NBC Sunday School Manual For August 18, 2024 : Topic – LIVING FOR JESUS.
Read previous NBC Sunday School Manuals here
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR CHILDREN
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE
DATE: SUNDAY, 18TH AUGUST, 2024.
UNIT EIGHT: HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.
TOPIC: LIVING FOR JESUS.
Bible Passage: Titus 2:11-15.
Memory Verse: “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all.” Titus 2:11
OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson, younger and older children should be able to:
1. Explain what is meant to live for Christ;
2. Think of what the grace of God teaches us to do and to say no to;
3. Ready to encourage one another to devote to doing the right things.
SUGGESTED TEACHING MATERIALS:
The Bible, pencil, picture of a man’s heart filled with different kind of sins; and picture of a man teaching people how to live right.
BACKGROUND TO THE PASSAGE
Paul greeted Titus as a son that is trustworthy in their common faith and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness. Here, Paul is very sure that Christian truth is a revelation of reality. To accept this truth is to accept its reality and to live by it and thus be led into godliness. Why this reality needs to be accepted? Paul discusses that it is the “hope of eternal life”. It gives us a sense of settled confidence and expectation that, God cannot lie, but will keep the promise He had made from the beginning. Because of this, we in this present age need to give ourselves freely to live by God’s revealed truth. According to Paul, none of us can live out God’s revealed truth except by the teaching of grace that offers Salvation which teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passion and to embrace self- control, uprightness, and godly life.
MAIN THRUST:
Do not let anyone despise you.
ACTIVITIES
1. Discussion: Lead children to discuss how children live for another person.
2. Puzzle: Lead children to circle those things grace teaches them to do and say no to. See page 131.
BIBLE STUDY
Prepare Ahead:
Prepare Ahead: Prayerfully and carefully study the lesson, read the Bible passage, and get all necessary materials ready.
Teach the memory verse and sing the theme song.
INTRODUCTION:
Everyone lives for something. Children may live for their parents. They may live to please their peer groups. While many people are living for success; some for their bellies, and some for pleasure. The truth is that what you are live for will be the source of your life’s motivation. Life is more than becoming a successful person, it is more than pleasing your parents, and it is beyond your personal dream. Life is about building a lasting relationship with God and living for Christ alone. As a child of God, your new life is in Christ. You ought to live for Him, no more for self; you ought to seek for Christ not for the world and its pleasures. Those who live for self will perish along with self. Those who live for the world will also perish along with the world. But those who live for Christ will live forever because Christ is eternal.
TEACH THE LESSON
A. THE GRACE OF GOD BRINGS SALVATION
[Titus 2:11]
Grace is God’s unmerited favour and love which leads Him to grant salvation to believers through the exercise of their faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation cannot be earned; it is a gift from God. This grace appears to all men including children. As children, when you come to Christ, you are all saved by His grace. There are four major works that grace performs in our lives. First, Causes God to make salvation available to all people across all ages. Second, it enables us to accept Christ by faith and enter a personal relationship with God. Third, it instructs believers to reject ungodly passions, pleasures and values of the world and embrace the purposes of God…
[5:37 AM, 8/17/2024] Devotional Sender: SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR YOUR PREPARATION
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE
https://chat.whatsapp.com/KteOWp1jKSA31i1SGkCK2i
Theme for the Month:
“ETERNAL HOPE.”
DATE:
SUNDAY, 18TH AUGUST, 2024.
➡TOPIC:⬅
UPRIGHT AND GODLY.
Devotional Reading:
Psalm 37:27-40.
Background Scripture:
Titus 1:1-13, 2:11-15.
Lesson Scripture:
Titus 1:1-13, 2:11-15.
GOLDEN TEXT:
“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope appearing of the glory of our great God and Seviout, Jesus Christ.” Titus 2:11-13.
Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, class members should be able to:
● Mention the attributes of elders who are to be entrusted with God’s work in our churches;
● Discuss how the activities of false teachers can be prevented from spreading further;
● Make personal commitment as Christians to be upright and godly in this wicked and perverse world.
INTRODUCTION
An elderly man pastored a church for 30 years before he engaged an associate pastor to work with him. They both worked closely until the elderly pastor attained the age of retirement. ‘Baba’, as he was fondly called by his members, spent time to mentor the young pastor with necessary guidelines on how to succeed in ministry. As he prepared to hand over the leadership of the church to the associate pastor, he titled his last sermon: “Diverse People, Diverse Problems.” The young pastor pondered on the topic for some months without any clue to why Baba decided to give such an uncommon and frightening title to his last sermon. Sooner than later, he began to observe the people in the church with their different dispositions and how they react to issues. One day, after the Executive Council meeting, he heaved a sigh of relief and said, “Truly, there are diverse people with diverse problems, according to Baba’s message.
As Paul got older, he learned to rely more and more on capable assistants to carry on with the ministry wo work. When there was trouble in the church in Crete, Paul sent Titus, his trusted associate to deal with some of the local crises (like myths and ‘foolish controversies, genealogies, arguments and quarrels about the law, doctrine and right living (Titus 3:9).’ Paul did not leave Titus unguided as to how he would carry out the assignment. He identified the various groups of people in the church: old men, old women, young women, young men, and slaves, and gave specific instructions on how best he should relate with each of them. Titus was also saddled with the responsibility of appointing elders in the church in Crete by strictly following the stipulated requirements. Today’s lesson centres on Paul’s admonition to Titus to remain upright and godly, as we await the glorious appearing of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
✍️THE LESSON EXPLAINED✍️
A.PAUL’S SALUTATION
[Titus 1:1-4]
Titus was a Gentile convert who became Paul’s assistant in his missionary work. He was left in Crete to deal with some crises in the church while Paul was away. As it was common in Paul’s letters, the letter to young Titus, his son in the Lord, begins with an introduction that bears his name and the recipient (Titus), according to the Greco-Roman culture. Paul introduced himself as a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, in verse 1. He was commanded to help the faith of God’s elect, and to lead them to the truth that leads to godliness (the Christian faith). He spoke with an affirmation that the faith and knowledge that is based on the hope of eternal life, which God had promised from the beginning of time had been brought to fulfilment. Paul meant that God’s work of salvation through Christ Jesus had been planned before the foundation of the world (Romans 16:25-26). He testified that God had entrusted to him the ministry of preaching the same message to the Gentiles by His command (v. 3; Galatians 1:15). Knowing the challenges of ministry, he prayed for grace and peace for Titus, for the assignment in verse 4.
Paul was truly called and commissioned by God to preach the gospel message to the Gentiles. This was confirmed after his encounter with God on his way to Damascus when the Lord said to Ananias, “… ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15) Paul understood the nature of the assignment he had been commissioned to carry out, and he did it with enthusiasm, despite the challenges and threat to his life. He saw himself as a debtor to preach the message both to the Greeks and non-Greeks; he was eager, he confessed that he was not ashamed of the Gospel because of its power to bring salvation to everyone who believes, both the Gentiles and Jews (Romans 1:14-16). His prayer for grace and peace for Titus is worth mentioning. Paul knew that without the grace and peace of God, there may be no success in ministry, especially in hostile environments. Nevertheless, Christians should remember that the task of preaching the message of the Gospel is a divine mandate given to every believer in Christ. We have been called and commissioned to be among the end-time workers who are constantly ready to fearlessly take the Gospel to the nooks and crannies of the world.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Identify some barriers militating against preaching the message of the Gospel in our days.
2. Discuss the cordial relationship that existed between Paul and Titus, his son in the Lord, and some lessons Christian leaders/followers can learn from it.
B. STANDARD FOR APPOINTING LEADERS
[Titus 1:5-13]
From the passage, Paul left Titus in Crete for specific reasons. He was to finish what was left undone (probably the organisation of the churches and the appointment of elders or overseers who will continue with the ministry work, as it was consistent with Paul’s practice, Acts 14:23). The selection of elders in every church was to be with specific criteria. For example, they must:
● Be blameless and faithful to their wives (1 Timothy 3:2). By implication, such a person must be faultless, truthful and a husband of only one wife.
● Teach their children to believe in Jesus and be obedient.
● Not be arrogant, quick-tempered or given to drunkenness.
● Not be violent or desirous of dishonest gain. This implies that elected church leaders should be men and women who can manage their homes before they can be entrusted with God’s work.
According to verses 8 and 9, they should be hospitable, loving what is good, having self- control, upright, holy and disciplined. More importantly, they are expected to hold steadfastly to the truth, which they have been taught for two reasons: so that they can serve as encouragers to others who uphold sound doctrine and oppose those who disprove of it. It is most likely that there were false teachers in Crete who tried to oppose the sound doctrine Paul and his companion had preached (vv. 10-12), thus he encouraged Titus to rebuke them sharply. Paul described them as claiming to know God but by their actions they deny him (vv. 13, 16). According to the passage, one of the ways the activities of false teachers can be controlled in our time is to appoint credible leaders with good character and behaviour; those who know the truth and are ready to uphold it to the end. Moreover, Christians should be ready to refute false teachings with sound doctrine whenever we can do so. When we have pastors, deacons and elders who are spiritually mature, blameless, and upright, with the ability to manage their homes, they will surely be able to contribute to the growth of the church in no small measure.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. How can the activities of false teachers be curbed in our contemporary time?
2. Compare and contrast Paul’s suggested conditions for appointing church leaders with what is obtainable in our churches today. Discuss the differences.
C. THE POWER OF SALVATION
[Titus 2:11-15]
Paul’s admonition to young Titus concerning the running of the church in Crete was all-inclusive because of the presence of false teachers. He instructed him to teach sound doctrine to the different groups. The reason for his comprehensive instruction was to make the teaching about God our Saviour attractive (Titus 2:1-10). Paul became more specific when he added that the grace of God that offers salvation to all people has appeared; it teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions; to be self-controlled, upright, and live godly lives in this present generation (v. 11). His expectation is that our salvation will produce good works. In the same vein, Paul said, in his letter to the Ephesians, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10) The warning in verse 12 became necessary as they eagerly await the glorious appearing (the blessed hope) of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, who died to redeem humanity from guilt and judgment. However, God’s purpose of redemption was to raise a people of His own who will do what is right. Paul’s last counsel to Titus was that he should not let anyone look down on him because of his age. Paul gave the same instruction to Timothy while instructing him to continue to teach the believers under his care, according to the tradition he has been taught. He added that he should not allow anyone to look down on him because of his age, but rather set an example for the believers to emulate (1 Timothy 4:12).
Paul’s counsel to Titus on the importance of discharging his religious obligations to members of the church in Crete is a key to true mentorship between senior and associate pastors, today. This is God’s expectation for the good of the ministry, like the case of Paul and Titus. God’s concern for the salvation of humankind made Him to reach out to them through faith in Christ Jesus, mercy and grace (Ephesians 2:8). By virtue of this undeserved offer of the gift of salvation, we have been redeemed and are regenerate to produce good works (what is good and right). Therefore, all believers should be of good conduct in this world where evil thrives, as we await the second coming of Jesus. We should say ‘No’ to all forms of evil and worldly desires, as we look forward to the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ. More importantly, church leaders should exercise caution in the use of their authority as they teach, encourage and aspire to lead their followers with exemplary lifestyles that draw people to God.
DISCISSION TIME:
1. Discuss some steps Christians can take in anticipation of the second coming of Jesus.
2. Our salvation, as Christians, is only guaranteed by grace and faith in Jesus Christ. Discuss.
Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity:
Let two class members discuss the terms ‘Self-control’ and ‘Godliness’ and what they understand by 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 be upright and godly wherever you find yourself, as a child of God.
Happy Sunday in Advance.
Remain Inspired & Be Lifted!