THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS

SUBTOPIC: ANGELS

Central passage: Hebrews 1:14

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

Definition: ministering spirits from God.

The Bible teaches that God uses a numberless army of angels to help execute His will in heaven
and earth, and that among their duties is ministering to Christians. Perhaps this is where the
concept of guardian angels came from. They are personal beings, Spirits that God created before
Adam and Eve, and not ghosts of people who have died.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS

SUBTOPIC: DEMONS

Central passage: Jude 6

“And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper
dwelling, these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgement on the
great day.”

Definition: Angels who fell.

The Bible teaches that a large number of the righteous angels rebelled against God and now form
an evil army under the command of the devil, who uses them to further his will, which is counter
to the will of God. This corruption is often referred to as the fall of these angels.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS

SUBTOPIC: SATAN

Central passage: 1 Peter 5:8

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring Lion looking for
someone to devour.
Definition: The highest angel who fell

The Bible teaches that Satan was originally the highest angel, but because of pride he fell,
rebelling against God and leading many lesser angels to rebel against Him also. I n doing this he
became evil and corrupt. He is the real entity who oversees the forces of darkness in the world
and seeks to neutralize and overthrow the will of God.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF ANGELS

SUBTOPIC: DEFENSES

Central passage: 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 6:13, James 4:7

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for
someone to devour.

Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to
stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Definition: Using Gods protection.

In the Bible, Satan is called the deceiver and the destroyer. He deceives in order to destroy. A
primary strategy is to make that which is wrong look right and that which is right look wrong.
The Bible teaches that protection from Satan is available to the Christian. These spiritual
defenses will be dealt with in greater detail later.

There are three facets to the believer’s defense system.

A. Alertness: The Christian must know Satan’s intention and be alert to his advances.
1Peter 5:8, Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like
a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
B. Armor: The Christian has defenses that are metaphorically called armor, which protect
him or her from Satan’s devices.
Ephesians 6:13, Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of
evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done
everything, to stand.
 C. Resistance: Once the Christian is aware of Satan’s intentions and is using the spiritual
armor discussed in Ephesians 6, he or she may resist any suspected Satanic advances with
confidence of victory.
James 4:7, Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

SUBTOPIC: UNIVERSAL CHURCH

Central passage: Mathew 16:18

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades
will not overcome it.

Definition: The universal Church is the Church: totality of all believers in Jesus.

The universal Church also called the body of Christ (Colossians 1:24), refers to all people in all
parts of the world who have become Christians since the beginning of the Church and who will
become Christians before Christ returns. The Church began on the day of Pentecost. (Acts 2),
and will culminate when Christ returns. Christ is the head of the Church (Colossians 1:18), and
the universal Church is to be the representation of Christ on earth, collectively doing His will.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

SUBTOPIC: THE LOCAL CHURCH.

Central passage: 1 Cor. 1:1-2

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes. To
the Church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together
with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

Definition: a local assembly of believers organized to carry out the responsibilities of the
universal Church.
The Church is not a building, but a people. At any given time and place, Christians are to band
together to carry out the responsibilities of the universal Church. As such, they organize to
govern themselves, select spiritual leaders, collect money for ministry, observe baptism and
communion, exercise Church discipline, engage in mutual edification and evangelism, and
worship God.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

SUBTOPIC: LEADERSHIP

Central passage: 1 Tim 3:2-4, 6,7

Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-
controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkardness, not violent but
gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that
his children obey him with proper respect.

He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgement
as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into
disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

Definition: Those in the Church worthy of being followed because of their spiritual maturity.

Leadership in the local Church is invested in pastor-teachers, elders, and deacons and
deaconesses. The scripture appears to give freedom as to how this leadership is organized and
functions, but it is quite specific about the spiritual qualifications.

Only spiritual mature people are to be given high positions of spiritual leadership in Church.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

SUBTOPIC: MEMBERSHIP

Central passage: Hebrews 10:24-25)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not
give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another and
all the more as you see the day approaching.
Definition: belonging to the universal Church and a local Church.

When a person becomes a Christian, he or she immediately and automatically becomes a

member of the universal Church, the body of Christ. Throughout Church history, local Churches
have had varying requirements for membership that range from very limited to very strict. This
appears to be a point of freedom given local Churches in the scripture. An important point,
however, is that everyone should be a part of a local Church. God never intended for Christians
to try to make it alone. Placing oneself under spiritual authority and in mutual ministry with
others is essential to spiritual health.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE FUTURE THINGS.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF THE FUTURE THINGS.

SUBTOPIC: RETURN

Central passage: Mathew 16:27.

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the praetorium and gathered the whole company of
soldiers around him.

Definition: Jesus will return to earth again.

Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, buried, and resurrected and about A.D. 30. He ascended into
heaven, where He has remained for the last two thousand years. At some time in the future, from
prophetic information it could be at any time, He will return to earth. When He does, it will not
be as a carpenter’s son but in power and glory, revealing His true cosmic sovereignty. During
His first visit to earth, He came as a servant with an emphasis on humanity. During His second
visit to earth He will come as a king, emphasizing His deity.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF THE FUTURE THINGS.

SUBTOPIC: JUDGEMENT

Central passage: 2 Corinthians 5:10

For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is
due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
Definition: God will confirm the eternal destiny of all individuals.

At two different times and places, God will conduct audiences with all humanity to confirm our
eternal destiny. Those who believed in Jesus and received Him will then be confirmed to eternity
in heaven with Him. Those who did not believe in Him and receive Him will be confirmed to
eternal separation from Him in hell.

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF THE FUTURE THINGS.

SUBTOPIC: UNIVERSE

Central passage: revelation 21:1

Then I saw a new heaven and a new a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had
passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

The present universe was flawed with sin at the time of the fall of man. While much of nature is
beautiful, much of it is also destructive and uninhabitable. The universe will be destroyed with
an apocalyptic cosmic fire and replaced with a new universe and a new earth that will have no
harmful features. (2 peter 3:12,13 and revelation 21:4)

TOPIC: THE DOCTRINE OF THE FUTURE THINGS.

SUBTOPIC: ETERNITY

Central passage: John 14:2,3; Revelation 22:5

In my father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there
to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you
to be with me that you also may be where I am.

There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the
Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.

Definition: Christians will live with God forever.

Jesus will reign in absolute righteousness. Only goodness and beauty will exist. Believers will
rule with Him forever as vice regents. They will govern angelic beings. They will be beings of
beauty and power who will participate in glorious celestial ceremonies. Believers themselves
will receive much personal glory by the grace and goodness of God, as well as spend generous
time in worshipping and praising God. Intellect, beauty, power, and talent will be virtually
limitless as believers both serve Jesus the king and rule with Him in world that progressively
glorifies God and brings great joy and individual satisfaction.

THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST

The shedding of Jesus Christs blood on the cross was a major factor for us to receive forgiveness
of our sins and acceptance into the presence of God.

“… without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Heb. 9:22)

TOPIC: THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.

SUB-TOPIC: LIFE IS IN THE BLOOD.

Central passage: Leviticus 17:11

“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for
yourselves … it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.”

When we sin, we earn death. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Jesus paid this penalty for
us by shedding His blood (dying for us –in our place.)

A bridge was made so as to make us to be at one with God. Jesus gave His life (shed His blood)
for us on the cross. This made it possible for us to be at one with God. Jesus blood means we are
no longer His enemy but His friend, His sons and daughters. By faith we accept what He did for
us.

WHAT SIN DOES TO OUR LIFE

1. It separates us from God.

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from
you, so that he will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2)

2. Allows Satan to accuse us

“…the accuser of our brothers, who accuse them before our God day and night…” (Rev. 12:10)
 3. Demands that we die

“…the soul who sins is the one who will die.” (Ezekiel 18:4)

The blood of Christ meets all of our needs:

THE BLOOD SATISFIES GODS DEMAND FOR SIN PENALTY.

The blood of Christ fully satisfies Gods law, which requires a penalty for breaking the law.
1John 3:4 states, “Everyone who sins breaks the law…” Sin is breaking the law.

The blood protects us from the punishment of breaking the law (death)

In Exodus 12, God commands the people of Israel to put the blood of a lamb on their door posts
to protect them from the destroyer; who would kill all the first born.

This lamb was a picture of the Lamb-Jesus, who would come later. God said, “…when I see the
blood, I will pass over (protect) you…” (Ex. 12:13)

1. Fellowship is restored

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from Gods
wrath through him.” (Rom. 5:8-9)

2. We are redeemed (purchased back from slavery)

“in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the
riches of God’s grace” (Eph. 1:7)

THE BLOOD MEETS MANS NEED TO BE CLEANSED FROM GUILT.

The blood has satisfied God; now it is to satisfy us in the cleansing of our conscience from guilt.

1. The blood cleanses from guilt

“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
unblemished to God, cleanse our conscience from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve
the living God.” (Heb. 9:14)

2. The blood sanctifies us.

“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own
blood” (Heb. 13:12)

3. The blood brings us close to God.

“…and through Him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things or
things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were
alienated from God and you were enemies in your mind because of your evil behavior. But now
he has reconciled you…” (Col. 1:20-22)

4. The blood gives boldness to enter God’s presence.

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the most Holy place by the blood of
Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, the body… Let us draw
near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to
cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb.
10:19-22)

5. The blood perfects us in the sight of God.

“…because by one sacrifice he has made perfect for ever those who are being made holy” (Heb.
10:14)

THE LORD CONFRONTS THE DEVIL THROUGH HIS BLOOD

Satan’s most strategic activity in this age is as the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10) and it is
as this that the Lord confronts him in His special ministry as high priest through His own blood
(Heb. 9:11-14)

 The blood puts God on man’s side against the devil.

“If God is for us, who can be against us?... who will bring any charge against those whom God
has chosen?”

“Shall God who justifies? Who is he that condemns? Will Christ Jesus, who died, more than
that, who was raised to life, and is at the right hand of God and is also interceding (praying) for
us?” (Rom. 31,33,34)
The devil has no ground for accusation against those who have received the work of Christ’s
shed blood for them.

 The blood dissolves all Satan’s legal rights of ownership

“…in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:14).

Redemption means to buy back. We are under new ownership, and the price that was paid for us
was the shed blood of Jesus.

“…the Church of God, which he bought with his own blood” (Acts 20:28)

WHAT THE BLOOD OF CHRIST HAS BROUGHT US

 A Pure heart

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the
blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7)

 Eternal Life

“Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his
blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I
will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:53-54)

 Approach to God

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the
blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13)

LESSON 1

JESUS SECOND COMING

“Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you have proclaimed the Lord’s death until He
comes.” (1Cor. 11:26).

A. HOW WILL JESUS RETURN?

Unexpectedly
“Now brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well
that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying peace and
safety, destruction will come on them suddenly…” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3)

Like the lightening

“For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so will be the coming of the
Son of Man” (Math. 24:27)

In the same way that He left.

“… this same Jesus who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way
you have seen him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11)

With great power and glory.

“At that time they will see the son of Man coming in a cloud with great power and great glory.”
(Luke 21:27)

In full view of all

“Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be Amen” (Rev. 1:7)

WEEK 2
JESUS SECOND COMING

C. DRAMATIC EVENTS TO TAKE PLACE

The Mystery of the ages will be completed
“…There will be no more delay, but in the day when the seventh angel is about to sound his
trumpet, the mystery of God will be accomplished, just as he announced to his servants the
prophets” (Rev. 10:6-7)
God’s people will enter their full glory.
“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await saviour from there, the Lord Jesus
Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform
our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Phil. 3:20-21)
The dead in Christ will be raised to life.
“…because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us
with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.” (2 Cor. 4:14)
Those believers still alive will be caught up to meet him
“And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the
four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other” (Math. 24:31)
Creation will be set free from its bondage
“The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation
was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in
hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the
glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Rom. 8: 19-22; Isaiah 35:1-7)
Every enemy will be destroyed.
“Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the father after he has
destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies
under his feet.” (1Cor. 15:24-25)
Satan will be bound
And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his
hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and
bound him for a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:1-2).
Week 2
PERSEVERENCE
Perseverance is our being safe in Christ Jesus until He comes.

God will not change his promises to us (1Kings 8:56; Ezekiel 12:25; Math. 5:18)

The question here is not whether am able to deny Christ. Rather whether God is able to keep me
through trials. (2Tim. 1:12).

Our confidence is not in our ability to do works that keep us saved, our confidence is that God
will not in any way deceive us. (Numbers 23:19). Now we are called to keep the faith we have in
Him (Christ Jesus). We need to allow him to work his will in us (1Thessalonians 2:13).

We can know that we have eternal life.

Believe in Jesus and what He has done for us (1John 5:13). Also be filled with the Holy Spirit,
(1John 4:13).

God is for us, helping us

No external power can separate us from God. (Rom. 8:31-39).

Jesus Christ prays for us. (Heb. 7:25)

- God always hears Jesus (John 11:42)

- The Holy Spirit intercedes for us. (Rom. 8:26)

Jesus also always provides a way out for us during temptations. (Rom. 14:4;1Cor. 10:13)

So our confidence is in God, not in ourselves. (2Tim. 1:12).

This is because God is able to keep us. (Rom. 14:4; Jude 24-25)

Here is a passage to encourage us to persevere. (1Peter 1:1-9)

We are the elect of God…He chose us. (1 Peter 1:2).

Chosen according to God’s foreknowledge (1Peter 1:2)

We must allow the Holy Spirit works to purify us (1 Peter 1:2).

We are saved for obedience to Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:2).

We are being justified by His blood (1 Peter 1:2).

New birth by God’s mercy (1 Peter 1:3).

Our inheritance is safe in heaven (1 Peter 1:4).

God’s power will shield us until the end (1 Peter 1:5).

Suffering from trials (1 Peter 1:6).

Trials are not to defeat us but to prove our faith. (1 Peter 1:7).

Our faith is not by sight (1 Peter 1:8).

Our faith in God has salvation as its goal (1 Peter 1:9).

Week 3

GROWING IN CHRIST.

TITHES AND OFFERINGS

Introduction
Christs giving of himself for our salvation is the strongest example we can ever have. (John 3:16)
God is a giver, including His son Jesus Christ is a giver. There is a spiritual gift of giving; that is
not what we are talking here. (Rom. 12:8)
Tithe- the giving of 1/10 of our income to the work of the Lord. It was practiced before giving of
the law of Moses.
Abraham gave a tithe (Genesis 14:20; Heb.7:4-10), yet he lived 430 years before Moses
(Ga.3:17). His grandson Jacob promises to give a tithe to God (Genesis 28:22).
New Testament approach towards giving.
Give without a big show, even secretly. (Math. 1-4).
When it comes to the gospel, ourselves for Gods’ work and ministry support; freely you have
received freely give. (Mathew 10:8)
It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).
Give according to your income (1Cor. 16:1-2). Those handling money should be approved
(1Cor. 16:3-4).
Sow sparingly, reap sparingly; sow generously, reap generously (2Cor. 9:6; Luke 6:38).
Plan and decide ahead of time (2Cor. 9:7). Give cheerfully and not under compulsion.
Gods’ reply to careful, cheerful giving is:
- Abundance of grace (2Cor. 9:8)
- Abundance for every good work (2Cor.9:8,11)
Results of giving.
Needs of the Church are supplied, this leads to thanksgiving to God. (2Cor. 9:12)
Giving is a confession of our faith in God. (2 Cor. 9:13)
Giving stimulates prayers (2Cor. 9:14)
God gave first. (2Cor. 9:15)
Week 4
GROWING IN CHRIST.

Obedience and love

1 John 5 says, “This is love for God that we obey his commands and his commands are not
burdensome.” In other words, to obey God is not some difficult duty that we have. It's just the
overflow of our gratitude for all that the Lord has done for us. We need to to reclaim this idea of
obedience.

In the Bible, obedience is the flip-side of love; It’s the expression of love.

In several places, Jesus says, “if you love me you will obey what I command.”

1 John 5 says, “This is love for God that we obey his commands and his commands are not
burdensome.”

In other words, to obey God is not some difficult duty that we have. It’s just the overflow of our
gratitude for all that the Lord has done for us. We need to reclaim this idea of obedience.

Obedience the expression of love

We express love for God in sharing with one another. Love is being concerned and accountable
for one another.

Every follower of Jesus will be held accountable, so every follower of Jesus should practice
accountability with others. Jesus shared many stories of accountability; caring about your brother
and sister, those at home and those in the Church. Jesus told us many truths of how we will be
held responsible for what we do and say. So accountability groups are a natural expression of
brothers and sisters walking together in truth and love.

You cannot say you love God whom you do not see and yet neglect or hate your brother whom
you see. Love God by loving other people.

Obey God by obeying your parents and elders.

Week 5
Tithes and offerings
Introduction

Christ’s giving of himself for our salvation is the strongest example we can ever have (John
3:16)

God is a giver, including His son Jesus Christ is a giver. There is a spiritual gift of giving; that is
not what we are talking here. (Rom. 12:8)

Tithe- the giving of 1/10 of our income to the work of the Lord. It was practiced before giving of
the law of Moses.

Abraham gave a tithe (Genesis 14:20; Heb.7:4-10), yet he lived 430 years before Moses
(Ga.3:17). His grandson Jacob promises to give a tithe to God (Genesis 28:22). This was as well
before the law of Moses was introduced.

During the time of Moses’ law.

Law of Moses demands a tithe of everything (Leviticus 27:30-32).

The Levites received tithe for the work of God they performed. (Numbers 18:21). The Levites
today would mean the servants of God or leaders in Church (1Cor. 9:1-14).

God condemns Israel for not giving a tithe (Mal. 3:16-12).

Levites also were required to tithe (Numbers 18:25-32; Nehemiah 10:38). Today Gods servants
and Church leaders too are required Biblically to tithe.

Today in our time, we should actually do more than just tithe (Mathew 23:23; Luke 11:42)

Sacrificial givers receive abundance from God.

Giving does not buy God’s provision, it releases it. (Mal. 3:10).

Widow of Zarephath gave last food to Elijah and was abundantly provided for (1Kings 17:12-15)

New Testament approach towards giving.

Give without a big show, even secretly. (Math. 1-4).

When it comes to the gospel, ourselves for Gods’ work and ministry support; freely you have

received freely give. (Mathew 10:8)

It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).

Give according to your income (1Cor. 16:1-2). Those handling money should be approved
(1Cor. 16:3-4).

Sow sparingly, reap sparingly; sow generously, reap generously (2Cor. 9:6; Luke 6:38).

Plan and decide ahead of time (2Cor. 9:7). Give cheerfully and not under compulsion.

Gods’ reply to careful, cheerful giving is:

- Abundance of grace (2Cor. 9:8)

- Abundance for every good work (2Cor.9:8,11)

Results of giving.

Needs of the Church are supplied, this leads to thanksgiving to God. (2Cor. 9:12)

Giving is a confession of our faith in God. (2 Cor. 9:13)

Giving stimulates prayers (2Cor. 9:14)

God gave first. (2Cor. 9:15).

Week 6
GROWING IN CHRIST
CHILD AND FAMILY
In this subtopic we will discuss the greatest examples of Child/ parent relationships basing on
examples of how we relate to God as our Father, and how he responds to us, as our Father.

Children’s duties.

Honor and respect parents (Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:2).

Obey parents in all things. (Col. 3:20)

Make their parents happy. (Proverbs 23:24-25; Pr. 10:1)

Not to mock or despise them. (Proverbs. 30:17)

Pay close attention to the words of parents (Proverbs. 6:20-23)

Take care of your parents when they are old (1Tim. 5:3-4)

LESSON 8

GROWING IN CHRIST.

LUST

Lust is a temptation and an evil that overcomes many of us. It is born of Satan and the flesh.
Every single one of us is subject to lust. If we are to overcome it, we must be strong.

The definition for lust is an intense or uncontrollable sinful desire. E,g a sex desire for
fornication or stealing something.

The Bible speaks of lust in several ways. Exodus 20:14, 17; “Do not commit adultery. . . Do not
covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or
donkey, or anything else your neighbor owns," or Matthew 5:28, "But I say, anyone who even
looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Job
31:11-12, sums up lust quite nicely: “For lust is a shameful sin, a crime that should be punished.
It is a devastating fire that destroys to hell. It would wipe out everything I own.”

Lust works to please oneself, and it often leads to unwholesome actions to fulfill one’s desires
with no regard to the consequences. Lust is about possession and greed. The Christian faith is
about selflessness and is marked by holy living (Romans 6:19, 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians
1:2, 30, 6:19-20; Ephesians 1:4, 4:24; Colossians 3:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8, 5:23; 2 Timothy
1:9; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:15-16). The goal of each person who has put his/her faith in Jesus
Christ is to become more and more like Him each day. This means putting off the old way of life
of which sin was in control, and conforming one’s thoughts and actions to the standard put forth
in Scripture. Lust is in opposition to this idea.

The Bible makes a very strong statement regarding this in 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8, “God has
called us to be holy, not to live impure lives. Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not
disobeying human rules but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” If lust has not
yet gripped your heart and mind, ready yourself through a life lived above reproach to combat
the temptations of lust. If you currently struggle with lust, it is time to come clean before God
and ask for His intervention in your life, so that holiness can be a mark of your life as well.
LESSON 10

CHRISTMAS PART 1

………………………………………………………………………………..

LESSON 14

CHRISTMAS PART 2

………………………………………………………………………………..

LESSON 18

JACOB’S LADDER

Genesis 28:10-19

“And Jacob went out from Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon the place,
and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took one of the stones of the place,
and put it under his head, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a
ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God
ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the LORD stood beside him, and said: 'I am the
LORD, the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac.”

The ladder is Jesus the bridge between heaven and earth.

Jesus said in John 1:51 “And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall
see heaven open, and the  angels  of  God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” This
statement has been interpreted as associating Jesus with the ladder, in that Christ bridges the gap
between Heaven and Earth. Jesus presents himself as the reality to which the ladder points; as
Jacob saw in a dream the reunion of Heaven and Earth, Jesus brought this reunion, the symbol
was the ladder in Jacobs dream, which into reality is Jesus. 

Continuous relationship has now been opened between heaven and earth, through the medium of
Christ, who was God manifested in the flesh. Our blessed Lord is represented as the sent one of
God to men.
The need for Christ in your life as a bridge to connect you to heaven.
Today we cannot claim we don’t need this bridge. Indeed, it was meaning our days, when Jesus
who is God, the only one who can connect us to heaven would come and become the bridge by
dying on the cross, wash away our sins, when we believe in Him as our Lord and savior sent
from God in heaven to save us. So He connects us to God through His death and resurrection and
the forgiveness of our sin.
You need Jesus in your life receive Him as your savior.

LESSON 25

SEXUALITY - RIGHT SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS.

This lesson can also be identified as standards of sexual morality.

Hebrews 13:4 says, “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers
and adulterers God will judge.”

GOD’S SET UP FOR MARRIAGE.

A. GOD CALLS US TO PURITY.

Believers, first and foremost, must be morally and sexually pure (2Cor. 11:2; Titus 2:5; 1Peter
3:2).

The word pure means to be free from all taint of that which is lewd. It suggests refraining from
all acts and thoughts that incite desire not in accordance with one’s virginity or one’s marriage
vows. It stresses restraint and avoidance of all sexual actions and excitements that would defile,
debase or cheapen one’s purity before God.

It includes controlling one’s own body “in sanctification and honour” (1Thessalonians 4:4), and
not in lust (1Thess. 4:5). This instruction of scripture is for both those who are single and those
married. With regard to the biblical teaching concerning sexual morality, note the following:

1. Sexual intimacy- reserved for marriage.

Sexual intimacy is reserved for the marriage relationship and is approved and blessed by God
only in that state. Through marriage, the husband and wife become one flesh according to God’s
will. The physical and emotional pleasures resulting from a faithful marriage relationship are
ordained by God and held in honour by Him (Heb. 13:4).

2. Sexual sins are severely condemned.

Adultery, fornication, homosexuality, sensuality, impure desire and degrading passions are
considered grave sins in the sight of God. They are a transgression of the law of love and the
defiling of a marriage relationship. Such sins are severely condemned in scripture. Making a
practice of this sins places one outside the kingdom of God. (Rom. 1:24-32; 1Cor. 6:9-10; Gal.
5:19-21).

3. Sexual sins occur outside marriage.

Sexual immorality and impurity are defined as sexual intercourse or consummated acts outside
marriage. Any act of sexual gratification with another person other than one’s marriage partner is
immoral. Uncovering or exploring the nakedness of anyone other than your spouse invites God’s
judgement. Some contemporary teachers say any sexual intimacy among committed un married
youth or adults is acceptable, if it stops short of full sexual union. This idea is contrary to the
holiness of God the biblical standard of purity. God explicitly prohibits the uncovering of the
nakedness or seeing the nakedness of any one who is not a lawful wife or husband (Lev. 18:6-30;
20:11,17, 19-21).

4. Believers must exercise self-control.

The believer must exercise self-control and steadfast restraint with reference to all sexual matters
before marriage. To justify premarital intimacy on the grounds of a real or a felt commitment to
another compromises Gods holy standards. The worlds impure ways justify immorality. As
believers, we dare not.

After marriage, sexual intimacy must be confined to one’s marriage partner. The Bible names
self-control as an aspect of the spirit’s fruit. This evidences itself in our life by the positive and
pure behaviour that is in contrast to immoral sexual acts. Gratification, fornication, adultery and
impurity must never be acceptable among believers. One’s commitment to God’s will opens the
way to receive this gift of self-control (Gal. 5:22-24).

THE WRONG (SATANS) SET UP FOR MARRIAGE.

 5. Biblical terms for sexual immorality

Biblical terms used for sexual immorality, describing the breadth of its evil, are as follows:

Gay marriage

This is marriage between same sex. Men and men, or women and women. This is wrong and
comes from Satan.

When God started or instituted marriage, the Bible says “… male and female he created them”
(Gen. 1:27b)

“Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought
her to the man.” (Gen.2:22).

This two Adam and Eve are the parents and grandparents of every person that has ever lived on
earth.

a. Fornication

Describes a wide range of sexual activities before or outside of marriage. Any intimate sexual
activity or play outside the marriage relationship, including the touching of the intimate parts of
the body or viewing the nakedness of another person, is included in this term and is clearly a
transgression of God’s moral standards for His people. (Leviticus 18:6-30; 20:11,12,17,19-21;
1Cor. 6:18; 1Thess. 4:3).

b. Lasciviousness

Denotes the absence of clear moral principles; specifically, disregard of sexual reserve and
restraint that maintains pure behaviour (1Tim. 2:9). It includes the inclination toward indulging
in or arousing sinful lust, and thus may lead one to participate in unbiblical conduct (Gal.5:1;
Eph. 4:19; 1Peter 4:3; 2 Peter 2:2,18).

c. Lust

Is having an immoral desire, which one would fulfil if the opportunity arose (Math. 5:28; Eph.
4:19,22; 1 Peter 4:3; 2Peter 2:18).
True morality is maintaining righteous standards when no one but God will know what we are
doing.

LESSON 26

LIFE ISSUES

SUFFERING.

REASONS FOR SUFFERING.

WHY GOD ALLOWS SUFFERING

There’s not an easy answer as to why there’s so much suffering in the world. Why does God
allow some people to face more pain than others?

The Bible says we can only see a portion of the answer right now but all will be revealed one
day. “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall
know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Later towards conclusion,
we will discuss reasons for suffering.

God cares about your suffering because He knows what it is like to suffer. God visited earth in
the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, and He suffered through torture and a brutal death on a
cross. His death was even worse because He was perfect. Jesus did not do anything wrong and
didn’t deserve to die.

The Bible says, “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with
suffering” (Isaiah 53:3). His suffering was more intense than anything we could ever know,
because he carried the sins of the entire world. He did this willingly, because He loves us and
wanted to do everything possible to bring us forgiveness and restore us to God.

God hasn’t abandoned you and is with you through your pain. When you trust in Jesus Christ as
Savior and Lord, you can be sure that nothing in this world, not even suffering, can separate you
from God’s goodness and love.
The Bible promises that “Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not
even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the
earth below indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God
that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Everything changes when your focus shifts away from your painful circumstances and you look
to Jesus. Open your heart to Him and thank Him that He loved you enough to go to the cross.
Then you will understand what the Bible says, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us
everything else” (Romans 8:31-32)?

Human experience is vast and varied, but few things exist as a universal experience like
suffering. The pains and problems vary from person to person, but we all suffer. This fact
leads to the common question: why does God allow suffering? Given this constant part of
life, the wise person should seek to understand pains and how to react to suffering when it
arrives.

One of the most common responses is bitterness. A deep resentment for the pain we all go
through. While suffering can undoubtedly sow the seeds of bitterness and resentment, that is
not how Christians should respond to it. Instead, we are called to see suffering as a part of
life meant to dissatisfy us with the present fallen world and to instill in us a longing for
eternity. Let’s consider the three main aspects of suffering:

Suffering as a Consequence of Sin

The first truth about suffering is the recognition that it is strange to God’s plan of life. But to
the Christian worldview, it is vital. Suffering is a product of the fall, a consequence of human
sin against God (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21).

Suffering is in our lives because we are living in a broken world. Some suffering is due to
our sinful and wrong choices, but some is due simply to the world being fallen. This aspect
of suffering should drive us to long for a better world, a world redeemed and freed from sin,
a world that God will one day come again to establish (Romans 8:19-23).

Suffering as a Tool of Sanctification

Nothing is so broken as to be unusable by God. Although suffering is alien to His goal for
humanity, God uses it now as part of our development as people. Nothing forces a person to
confront their true self like suffering. Suffering causes our focus to turn inward, to face those
parts of ourselves we might otherwise ignore. God can use suffering then to develop us into
better people: the people who can love and enjoy Him forever (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4).

Suffering as a Test of Faith

Finally, suffering is the crucible by which we find our center and demonstrate the truth of our
faith to the world. In times of intense pain or turmoil, we cling to what we have placed our
hope in. In this way, suffering reveals whether our faith is a mere childish hope or a factual
reality.

Here we see suffering as a call to live out a better and more faithful witness to the world.
Like the prophet Habakkuk, suffering calls us to declare to those around us, “yet I will
rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:18).

As we develop an understanding of how to approach suffering, we must be clear that

suffering never becomes good. Suffering remains evil. What must be understood though, is
that suffering can be redeemed; it can be made purposeful. When we are burdened beyond
our strength, we must not become bitter but instead allow our faith to make us better. For the
Christian, we must see suffering as a trifold call to long for a better world, to seek to become
a better person and to live out a better witness.

For our good and His glory

God allows certain amount of pain, suffering and trouble to reach our lives. But He has promised
that none of it will be wasted. It will all be worked together for our good and His glory. That
good and that glory is the character of Christ. Our ministry to Him, to the Church and to the
world truly requires the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
Lack of the Christian character is the main reason for failure in the ministry of the Church. A
leader may be called highly gifted and even successful in his ministry for a time. But will not last
long apart from Christian character. The fruit of the Spirit is the foundation for strong, steady
ministry in God.

“We can rejoice, therefore, when we run into problems and trials. We know they are good for
us. They help us to learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us. In this
way we learn to trust God more and more. Finally, our hope and faith become strong and
steady. Then we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens. We know that all is
well, and that God dearly loves us. We feel his warm love within because God has filled our
hearts with his Holy Spirit” (Rom. 5:3-5)

Let fruit of the Spirit grow on your branch too. If you do, you too will be fruitful in ministry to
the Lord, to others and to the world even if surrounded by sufferings.

LESSON 27

LIFE ISSUES- WORK

The Bible makes it clear that work matters to God. No matter what your profession or
occupation, whether you’re a parent, a bus driver, an artist or an engineer. God cares about your
work.

Here are ten key points about work drawn from the Bible. They provide a practical foundation
for Christians in relation to what the Bible says about how we should approach our work.

Work is part of God’s big picture. 

God created all things and He has revealed that, in His sovereignty, He is progressing created
order through a process of Creation, Fall and Redemption. God’s created order started with the
perfect garden (Garden of Eden) and will be consummated in the perfect city (New Jerusalem). 

read the following scriptures:

 Genesis 1
  Revelation 21:1-22:5 

Our actual work matters to God, now and eternally.

God has chosen to create men and women in His image to, among other things, work and tend
this created order for His glory and for the betterment of humankind.  In ways we can’t fully
understand, the good work we do now, done with and for Him, will survive into the New
Jerusalem. Work itself has intrinsic value.

Read these passages:

 Genesis 1:27
 Genesis 2:5 & 2:15
 Revelation 21:24-27

God provides us with unique skills, gifts and talents, and calls us to particular roles and
activities. 

Although the roles might have apparent differences in importance, our callings are equal. They
are a spiritual calling. There are no second-class callings from God.  We will be worthy of this
calling if we are devoted in our relationship with Him and look to Him only for leadership and
strength.

Explore this idea further by reading the following Bible verses:

 Exodus 31:1-5
 Romans 12:6-8

Quality and character for our work. 

We are responsible not only for the quality of our work, but also for our faithfulness to God in
the way we pursue that work, and for our own good character while working. We will be judged
and rewarded accordingly. However, God is ultimately responsible for the outcome and impact
of our work.
Study much more in the following Bible passages:

 Matthew 25:21
 Colossians 3:23-24

Our work is yoked with Christ. 

We should work as if yoked to Jesus Christ. The “foundation of His throne is Righteousness and
Justice, with Love and Faithfulness going before Him.” Our work, and the decisions we make,
should be based on these principles: aligned with God’s moral standards, always concerned with
the fair treatment of others and with a clear expression of Christ’s love for all people.

Explore this idea by reading the following Bible verses:

 2 Corinthians 6:14-15
 Matthew 11:29-30

Our work should be centered on service to others. 

From the products and services, we provide, to providing fair financial rewards, and providing
opportunities for others to exercise their gifts and talents. Our work is an opportunity to seek the
peace and well-being of our organizations, cities, and nations. Humility and gratitude should be
the hallmark of our character. We should always acknowledge God in our work and consider that
being an ambassador for Him is a weighty, but honored, responsibility.

Study further by reading the following passages:

 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
 Mark 12:31

A rhythm of work and rest is essential to life. 

God invites us into a deliberate pattern of regular rest. These periods of rest are intended to be
restorative and are also opportunities to intentionally take time to consider Christ and our
relationship with Him.
To explore further, read the following Bible passages:

 Exodus 20:8-11
 John 15:4

The use of wealth and our investments should be directed by God.

We should allow God to direct the use of all that He has provided through our work for the
betterment of others and the furthering of His kingdom. These provisions include our gifts, time,
financial capability and influence.

Explore further by reading the following verses:

 1 Corinthians 4:7
 1 Timothy 6:17-19 

God’s work multiplies through relationships and through the local Church:

We need to be in relationship with other followers of Christ to provide support and

accountability. We should look for mentors and look to mentor others. We should commit to our
local church body and help to bring the world of work into the church and the church into the
world of work. 

Explore this idea further by reading the following Bible passages:

 1 Timothy 3:15
 1 Corinthians 12:27

Work is a gift from God. 

We should always acknowledge that work is a gift from God, as is our ability to be happy in it.
Alternatively, labor and achievement that spring from our envy of others is meaningless and will
never bring contentment and joy.  We look forward to the day when we will work together in
perfect harmony in the presence of God in the New Jerusalem.
Read more in the following passages:

 Ecclesiastes 5:19
 Ecclesiastes 4:4

LESSON 28

LIFE ISSUES- Time management

Time Management Tips

Time is limited. This is the very truth. To manage time matters to everyone.

God is a time keeper and He is faithful to His right time of doing things. At His right time, He
does all things and He does them beautifully (Ecclessiastes. 3:11). Be very careful then how you
live, not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lords will is. (Eph. 5:15-17).
The more you manage your time well, the more you manage to complete all your work well.

For better time management say no to anything that destructs your attention.

Calls, messages, social media, games or too much playing all of it is really annoying when you
have something important to do. It destructs us from our working process during the day and
slows down our being effective.

To avoid that, close everything, ignore anything that can interrupt you, and focus on your real
work. That will help you to manage time well. No worries if you fail once, do this several times a
day. Sooner or later you get used to it and it becomes a habit.

Put the clock in front of you to manage your time efficiently

Yes, and keep it always there. Imagine you are to revise for one hour. To avoid the mistake of
revising for 40 minutes and you think is one hour is solved by keeping the clock in front of you.

Do not accumulate small tasks to be done.

Always complete your tasks as they come. Do not allow yourself to be tempted to keep
accumulating them. Have you ever experienced this? Smaller tasks mainly are put aside and one
day there appears to be too many of them to be done. Then you fail to do any of them. Don’t
ignore small duties.

Write  a list of work programs you have and plan every day
Indeed, this is extremely effective. Put down your daily doing and whereabouts in your notebook
and keep an eye on that list. mark each item after it is done. At the end of the day, the picture of
your daily plan will make you happy and encouraged.

Tackle the most difficult task first

Distractions happen to all of us, whether it’s a social media, or games or watching movies or
going out to friends. This will waste your time and the next thing you know; the day is gone.

Begin with the difficult part of work, only move on to other things once you’ve have finished
with the difficult one.
Learn when to say no

We have only so much energy in a day, and it wanes with the hours. To avoid half-baked work,
know your limits and be willing to say no. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Focus on
what you’re good at and, if possible, separate what can be done better and faster by other people.
And call them to do what you cannot do better than them.

Conclusion
Don’t be afraid of undertaking any kind of work. Just keep in mind: accomplishing even the
hardest one is a matter of time, and if you succeed, it means you are doing it right.
LESSON 32
THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Bible Story of the Good Samaritan

Who was the good Samaritan?

Jesus tells the parable, or story, of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 of the New Testament. In that
Bible chapter, he says, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was
attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half
dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed
by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the
other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he
took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he
put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.”

The Good Samaritan was the person who had mercy upon the man that was half-dead and robbed
on the side of the road. After a priest and Levite passed the down beaten man, showing him no
mercy or compassion, the Samaritan took care of him and saved his life.

Meaning of the Good Samaritan Parable

The meaning of the Good Samaritan parable from Jesus is very simple: “Love your neighbor as
yourself.” Before telling the story of the Samaritan, Jesus is asked what is the greatest
commandment of all. He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your
neighbor as yourself.”
The parable of the Good Samaritan is a story to illustrate how we “love our neighbors as
ourselves.” When other people need our help the most, like the man on the road, is when our
love for neighbor is truly tested. Jesus tells us to be like the Good Samaritan, helping others in
times of need, and not the Priest and Levite who ignored their neighbor.

Love your neighbor as yourself in scripture

Mark 12:28-34 “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that
Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the
most important?” “The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord
our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and
with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbor as
yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.” Well said, teacher, the man replied.
“You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your
heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as
yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had
answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God. And from then on
no one dared ask him any more questions.”

1 John 4:7 -“Beloved, let us  love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been
born of God and knows God.”

Leviticus 19:18 -“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own
people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 16:14 -“Let all that you do be done in love.”

This teaching fully applies to us today, let’s be good Samaritans, let’s love and help people.

LESSON 34
GOD WILLING AND ABLE TO DELIVER
PAUL AND SILAS
Introduction
Paul and Silas in Jail (Acts 16:11-40)
Lesson: Paul and Silas praise God in prison
Lesson focus: This lesson provides meaningful inspiration for finding joy in any situation. It
also reminds students that God is always with us and cares for us. There might be times that feel
hopeless or sad. Being a Christian doesn’t mean slapping a smile on constantly, but we can find
peace in the Lord’s presence. Anything is possible with God in control! The lesson also reminds
us of the importance of seizing any and every opportunity to share the Gospel with others. 
Learning Goal: Children will learn that the Holy Spirit enables believers to praise God during
times of difficulty.

This lesson is in the book of Acts as Paul and Silas continue on their missionary journey into
Macedonia. This lesson encourages believers that the Holy Spirit enables them to praise God
during difficult times. The lesson is only a guide to help a teacher prepare to teach his/her class.
It is meant to be a springboard for ideas to help you teach the truth to your class.

Memory Verse: Psalm 44:7 “But You give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries
to shame.”

When Paul was in Troas God gave him a vision. (A man from Macedonia begged Paul to come
and help the people there) As soon as Paul received this vision from God he immediately made
plans to travel to Macedonia. Paul and his friends Silas, Timothy and Luke got on a boat in Troas
and went to Samothrace and then to Neapolis.  Paul and his missionary team arrived in
Macedonia and stayed several days in a place called Philippi.
Whenever he entered a new city Paul usually went to the local synagogue as a place to begin
sharing the exciting news about Jesus.  Philippi did not have a synagogue because there weren’t
very many Jewish people living there.   Jewish law said it took at least 10 Jewish men to start a
synagogue.
Since there wasn’t a synagogue in Philippi, Paul knew that the Jewish people that did live there
would meet for prayer by the water for washing ceremonies that were a part of the Jewish prayer
service.
On the Sabbath day Paul and his missionary team went down to the riverside to have a time of
prayer.  When they arrived, there were some women who had come to pray.  Paul and his friends
sat down and began to talk to them about Jesus.
In the group of women that were meeting for prayer at the river was a woman named Lydia.  She
was a woman who sold purple cloth. (Show the class a piece of purple cloth) She loved God and
worshiped Him.  She had never heard the Good News about Jesus.  As Paul was teaching them
about what Jesus had done for them, the Lord opened Lydia’s heart to listen to Paul’s words. 
She paid close attention to Paul as he told how Jesus died for the sins of everyone in the world
and that He came back to life again.  No one but God had the power to bring anyone back to life. 
Now she had to decide whether or not she believed that Jesus is the one true God who has power
over death and life.  The Holy Spirit helped Lydia understand that Paul’s message about Jesus
was true.  Jesus had died to pay for her sin so that she could be forgiven and live forever with
God.
Lydia believed in the Lord Jesus and was baptized.  After Lydia was baptized to show that her
sins were forgiven and that she was now a member of God’s family, she wanted to help Paul and
his friends.  She knew they needed a place to sleep and food to eat.  Paul and his friends were
glad for Lydia’s willingness to share her home with them.

Paul and his missionary team stayed in Philippi for a while.  One day as they walked to the place
by the river to meet for prayer, a slave girl started to follow them.  As the team walked along,
what are some thoughts they may have had as this girl followed them? Perhaps this young lady
wanted to hear about Jesus, and so God put her in their path so they could share the Good News
with her. As they walked to the river the girl began to shout, “These men are servants of the
Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She followed Paul and Silas around
for many days.
This slave girl was not a believer and did not have the Holy Spirit living inside her heart.  She
had an evil spirit living inside her.  The evil spirit enabled this slave girl to predict the future. 
Her owners made a lot of money from this slave girl because many people paid them to have her
tell them their future.

Knowing this about the slave girl, was there anything wrong with the message she was giving? 
No The Holy Spirit gives insight into situations that seem to be normal. Read Acts 16:18.  The
Holy Spirit enabled Paul to realize that it was time to put a stop to what the slave girl was doing.
Try to imagine what it would be like to be in Philippi sharing the Good News with others.  A
person who is known as the town’s fortune teller is following you around as a shouting billboard
telling others that you are servants of the Most High God.  Was the shouting causing people to
want to listen to the message Paul had to share or was the shouting causing people to focus on
the fortune teller?  We don’t know exactly what was taking place we can only tell from the
Scripture that the Holy Spirit enabled Paul to see that this girl wasn’t a messenger from the Most
High God but was a servant of Satan.  The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to command the evil
spirit controlling the slave girl to leave and in Jesus’ Name the evil spirit obeyed and left the
girl.  The Holy Spirit enabled Paul to stop this slave girl from being used by the evil spirit to
distract others from coming to Jesus and being saved.

The slave girl had been set free and was no longer controlled by this evil spirit.  This was a good
thing but her owners were not very happy with what Paul did.  Her owners made lots of money
from this slave girl.  Now that she was not able to be a fortune teller they weren’t going to be
able to make money.  This made them very angry with Paul and Silas.

Enraged they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place and brought them
before the rulers of the city.  They told the authorities, “These men are causing trouble for our
city because they are Jews, and are telling others about things which we Romans are not able to
accept or follow.”

The leaders tore off Paul and Silas’ robes and commanded that they be beaten.  The crowd joined
in the attack against them and beat them with rods.  They hit them with these rods many times
and then threw them into prison.

The leaders commanded the man in charge of the prison to make sure that they were secure and
could not get out.  When the jailer received the leaders’ orders he took Paul and Silas far back
into an inner prison that had no outside walls and put their feet into blocks of wood called
stocks.  (Show picture of what stocks look like) These stocks were two pieces of wood that
would clamp down over the prisoner’s legs at the ankles.  This type of imprisonment was meant
for the most dangerous prisoners.  Paul and Silas had not done anything wrong to be treated this
way.  They were not a danger to anyone except Satan’s kingdom of darkness.  If they were free
to share the Good News people would be rescued from sin and saved to spend eternity with
Jesus.
Paul and Silas had open sores and blood on their bodies as they sat in their prison cell.  If you
were Paul and Silas what do you think you would do as you lay there in the dark, cold cell?  They
could have cried and said they wanted to go home.  The work was too hard and they couldn’t
take being punished as a criminal for obeying Jesus.  They could have been angry and shouted
how unfair their treatment was.  How could God allow such treatment to happen to His servants?
As humans we have many natural responses to difficulties.  We don’t always react the way Jesus
would in difficult situations.  As believers we have power to respond in a very supernatural way
that is so different than what most people act like when they are facing difficulties.  Believers
have the power from the Holy Spirit to respond with faith and courage.
Paul and Silas will show us how the Holy Spirit enables believers to respond in a very difficult
situation. Read verse 25.

Let’s think of some songs we sing to praise God.  What are some songs that Paul and Silas may
have sung, like the ones we sing today? e.g  (Call upon the name of the Lord and he saves, what
a mighty God we serve, To God be the glory, Our God is an Awesome God He rains, etc)
Because both men were filled with the Holy Spirit they chose not to focus on their unfair
treatment but focused on God’s character.  They knew that God was powerful.  They knew that
their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had suffered far more than they had when He was crucified on
the cross.  Because they chose to worship and praise God in their difficulties it caused the other
prisoners to listen to them as they prayed and sang.  The Holy Spirit enabled Paul and Silas to be
a witness for Jesus to these prisoners.
While the prisoners who were in prison for actually committing a crime were listening to the
prayers and praises of Paul and Silas, they felt the ground begin to shake.  They didn’t have
trains that rumbled by the prison there in Philippi so it must have been a little strange for them to
feel the earth begin to tremble.  The tremble turned into a great earthquake and the whole prison
began to shake.  All the doors were opened and the chains fell off each and every prisoner.
The jailer had fallen asleep but the shaking ground and noises of opening doors must have
awakened him.  As he rubbed his eyes and looked and saw every door opened, fear struck his
heart.  His job was to make sure the prisoners were securely locked into prison.  If one prisoner
escaped he would be killed.  When he saw the doors open he knew his life was over so he drew
his sword and was ready to take his own life when Paul cried out with a loud voice, “Do not
harm yourself, we are all here.”

The jailer asked for a torch so that he could see and when he ran into Paul and Silas’ prison and
saw that they were still there, he trembled and fell down before them.  He brought them out and
said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

God’s power had brought a mighty earthquake to shake this Philippian prison.  The Holy Spirit
caused this jailer to see and recognize that he needed to be saved.  The Holy Spirit enabled Paul
and Silas to know how to answer this man.  They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will
be saved, you and your household.” Paul and Silas spoke God’s words to this jailer and all that
lived in his house.

The jailer believed in Jesus. This same jailer who had been rough with Paul and Silas earlier by
throwing them into jail and locking their feet in stocks now wanted to do something kind for
these men who had shared the Good News.  He washed their wounds from where they had been
beaten with rods.  God’s power saved this man and changed his life.  Now he wanted to be
baptized.
This was an exciting night. Not only did the jailer get saved, but everyone in his family did too. 
They were all baptized and went back to his house and had a meal and they all rejoiced that God
had brought them the Good News through Paul and Silas.

The next day when the leaders had learned that Paul and Silas were Romans. They had made a
big mistake by having Paul and Silas wrongly beaten and thrown into prison.  No Roman citizen
was ever to be punished like that.  If Paul and Silas had been treated as a Roman citizen they
would have not been put in prison.  Even though they were wrongly treated, they chose to trust
God.  God used their difficulties to save the Philippian jailer and his family.

The leaders begged Paul and Silas to leave the city because they didn’t want any more trouble.
Before they left Philippi they stopped at Lydia’s house and spent some time with them.  Lydia
and the other believers with her encouraged Paul and Silas and then they left to head off for the
next great adventure that God was going to send them on to share the Good News
Today some of you may be like Paul and Silas and you are believers.  Do you share the Good
News with others knowing that the Holy Spirit will enable you to do so?  If you face difficulty
you can trust that the Holy Spirit will give you the ability to stay focused on God and not
complain.  Maybe you are like the Philippian jailer.  Do you know what you must do to be
saved?  Today you can have your sins forgiven and have eternal life.  In order to be saved you
must believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, was buried and rose again on the third
day.  For more information on salvation talk to your teacher. Close in prayer.

Could you check through your class with this questions?

Review Questions:

1. What city did Paul and his friends go to first in Macedonia? (Philippi)

2. Why did Philippi not have a synagogue? (Not enough Jews lived there)

3. Who did Paul and his friends find at the river? (Women)

4. Who opened Lydia’s heart to listen to the words Paul was teaching? (The Lord)

5. Who is God leading you to share the Good News/Gospel of Christ with?

6. Who was following Paul when he was sharing the Good News in Philippi? (A slave girl that
could predict the future)

7. Why did the slave girl’s masters get angry? (They couldn’t make money from the slave girl
anymore)

8. How was Paul and Silas treated by the crowd? (They were beaten)

9. What did Paul and Silas do in prison? (They prayed and praised God)

10. How did God’s power change the jailer’s heart? (He believed in Jesus)

LESSON 35

……………………
LESSON 36

……………………..

LESSON 37

………………………..

LESSON 38

…………………….

LESSON 39

CREATION

Everything was created by God. The term creation means to make something out of nothing.

It was an easy thing for God to create all things. He did it simply by speaking. The Bible tells us,
He spoke and it was done. So in the book of Genesis; the book of the beginnings of things, we
keep reading: “And God said, Let there be… and it was so.” God created everything in six days.

Day

1. Light
2. Air and clouds
3. Dry land and things that grow
4. Sun, moon and stars.
5. Sea creatures and birds
6. Land animals and man.

It happened immediately when God commanded. And there were no mistakes. There was no
need to have a number of tries, everything was perfect.

The seventh day God rested. That is why He gave the Sabbath a day. One day in seven. As a day
of rest in which we cease from work and play.

Why do we now keep Sunday instead of Saturday?

Because it is the day Jesus rose from the dead, and in the days of the apostles, the day was
changed from the seventh to the first. The important thing from the beginning was one day in
seven. A day of worship.

As most people know, some people believe that God did not create the world. They think it just
happened. That man too was not created but came from or evolved from animals. This is known
as evolution.

The Bible clearly tells us that God created Adam from the dust of the ground, and Eve from
Adams side. We cannot, of course, in a little book like in this study try to answer all the attacks
on the Bible account of creation, but we just mention a few things:

1. Evolution is just a theory; it has never been proved. Many famous scientists are and have
been Christians and believe fully in the Bible account of creation.
2. The Bible is not a science book, and we agree that a lot more could be said. But there is
no mistake. There is nothing contrary to true science. A true scientist’s work is to
observe, to write about what has been observed, and to make deductions from that. It is
the place of the historian to write what has taken place. No scientist was there to observe
creation. But God was.
3. We do not see evolution taking place now. Better quality horses may be bred, but we
don’t see a horse changing into a cow, of a pig into a sheep. All people from different
ages, in different countries have able to understand the beautiful account of creation.
Even little children can understand it. How great God is, how beautiful the world He has
made and How kind a creator.

How wonderful that we can speak to this creator in prayer. This great God loves His people.

“When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast
ordained; what is man…?”and man knows, this great God is my savior and my friend.

LESSON 40

PICTURE PAINTING.

Teacher, read through these and organize the fitting lesson for your class
Provide the class with pictures of the creation, from day one to day six. In one sheet of paper for
each child. Then have one child read through the story of creation found in Genesis chapter 1:1-
31

For each day God created creatures, show them the creatures drawn in the sheet of papers each
one of them has in front of them. Take a little time to provide insight into the scriptures read in
the lesson.

The goal

The goal should be for the disciple to know concretely that everything that exists on earth was
created by God. Including Lucifer who later became Satan. And He created all of them good and
beautifully. Heaven and earth was created by God and the purpose was for His glory, Humanity
are created to worship God alone.

Finally allow the class to paint the pictures, each day’s creation to the six day. Allow them have
their own initiative of the colors they think are fit for any pictures of the creation.

LESSON 42

PROVIDENCE

Definition of Providence.

Providence is God ordering everything that ever happens, yet without in any way being
responsible for sin.

What God planned in eternity (His purpose) He actually does in time (His providence).

In relation to providence, there is nothing ever in the world that happens as chance, or luck or
fortune. The Bible, rather, tells us of God’s providence. Paul says, “The things which happened
unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel” (Phil. 1:12). They did not just
happen. They fell out of God’s providence; they fell out as He had planned.

Providence touches even the smallest detail in the lives of men, and in all creation. The best little
sermon on God’s providence is that of the Lord Jesus: “Are not two sparrows sold for a
farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father. But the very hairs of
your head are all numbered” (Mathew 10:29-30).
Not a sparrow can fall to the ground without God ordering it. And the point is how me count
sparrows worthless to be. Two sparrows for a penny. If you lose a penny, you go and tell your
close relative or loved one. But you have never told anybody when you lose one of your hair.
Well probably you may not even notice when one of your hair falls off, yet God knows how
many you have on your head and knows when you lose even that one string of hair.

For God’s people His providence always works for good. “And we know that all things work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose”
(Romans 8:28).

LESSON 46

THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION VS FOREKNOWLEDGE

There are two doctrines disputed among Biblical scholars of how God’s for salvation is able or is
seen saving one soul and another soul is seen living and dying in sin. Thus Biblically such a soul
goes to hell.

Being saved through God’s election

This concept states that, Before God made the world, He knew that men would sin and so
deserve His punishment. But in love God chose certain persons out of the human race and
decreed that they would be saved from sin, and at last go to heaven.

However, the foreknowledge doctrine concept disputes that.

God’s choice of people by Election

We see this worked out right through the Bible. There were many people living in Ur; but God
spoke to one man, Abraham. Abraham had two sons; Isaac and Ishmael; but Isaac was chosen.
Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau; but Jacob was chosen. It has always been so.

People usually say, but this is unfair! The way the Bible reveals it is rather this: if God had
willed, He might have chosen non, He might have punished all. None, of themselves, would
chose God. Election does not shut any out: their sin has done that; election shuts millions in.
The Bible always speaks of election as an election of grace, the wonderful grace of the almighty
God in choosing sinners that they might at last go to heaven. Grace is God’s free favor in the
face of active demerit.

How may you know if you are an elect?

God in His word always joins together election and calling. “all that the Father giveth me”
(election), says Jesus, “shall come to me” (calling) (John 6:37). Those that God chose in eternity
He calls in time. One by one they are brought to feel their need of the Lord Jesus, and come to
Him for salvation.

Each needy sinner is invited and welcome. “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.”

So the command is: “Give diligence to make your calling and election sure” (2Peter 1:10). If
called, then you are chosen (elect).

MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS

CHOSEN OF GOD

Mary is special in the way that she is the mother of Jesus. But the Bible does not honour her
more greatly than other chosen servants of God.

Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary (Luke 1:26-27).

Mary is called highly favoured of God (Luke 1:28)

There are several Mary’s in the Bible. It is Mary, the sister of Lazarus and of Martha, whom
Jesus honours by saying “…wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she
has done will also be told, in memory of her” … (Math. 26:13; Mark14:9).

VIRGINITY

Virgin at the time of the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:27; Mathew 1:23).

- Joseph had no union with Mary before Jesus’ birth. (Mathew 1:25)
- Joseph had union with Mary after Jesus’ birth. (Mathew 1:25)
Mary and Joseph had many children.

- Sons; James, Joseph, Simon and Judas (Mathew 13:55)

- James the Lords brother (Gal. 1:19).
- Jesus’ mother and brothers (Mathew 12:46-47; Mark 3:31-32)
- Jesus’ mother and brother and sisters (Mathew 13:55-56)
- Jesus’ mother and brothers and disciples (John 2:12)
- Jesus’ brothers didn’t believe him (John 7:5)
- After resurrection his brothers believed (1Cor. 9:5)

JESUS’ RELATIONSHIP WITH MARY, HIS MOTHER.

- Obedient to Mary and Joseph as a child (Luke 2:51).

- Calls her woman (John 2:4; 19:26)
- Puts her into his best friend’s care (John 19:26)

MARY’S RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS

- She followed Jesus (Mathew 27:55-56)

- For clear identification see (Mathew 13:55)
- She waits with the disciples for the Holy Spirit. (Acts 1:14)

CHARACTER OF MARY

Submissive to God and His will for her (Luke 1:38)

Believed the word of God-(faith). (Luke 1:46-55)

Pure virgin before Jesus’ birth. (Luke 1:27)

A worshiper of God. (Luke 1:46)

CONCLUSIONS ABOUT MARY

Mary was a wonderful, virtuous, obedient woman who loved God and should be respected and
appreciated. She was chosen by God for the most honourable duty of giving birth to Jesus, who
according to the flesh comes from Mary and according to the spirit, He comes from God. It is not
correct to call Mary the mother of God. It is proper to call her the mother of the man, Jesus.
Mary followed and obeyed Jesus, the same as all the other believers. (John 2:5)
Mary waited for the promise of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, along with the other believers (Acts 1:14)

No further mention is made of Mary the mother of Jesus after Pentecost.

The wise men worshiped Jesus, they did not worship Mary (Mathew 2:11). We are told that all
we do in word and deed, should be done in the name of Jesus. (Col.3:17; Mark 9:39; Luke 2:21;
John 10:25, 20:31; Acts 2:38, 3:6, 4:10; etc).

There are no Bible verses which tell us to worship Mary, to pray to Mary, or to ask her to
intercede for us or to do anything in Mary’s name.

LESSON 19

THE LORDS SUPPER OR LAST SUPPER

This was the last time Jesus broke bread with his disciples before he was crucified. This
fellowship is called Holy Communion. Christians today are always asked to continue conducting
this fellowship together in Churches and in homes in memory of Jesus until He comes again.

What is done?
Originally Holy communion was conducted as part of the Passover feast (Mathew. 26:17-30)
In the New Testament, the Corinthian Church kept it as part of a meal (1Cor. 11:17-34)
While Paul practiced it as part of a Sunday service or meeting (Acts 20:7, 11)
The bread represents the body of Christ (1Cor. 11:24)
The wine represents the blood of Christ (1Cor. 11:25)
We wait upon each other and partake together (1Cor. 11:20-21)
Who is to partake of the Lords supper
It is meant for believers, not unbelievers (1Cor. 10:21)
Self-examination is required (1Cor. 11:28)
Unbelievers who partake of the Lords table and idols food will be judged by God. (1Cor. 10:18-
22; 11:27-32)
Symbolic meanings of the Lords supper.
Communion is a type of a heavenly wedding feast. (Revelation 19:9)
It is proclaiming his victory at the cross and proclaiming his victory at his return (1Cor. 11:26).
Jesus spoke symbolically before the Lord’s supper. He said, I am the vine you are the branches.
(John 15:5). I am the bread of life (John 6:48).
Now he says, “this bread (the bread in Holy communion) represents my body” (Mark 14:22).
And “this wine (the wine in Holy communion) represents my blood” (Mark 14:24).
Pease NOTE: Some people make serious error when they say that the bread and wine are the
real body and blood of Jesus. They say communion is the re-sacrificing of Jesus again. This is a
serious error, it is not true.
Crucifying Jesus again is seen as having fallen away from the faith completely. (Heb. 6:6). Just
like the wicked Romans and Jews who crucified Jesus. Wicked hands crucified our Lord (Acts
2:23). Crucifixion was a betrayal (Mathew 26:2).

Jesus was sacrificed once, forever, for all (Heb. 9:26; 10:10,12). There is no more sacrifice for
sins. (Heb. 10:26).

Bread and wine are not the real body and blood of Jesus Christ, they represent, they typify
the reality.
 Jesus and the bread and wine are together. (Mathew 26:17-30)
 He is not giving his body but symbols of it.
 Jesus says he will eat of it again in the kingdom of God. (Luke 22:16).
 He cannot therefore mean; he will eat himself.
 Resurrected Jesus broke real bread, not his body (Luke 24:30)
 This indeed indicates that it is not literally his body and blood.

Finally, Jesus promises to be with us always, not bread and wine (Mathew 28:20; Mathew 18:20
and Jesus claims to be in us, not bread and wine (John 15:4-7). Bread and wine are symbols.

LESSON 26

LIFE ISSUES- WHY GOD ALLOWS SUFFERING

Human experience is vast and varied, but few things exist as a universal experience like
suffering. The pains and problems vary from person to person, but we all suffer. This fact
leads to the common question: why does God allow suffering? Given this constant part of
life, the wise person should seek to understand pains and how to react to suffering when it
arrives.
One of the most common responses is bitterness. A deep resentment for the pain we all go
through. While suffering can undoubtedly sow the seeds of bitterness and resentment, that is
not how Christians should respond to it. Instead, we are called to see suffering as a part of
life meant to dissatisfy us with the present fallen world and to instill in us a longing for
eternity. Let’s consider the three main aspects of suffering:

Suffering as a Consequence of Sin

The first truth about suffering is the recognition that it is strange to God’s plan of life. But to
the Christian worldview, it is vital. Suffering is a product of the fall, a consequence of human
sin against God (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21).

Suffering is in our lives because we are living in a broken world. Some suffering is due to
our sinful and wrong choices, but some is due simply to the world being fallen. This aspect
of suffering should drive us to long for a better world, a world redeemed and freed from sin,
a world that God will one day come again to establish (Romans 8:19-23).

Suffering as a tool of Sanctification

Nothing is so broken as to be unusable by God. Although suffering is alien to His goal for
humanity, God uses it now as part of our development as people. Nothing forces a person to
confront their true self like suffering. Suffering causes our focus to turn inward, to face those
parts of ourselves we might otherwise ignore. God can use suffering then to develop us into
better people: the people who can love and enjoy Him forever (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4).

Suffering as a test of faith

Finally, suffering is the crucible by which we find our center and demonstrate the truth of our
faith to the world. In times of intense pain or turmoil, we cling to what we have placed our
hope in. In this way, suffering reveals whether our faith is a mere childish hope or a factual
reality.

Here we see suffering as a call to live out a better and more faithful witness to the world.
Like the prophet Habakkuk, suffering calls us to declare to those around us, “yet I will
rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:18).
As we develop an understanding of how to approach suffering, we must be clear that
suffering never becomes good. Suffering remains evil. What must be understood though, is
that suffering can be redeemed; it can be made purposeful. When we are burdened beyond
our strength, we must not become bitter but instead allow our faith to make us better. For the
Christian, we must see suffering as a trifold call to long for a better world, to seek to become
a better person and to live out a better witness.

LESSON 27

LIFE ISSUES –

A. WORK

When we go all the way back to Genesis, we can see that God worked when He created the
world. Therefore, when we work, we resemble Him. In addition, work is not God's way of
punishing us. In fact, He blesses us with the ability to work so that we can honor Him.

The biblical theology of work is that work was designed by God as man’s earthly occupation. It
is the means by which we sustain life and make living carry meaning and enjoyable.

The Bible makes it clear that work matters to God. No matter what your profession or
occupation. Whether you’re a parent, a bus driver, an artist or an engineer. God cares about your
work.

Here are ten key points about work drawn from the Bible. They provide a practical foundation
for Christians in relation to what the Bible says about how we should approach our work.

Work is part of God’s big picture. 

God created all things and He has revealed that, in His sovereignty, He is progressing created
order through a process of Creation, Fall and Redemption. God’s created order started with the
perfect garden (Garden of Eden) and will be consummated in the perfect city (New Jerusalem). 

Study further more by reading the following scriptures:

  Genesis 1 

Our actual work matters to God, now and eternally.

God has chosen to create men and women in His image to, among other things, work and tend
this created order for His glory and for the betterment of humankind.  In ways we can’t fully
understand, the good work we do now, done with and for Him, will survive into the New
Jerusalem. Work itself has intrinsic value.

Read these passages:

 Genesis 1:27
 Ephesians 2:10

God provides us with unique skills, gifts and talents, and calls us to particular roles and
activities. 

Although the roles might have apparent differences in importance, our callings are equal. They
are a spiritual calling. There are no second-class callings from God.  We will be worthy of this
calling if we are devoted in our relationship with Him and look to Him only for leadership and
strength.

Explore this idea further by reading the following Bible verses:

 Exodus 31:1-5
 Romans 12:6-8

Quality, character, and ethics are foundational for our work. 

We are responsible not only for the quality of our work, but also for our faithfulness to God in
the way we pursue that work, and for our own good character while working. We will be judged
and rewarded accordingly. However, God is ultimately responsible for the outcome and impact
of our work.

Study much more in the following Bible passages:

  Matthew 25:21

Our work is yoked with Christ. 

We should work as if yoked to Jesus Christ. The “foundation of His throne is Righteousness and
Justice, with Love and Faithfulness going before Him.” Our work, and the decisions we make,
should be based on these principles: aligned with God’s moral standards, always concerned with
the fair treatment of others and with a clear expression of Christ’s love for all people.

Explore this idea by reading the following Bible verses:

 2 Corinthians 6:14-15
 Matthew 11:29-30
 Psalm 89:14

Our work should be centered on service to others. 

From the products and services, we provide, to providing fair financial rewards, and providing
opportunities for others to exercise their gifts and talents. Our work is an opportunity to seek the
peace and well-being of our organizations, cities, and nations. Humility and gratitude should be
the hallmark of our character. We should always acknowledge God in our work and consider that
being an ambassador for Him is a weighty, but honored, responsibility.

Study further by reading the following passages:

 2 Corinthians 5:16-21
 Mark 12:31
 Matthew 7:12
 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12

A rhythm of work and rest is essential to life. 

God invites us into a deliberate pattern of regular rest. These periods of rest are intended to be
restorative and are also opportunities to intentionally take time to consider Christ and our
relationship with Him.

To explore further, read the following Bible passages:

 Exodus 20:8-11
 John 15:4

The use of wealth and our investments should be directed by God.

We should allow God to direct the use of all that He has provided through our work for the
betterment of others and the furthering of His kingdom. These provisions include our gifts, time,
financial capability and influence.

Explore further by reading the following verses:

 1 Corinthians 4:7
 1 Timothy 6:17-19 

God’s work multiplies through relationships and through the local Church:

We need to be in relationship with other followers of Christ to provide support and

accountability. We should look for mentors and look to mentor others. We should commit to our
local church body and help to bring the world of work into the church and the church into the
world of work. 

Explore this idea further by reading the following Bible passages:

 1 Timothy 3:15
 1 Corinthians 12:27

Work is a gift from God. 

We should always acknowledge that work is a gift from God, as is our ability to be happy in it.
Alternatively, labor and achievement that spring from our envy of others is meaningless and will
never bring contentment and joy.  We look forward to the day when we will work together in
perfect harmony in the presence of God in the New Jerusalem.

Read more in the following passages:

 Ecclesiastes 5:19
 Ecclesiastes 4:4

LESSON 31

REPENTANCE AND RECONCILIATION

Repentance begins from one having a remorse feeling of the sin committed and willing to turn
away from that sin. Thus seeking to be forgiven. In such a process, the one who has committed
the offense, seeks to be accepted by the one he/she has offended, thus reconciling. Reconciliation
therefore is when the offender is re-accepted by the one offended and does not hold the offender
in any guilt.

Repentance is the first step we take to receive the salvation that God offers to us in the Lord
Jesus Christ.

Let us take an illustration of the prodigal son. Read Luke 15:11-32.

Recognizing your sin and that you are a sinner.

Recognize your sin and that you are a sinner, like the prodigal son. He realized he had taken a
wrong choice to move out of his father’s home, where he had security (peace), abundance of
provision, joy and godly fellowship.

After a short while in the foreign nation where he went, he realizes he had transgressed, (made a
mistake and taken a wrong direction in life-premature choice).

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my
transgressions to the Lord and you forgave the guilt of my sin.” (Psalms 32:5)

Being sorry to God for your sin.

True repentance is a sorrow not just toward one’s self, or toward another person, but first and
foremost it is true sorrow toward God. The prodigal son said, “Father, I have sinned against
heaven and against you” (Luke 15:21).

True repentance does not come out of friendly influence, it comes from the inner conviction that
saturates through one’s conscience, convincing and satisfactorate to the spirit part of the person.
The mind and heart being convicted is the soul. The true you is your soul, and it is your soul that
gets reconciled to God.

Willingness to turn away from your sin

The prodigal son said, “I will set out and go back to my father and say to him…” (Luke 15:18).

The son was willing, this is a sign of consciousness and premeditation of the act before. Its
taking responsibility of the sins committed, without pointing fingers like Adam and Eve did after
they committed sin. No one between them was willing to take responsibility of their sin. This is
not how to repent or be reconciled to God. Nobody is responsible for your sins. Not even Satan
and his demons, as much they contributed towards tempting you. But the Bible also says, every
one is tempted through his own lusts or weaknesses. This means you are still responsible of your
sin or sins.

So be willing to turn away completely from your sins. It is a conscious decision.

Do not love your sin, hate it.

Develop a true acknowledgement and understanding of your sin, and internally from your spirit,
reject and distance from it.

You will only be able to understand how horrible your condition is when you are able to see the
true ugliness of your sins.

The prodigal son, saw how low he had fallen. From a son of a capable father, to now being one
who keeps pigs in the sty. From eating wonderfully prepared food, to desiring to feed on the
same pods that pigs ate. He lacked capability to feed himself alone, he needed someone
passionate and kind to him to help him. That only could be his Father and no one else. He saw
his ugliness due to the ugly sin he had committed. This clear focus of sin made him hate his sin
and seek out for a complete turn to true living with true loving people and that was nowhere else
except turning back in a “U” turn again to the hands of his loving and caring father.

So in conclusion

 Repentance and reconciliation involves:

 Recognizing you are a sinner
 Turn from sin, yourself (carnality), and the world.
 Turn from evil and the devil
 In a “U” turn, go back to God through believing in Christ Jesus.
 Live a holy, god fearing life for the rest of your life span.

LESSON 44

CROWNS AND REWARDS

God’s approval of men –Called, Chosen and faithful.

This is sometimes what is called, God’s certificate of approval. It is one thing to be accepted of
God, it is another thing to be approved of God. The book of revelation speaks of the triumph of
the lamb of God. But we are told that the lamb has an army of disciples through whom he fights
his battles and overcomes. These disciples are;

 The called
 The chosen
 The faithful

“The Lamb is Lord of lords and kings, and those who are with him are called and chosen and
faithful” (Rev. 17:14).

Many are called, few are chosen, and fewer still are faithful. The faithful are the overcomers
spoken of ten times in the book of revelation. They are disciples of Jesus who have been tested
by him through many circumstances and who have been approved by him.

How to gain God’s approval

Not many who follow Jesus qualify for the inclusion in this inner circle. “When Jesus was in
Jerusalem… many believed in his name, beholding his signs which he was doing. But Jesus, on
his part, was not entrusting himself to them, for he knew all men” (John 2:23-24).

1. Pass God’s tests

When Gideon gathered an army to fight the enemies of Israel, he had 32.000 men with him. But
God knew that they were not all whole hearted. And so God whittled them down. The fearful
were sent home first. But 10.000 still remained. These were then taken to the river and tested.
Only 300 passed the test and were approved by God (Judge 7:1-8). The way those ten thousand
people drank water from the river to alleviate their thirst was the means God used to determine
who qualified to be in Gideon’s army. Little did they realize they were being tested. Nine
thousand seven hundred (9700) of them forgot all about the enemy while kneeling down to
satisfy their thirst. Only three hundred of them remained on their feet, alert, drinking the water
with cupped hands.

It is in the ordinary things of life, that God tests us. In our attitude toward money, pleasure,
earthly honour and comfort, etc. Like Gideon’s army, when God arranged circumstances come to
us, we do not realize that God is testing us, to see how we will respond.

2. Seek the good of others

Jesus knew that the vast majority of those who believed in him did so for selfish reasons. They
came to him only for personal blessings. Their sins had been forgiven but they did not desire to
be overcomers. To be an overcomer, one must long to be free from seeking one’s own good at
the expense of others.

3. Don’t be distracted by the world.

Jesus warned us not to be weighed down with the cares of this world. He said, “Be on guard,
that your hearts may not be weighed down with gluttony and drunkenness and the worries of life,
and that day come on you suddenly like a trap” (Luke 21:34).

Paul exhorted the Corinthian Christians, saying:

“From now on both those who have wives should be as though they had none; and those who
weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice;
And those who buy, as though they did possess, and those who use the world, as though they did
not make full use of it; for the form of this world is passing away… I say this to secure your
undistracted devotion to the Lord” (1Cor.7:29-35).

We must not allow anything of this world to distract us from total devotion to the Lord. We have
to forsake all and be willing to endure difficulties, if we are to be disciples of Jesus. (2Tim.2:3).

4. Set your mind on eternal things

Like a rubber band that is stretched, our mind can attend to things of earth that are necessary. But
once those things are attended to, like a rubber band springing back to its normal position when
released from its tension, our minds too should spring back to the things of the Lord and of
eternity.

This is what it means to have our mind “Set on things above and not on the things that are on
earth” (Col. 3:2).

Now to some people’s mind and generally with humanity, it happens that when their minds
spring back, instead of resting in the Lord, they return their mind to the things of this world.

5. We must be diligent

Paul exhorted Timothy, saying, “No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of
everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier” (2Tim.2:4). Paul was
not telling Timothy how to be saved, but how he could please Christ as an effective soldier in
God’s army.

Timothy had already been accepted by God. He now needed to be diligent to gain God’s
approval.

Paul himself had been placed in the Christian ministry by Christ because he had gained God’s
approval.

He says, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he considered me
faithful, putting me into service. (1Tim.1:12).
Paul was among the called, chosen and faithful, and he longed that Timothy should be in that
number too. But Paul had been tested before he was approved. We are being tested too. “Be
diligent to present yourself approved to God.” (2Tim. 2:15)

LESSON 45

CROWNS AND REWARDS

THE JUDGEMENT THRONE SEAT OF CHRIST.

“For we must all appear before the Judgement of Christ; that every one may receive the things
done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2Cor. 5:10)

The Greek word for judgement seat is bema which means raised platform it is Not a Judge’s
Bench,” where a stern jurist sits and decides what kind of punishment to give to each defendant.

The BEMA was more of like a raised platform, or reviewing stand, where the judges of a contest
or race decide which REWARDS to give to each contestant or runner.

Christ will seat at bema or reviewing stand. If after being born again (John 3:3), a life rich in
good works, Christ will reward us at His Judgement throne. At the judgement seat of Christ, we
will be rewarded, or our works will burn as hay and we may have little or no reward.

“Now if man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, every
man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by
fire; and fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work shall be burned, he
shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1Cor. 3:10-15). “If any man’s
work abide, he shall receive a reward.”

SALVATION VERSUS REWARDS FOR CHRISTIANS.

There is a vast difference between the doctrine of salvation for the lost and the doctrine of
rewards for the saved.

 Salvation is free
Salvation is the gift of God not works (Eph. 2:8-9) salvation is received by faith in what Jesus
did on the cross. “This is my blood…, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”
(Math. 26:28). “…Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” (1Cor. 15:3).

When I believe that the blood Jesus shed on the cross was the full payment for my sin, I have
everlasting life (John 3:36).

 Rewards are earned

Rewards are according to the works of the believer. (Math. 16:27).

The scripture verses from (1Cor. 3:8-15) give a most revealing insight into rewards.

Rewarded for labour. Every believer will be rewarded according to his own labour (v.8) we do
not labour for salvation.

God’s fellow workers. “We are God’s fellow workers” (v.9) not for salvation but for rewards.

Build on Christ. The believer is to build on the Lord Jesus Christ. The only foundation (v.11)

Choice of materials. The believer has a choice of two main types of building materials: “gold,
silver, precious stones”- eternal materials; or wood, hay, straw” temporal materials (vs 12; 2Cor.
4:18).

Choose to receive a reward. The believer who builds on Christ with eternal materials, “gold,
silver, precious stones,” will receive a reward.

Receive no reward. Those who build on Christ with temporal materials, “wood, hay, straw
works” will be destroyed at the judgement seat of Christ (2Cor. 5:10), and the believer will
suffer loss, but not the loss of salvation, but the loss of his crown or his reward.

LESSON 34

PAUL AND SILAS PRAISE GOD IN PRISON

Storytelling and from it derive points to instil to the class

When Paul was in Troas God gave him a vision. (A man from Macedonia begged Paul to come
and help the people there) As soon as Paul received this vision from God he immediately made
plans to travel to Macedonia. Paul and his friends Silas, Timothy and Luke got on a boat in Troas
and went to Samothrace and then to Neapolis.  Paul and his missionary team arrived in
Macedonia and stayed several days in a place called Philippi.
Whenever he entered a new city Paul usually went to the local synagogue as a place to begin
sharing the exciting news about Jesus.  Philippi did not have a synagogue because there weren’t
very many Jewish people living there.   Jewish law said it took at least 10 Jewish men to start a
synagogue.
Since there wasn’t a synagogue in Philippi, Paul knew that the Jewish people that did live there
would meet for prayer by the water for washing ceremonies that were a part of the Jewish prayer
service.
On the Sabbath day Paul and his missionary team went down to the riverside to have a time of
prayer.  When they arrived, there were some women who had come to pray.  Paul and his friends
sat down and began to talk to them about Jesus.
In the group of women that were meeting for prayer at the river was a woman named Lydia.  She
was a woman who sold purple cloth. (Show the class a piece of purple cloth) She loved God and
worshiped Him.  She had never heard the Good News about Jesus.  As Paul was teaching them
about what Jesus had done for them, the Lord opened Lydia’s heart to listen to Paul’s words. 
She paid close attention to Paul as he told how Jesus died for the sins of everyone in the world
and that He came back to life again.  No one but God had the power to bring anyone back to life. 
Now she had to decide whether or not she believed that Jesus is the one true God who has power
over death and life.  The Holy Spirit helped Lydia understand that Paul’s message about Jesus
was true.  Jesus had died to pay for her sin so that she could be forgiven and live forever with
God.
Lydia believed in the Lord Jesus and was baptized.  After Lydia was baptized to show that her
sins were forgiven and that she was now a member of God’s family, she wanted to help Paul and
his friends.  She knew they needed a place to sleep and food to eat.  Paul and his friends were
glad for Lydia’s willingness to share her home with them.
Paul and his missionary team stayed in Philippi for a while.  One day as they walked to the place
by the river to meet for prayer, a slave girl started to follow them.  As the team walked along,
what are some thoughts they may have had as this girl followed them?  (Perhaps this young lady
wanted to hear about Jesus, and so God put her in their path so they could share the Good News
with her).  As they walked to the river the girl began to shout, “These men are servants of the
Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” She followed Paul and Silas around
for many days.
This slave girl was not a believer and did not have the Holy Spirit living inside her heart.  She
had an evil spirit living inside her.  The evil spirit enabled this slave girl to predict the future. 
Her owners made a lot of money from this slave girl because many people paid them to have her
tell them their future.
Knowing this about the slave girl, was there anything wrong with the message she was giving? 
(No) The Holy Spirit gives insight into situations that seem to be normal.  Let’s read Acts 16:18. 
The Holy Spirit enabled Paul to realize that it was time to put a stop to what the slave girl was
doing.
Try to imagine what it would be like to be in Philippi sharing the Good News with others.  A
person who is known as the town’s fortune teller is following you around as a shouting billboard
telling others that you are servants of the Most High God.  Was the shouting causing people to
want to listen to the message Paul had to share or was the shouting causing people to focus on
the fortune teller?  We don’t know exactly what was taking place we can only tell from the
Scripture that the Holy Spirit enabled Paul to see that this girl wasn’t a messenger from the Most
High God but was a servant of Satan.  The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to command the evil
spirit controlling the slave girl to leave and in Jesus’ Name the evil spirit obeyed and left the
girl.  The Holy Spirit enabled Paul to stop this slave girl from being used by the evil spirit to
distract others from coming to Jesus and being saved.
The slave girl had been set free and was no longer controlled by this evil spirit.  This was a good
thing but her owners were not very happy with what Paul did.  Her owners made lots of money
from this slave girl.  Now that she was not able to be a fortune teller they weren’t going to be
able to make money.  This made them very angry with Paul and Silas.
Enraged they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place and brought them
before the rulers of the city.  They told the authorities, “These men are causing trouble for our
city because they are Jews, and are telling others about things which we Romans are not able to
accept or follow.”
The leaders tore off Paul and Silas’ robes and commanded that they be beaten.  The crowd joined
in the attack against them and beat them with rods.  They hit them with these rods many times
and then threw them into prison.
The leaders commanded the man in charge of the prison to make sure that they were secure and
could not get out.  When the jailer received the leaders’ orders he took Paul and Silas far back
into an inner prison that had no outside walls and put their feet into blocks of wood called
stocks.  (Show picture of what stocks look like) These stocks were two pieces of wood that
would clamp down over the prisoner’s legs at the ankles.  This type of imprisonment was meant
for the most dangerous prisoners.  Paul and Silas had not done anything wrong to be treated this
way.  They were not a danger to anyone except Satan’s kingdom of darkness.  If they were free
to share the Good News people would be rescued from sin and saved to spend eternity with
Jesus.
Paul and Silas had open sores and blood on their bodies as they sat in their prison cell.  If you
were Paul and Silas what do you think you would do as you lay there in the dark, cold cell?  They
could have cried and said they wanted to go home.  The work was too hard and they couldn’t
take being punished as a criminal for obeying Jesus.  They could have been angry and shouted
how unfair their treatment was.  How could God allow such treatment to happen to His servants?
As humans we have many natural responses to difficulties.  We don’t always react the way Jesus
would in difficult situations.  As believers we have power to respond in a very supernatural way
that is so different than what most people act like when they are facing difficulties.  Believers
have the power from the Holy Spirit to respond with faith and courage.
Paul and Silas will show us how the Holy Spirit enables believers to respond in a very difficult
situation.  Let’s read verse 25.
Let’s think of some songs we sing to praise God.  What are some songs that Paul and Silas may
have sung, like the ones we sing today. e.g  (Call upon the name of the Lord and he saves, what a
mighty God we serve, To God be the glory, Our God is an Awesome God He rains, etc)
Because both men were filled with the Holy Spirit they chose not to focus on their unfair
treatment but focused on God’s character.  They knew that God was powerful.  They knew that
their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ had suffered far more than they had when He was crucified on
the cross.  Because they chose to worship and praise God in their difficulties it caused the other
prisoners to listen to them as they prayed and sang.  The Holy Spirit enabled Paul and Silas to be
a witness for Jesus to these prisoners.
While the prisoners who were in prison for actually committing a crime were listening to the
prayers and praises of Paul and Silas, they felt the ground begin to shake.  They didn’t have
trains that rumbled by the prison there in Philippi so it must have been a little strange for them to
feel the earth begin to tremble.  The tremble turned into a great earthquake and the whole prison
began to shake.  All the doors were opened and the chains fell off each and every prisoner.
The jailer had fallen asleep but the shaking ground and noises of opening doors must have
awakened him.  As he rubbed his eyes and looked and saw every door opened, fear struck his
heart.  His job was to make sure the prisoners were securely locked into prison.  If one prisoner
escaped he would be killed.  When he saw the doors open he knew his life was over so he drew
his sword and was ready to take his own life when Paul cried out with a loud voice, “Do not
harm yourself, we are all here”
The jailer asked for a torch so that he could see and when he ran into Paul and Silas’ prison and
saw that they were still there, he trembled and fell down before them.  He brought them out and
said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved”

God’s power had brought a mighty earthquake to shake this Philippian prison.  The Holy Spirit
caused this jailer to see and recognize that he needed to be saved.  The Holy Spirit enabled Paul
and Silas to know how to answer this man.  They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will
be saved, you and your household.” Paul and Silas spoke God’s words to this jailer and all that
lived in his house.
The jailer believed in Jesus. This same jailer who had been rough with Paul and Silas earlier by
throwing them into jail and locking their feet in stocks now wanted to do something kind for
these men who had shared the Good News.  He washed their wounds from where they had been
beaten with rods.  God’s power saved this man and changed his life.  Now he wanted to be
baptized.
This was an exciting night. Not only did the jailer get saved, but everyone in his family did too. 
They were all baptized and went back to his house and had a meal and they all rejoiced that God
had brought them the Good News through Paul and Silas.
The next day when the leaders had learned that Paul and Silas were Romans. They had made a
big mistake by having Paul and Silas wrongly beaten and thrown into prison.  No Roman citizen
was ever to be punished like that.  If Paul and Silas had been treated as a Roman citizen they
would have not been put in prison.  Even though they were wrongly treated, they chose to trust
God.  God used their difficulties to save the Philippian jailer and his family.
The leaders begged Paul and Silas to leave the city because they didn’t want any more trouble.
Before they left Philippi they stopped at Lydia’s house and spent some time with them.  Lydia
and the other believers with her encouraged Paul and Silas and then they left to head off for the
next great adventure that God was going to send them on to share the Good News
Today some of you may be like Paul and Silas and you are believers.  Do you share the Good
News with others knowing that the Holy Spirit will enable you to do so?  If you face difficulty
you can trust that the Holy Spirit will give you the ability to stay focused on God and not
complain.  Maybe you are like the Philippian jailer.  Do you know what you must do to be
saved?  Today you can have your sins forgiven and have eternal life.  In order to be saved you
must believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, was buried and rose again on the third
day.  For more information on salvation talk to your teacher. Close in prayer.

LESSON 35

JESUS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Introduction

This lesson at the part of discussion, the Bible study approach is effective.

Help the children understand that one way Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd is because he
voluntarily suffered for our sins and gave his life for us. Therefore, we all will be resurrected and
we all can repent, be baptized, and be forgiven for our sins.

Purpose

To teach the children to trust Jesus because he is the good Shepherd.

Suggested lesson development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

 Attention Activity

Explain to the children that you are going to tell them about certain responsibilities, a certain
person has. Tell them that you will give the guidance one at a time to what that person does.
When the children think they know who that person is and what that person did and does today,
is a better foundation to build the whole lesson. Use a guidance such as the following:

Read out the personalities of that person to the class

 I am very concerned about those who are in my care.

 I sometimes have to fight off wild animals or thieves.

 I must be very watchful.

 I must protect the young.

 I must search for those that are lost.

 Those I watch know my voice and follow me.

 I search for good pastures and clean water for those in my care.

 I watch over sheep.

 Angels announced the birth of Jesus Christ to some people who have these responsibilities.

 Which title is given to this person? (shepherd)

 Who do you think is this person? (Jesus Christ)

Then finally after they have brainstormed introduce by explaining to them all the above during
the lesson; they are going to learn about the Good Shepherd, who is Jesus Christ.

Tell them this short story of the shepherd and read the scriptures included in here to the class.
If possible, Show the picture; The Good Shepherd. Explain that the shepherd symbolizes Jesus’
relationship with his followers because good shepherds were devoted to their sheep. In biblical
times, when flocks were driven into a sheepfold (high walls topped with thorns to prevent wolves
from leaping in) at night, each shepherd took a turn guarding the sheep by lying across the open
entrance, literally becoming the gate or door (John 10:7, 9). If a wild animal managed to leap
over the walls, the shepherd would give his life if necessary to protect the sheep. When the
shepherds called their flocks in the morning, each sheep recognized its master’s call. For a sheep
to be kept safe, it had to follow its master closely as he led it to good pasture.

Read for the children the parable of the Good Shepherd from (John 10:1-6.)

Discussion through scriptures. Please find guiding answers after every question.

Use the questions you drawn from the scriptures below, this will best help the children
understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. (Reading the references below
with the children in class will help them gain insights into the scriptures allow the contribute
their mind of insights as the teacher guides the class.)

 Why do the sheep follow their shepherd? (John 10:4.) -because they know His voice.
 What do you think it means to “know his voice”? - they have believed in Him and He is their
savior, they are peaceful and safe in Him. Whose voice do we need to know? -the voice of our
shepherd. How can we come to know the Savior’s voice? - by believing in Him as our savior
 Who are spiritual thieves and robbers today? (John 10:1); - those who are false teachers, false
prophets.
 (John 10:8) -Help the children think of people or things that might influence them to turn
away from their shepherd, who is Jesus. Let them contribute by speaking them out in the
listening of every one.)
 Why weren’t the sheep led astray by “thieves and robbers”? (John 10:8.) – they don’t know
the voice of the thieves so they did not listen to them. They know the voice of the shepherd.
 How can we protect ourselves from evil influences? – by believing in Jesus as our savior,
knowing his word by reading the Bible. By always going to Church in fellowship with others
and be taught the Bible.
 Who else can help protect us from these influences? - (The Holy Spirit, parents, good friends,
teachers, the bishop.)
 How is Jesus the Good Shepherd? (John 10:9-11.) -He is the gate, He finds pasture for His
sheep, He gives life to His sheep, He lays down His life for His sheep.
 If Jesus is the Good Shepherd, what are we? – we are His sheep.
 How does knowing that Jesus is the Good Shepherd help us follow him? - We know He cares
for us, we are safe and saved from Satan, we can entrust our life with Him and we are saved.
 How does the Good Shepherd show his love for his sheep? (John 10:11.) – He lays down His
life for the sheep.
 From whom did Jesus receive the power to lay down his life and take it up again? (John
10:17–18.- From His Father.
 What does it mean to us that “the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep”? (John 10:11.)
– He died for us in our place, so He carried our sin and died on the cross so that we can be
forgiven of our sin and now have full life through Him(Jesus) alone.
 How does Jesus’ sacrifice make it possible for us to live with him and Heavenly Father again?
– we have been reconciled to the Father through Jesus’ death on the cross, our sins are
forgiven forever, Jesus has made us accepted before God again, now we are sons to God and
therefore will live with Him forever.

Conclusion
He was able to die because his mother was mortal. (had a human body and Jesus was born having
that human body of his mother, just like our body; like us). He could take up his life again
because his father, Heavenly Father, was immortal (was spirit, had no body, cannot die).
Help the children understand that one way Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd is because he
voluntarily suffered for our sins and gave his life for us. Therefore, we all will be resurrected and
we all can repent, be baptized, and be forgiven for our sins.

LESSON 36
THE LOCAL CHURCH
Relationship with other Christians

Ways to help your child develop a growing relationship with Christ

It’s important to help our children develop the following convictions as they mature in their
faith:
 Jesus Christ must be my Savior and Lord.
 Regular prayer must be a crucial part of my daily life.
  I must be the same person in private that I am in public.
 The Scriptures are God’s Word and serve as my daily guide.
 Nothing is more thrilling than fulfilling God’s mission for my life.
 I will pass on a godly legacy to the next generation.
To help build these convictions into the lives of the children, emphasize a number of key
spiritual disciplines:
Prayer
prayer should be a part of daily life and events. Should know to pray at meals and bedtimes and
with individual children when needs arose. Pray before tests and trips. pray for local and
overseas missions, for requests that came through our prayer chain, and for everyone in the
public schools our children attended. Pray also during family devotions in the morning before
school.
Practically exercise praying over the above requests with your class. Have all the class pray
together for each prayer request at a time. Then finally spot out one pupil by one pupil to close
with prayer for each request per request until all are finished.

Bible study
Our Church children ought to grow up hearing Bible stories from the time they are very small.
To the preschoolers, help them learn verses from a Bible memory program. Have formal Bible
study with teens. Young teens often don’t feel the need to study the Bible by themselves in their
own quiet time. Teens don’t always take much initiative to have personal Bible study until they
have reached high-school age. At this age of high school, the desire for personal Bible study
seems to come when they are on their own more, because at that age they sense the urge and
need to develop their personal relationship with God, to learn what He was telling them. You can
impose more Bible study on your teens, but it will really have an impact when they themselves
see the value of a close relationship with the Lord and now allow these Biblical values to be
modeled in their lives.
The Bible study should be done at a fairly consistent basis with teens. Involving topics that are
best fitting for life issues, such as; how to make good decisions concerning the opposite sex, how
to make right choices, how to work, and how to be a faithful and responsible steward of what
God has given you. How to serve God and identifying God’s will for each day and in one’s
lifespan.
Church involvement

Participation in the life of a Church is a must. Your children may not always agree. An age
reaches when children do not desire going to Church. Do not call them Satanic, it’s an age
experience, when they get attracted to peer groups and other activities like games. This is why in
attracting many people to come to Church, planning for these age groups in terms of activities
that attract them to Church compounds are vital. You can call it a youth Christian activity and
involve them. Give them the opportunity to exercise their dreams, but do not forget to have a
discipler or teacher who guides them Biblically so that the target of Biblical discipleship through
games is achieved. At the end of each day games and music, dance and dramas encourage to all
to be available on the Sunday service. Sunday needs to be a special day for many reasons, the
most important being the opportunity to participate in a formal time to worship the true God.

Mission-mindedness
From early on, let our children know that God has a special mission for their lives and that He
has gifted them with abilities, personality, and certain qualities that will help accomplish His
plan. The children should know that it would be better to be the lowliest worker in the will of
God than the biggest success by worldly standards if doing so meant they were outside of God’s
will. Also emphasize that God calls His people to all kinds of vocations not just the mission
field. One of the most important strategic moves you can ever make is to send a child to school
or public with a challenge to begin looking for ways to fulfill God’s unique purpose for their
lives. When Jesus gave the disciples the Great Commission, He was in essence giving them a
mission.
Read His command and words carefully and read them also to the Children in your class in
preparation for missions, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Allow them see the need to seek more of God by showing them a higher purpose that can
only be achieved by Gods help or involvement.
In the same way, teenagers need a challenging mission. The kids need a higher purpose that will
compel them to seek after God and His calling on their lives rather than to follow the herd
(multitude) who go after the lesser gods of popularity and fame, money making and exaggerated
luxurious lifestyles and selfishness and self-centered living, using gospel missions as a business
to make money wealth and celeb names etc.

Show them how they could be a mission field or missionary

As children move into their teenage years, they should know they could become either a mission
field, ministered to by others or a missionary, to minister to others both at school and out of
school.
The difference is here; a mission field teenager is peer dependent. A missionary teenager seeks to
reach out to his peers and help them find Christ. Mission field teens go with the flow of peer
pressure; missionary teens grow in character and conviction, because they are fighting the
current.
One way a child can practically follow Jesus’ mandate is to get involved with a student ministry
on their campus like scripture union or Christian focus. Or if there is not already an active
ministry on campus, help the child get something started at their school.
You will soon found that involvement in a campus group creates a powerful sense of community
for a preteen or teenager at school, the very place where negative peer pressure can be
overwhelming. The children can receive vital spiritual support through the encouragement and
prayer of fellow teenagers, as well as through the adult leaders.

Take them for short missions- this could be within or out of your Church community
Another practical way to instill a mission mindset in the child is to go together on a short term
mission trip. In addition to the impact you will have for Christ, you will find that the child will
change in significant ways as he moves out of his normal comfort zone and sees the need that
others have for Christ.

Involve them in the mission activities

Allow them give gifts to people out there in the mission field. Involve them in the mission
activity, for example if there is distribution of gospel leaflets to the congregation, let them be
involved in giving out these leaf lets to people in the mission field. It will be an experience they
will never forget. They will gain a far greater appreciation for what they enjoy in the Church
back home, because they will have seen firsthand what life is like for people in another land with
or without Christ. They will have tasted both the sacrifice and the joy of being a missionary.
Conference attendance

One of the most effective tools used is youth conferences. These events may only take a few
days, but they can grow the child’s faith, encourage him/her to make it his/her own time to learn,
and give him/her a vision for reaching out to students at his school.
Request the Church to organize youth impacting conferences. In or out of Church premises. This
is a spiritually challenging retreat that gives these teens a head start approach on developing a
God centered view of life and world issues.

LESSON 37

FREEDOM INCHRIST

THE FALSE TEACHING ON GRACE

What is God’s grace? Paul says this about grace in Ephesians:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of
God not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Grace is a gift to you from God. A gift is something you don’t earn or necessarily deserve. Grace
is God granting us something we could never have without Him giving it to us. We understand
grace at the human level when someone extends favor to us they are being extra nice, kind or
giving us something we don’t deserve. It comes from a heart of mercy and compassion. God
gave to us the grace to be forgiven receive the gift of salvation.

Grace empowers us to die to sin and live for God which results in becoming righteousness and
holy (Romans 6:1-19).

False teachings on grace today

Some of the false teachings on grace today that perverts New Testament grace include:

 No need for repentance because you’re forgiven

 Grace exempts you from the consequences of sin

 Grace means you can do what you want to do

 Sin is temporary – not eternal

 Grace means to just believe in Jesus

Do not believe this teachings, they are wrong. Child of God be careful not live a sinful life
because it will make you rebel against God and when you die you will go to hell.

Conclusion

Grace is freedom from sin, not freedom to sin.

LESSON 38
THE CHRISTIAN AND THE UNSAVED.
How to relate to the unsaved.
Introduction
These values are important when believing children are relating with unbelieving children. it
could be at school, or games Centre or in the community neighborhood.
The believer ought to look upon unbelievers in the following manner.

Compassion
The Bible commands us to have compassion on the lost. The Apostle Paul wrote:
“Love the sinner but hate the sin. Let love be without hypocrisy, Abhor what is evil. Cling to
what is good” (Romans 12:9).
Sensitizing them to be kind and slow in reactions in case of an attack from the unbelieving
friend.
Sensitize the child to refuse and completely reject any temptation to get indulged in any ungodly
behavior or activity and move away from that person or location of temptation. But should
maintain at heart not to hate or hold such unbelieving friend as an enemy at heart.
Remind them to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Jesus view
Jesus saw the multitudes as sheep without a shepherd.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and
helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful
but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his
harvest field” Mathew 9:36-38.

They are not informed on the full danger of sin.

With respect to evil we should not claim to be wise, instead resist and flee away from that evil
and its temptations. Though Christians should reach out to the unsaved, we are not to participate
in their sin.

Summary
Believers should have compassion upon unbelievers. We should see them as Jesus saw them - as
sheep without a shepherd. In attempting to reach them we should not participate in their sin but
rather remain never involved in the evil things in which they participate.
LESSON 41

THE RESSURRECTION

After His death on the cross, Jesus lay in the grave for three days (Mathew 12:40). Then God
raised His son from the dead (Mathew 28). “…and who through the Spirit of Holiness was
declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead; Jesus Christ our
Lord” (Rom. 1:4)

A. GOD RAISED YOU UP TOGETHER WITH CHRIST.

Jesus’ death was for you, so was his resurrection. “As for you, you were dead in your
transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and
of the ruler of the kingdom of the air… But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in
mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions, it is by grace you
have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly
realms in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:1-6; Col. 3:1-3).

1. To give you New Life.

“…God… has saved us and called us to a holy life, not because of anything we have done but
because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the
beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our saviour, Christ
Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immorality to light through the gospel”
(2Tim. 1:9-10).

2. To give you New Birth

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his great mercy he has given us
new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…” (1Peter
1:3).

3. To give you a new beginning

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come”
(2Cor. 5:17).

4. To give you:
- Victory over Satan. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome the

world, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (Satan)…for
everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world,
even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of
God” (1John 4:4; 5:4-5).

- Authority over Satan. After His resurrection, “…Jesus Christ… has gone into

heaven and is at God’s right hand, with angels, authorities and powers (this includes Satan) in
submission to him” (1Peter 3:21-22; Luke 10:17-19).

- Power over Satan. “I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in
order that you may know… his incomparably great power for us who believe. “That power is
like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the
dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority,
power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the
one to come.

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the
Church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way” (Eph. 1:18-23)

5. To make you a son and heir in God’s kingdom.

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the spirit
of Son ship. And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we
are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ…” (Rom. 8:15-17).

LESSON 46

JESUS RESTORES PETER

Introduction

The Restoration of Peter is an incident described in John 21 of the New Testament in which

Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and spoke to Peter in particular. Jesus
restored Peter to fellowship after Peter had previously denied him and told Peter to feed Jesus'
sheep.

Jesus’ resurrection

According to the New Testament, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples.

The Gospel of John records a number of such appearances. This episode is thus part of the fourth
resurrection appearance in John's gospel.

Peter’s denial

All four gospels record Peter's denial of Jesus, all the gospels record how Peter "wept bitterly"
after the rooster (cock) crowed. John  describes the restoration scene between Jesus and Peter.
Jesus words in Mark 16:7, however, are often thought to carry the message of Peter's restoration:
"But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee...

Meeting by the sea

In John 21, Peter goes fishing with six other disciples. They do not catch any fish all night, but in
the morning Jesus meets them and tells them to throw their net on the other side of the boat.
When they do, there is a miraculous catch of 153 fish.

Jesus and his disciples have breakfast on the shore. Jesus prepares the breakfast of bread and
fish, including a charcoal fire. Peter also when he was denying Jesus, had stood near a charcoal
fire. Here now after they finish eating, Jesus speaks particularly to Peter.

“Do you love me more than these?”

Jesus asks Peter, “Do you love me more than these?” meaning; Do you love me more than these
other disciples do?

What we learn from this story.

 The Lord expects that Peter should love him more than the others do, until the end of
time.
 This what God expects of us, of you until the end of time; to love Him.
 God also offers second chance to those who made mistakes and fell off from the grace in
Christ.

Peter appointed as shepherd

In response to Peter's three affirmations of love for him, Jesus gives Peter three commands:
“Feed my lambs” / “Take care of my sheep” / “Feed my sheep”. Jesus is re-commissioning
Peter as an apostle and leader in the church. Sheep is a common metaphor in the New
Testament to refer to the people of God. This is the origin of the word “pastor”, which means
“shepherd”.

Follow me Jesus said to Peter.

After having said all the above, Jesus said to Peter, “Follow me” (John 21:19). At the moment
Peter became happy again since he realized that he has been forgiven, so he resumed his service
in the Lord.

After serving the Lord Peter was finally crucified upside-down.

It is a call for us all as Christians and children of God, to stand strongly to the end of our life like
Peter. He also restores life that is broken down and backslidden.

LESSON 47.

MINISTRY IN CHRIST- KNOWING CHRIST.

Introduction

To have a mighty faith in Christ, we must know who he is and develop a relationship with him.

If we can focus our church activity, our scripture study, and our prayers through the desire to
know and relate with him in a meaningful way, then we are in a better position to receive daily
guidance from the Lord.
Knowing Christ and Being Like Him (Philippians 3:10-11)

What is the goal of the Christian life? If we forget it, we’re not likely to achieve it. It can be
stated in several forms, but in our text, the apostle Paul nicely sums up what we’re supposed to
be aiming at:

The goal of the Christian life is to know Christ and to be like Him.

Christianity is definitely not a religion of rules and rituals that we must work at keeping in order
to climb the ladder to heaven. Rather, it is a personal, growing relationship with the risen, living
Lord Jesus Christ that results in our growing conformity to Him. Our goal is to know Him and to
become like Him.

The goal of the Christian life is to know Christ.

Jesus said the same thing when He prayed, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the
only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3). Christianity is primarily a
growing relationship with the infinite God who has revealed Himself through the Lord Jesus
Christ.

Illustration- Paul meeting Jesus and becoming blind. He asks a question. Who are you Lord?

As with all relationships, it begins with an initial meeting or introduction. In Paul’s case, he was
on his way to Damascus to arrest men and women who were followers of Jesus, when suddenly a
light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul,
Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” He answered, “Who are You, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am
Jesus whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:1-6). So Paul met the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

Your introduction to the Lord Jesus may have been far different than Paul’s. You can meet
Christ as a young child, and reared in a Christian Church and home. If you are truly a Christian,
you know Jesus Christ personally. You don’t just know about Him; you know Him. You can say
with Paul that He is “Christ Jesus  my Lord.”

Becoming a Christian requires that you know some things about Jesus Christ.

You need to know who He claimed to be; He was eternal God in human flesh.

You must know some of the things He did and taught.

You need to understand that He died on the cross for your sins, and that He was raised bodily
from the dead.

But beyond these facts, you need to know Christ personally. That relationship begins at the
moment you recognize that your sins have separated you from God and that you need a Savior.
You also realize that you cannot save yourself from God’s judgment through your efforts or
good works. Letting go of all human merit, you call upon the Lord to be merciful to you based
on the merits of the death of His Son Jesus.

Your object of trust for commending yourself to God shifts from yourself to Christ. You are
saved. Have you met Jesus Christ personally, by accepting to believe in Him alone as your savior
from sin and death.

It requires a personal relationship with Christ. It requires you to accept to learn the Bible and
grow in His knowledge in Christ, and that requires time.
Do you often make time to spend with the Lord?

It’s sure easy for that first love to cool off, and time between you and the Lord gets squeezed out
with other things. Or, it becomes your duty to have a quiet time, so you get out your Bible, read a
chapter a day to keep the devil away.

Thus we come to know God through Jesus Christ, and we come to know Him through His Word
which tells us of Him. The Old Testament points ahead to Christ; the New Testament tells us of
His life, His death for our sins, and His resurrection and present reign in heaven. It also tells us
of His coming again and future kingdom.

Conclusion

That’s our goal, to know Jesus Christ and to become more and more like Him. Is that your goal?
If it is not, then don’t waste any time imagining it. Please step out to it. If you will set before
yourself each week to know Christ and be like Him, you will see opportunities all over your life
to apply it and to remind you that it is preparing you for that great day when He comes and you
will be raised up in glory with Him for all eternity. Make that to be your goal.

LESSON 48

MINISTRY IN CHRIST

Growing in Christ.

How to grow in Christ: What it means, and practical steps

God wants to empower you through the Holy Spirit to live a Christ-directed life.
As you continue to breathe spiritually (confess your sin and claim the fullness of the
Spirit), you will experience a deepening fellowship with God which will lead to
growth in Christ
What does it mean to grow in Christ?

It means to increase in your knowledge of Christ and become more constant in your
love for him and your obedience to him.

“Now this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ,
who you sent.” (John 17:3)
How can I grow in Christ?

Spiritual growth results from trusting that Jesus is living in and through you.  “The
righteous will live by faith” (Galatians 3:11). A life of faith will enable you to trust
God increasingly with every detail of your life and to practice the following:

1. Go to God in prayer daily.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and
it will be given you.” (John 15:7)

2. Read God’s word daily.

“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for
they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures
every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11).

3. Obey God moment by moment.

“Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He
who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and show myself
to him.” (John 14:21)
4. Witness for Christ by your life and words.
“Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches
others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but
whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the
kingdom of heaven” (Mathew 4:19). “This is to my Fathers glory, that you bear
much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples” (John 15:8).
5. Trust God for every detail of your life.
“Cast all your anxiety on Him (God) because he cares for you.” (1Peter 5:7)
6. Trust the Holy Spirit to direct you and empower your daily life and witness.
“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful
nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the
 Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each
other, so that you do not do what you want.” (Galatians 5:16-17)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and it all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts
1:8).
Communication is vital

Communication is vital to any relationship, including your relationship with Christ.

Investing in these four types of communication will help you grow in your
relationship with Christ as you live in the power of the Holy Spirit.

God communicates with us through the Bible, revealing His character and His
will.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

We communicate with God through prayer, sharing our needs and our desire to
do his will.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends
all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 4:6-7).

This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according
to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask. We know
that we have what we asked of him. (1John 5:14-15)

We communicate with Christians to encourage one another in our faith.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let
us not give meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage
one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:24-25)

LESSON 49
ATTRACTING AND KEEPING A CROWD.
Activities that attract all age group community members to Church.
In this lesson, let’s look at the Sunday school age group.
PRACTICAL LESSONS THROUGH GAMES, MUSIC, DRAMMA AND DANCE
When you play games and do crafts, use the lessons to reinforce an atmosphere that makes kids
look forward to Church. Additionally, play music regularly and let the kids sing or play their
instruments. Worship songs are a great way to get kids engaged, regardless of their age
Keeping kids interested in studying isn’t easy. This goes for school as well as kids’ Church.
However, by making Sunday mornings fun and engaging, you’ll be able to attract kids to your
ministry.

1. An engaging space 
A colorful, engaging space immediately appears inviting and fun and goes a long way in
attracting children to ministry. Whatever your decoration ideas are, make sure to connect them in
some way to the message you are trying to share.
Add ways of helping the kids grow spiritually by incorporating posters of Bible verses. Use
illustrations that point back to the message you are sharing that week. 
‍
2. Make it fun
Above all, kids want to have fun. If you lecture them the same way they are taught in school,
they may lose interest. So, your primary goal for your kids’ ministry should be to teach God’s
Word in a way that the little ones can digest.
The kids are not showing up to be spiritually fed; they want to have a good time. Each week,
look at what you have planned and make sure it is what the kids need in terms of spiritual
lessons, disguised as what they want - fun. 
You can find many games online or learn from other ministry leaders what works well for them
to get kids to engage and enjoy their Sunday School. When you play games and do crafts, use the
lessons to reinforce an atmosphere that makes kids look forward to Church. Additionally, play
music regularly and let the kids sing or play their instruments. Worship songs are a great way to
get kids engaged, regardless of their age. 

3. Be prepared 
Leaders who aren’t prepared can’t expect followers to be engaged. 
Even if you have a beautifully decorated space, your Sunday School won’t succeed without a
plan for your ministry. Study for your weekly sessions and plan a healthy mix of lessons and fun
ahead.
Know where you are going and never stand in front of your class without knowing how to
proceed; in other words: don’t just make it up as you go. When everything is organized
beforehand, you will feel at ease, and your kids will stay engaged. 
‍
4. Use age-specific classrooms 
To children, a few years can make a big difference. Therefore, it’s best to organize kids by age
and divide them into groups, for example, 6-8 years, 9-11 years, 12-14 years, and grades 15 and
above, etc. If your Church is small and doesn’t have many kids attending, the age spread may be
more significant.  Also, choose your age groups based on facility and volunteer availability.

5. Provide inspiration 
One of the best ways to ensure that children are enjoying their ministry is by inspiring them.
Take a look around at your leadership and volunteers and make sure that the person overseeing
the children’s ministry has a passion for the kids, a gift for leading, and a strong commitment to
the church. Together, with this leader, you can create a process to inspire and develop other
children’s ministry workers to do the same.
By allowing this leadership influence to flow through all areas of kids’ ministry and constantly
having a succession plan for the next leader, the kids in the church are sure to enjoy their time
each Sunday morning. 
6. Use the Church discipleship Curriculum
Try to maintain your teaching through the children’s church curriculum - essentially, the kids’
weekly lesson plan - your odds of getting kids engaged and excited about ministry improve. It’s
important to ensure that kids don’t get bored during ministry, and you can achieve that by
including games, skits, videos, and activities. ‍
7. A Take-Home work
Each time kids’ ministry is over, kids should be leaving church with some homework, a visual
reminder, or something to help them focus on what they learned. This helps children learn about
Jesus in a new way, and inspires them to spend the week reminiscing on what they learned about
in their last lesson, as well as prepares them for their upcoming ministry. This take-home
element can be an art project, a children's ministry resource, or even a song that supports the
lesson for the week. 
Check up with the picture lesson books to find the pictures for each lesson that requires
pictures to edify the Children’s memory and understanding of the lessons.
When leading a weekly kids’ ministry, make sure to plan before you preach. Figure out an
engaging curriculum infused with fun and games, skits, and videos, without losing sight of the
lessons you want to share, and soon enough, you’ll have a kids’ Church that your students will
love and want to participate in each Sunday.

LESSON 51.

DEFINING THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH

Child spiritual growth.

The simplest way to help the child grow spiritually

Six things a child can do to grow spiritually are to pray, read the Bible, give as God leads, go to
church, have friends who are also believers, and tell others about Jesus. Instead of just giving a
child a list of ways they can get to know God better, use simple hand motions to help the child
better remember these specific things. 
Why use hand motions?

It has been proven that, at best, we remember 10% of what we hear, 50% of what we hear and
see, and 90% of what we hear, see, and do.

With that being the case, let’s look at six simple motions children can see and do to help them
remember how to grow spiritually. 

1. Pray

Fold hands together in front of you as if praying.

This first motion symbolizes and helps children remember to pray. Don’t assume children know
how to pray. Explain what prayer is and how they can pray. Prayer can be explained to the child
as simply talking to God, no matter where they are or what they’re doing. There are several
things they can talk to God about. They can praise God by telling Him how good He is. They can
thank God for who He is, the things that happen in their life, and for saving them through Jesus.
They can confess their sins to God as taught in 1 John 1:9. Make sure they understand they are
not being “re-saved.” They are simply telling God they’re sorry for their sins and asking Him to
help them stop doing those sins so they can grow closer to Him. Let them know they can pray for
other people and ask God for His help with anything they are going through. Teaching children
different things they can pray will help them learn they can go to God about anything. Plan to
take the class through a moment of prayer, note in your note book a few prayer items they can
pray for during this lesson.

2. Read Your Bible

Open praying hands and face palms upward, keeping them together, to symbolize holding
a book.

Let children know God can talk to them through His Word, the Bible. Encourage them to set
aside time to read God’s Word every day. You may also need to provide Bibles if they don’t
already have one. Help them set a realistic goal on how much to read each day, such as reading
the same number of verses as they are years old (i.e., an eight-year-old could read eight verses a
day). The book of Mark is great place to suggest they start reading. Mention that as they read the
Bible, they can also work on memorizing different verses throughout the Bible.

3. Give as God Leads

Move hands out and away from your body as if giving something to someone.

Another way children can grow closer to and obey God is by giving. While this does
include tithing, tell them different ways they can give to God by serving Him. Some ways a child
can serve are by helping their parents without being asked, helping a sibling with chores, helping
friends or younger siblings with homework, etc. For older children, you might suggest they ask if
they can volunteer at their church by working with younger children, helping with set-up or
clean-up, or handing out bulletins. Whether it’s by giving money or by giving time, God loves it
when we give to Him. He does not need our money or time, but it is wonderful to get to do good
in His name, because we love Him. 

4. Go to Church

Fold and clasp hands together with pointer fingers extended and touching to symbolize a
church with a steeple.

The Bible says that believers should meet together to encourage each other (Hebrews 10:25).
Church is a wonderful place where this happens. Encourage the children to attend a church that
teaches from the Bible. If a child cannot go to a church, ask the parent if you may invite the child
to ride to church with you, or ask if they can go to a weekday Bible program for kids. You could
also find out if their school has scripture union club (a ministry of Child Fellowship) they can
attend.

5. Make Friends with Other Believers 

Open up hands from the church hand motion and weave fingers together while wiggling
them to symbolize people.
If the children are able to attend a church, Bible program, or Good News Club, it will be easier
for them to find friends who are also believers. If a child has friends who are also trying to live
for God, it will help them to grow and live more for God. The group of children can encourage
and be encouraged by each other as they get to know God better. You can explain the illustration
in  Ecclesiastes 4:12. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. One string by itself is weak,
but twist three together and they are much more than three times stronger. So it is when you have
three Christian friends who support each other.

6. Tell Others about Jesus

Open up and bring hands to mouth as if telling someone something.

Finally, encourage the children to tell others about Jesus and what He has done. The Bible tells
believers to go and share the Gospel (Mark 16:15), and children who believe in Christ have this
responsibility and honor as well. You may give the children a tract, such as the “God Loves
You”, they can use to share with someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus. Encourage the child to
tell their friends and family about Jesus and how they can believe in Him and have their sins
forgiven. 

These are a few of the things a saved child can do to grow spiritually. Instead of just leaving the
saved child to try and figure out how to get to know God better on their own, teach them specific
ways they can get to know God better. These hand motions are one simple and effective way to
accomplish this.  By accepting Christ as their Savior, a child is saved for eternity. However, it is
by growing in their personal relationship with God that a child’s life will be obviously changed
for the better. Spiritual growth is essential for every believer, regardless of how old they are.