C.A.C Sunday School Manual For April 7, 2024 Lesson 12 : Title – Comforting Uniting The Church
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CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH Nigeria And Overseas
2024 SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
UNIT 2: GOD GIVES PURPOSEFULLY
THEME: SPIRITUAL POWER AND GIFTS FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST
LESSON TWELVE
7th April, 2024
TOPIC: COMFORTING AND UNITING THE CHURCH
MEMORY SCRIPTURE
That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ (Colossians 2:2).
Christ gives us gifts that we might be continually comforted by them, individually and corporately, and by this, become more united with, and in Him.
BRIEF COMMENT
To be encouraged is to be strong and confident in one’s own heart. Paul did not just pray for encouragement for the Colossian Church, he desired that their hearts be knitted together in love, so that they may attain to all riches of the full assurance of understanding of the knowledge of the mystery of God. This is exactly the will of the Father for all of us, who are His children. The big question is, how is this achievable? It is only by using our spiritual gifts that we can attain the full riches of God, in mutual understanding, wisdom and assurance as one body of Christ. Thus, it is evident that through exercising spiritual gifts, the Church of God is comforted (Isa.40:2; Jn. 14:1) and united (1 Cor.10).
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS
Mon April 1; Be Comforted By Our Counsellor (Jn. 15:26) .
Tue. 2: Be United In Mind And Actions (Php. 2:1-3)
Wed. 3: Be United In Love (Php. 2:4)
Thur 4: Be United In Humility (Php. 2:5-6)
Fri. 5: Be United In Obedience (Php. 2:7-8)
Sat. 6: Be United In Worship (Php. 2:9-11)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
1. God gives believers gifts to comfort and unite Christ’s body. Use them accordingly.
2. When ministering through our spiritual gifts, Christ prioritises the comfort and unity unity of His Church. Endeavour, therefore, to be an active part of the whole!
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 13:11
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
AIM: To prove that spiritual gifts are for comforting and uniting the Church.
OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, learners should be:
i. able to explain what it means to comfort and unite the Church; and
ii. more readily available to use their gifts to encourage disheartened believers and comfort the Church.
INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: 2 KINGS 4:1-7,18-37; ISAIAH 40:1-2; 1 CORINTHIANS 12: 4-7; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4; EPHESIANS 4: 3-6,15,16; 1 PETER 4:10
We thank our heavenly Father for His sufficient grace bestowed on us. May His name be praised. In the previous lesson, we learned that we must witness Christ in the world. Evangelism is our mandate and every gift should be evangelism- oriented. We are trusting God that we have begun to practise what we have learnt so far.
In this lesson, we want to look at how the gifts of God comfort and unite the Church, under the following sub-topics: COMFORTING AND UNITING THE CHURCH. The diversity of gifts should help believers to be united in the Spirit. May God help us to better understand how we can channel our God-given gifts to comfort and unite Christ’s body. Amen.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. FOR THE COMFORT OF GOD’S PEOPLE
II. FOR THE UNITY OF FAITH
LESSON EXPOSITION
1. FOR THE COMFORT OF GOD’S PEOPLE (2 Kgs. 4:1-7,18-37; Isa. 40:1-2; 1 Cor. 12:7; 2 Cor. 1:3-4)
Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel (1 Cor. 14:12).
a) 1 Cor. 12:7: Spiritual gifts are given for the common good (ESV). Part of this common good is the comfort of God’s people. Comfort is easing a person’s feelings of grief, pain, distress or constraint.
b) 2 Cor. 1:3-4: The Holy Spirit is our Comforter (In. 14:16,26; 1 Jn 2:1). He offers comfort and peace as we go through life’s challenges. By relying on Him in the exercise of the gifts He gives, we can enjoy the joy and assurance that come from a lasting fellowship with God and one another.
c) 2 Kgs. 4:1-7: The gifts of the Spirit give comfort and help His people. This poor widow was saved from shame as God used His grace upon Elisha to settle her debt. She was comforted.
d) vv. 18-37: All hope was gone for this Shunammite woman until the Comforter came through for her, through the miracle- working gift of Elisha.
e) Isa. 40:1-2: God comforts His people using His servants whom He has gifted differently for this purpose. Imagine the comfort the Jerusalem brethren had from the relief sent to them from Antioch (Acts 11:29) through Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement) (4:36).
f) Where the Comforter, Holy Spirit, is not allowed to operate, the people are discomforted. Hence, the need to cooperate with Him for our comforts (Jn.14:1).
II. FOR THE UNITY OF FAITH (1 Cor. 12:4-6; Eph. 4: 3-6,15,16; 1 Pet. 4:10)
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:3).
a) Eph. 4:3-6: As a prelude to his discussion of the spiritual gifts with the Ephesians, Paul charges us to endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Why? There is one body and one Spirit,…one LORD, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all. Whatever He gives must unite His body.
b) vv. 15,16: God expects each of us to exercise his/her gift (1 Cor. 12:14-26) in love (13:1ff). The Church functions best this way because the whole body is joined and knitted together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share… Spiritual gifts must unify us.
c) 1 Cor. 12:4-6: If it is the same God who works all in all, despite the diversities of gifts, why should we allow the exercise of such gifts to cause division among us (1 Cor. 3:1ff)? Only the proud and godless do that (Jas. 4:1ff)!
d) 1 Pet. 4:10: Gifts aren’t given to just empower us, enhance our reputation, or inflate our egos. They are for us to serve the Church, and by this, facilitate the unity of the body of Christ.
e) As a child of God, you should be more concerned with how your gift(s) can be of immense godly benefit to the body of Christ, thus fostering unity. Look at the unity and oneness that pervaded the first Church as they all selflessly exercised their gifts (Acts 4:31ff).
* The body of Christ should be united in love, decision-making, and always do everything thing in common. This is achievable through the deployment of our spiritual gifts.
LESSONS DERIVED
1. God comforts His Church through the gifts His Spirit gives us.
2. You can’t be truly Spirit-filled and be causing division in Christ’s body with your gifts.
QUESTIONS
1. Explain how our spiritual gifts can comfort the Church.
2. Defend the need for our different spiritual gifts to foster the unity of the Spirit in our churches.
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
ANSWER TO QUESTION 1
* Refer to part I of the lesson exposition.
• By truly discovering, developing and deploying our gifts, and using them appropriately, scripturally.
• By glorifying God alone with our gifts, and never use them for our ostentation.
* Our spiritual gifts also comfort the Church:
* when the gifted is mature in biblical doctrine and well developed in his/her gifts.
* when the gifted is not pretending to have a special gift that is not accessible to other persons in the Church, on which he claims Patent Right.
* when spiritual gifts are not commercialised, or merchandised: in situations where you have to pay before you see the minister for prayers, or counselling.
ANSWER TO QUESTION 2
* Refer to part II of the lesson exposition.
* Psa. 133:1-3. God delights in the unity of the brethren. Therefore, every spiritual gift should work out the mind of God, the Giver.
* Jesus, our model, is in unity with the Father, so Christ’s body must also be in unity, fostered by the use of our gifts.
* The gifts are majorly given, to enhance the unity and edification of the Church.
LIFE APPLICATION
We are one in the Body and Spirit, transcending our diverse backgrounds to bear witness to the world and reflect God’s glory. Early Christians in Acts exemplified unity by sharing their possessions and meals in perfect harmony. Genuine unity is borne out of a common hope and a shared holiness that honours God. Let us embrace this unity and witness our churches harmoniously coming together.
CONCLUSION
Glory be to God, who has helped us to know the real reasons He chose to give spiritual gifts to the Church. So far, we have seen that as part of these reasons, spiritual gifts should comfort and unit the body of Christ. This is the end of lesson 12. See you next week for another lesson in this series.
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