RCCG YAYA Sunday School Teacher Manual For February 4, 2024 Lesson 23 : Topic – Excellence

MEMORY VERSE: “Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.” – Daniel 5:12 (KJV)

BIBLE PASSAGE: Daniel 5:5-14 (KJV)

5 In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.

6 Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.

7 The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.

8 Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof.

9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.

10 Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and his lords came into the banquet house: and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed:

11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;

12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation.

13 Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?

14 I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.

INTRODUCTION:

Every human behaves in a certain order. These behaviours are the product of personal perception or orientation developed over time. Orientation is simply defined as a perceived inclination toward something or someone which could be positive or negative based on the individual’s developmental factors. Excellence, on the other hand, means being distinct. God is excellent and He wants us to live an outstanding life just like Him (Psalm 8:9).

TEACHING OBJECTIVES: At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

a. Understand the concept of excellence.
b. Recognize that excellence is the nature of God.
c. Know how to achieve excellence.

TEXT REVIEW: Daniel 5:5-14.

The above scripture talks about the excellent spirit in Daniel.
i. A human finger appeared and wrote on the wall by the lamp stand; the king watched the hand as it wrote v5.
ii. The king’s countenance changed, he was troubled by his thoughts and ………..……….. v6.
iii. The king sent for those who tried to figure out things by magic and ………………………. v7.
iv. The king’s wise men could ………………. v8.
v. The king became troubled and his face …………… v9.
vi. The queen intervened and ……………….. v10.
vii. ………………………….………………… v11.
viii. .………………..………………………… v12.
ix.………………………………………………. v13.
x.………………………………………………… v14.

LESSON OUTLINES:

1. LIVING LIKE GOD
2. ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE

1 LIVING LIKE GOD

A. Our God is the source of everything good (Matthew 19:17).
i. He has an excellent name (Psalms 8:9; 148:13).
ii. He is excellent in power and judgement (Job 37:23).
iii. His ways and deeds are excellent (Psalm 18:30).

B. God wants us to live excellently like Him (Proverbs 8:6).
i. Our affiliation to Him will inevitably open us up to the kind of reality that surrounds Him (Daniel 1:8-9; 2 Chronicles 26:3-5).
ii. Having an excellent orientation is simply thinking God’s thoughts and living God’s life (Philippians 2:5).
iii. This will, in turn, produce God’s kind of result (Daniel 5:11-12; John 5:19-20).
iv. Excellence is clearly seen and attainable in the person of Jesus Christ and only individuals who are in Him can access it (Philippians 4:13).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Search yourself; can you say you are excellent? If not ask God for the spirit of excellence and If yes, make efforts to get better.

2. ACHIEVING EXCELLENCE

A. Anyone can attain excellence and live perpetually in that realm.

B. To attain such height, certain decisions, which include the following, must be taken:
i. You must be born again (John 3:3-6).
ii. Consciously have and develop intimate fellowship with God through His word and His Spirit (Jeremiah 15:16; 1 Corinthians 2:10-12).
iii. Make up your mind to engage God in every area of your life (2 Chronicles 26:3-5).
iv. Surround yourself with people who are open-minded (1 Samuel 22:1-2).
v. Do not stop developing yourself (2 Timothy 2:15; Daniel 9:2).
vi. Do not give room to excuses (Proverbs 22:13); Believe you can be better (Philippians 3:12).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Apart from the ones listed above, students should mention other ways in which a man can attain excellence.

CONCLUSION: Having excellence through life is attainable and it is found in having the mind of Christ.

EVALUATION: Mention three ways a man can achieve excellence.

CLOSING PRAYER: Father, I receive the spirit of excellence in Jesus’ name.

ASSIGNMENT: Mention five (5) Bible characters that attained excellence (2×5=10 Marks).

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN

1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
   O how I love Thee well,
   I am happy, it makes me glad
   To rejoice at Thy birth.
2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
   Thy friend friendship suits me well,
   Both young and will sing Thy song,
   We long for Sunday School.
3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
   Christ was Thy first teacher,
   The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
   Does manifest in thee.
4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
   This testimony is sure,
   That God, the Father Almighty,
   Poured His blessing on Thee
5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
   Though the sun be so bright,
   Or if the clouds be black with rain,
   I’ll be in Sunday School.
6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day
   I rejoice to see Thee,
   Will thou pass over me today?
   Without my being blest?