NBC Sunday School Manual For January 7, 2024 :Theme For The Month – “LEARNING ABOUT FAITH.”
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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR YOUR PREPARATION
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE
Theme for the Month: “LEARNING ABOUT FAITH.”
PREVIEW FOR JANUARY
Praise God for His love and mercy we enjoyed throughout year 2023, and the privilege He has given us to begin another year. We pray that the grace of God will be sufficient for us throughout 2024, in Jesus’ Name. The theme for this month is “Learning about Faith.” The texts shall be taken from the books of Hebrews, Proverbs, 2 Chronicles and Romans. The lessons shall examine faith description, importance, trustworthiness, encouragement, and transformation. Our focus shall be on the following:
● The reasons faith that pleases God matters.
● The admonition to have faith, trust God and depend on Him.
● The example of Jehoshaphat’s faith, as he trusted God to fight their battle.
● A reminder to Christians to use their gifts to serve God and transform the Church.
A pleasing faith is so important to God that Paul declared the patriarchs who lived by faith as righteous. He also reminds us that through faith, God transforms us by renewing our minds so we can discern His will. We pray that the Holy Spirit will help us to appropriate the lessons into our lives, in Jesus’ Name.
Suggested Teaching Methods: These suggested teaching methods can be used during the general opening or in the classes.
January 7 – Music: Baptist Hymnal 253, Have Faith in God.
January 14 – Music: Baptist Hymnal 260, When We Walk with the Lord.
January 21 – Recitation: Class members should read the Golden Text repeatedly in unison until they have memorised it.
January 28 – Scripture Comparison and Verbalisation: Let the class members read the Golden Text from different versions of the Bible and summarise it.
DATE:
SUNDAY, 7TH JANUARY, 2024.
TOPIC: FAITH AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Devotional Reading:
Romans 5:12-21.
Background Scripture:
Hebrews 11.
Lesson Scripture:
Hebrews 11:1-4a, 8, 17-18, 20-23, 32, 39-40.
GOLDEN TEXT:
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the lesson, class members should be able to:
● Discuss the various tests Abraham went through, according to the passage;
● Mention the names of other patriarch whose faith were commended in the passage;
● Express their resolve to always trust God to fulfil His promises concerning them, no matter how long it takes.
INTRODUCTION:
Persecution is not strange to Christians. Some Christians, especially those in the northern part of Nigeria are being persecuted today, just like the first-century church suffered severe persecution. It was so serious that some apostles were publicly mocked, flogged, chained, imprisoned, stoned to death, sawn in two, and killed by the sword while others went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and ill-treated (Hebrews 11:36-37). It is obvious that the recipients of this letter were mature Christians who were capable of teaching others but because of the severity of the persecution they were going through, they planned to go back to Judaism. It was on this premise the author wrote to encourage them to hold fast to their faith confession of Christ as Saviour and Lord. He warned them of the danger of losing faith in Christ, and becoming “lazy” (Hebrews 6:12) or slow to understand. He stated that if after having become Christians, they “abandon their faith” in Christ then there is no hope for them.
This implies that they cannot return to the beliefs they held before they became Christians. The author cited some Old Testament individuals who kept their faith to the end, even though they did not eventually receive what had been promised to them (v. 39). His desire was to encourage the brethren to do likewise (12:1-13:19). In other words, their steadfastness and endurance in the Lord, despite their suffering, should be an example to other Christians.
Someone once drew a similarity between faith and race. He explained that the runner must fix his/her gaze on the prize and run without wavering until he/she crosses the finishing line. The type of faith described in Hebrews is a lifelong attitude of confident reliance on God and His ability to keep His promises. It is a demonstration of strong faith in the face of suffering: a constant belief in God’s ability to do the impossible. Today’s lesson focuses on patriarchs who were commended for their faith.
THE LESSON EXPLAINED…
A. THE DESCRIPTION OF FAITH:
[Hebrews 11:1-4, 8]
The author of the book of Hebrews was aware of the fact that his recipients were in danger of losing faith in Christ Jesus as a result of severe persecution. He dedicated chapter 11 to issues of faith and cited some examples of men and women who demonstrated faith in God at one time or the other. He encouraged the people to have strong faith rather than give up. According to verse 1, he described faith as confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we do not see. Thereafter, he commended some heroes of faith for having confidence in God for things they hoped for and the assurance of what they did not see (v. 2). His further description of what faith can do is the creation of the universe at God’s command so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. Reference is made to Abel’s offering that was better than that of his brother, Cain. His offering was acceptable to God because he offered it in faith and he was commended as righteous, as God spoke well of his offering (Genesis 4:2-5). Even though Abel is dead, by faith he still speaks. Abraham also demonstrated faith when he obeyed God’s call to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, despite the fact that he did not know where he was going. His simple faith in God qualified him to be among the heroes of faith, as recorded in the passage.
There is no doubt that faith plays a major role in receiving God’s blessings. As already discussed, Abel and Abraham demonstrated faith; thus they are enlisted among the heroes of faith. Particularly, Abraham is cited in the New Testament as an outstanding example of those who lived by faith and as the father of those who believe (Romans 4:11-12, 16). He passed the test of leaving his kindred to an unknown destination and he was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac without questioning God. The lesson is a reminder, to believers, of the importance of faith in the Christian journey. The Scripture says that no one can please God except through faith (Hebrews 11:6). We should be ready to emulate Abraham, Abel and other heroes of faith listed in Hebrews chapter 11, even when we cannot forestall the future. Eventually, these people earned God’s approval as heroes of faith and were commended. Believers in Christ should have faith in God and believe His promises.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Discuss the importance of faith and its role in the formation of the universe.
2. “And by faith, Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.” Discuss.
B. FAITH IN ACTION:
[Hebrews 11:17-18, 20-23]
The fact has been established that the author of the book of Hebrews used the examples of some Old Testament individuals, who held on to their faith till the end, to encourage his recipients to endure suffering. These people earned God’s approval by their demonstration of faith and complete obedience. For instance, Abraham proved his faith when he was tested by God to offer his son, Isaac as a sacrifice, despite God’s promise that it is through Isaac that Abraham’s offspring will be reckoned (v. 18). Certainly, it was a challenging task but Abraham’s faith was so strong that he believed God could bring Isaac back to life or provide a substitute for the sacrifice. The testimony is that God provided a ram as a replacement for Isaac (Genesis 22:13). Beside Abraham, the following heroes also put their faith into action:
● Isaac blessed his two sons, Jacob and Esau concerning their future.
● Jacob blessed each of Joseph’s sons and worshipped, as he was dying. At old age, Joseph spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave specific instructions about the burial of his bones. Though he died in Egypt, his desire was that his bones be exhumed and buried in the Promised Land (Genesis 50:24-25).
Moses’ parents hid him for a period of three months, despite the king’s decree, because they knew he was not an ordinary child (Exodus 2:2).
The fact remains that faith begins with God. No one can claim to have genuine faith except it is based on the existence of God. The patriarchs whose names are listed above were commended because they put their faith into action at different times, notwithstanding the risk they were exposed to. Their faith made them to stand out amidst their challenges. Even though we cannot see God, we must believe He exists and He is able to fulfil His promises, even when there seems to be no visible confirmation. What He expects from us is to completely trust in His power to do the impossible.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Discuss how one can stay confident in God, in the face of impending calamity.
2. State what Abraham’s faith pertaining to the sacrifice of his son Isaac, and the provision of a ram, as substitute, teach believers in Christ about God.
Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity:
● Encourage class members to share how their faith has been tested in the past and how the experience strengthened them.
Take Home: Write down three lessons you are taking home from today’s lesson?
● __________
● __________
● __________
Commitment:
● Based on today’s lesson, make a personal commitment to grow in faith in God.
Happy Sunday in Advance.
Remain Inspired & Be Lifted!