C.A.C Sunday School Manual For June 30, 2024 Lesson 24: Topic – GIFTS OF MERCY AND HELPS
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CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
Nigeria And Overseas
2024 SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
UNIT 3: GOD GIVES VOCAL GIFTS AND MORE
THEME: SPIRITUAL POWER AND GIFTS FOR THE BODY OF CHRIST
LESSON Twenty-Four
30th June, 2024
*TOPIC: GIFTS OF MERCY AND HELPS
MEMORY SCRIPTURE
Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2).
The gifts of mercy and helps go hand in hand. You can’t demonstrate the gift of helps without being merciful/compassionate, and vice versa.
BRIEF COMMENT
God created man to collaborate with Him and others, recognising G the importance of partnership and companionship. No one can survive as a lone ranger, which is why we need to bear one another’s burdens. A burden bearer is someone who assists with loads that are too heavy to carry alone. In the Church, the answer to our prayers is often readily available because, what someone needs is often within the reach of another. The Bible charges us to put on the mantle of a burden bearer, and with the help of the Holy Spirit and the gifts of Mercy and Help, we can fulfil God’s will.
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS
Mon. 24: The LORD’S Mercy Purges Iniquity (Prov. 16:6)
Tue. 25: These Women Show The Gift Of Helps (Mk. 15:40-41)
Wed. 26: The Good Samaritan Has The Gift Of Mercy (Lk. 10:33-35)
Thur. 27: The Household That Helped Paul (2 Tim. 1:16-18)
Fri. 28: The Gift Of Mercy Is Imperative (Col. 3:12-17)
Sat. 29: The Indispensability Of Mercy (Jas. 2:13)
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
1. The merciful cannot but be a helper because he help itself conveys the idea of being merciful/compassionate.
2. The merciful cannot help but be a helper, as the act of helping inherently embodies notions of mercy and compassion. If you have truly experienced God’s mercy, you wouldn’t hesitate to extend the same to others.
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: 2 Samuel 9:1-13; 19:19-23
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
AIM: To show the place of the gifts of mercy and helps in Christ’s body.
OBJECTIVES : By the end of this lesson, learners should be able to:
i. explain and differentiate between the gift of mercy and helps and give biblical examples of people who exercised these gifts; and
ii. identify areas where these gifts are applicable in in the Church.
INTRODUCTION
TEXTUAL SOURCE: 1 SAMUEL 22:1,2; PSALM 78:38; MATTHEW 9:13; LUKE 8:2-3; ACTS 13:5; ROMANS 12:8; 16:1FF; 1 COR. 12:27,28; HEBREWS 4:14,15
Thank God for our recent discussion on the GIFTS OF SHEPHERDING AND ENCOURAGEMENT. These are serving gifts meant to pilot the affairs of the flock of Christ, from the local level as well as encourage and strengthen God’s people, everywhere.
This week, we are perusing: THE GIFTS OF MERCY AND HELPS. Mercy is characteristically the attitude of “kindness or forgiveness shown especially to somebody that a person has power over.” It is “a disposition to be compassionate or forgiving of others” (Microsoft Encarta 2009). Help is defined as “something that is done for, or given to somebody in order to make something easier, possible, or better.” It also refers to “a person or persons who is/are paid to help, especially servants on farm lands” (Microsoft Encarta 2009). These 2 gifts are similar, in that, they both look for ways they can help. The difference is where each looks for the ways. Let us study them as the Holy Spirit helps.
LESSON OUTLINE
I. THE GIFTS OF MERCY
II. THE GIFT OF HELPS
LESSON EXPOSITION
I. THE GIFT OF MERCY (1 Sam. 22:1,2; Psa. 78:38; Matt. 9:13; Rom.12:8; Heb. 4:14,15)
…he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Rom. 12:8).
a) Matt. 9:13: The gift of Mercy is the spiritual ability to give others empathy; the kindness of heart that makes one overlook an offence and treat the offender better than he deserves. It is God’s character (Psa. 51:1; 89:1; Lam. 3:22; Dan 9:9; Jn. 8:3-11).
b) Psa. 78:38: It sees and feels others’ joy or sorrow, and is ready to show Christ’s great love and proclaim His restoration, though he weeps inside for the anguish and troubles lying behind an offence.
c) Rom. 12:8: It is the ability to empathise with a suffering person-the poor, sick, orphan, bereaved, and those in prison (cf. Rom. 12:15; 1 Cor. 12:26). To meet others’ needs, it shows particular care and sympathy. It values emotional support more than any other thing. We all need this grace (Lk. 6:36; Col 3:12- 14).
d) Heb. 4:14,15: The gifted are so emotive to help others that can be taken advantage of, yet they seldom separate their help from their heart (cf. 1 Jn. 3:17). They prefer removing the causes of hurts, rather than looking for benefits from those hurts.
e) 1 Sam. 22:1,2: The young David was a great leader with this gift. The Good Samaritan is another (Lk. 10:33-35).
f) God’s mercy towards us as sinners is the bedrock of the gift of mercy. Those with this gift do not only rejoice with those who rejoice, but also weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15).
II. THE GIFT OF HELPS (Lk. 8:2-3; Acts 13:5; Rom. 16:1ff; 1 Cor. 12:27,28)
And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, …then gifts of healings, helps (1 Cor. 12:28).
a) 1 Cor. 12:27,28: Help is listed among the spiritual gifts here. It is the ability to perceive the needs of others and desire to fulfil them, regardless of personal benefit or loss. It contributes to doing God’s work.
b) Lk. 8:2-3: One with this gift aids others to do little things so that, they in turn, will have more time to use their gifts to do God’s work. It is inspired by the grace of servanthood (Matt. 23:11; Php. 2:1ff).
c) Acts 13:5: John was with them as their helper (NIV), i.e., he was helping them to do other things that would give them ample time for their missionary work (cf. 6:2-4). People with this gift often gladly work behind the scenes to get things done and relieve others of their responsibilities.
d) They are like Martha who was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen to help Mary concentrate on sitting at the feet of Jesus (Lk. 10:40 TBCL).
e) Rom. 16:1ff: Paul mentioned those who have helped him and his ministry. These obviously showed the gift of helps. Onesiphorus also refreshed him (2 Tim. 1:16-18). We must bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2).
f) A preacher once defined help as the support given at the area of one’s weakness. Whenever you see a weakness, it is not for you to advertise it; just activate the gift of help in you.
LESSONS DERIVED
1. God has given believers the gifts of mercy and helps so that we can rightly bear one another’s burdens. Covet and pray for them!
2. Jesus is our perfect Example of showing mercy and helping hands. Follow His path!
QUESTIONS
1. The spiritual gifts of mercy and helps are sure ways of serving one another in the body of Christ. Discuss.
2. How does Christ demonstrate the gifts of mercy and helps?
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
ANSWER TO QUESTION 1
* Refer to part I of the lesson exposition.
* To fulfil the law of love through bearing one another’s burden requires that we activate gifts of mercy and helps, made available by the Holy Spirit in the Church.
* People with these gifts can go extra mile in removing the causes of hurts in other people’s lives, rather than taking undue advantage of, or scorning them.
* They are for God-glorifying services in the body of Christ, so that the body continues together in love, unity and peace.
ANSWER TO QUESTION 2
* Jesus is the best of examples on the demonstration of the gift of mercy.
* He healed many out of compassion (Matt. 14:14; Mk 1:41).
* His teachings were driven by compassion (Mk. 6:34).
* He was mercy personified: He shows mercy to all, including the undeserving. For instance, the woman caught in adultery. This is the climax of God’s Mercy (John 8:6-11).
* As the Chief and True Shepherd, Jesus demonstrated the gift of help by actively seeking the lost. He continues to intercede for us at God’s right hand.
LIFE APPLICATION
In the current challenging times, both economically and financially, it is important to consider the biblical injunctions regarding mercy and helping others. As believers, claiming to know the Lord means not only receiving blessings for personal benefit but also using these gifts to bless those in need around us. Reflecting on 1 John 3:17, we are reminded to utilise our blessings as a source of blessing for both the people within the household of God and our neighbours.
CONCLUSION
Hallelujah! This is the end mercy and helps to flame fulfilling the law of Christ. of the 24th lesson. Fan the gifts of in yo your life. This is a pathway to fulfilling the law of Christ.
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