prayer is the great privilege of every Christian, even the youngest; but the testimony of the whole Bible and of experience proves that it is the people who really know God intimately who receive answers to their prayers 1 Jn. 3:22; 5:14-15).
vi. We shall have a fruitful testimony. The people who are effective witnesses for the Lord are the people who really know Him. If we really know God and are working according to His gracious will, none of our works will be lost (Mk. 14:8-9; 1 Cor. 15:58; Gal. 6:9). What a glorious promise of “results” in our work! (Psa. 107:2; Jn. 3:14-15).
vii. We shall have God’s smile upon our lives. That speaks of His good pleasures, guidance and blessing (Num. 6:24-26; Psa. 90:17; Prov. 4:18; 10:22). How wonderful!
viii. Escaping the pollutions of the world (2 Pet. 2:20). The knowledge of God is the means by which this vital separation is achieved. If it is true that God’s people will be finally presented to Christ “not having spot, or wrinkles, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27), then it is clear that at some time, they must make a clean escape from this present evil world that Jesus died for (Gal. 1:4).
LIFE APPRECIATION
Followers of Christ are, no doubt, expected to be carriers of His power, and with this power in their arsenal, they keep on making great exploits for their Master. But imagine someone without an experiential knowledge of God through salvation in Christ Jesus wanting to perform exactly as the disciples of Christ. Such one will become a prey to demons and be made an object of shame and reproach (remember the seven sons of Sceva?) For anyone to soar higher beyond the ordinary, human knowledge is not enough Genuine power is resident only in the Lord Jesus Christ. Get Jesus (The Foundation of true knowledge); get true power!
CONCLUSION
We thank the Almighty God for granting us safe landing on lesson five. Indeed, knowledge is power as it has been espatiated in this lesson. But the knowledge that guarantees enduring and ultimate result is that which is founded by, found gotten in Christ. Therefore, make all diligence to pursue and possess this knowledge of God, simply by giving your life to Christ and growing in His grace. God bless you. Amen.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS FOR WEEK TWO
Mon. 21: God Gives Troubling Dreams (Gen. 41:1-7)
Tue. 22: Troubled King Lacks Needed Knowledge (Gen. 41:8)
Wed. 23: The Butler Remembers Joseph’s Skill (Gen. 41:9-13)
Thur. 24: The King Falls For Joseph’s Skill (Gen. 41:14-15)
Fri. 25: The Lord Gives The Right Knowledge (Gen. 41:16-32)
Sat. 26: Truly Knowledge Is Power (Gen. 41:33-45)