NBC Sunday School Manual For November 12, 2023 :Topic – LOVE FULFILS THE LAW.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR YOUR PREPARATION
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE
Theme for the Month: “CHRIST FREES, LAW ENSLAVES.”
DATE: SUNDAY, 12TH NOVEMBER, 2023.
TOPIC: LOVE FULFILS THE LAW.
Devotional Reading: Matthew 22:34-40.
Background Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, Romans 13:8-10.
Lesson Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13; Romans 13:8-10.
GOLDEN TEXT: “The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” Romans 13:9
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the lesson, class members should be able to:
● List the characteristics of love, according to the passage;
● Discuss the various ways Christians should show love to their neighbours without relenting;
● Express their resolve to make love an indispensable part of their Christian living.
INTRODUCTION:
After a Sunday school lesson with the topic, “Love Your Neighbour as Yourself”, Mrs. Ruth Samson narrated her experience with her neighbor who is also a Christian and one of the women leaders in her church. According to her, the woman is a difficult person and she is known to be hostile to her neighbours. . Every attempt made by Mrs Samson to befriend her was to no avail. But she did not relent in showing her love, even though the woman did not reciprocate. Mrs Samson was determined to love the woman based on the emphasis to “Love one another” which was the theme for the Sunday school Lessons throughout the month. Then, she resolved to employ the system of constant greeting, showing little acts of kindness, regular visitation and prayer for the woman and members of her family. One day, the woman asked Mrs. Samson why she has been so concerned about her, showing her love despite her poor response. Cheerfully, Mrs Samson said, “I love because of Christ who has commanded us to love our neighbours as ourselves.” Great emphasis was repeatedly placed on the commandment to love one another in the Scriptures. Jesus also emphasised it throughout His earthly ministry, and He demonstrated genuine love even to His enemies. Unfortunately, the society we live in is characterised by hostility, hatred, enmity and the tendency to repay evil for evil. Perhaps this was the situation in the church in Rome which made Apostle Paul to emphasise the need for the brethren to love one another and so, fulfill the law. This is our focus for today’s lesson. God loves us and also commands that we should love our neighbours as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18b) because love fulfils the law.
THE LESSON EXPLAINED…
A. THE ENDURING NATURE OF LOVE:
[1 Corinthians 13:8-13]
In the preceding verses of 1 Corinthians 13 (vv. 1-7), Paul has highlighted the supremacy and the nature of love In continuation to the other characteristics of love listed, in verse Ba, he said “Love is eternal” Prophecies, speaking in tongues and knowledge will all come to an end, only love remains forever Love will outlive all spiritual gifts. The assertion, “when perfection comes, then the imperfect will disappear” (v 10), means that when Christ returns and God’s work of salvation is completed (Philippians 1:6), there will be no need for spiritual gifts. Paul further explained it in verse 12 “For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face Now I know in part then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” He affirmed in verse 1: that out of faith, hope and love, love is the greatest because it will endure forever.
Members of the church in Corinth might have placed more emphasis on certain spiritual gifts above other godly nature like love. Paul had to stress it that spiritual gifts are ephemeral and are only needed for the growth of the Church. Afterward, the only thing that will endure is love Paul said spiritual gifts are mere shadow of the reality that would come with Christ Therefore, these imperfect and ephemeral gifts are likened to what we behold in a mirror (v.12) However, at the end of age when we see the Lord “face to face” at His return, we will know Him fully as He knows us now. As believers we should make conscious effort to be more loving to our neighbours, family and church members even those we do not have cordial relationship with The admonition is important because we have been commanded to love one another as a distinctive characteristic of God’s people (John 13:35).
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Discuss what Apostle Paul meant by “love never ends!”
2. How will love help us to live correctly in a world that is already characterised by hatred and hostility?
B. LOVE FULFILS THE LAW:
[Romans 13:8-10]
Chapter 13 of Paul’s letter to the Romans is dedicated to the duties of believers towards state authorities and the importance of loving one another. In verse 8 specifically, Paul compared the necessity of loving one another to owing a debt. He said, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law” The implication of this declaration is that whoever loves his neighbour has fully obeyed the commandments of not committing adultery, murder, stealing, or covetousness. These commandments are summed up in the command to “Love your neighbor as yourself” (v9. Exodus 20:3-17, Matthew 22:37-39), Paul stated further that to love is to obey the whole law most importantly those aspects that concern human relationship. Because love does no harm to its neighbour, love is the fulfilment of the law (v.10).
Origen’s view of debt of love is that, “the debt of love remains with us permanently and never leaves us; this is a debt which we both discharge every day and forever owe.” This corroborates Paul’s explanation that if any Christian faithfully and sincerely discharges the obligation to love, he or she has automatically kept all the commandments because other laws are built on love (v. 9). As believers, we can claim to have fulfilled the law when we love God and our neighbours unconditionally.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Explain in your own words how love fulfils the laws.
2. Discuss how Christians can show love to wicked people like the bandits and terrorists who are our neighbours?
Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity:
● Let two (2) class members share their personal experience of how they have recently shown unconditional love to a wicked neighbour and the outcome.
Take Home: Write down some lessons you are taking home from today’s lesson?
● __________
● __________
● __________
Commitment:
● Based on today’s lesson, make a commitment toward your relationship with others to love them as yourself.
Happy Sunday in Advance.
Remain Inspired & Be Lifted!