NBC Sunday School Manual For October 20, 2024 : Topic – PRAISE FOR DELIVERANCE.

NBC Sunday School Manual For October 20, 2024 : Topic – PRAISE FOR DELIVERANCE.

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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR YOUR PREPARATION

NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE

Theme for the Month:

"SONGS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT."

DATE: SUNDAY, 20TH OCTOBER, 2024.

TOPIC: PRAISE FOR DELIVERANCE.

Devotional Reading:

 Ephesians 1:3-14.

Background Scripture: 

Isaiah 25; Daniel 6:10-28.

Lesson Scripture:

Isaiah 25:1-10a.

GOLDEN TEXT:

"Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago." Isaiah 25:1.

Objectives: 

By the end of the lesson, class members should be able to:

● Discuss some things they can praise God for.

● Examine some of the promises of God to His people in the passage. 

● Resolve to always trust God for the fulfilment of His promises and praise Him.

INTRODUCTION

It is natural for people to desperately seek solutions to their problems especially when help is not immediately forthcoming. Unfortunately, some people give up thinking all hope is lost. Such may have been the experience of the people of Judah, which prompted Prophet Isaiah to write and encourage them about God's promise of defeat to their enemies and His great deliverance for them. Chapter 25 of the book of Isaiah is Prophet Isaiah's personal declaration of God's faithfulness to His people. It is usually described as a hymn of praise in celebration of the Lord's victory over the wicked and the enemies of the people of Judah. It also describes the joy that follows those who remain faithful to God. In the passage, Prophet Isaiah spoke about how God will put into the mouth of the redeemed a song of praise to Him for His wonderful acts. The climax of it all is how God will swallow up death forever, which signifies the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the One whose death on the cross nullified death and brought the gift of eternal life to humankind.

The vision Prophet Isaiah shared in this chapter can be compared with a scenario of a city that has been ravaged by war, starvation and perpetual pain, and then suddenly, God sends a message of hope, deliverance and a brighter future to His people. The focal point of today's lesson is that no matter how bad our experience may have been, the faithfulness of the Lord and His promise to defeat the enemies is assured and this should encourage Christians to sing songs of praise to God.

THE LESSON EXPLAINED

A. A SONG OF PRAISE AND DELIVERANCE 

[Isaiah 25:1-5]

Prophet Isaiah's response to God's promise of deliverance of His people is amazing and it indicates that it was a long awaited promise. He exalts the Lord for faithfully bringing to pass the deliverance of His people, which He planned generations ago (v. 1). He affirmed four things God made of the city of the enemies in verse 2:

● A God made the city a heap of rubble.

● He made the fortified town a ruin.

● He made the stronghold of the foreigners a city that ceased to exist and

● The city will never be rebuilt.

In other words, the city will remain desolate and the entrance to every house barred (Isaiah 24:10). As a result of God's intervention, the powerful nations will honour and reverence the people of God and they will become a refuge for the poor and the needy. According to verse 5, the deliverance will be possible because God would have silenced their enemies.

The summary of the lesson is that the deliverance of God's people from their cruel enemies was preceded by the overthrow of the city. Its inhabitants melt in amazement of the wonderful things God promised to do. God has always defended His people and He gives shelter to those who trust in Him. As affirmed by Prophet Isaiah, the disrespect of the enemies of God's people will fizzle away like the noise of strangers and heat from the scorching sun. Finally, God's people will praise Him for the wonderful things He has done. Remarkably, God's promises are always sure. Christians should be reminded that victory in Christ Jesus is certain, irrespective of the challenges confronting them. This promise should spur believers not to give up in the face of challenges, but remain firm in the faith. The aftermath of the deliverance will give them reasons to sing songs of praise to God.

DISCUSSION TIME:

1. Discuss how God has been a strong refuge for believers according to verse 4. 

2. How should Christians respond to God's promise in the passage, especially when they consider the state of their country and the activities of the wicked?

B. THE PROMISE OF JOY AND CELEBRATION 

[Isaiah 25:6-10a]

As Prophet Isaiah continued in his message of hope and deliverance, he also revealed God's promise to prepare a banquet for all the nations of the world that will bring them joy. The nature of the banquet is such that will be rich in food and wine. Other promises that followed in the passage are: 

● The destruction of the veil and sheet that cover all nations.

● The destruction of death forever. The promise may not necessarily mean physical death but the removal of shroud that prevents them from enjoying the promise of God. 

● Tears will be wiped away from their faces.

● There will be an end to disgrace and suffering.

He added that when the promises shall come to pass, God's people will testify to the goodness of God and say, "... 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." (v. 9) Thereafter, Isaiah made a comparison between the wicked and the righteous. He declared that Moab will be trampled in their land as straw is trampled in the manure (v. 10) because they are the adversaries of God's people. When the promises mentioned above are fulfilled, there would not be any barrier between God and the redeemed, and they would rejoice. This is enough assurance for Christians to trust and wait on the Lord to receive the blessings of joy and celebration while the wicked and unrepentant sinners will be destroyed.

DISCUSSION TIME:

1. What are some hindrances that could make believers in Christ not to enjoy God's promises?

2. Discuss the category of people who will enjoy God's promises as enumerated in the lesson. 

Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity:

Write a personal testimony or a song of thanksgiving to God for His wonderful deeds.

Take Home: 

Write down three lessons you are taking home from today's lesson?

● __________

● __________

● __________ 

Commitment: 

● Based on today's lesson, make a commitment to always praise God for the promise of His deliverance in times of challenges. 

Happy Sunday in Advance.

 Remain Inspired & Be Lifted!