C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR DECEMBER 17, 2023 : LESSON 17: TOPIC – FAITH IN THE JEHOVAH JIREH TO SUPPLY ALL FINANCIAL NEEDS (II)
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CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH Nigerian And Overseas
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
THEME: UNDERSTANDING OUR APOSTOLIC FOUNDATION
EPHESIANS 2:20
JULY – DECEMBER 2023
UNIT THREE: THE EXERCISE OF FAITH AND STEWARSHIP
17TH DECEMBER 2023
LESSON 23
TOPIC: FAITH IN THE JEHOVAH JIREH TO SUPPLY ALL FINANCIAL NEEDS (II)
MEMORY SCRIPTURE
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (Psalm 23:1).
If Jehovah Jireh came through for Abraham with a replacement at that crucial time and in the nick of time, you cannot be put to shame, if you patiently wait on, and for the All-sufficient God.
BRIEF COMMENT:
David knew by personal experience that YAHWEH shepherds His people and makes sure all their needs are met (Psa. 23:1). An interesting name for the LORD is found in Genesis 22:14 (JEHOVAH-JIREH). Abraham had been commanded by God to take Isaac and sacrifice him. When Isaac inquired of his Father, Abraham, where the lamb for the burnt offering was, Abraham told him, The Lord will provide. As Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son, the angel of the LORD stopped him. Abraham had demonstrated his faith in God. The LORD indeed provided the substitute ram and Abraham called the place JEHOVAH-JIREH, meaning The LORD will provide. Psalm 23 reminds us that, in life, or in death-in times of plenty, or want, the Lord is our shepherd, and we shall not want. But here is what we need to understand: we can’t see God as Shepherd, if we don’t see ourselves as His sheep. When we open our eyes to how much we really need and rely on God for everything, the more we realise His provision in our lives. But if we live in the lie that we can do this on our own, we wander and drift away from our true Source, looking for satisfaction in artificial places. Abraham had a good shepherd-sheep relationship with God, hence he was abundantly recompensed. May God give us the grace to have a good shepherd-sheep relationship with our Creator.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS
Mon. 11: Joseph Believes And Fears God (Gen. 39:7-12)
Tue. 12: Joseph Is Falsely Accused (Gen. 39:13-20)
Wed. 13: Joseph Is Divinely Favoured (Gen. 39:21-23)
Thur. 14: Joseph Is Prepared To Be Promoted (Gen. 40:1-19)
Fri. 15: Joseph Is Remembered For Proclamation (Gen. 40:20-24)
Sat. 16: Joseph Receives Divine Prosperity (Gen. 40:25-46)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT
1. Divine prosperity doesn’t just happen. God prospers the faith-filled, obedient and submissive spectacularly.
2. Cooperation with God’s instruction to the end will give us the kind of blessings Abraham received. Never disobey God’s instructions. Never joke with your union with the JEHOVAH-JIREH.
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Genesis 22:11-19
AIM AND OBJECTIVES:
AIM: To show how total obedience to God and faith in Him as the JEHOVAH-JIREH supplies all financial needs of true believers.
OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, it is expected that the learners should be able to:
i. show Abraham’s kind of painstaking submission to God as what God expects from us to experience His blessings; and
ii. prove from Abraham’s experience that cooperating with God helps us to reach the height or stature God has in mind for us.
INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: GENESIS 22:11-19
Last week, we started discussing Faith In God, The Jehovah Jireh To Supply All Financial Needs, our 13th tenet. We looked at how Abraham’s attitude to God’s seemingly difficult instruction brought him to the level where both heaven and earth now refer to him as the father of faith. We should have better understood what “Jehovah Jireh” implies for our Christian living today.
We continue our discussion this week. We shall be looking at the rare submission on the part of Isaac and the way he moved God to give a substitute (ransom) for the sacrifice, thus confirming the name of the Lord as Jehovah Jireh – the Great Provider.
May we be better positioned to get the best of God as we study this lesson, in Jesus name. Amen.
INTRODUCTION TO EACH DIVISION:
This is another one-week lesson. It is divided into divisions, I and II. The 13th of the lesson, Tenet of the Christ Apostolic Church serves as the foundation of which is the second study of the tenet. It portrays Isaac’s complete submission to being offered to God (slaughtered) and Abraham’s faith in, and obedience to God in going swiftly to Moriah and offering his son there as two exceptional examples of submission. God requires that we do this. It makes sense why the JEHOVAH-IIREH Cате up with a unique clause. What a great God! We learn more about Him as we obey and love Him more.
LESSON OUTLINE
1. RARE SUBMISSION
II. RARE SUBSTITUTE
LESSON EXPOSITION
I. RARE SUBMISSION (vv. 9-10)
Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood (v. 9).
a) v.9: Abraham arrived at the particular location, the exact mount, according to God’s directive. No partial or manipulated obedience.
b) Father Abraham prepared the place for the divine instruction. There is no doubt that Abraham had concluded the sacrifice in his heart (cf. Heb. 11:17)
c) He walked by faith, not feelings. To enjoy God’s unlimited provision, we need to see and operate beyond the visible (cf. Rom. 4:17; 2 Cor. 5:7).
d) v. 10: Abraham stretched out his hand with a knife to slay Isaac who wasn’t ignorant of this at all. Yet, he didn’t struggle with the over 100-year-old father. He submitted perfectly, willingly, totally, obediently, and humbly laid down on the arranged wood, ready to be slayed.
e) We see rare submission to Jehovah Jireh on the parts of these father and son. Abraham surrendered his laughter; Isaac surrendered his life. Jehovah Jireh wouldn’t overlook such devotion.
f) Our Living Water (2023 volume), page 146 says, “You must obediently and patiently wait on God. Don’t see yourself as having arrived, and need not to be told what to do by even God. Your Rare Submission to God’s voice like Abraham did in v. 3 will show your level of spiritual maturity. Jehovah-Jireh cares about your heart. He is serious about your relationship with Him. He will test the purity of your love and the consistency of your obedience like He did to Abraham. Your testing will come. Be ready!”
II. ARE SUBSTITUTE/PROVISION (vv. 11-19)
Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns… (v. 13).
a) God’s quick intervention prevented Abraham from doing physically what he had done in his heart. God is not interested in human sacrifice like idols demand. No matter the situation or how long, God will intervene as long as our faith remains firm in Him.
b) v. 12: God commended Abraham’s action and courage for withholding his son, Isaac, from Him. What is the state of your mind whenever you are giving your possession to God?
c) vv. 13-14: God provided a substitute. God will make a way where there seems to be no way. A ram in such a thicket? (cf. Gen. 21:15-20; Lk. 1:37). This wonderful provision caused Abraham to name the place The-Lord-Will- Provide (JEHOVAH Jireh), the basis of CAC’s 13th tenet.
d) vv. 15-19: Abraham’s absolute and remarkable obedience led to the re- affirmation of God’s promises and covenant of prosperity upon him and his descendants. e) Abraham’s rare submission to God’s will shows his absolute loyalty to God. No wonder, God came through for him at the most unprecedented time and way. No matter what occurs to you, submitting to God’s authority leads to supplication and freedom; it also establishes rules and guidelines for individuals who are found in Christ in their daily lives.
LESSONS DERIVED
1. Our obedience to God is incomplete without total submission.
2. Jehovah Jireh never overlooks obedience and commitment.
QUESTIONS
1. Discuss how Isaac’s submission and obedience facilitated the covenant of prosperity for his posterity.
2. God’s provision can only be enjoyed through faith in Him and absolute obedience to His divine instructions. Discuss.
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:
ANSWER TO QUESTION 1:
* Isaac’s obedience and submission to his father, Abraham, and God, started from the cradle. He learnt obedience and submission from his father. This is glaring when he was about to be slaughtered by his father.
* Imagine how a man of about 117 would have been able to force a boy of 17 down to be slaughtered on the altar, if the boy didn’t surrender. That tells us the level of ubmission demonstrated by Isaac.
* He placed his feet in his father’s steps of faith in the LORD. Because himself had believed in, and trusted the Lord, he invariably believed that even if killed, he would have his life back in God. What a great faith!
* He automatically inherited the Abrahamic Covenant premised on Abraham’s . obedience and faithfulness to God.
* Our obedience and submission to God and His instructions will provoke God in all ramifications of our lives to the amazement of our friends and foes alike. Why? Obedience is the only key to God’s heart and the key to unlock God’s treasures for immeasurable blessings (Deut. 28:1ff).
ANSWER TO QUESTION 2:
* God is the Source of all perfect gifts and peaceful provisions, but the only way to receive these is by having complete faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to God’s Word.
* God expects complete confidence and absolute obedience from us because doing so serves and demonstrates our love for Him, and He will similarly reward anybody who believes in Him.
* To God, partial obedience is not acceptable.
LIFE APPLICATION:
A child who consistently complies with parental requests and obeys them will undoubtedly benefit from what might be referred to as “receiving without asking.” All of these apply to our heavenly Father who gave us His only Son, Jesus Christ, as the only way, out of perfect love. Everyone who trusts in Jesus and is resolved to abide by His precepts will be blessed abundantly by God. Perfect obedience to God is accompanied by divine provisions.
CONCLUSION:
This is the end of lesson 23 in this series of Sunday school lessons that closes the series. Glory be to God. We were able to discuss how the rare obedience of Abraham and Isaac to God’s strange command, abundantly attracted unprecedented divine providence from the JEHOVAH-JIREH. Unimaginable blessings follow those who are obedient. May we be more obedient and faithful to the Omniscient, Omnipotent, Omnipresent and Omnibenevolent God, so that our lives would be living testimonies of Him as the JEHOVAH-JIREH, the Shepherd of His people who never allows the faithful to be in want. Amen.