NBC Sunday School Manual For December 17, 2023 :Topic – THE FAMILY OF FAITH.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR YOUR PREPARATION
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE
Theme for the Month: “PROFILE OF FAITH.”
DATE: SUNDAY, 17TH DECEMBER, 2023.
TOPIC: THE FAMILY OF FAITH.
Devotional Reading: Psalm 9:1-14.
Background Scriptures: Matthew 1:1-17; Genesis 38; Joshua 2; 6:22-25; 2 Samuel 12:24; Ruth 4:13-22.
Lesson Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17.
GOLDEN TEXT: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Matthew 1:1
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the lesson, class members should be able to:
● Enumerate how the biblical genealogy Jesus helps us to understand God’s plan salvation to humankind;
● Discuss the significance of the inclusion of the four women in the genealogy of Jesus, in the book of Matthew;
● Trace their family backgrounds, based on the information available to them.
INTRODUCTION:
During a national youth programme, the participants were asked to introduce themselves to the third generation. It was discovered that only a few knew their lineages beyond their nuclear family members. The importance of tracing one’s genealogy is no longer cherished in modern times. It has become insignificant as if it is no longer an essential part of who we are. In Bible times, knowing one’s genealogy was crucial for identification, authentication and the opportunity to claim one’s inheritance. Knowing one’s genealogy is vital for establishing who a Jew is, for the purpose of qualifying for priesthood. More so, knowing one’s ancestry was perceived as an indication of God’s blessings because a prominent person in history is associated with generational favour from God. People all over the world, especially the Jews, eagerly awaited the Messiah. They believed that His coming would change the entire history. But the question was that could this carpenter’s son be the long-expected King? The answer may have necessitated Matthew to open with the account of the genealogy of Jesus. It is widely believed that Matthew wrote his gospel to the Jewish audience. He started with the genealogy of Jesus which is the best introduction of the person of Christ to intended readers, who place a high value on being a descendant of Abraham and coming from the lineage of David. For this reason, the genealogy was intended to present Christ as a person of great importance and thus should be taken seriously.
The genealogy of Jesus was important to Matthew because if indeed Jesus is the Messiah, His ancestors had to match up to that. Even in a traditional African setting, the same question would be asked of anyone contesting to be a king or a traditional ruler. Matthew divided the account of Jesus’ genealogy into three classes of fourteen generations each from Abraham who first received the promise of the Messiah and then to the great Jewish, king David. The origin of Jesus is designed to show that He is the Messiah, the Jewish King through whom God’s purpose of salvation for humankind would be accomplished. The community of Israel, in its history, welcomed and integrated some women from different backgrounds into the genealogy of Jesus because they demonstrated faith in the history of the birth of Jesus Christ. This is the focal point of today’s lesson.
THE LESSON EXPLAINED…
A. JESUS’ GENEALOGY EXPLAINED:
[Matthew 1:1-16]
Knowing and identifying with one’s descendants is very important in the history of humanity. The coming of Jesus Christ into the world had been anticipated from the beginning. In the early days of human history, God had chosen the family of Abraham through whose descendants He would bless humankind (Genesis 12:3), and later through the family of David. Verse 2 of the passage attests to the fact that Abraham is the origin of the genealogy of Jesus. He was the father of Isaac, who begot Jacob, who begot Judah and his brothers. The list of Jesus’ ancestors continues until verse 5 where Salmon begot Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, and Obed the father of Jesse, whose mother was Ruth were all identified as part of Jesus’ descendants. Although it is not stated in the passage, but it is most likely that the essence of the comprehensive nature of the genealogy is designed to show that Jesus is the Messiah, the Jewish King through whom God’s divine purpose of salvation for humankind would be accomplished (Matthew 1:21). It is also to prove that Jesus was both the Son of Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation through whom the world was to be blessed (v.2, Genesis 12: 2). However, Matthew records 14 names from Abraham to David, 14 from David to Jechoniah; and 14 from Jechoniah to Jesus Christ. King David have been promised an unfailing succession which ended in the coming of Jesus Christ (v. 17).
Noteworthy in the passage is the inclusion of some women in the genealogy of Jesus. They are, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Mary the mother of Jesus and they all had humble background. Of course, their inclusion is a testimony of God’s power to restore and transform broken and hopeless lives and to integrate them into His covenant community. According to the lesson, the genealogy of Jesus will help us to understand God’s plan of salvation through imperfect individuals as well as the importance of knowing our family history and connection. More so, it reminds us of our inheritance and that we should be intentional about the fact that we are God’s children. It is sad to note that many people do not know their family history. The lesson therefore is that Christian parents should enlighten their children about their ancestral history (family tree) as much as they know and, possibly connect them with one another as part of God’s family. If possible, such history can be documented for posterity sake so that our children will grow to learn, read and know about their family history.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Discuss the benefits of knowing one’s genealogy as believers in Christ.
2. Do we need to trace our family tree today like Jesus’ origin was traced to Abraham and David as His ancestors?
B. JESUS’ RICH HERITAGE:
[Matthew 1:17]
Jesus’ genealogy was designed to show that He is the Messiah, the Jewish King through whom God’s purpose of salvation for humankind would be accomplished. His origin is traced to David and to Abraham, according to His promise to bless the whole human race (Genesis 12:3). Jesus had a rich heritage. According to verse 17, there were fourteen generations from the time of Abraham to the time of David, fourteen from David to the period of their exile in Babylon and another fourteen generations from the time of the exile to the birth of Jesus Christ. The biblical account of Jesus’ birth is explained in verse 18. His birth confirms the fulfillment of God’s promise through Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:10-16). His mother, Mary was already engaged to Joseph, but before they came together as husband and wife, Mary was found to be with child (v.18). In other words, the child which Mary conceived was only made possible by the power of the Holy Spirit because there was no sexual relationship between Joseph and Mary before then. Consequently, Jesus with His rich heritage gave all humankind the opportunity to become members of the kingdom of heaven. The implication is that believers also have rich heritage because of our salvation in Jesus Christ. So, we have been given the right to become His children (John 1:12-13).
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Discuss how Christians can enjoy the benefits of Jesus’ glorious riches.
2. Explain how believers can present Jesus to others as One who is rich in inheritance.
Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity:
● Let all class members carry out a research about their genealogy at least to the third generationThey should share their findings with their family members especially the young ones the sake of posterity.
Take Home: Write down three (3) lessons you are taking home from today’s lesson:
● __________
● __________
● __________
Commitment:
● Based on today’s lesson, make a personal commitment to uphold the rich heritage of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
Happy Sunday in Advance.
Remain Inspired & Be Lifted!