Sunday School - August 23, 2009
Love that is true always respond in kind to whom such a love is reciprocated; for when love truly abides, a faithful response is given in absence of any real or potential risk. This brand of mutual communal love is void of hatred, selfish or evil intent and serves not a few, but the good of all.
Romans 12:9-10. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.
1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
This type of love is the hope of man, a hope not realize, yet desired, a hope made complete only to those who are in Christ Jesus; for in Christ, God’s love is made manifest. In Christ we are given a true love, an example to follow and a life to model. Thus, to love Him we are to respond in obedience to the grace of His enduring love, for the true evidence of our love is made manifest in our obedience to His word.
John 14:23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Obedience and love are the fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) produced by those who find delight in the will of our Lord. A will we must continue to love and obey, for He has promised, if we observe all things whatsoever He has commanded us, He will always be with us, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).
Psalms 112:1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
This week's lesson is from the book of Deuteronomy. For those who follow the International Sunday School Lesson Plan (aka: The Standard Sunday School Lesson), this Sunday's lesson (August 23, 2009) comes from Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-24.
Moses reiterates the commandments, statues, and judgments of the Lord to the congregation poised to enter the promise land, many of which knew only the wilderness as their home. God had commanded Moses to teach them the things they were to do in the land they would be given to possess; for it is always prudent to know all there is to do, before such tasks are of need to be done.
1 Timothy 4:15-16. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Moses told the Israelites these things so they might fear God; keep His commandment and statues and communicate to all generations the importance of doing such. If such was done, their lives would be prolonged and God would bring many blessings upon them, as was promised to their fathers.
Ecclesiastes 8:12-13. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
Moses proceeded to declare God as the one and only true God, not a superior God among subordinates, but a lone sovereign Lord. A God they should love with all their soul and with all their might. Such was the commandment echoed by our Lord and Savior, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38)”. For in yielding our heart, soul, mind and might in obedience to the will of God, we respond in kind to His love for us. Thus, if we adhere to the first and great commandment, we intrinsically fulfill the second “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.(Matthew 22:39-40)”.
Moses admonishes the Israelites to diligently teach their children “when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (Dueteronomy 6:7-9)”. The purpose of such was to retain the commandments of God in the hearts of all, not done through pious pretenses (Matthew 23:5); but as a constant reminder of God’s will, a will to be obeyed for the good of the Israelites. Such is continued for Christian, through the abundance availability of His written and preached word.
1 Timothy 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
When a new generation of Israelites would ask the meaning of the testimonies, statutes, and judgments, they would be told how God delivered them from the bondage of Egypt. How God, through His mighty works, signs and wonders brought them out of Egypt into a land that He promised to their fathers. Such was told so they would fear and obey God’s commandment for their good, that He might preserve and bless them always in the land He would give them to possess.
As Christians, we have a greater story (The Gospel), one of a sinless savior who selflessly died for our transgressions. A Savior ordained by God to deliver us from the bondage of sin. Such is our story to tell, that all would come to fear, accept and obey, all that our Lord commands. This is for the good of all, to be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ; “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)”.
If you are not a typical Sunday School attendee, Go and surprise the teacher. If your Church does not follow the Standard Sunday School Lesson and you are not aware of the topic of discussion, take on the attitude of "positive anticipation". I am sure you will like it; there is nothing like reading and discussing God's Word.
FYI: Sunday School is not just for Kids, it is also for the Humble (those who desire to be obedient) at heart.
Good Day and God Bless
Love that is true always respond in kind to whom such a love is reciprocated; for when love truly abides, a faithful response is given in absence of any real or potential risk. This brand of mutual communal love is void of hatred, selfish or evil intent and serves not a few, but the good of all.
Romans 12:9-10. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.
1 John 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
This type of love is the hope of man, a hope not realize, yet desired, a hope made complete only to those who are in Christ Jesus; for in Christ, God’s love is made manifest. In Christ we are given a true love, an example to follow and a life to model. Thus, to love Him we are to respond in obedience to the grace of His enduring love, for the true evidence of our love is made manifest in our obedience to His word.
John 14:23. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Obedience and love are the fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) produced by those who find delight in the will of our Lord. A will we must continue to love and obey, for He has promised, if we observe all things whatsoever He has commanded us, He will always be with us, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).
Psalms 112:1 Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
This week's lesson is from the book of Deuteronomy. For those who follow the International Sunday School Lesson Plan (aka: The Standard Sunday School Lesson), this Sunday's lesson (August 23, 2009) comes from Deuteronomy 6:1-9, 20-24.
Moses reiterates the commandments, statues, and judgments of the Lord to the congregation poised to enter the promise land, many of which knew only the wilderness as their home. God had commanded Moses to teach them the things they were to do in the land they would be given to possess; for it is always prudent to know all there is to do, before such tasks are of need to be done.
1 Timothy 4:15-16. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
Moses told the Israelites these things so they might fear God; keep His commandment and statues and communicate to all generations the importance of doing such. If such was done, their lives would be prolonged and God would bring many blessings upon them, as was promised to their fathers.
Ecclesiastes 8:12-13. Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him: But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
Moses proceeded to declare God as the one and only true God, not a superior God among subordinates, but a lone sovereign Lord. A God they should love with all their soul and with all their might. Such was the commandment echoed by our Lord and Savior, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:37-38)”. For in yielding our heart, soul, mind and might in obedience to the will of God, we respond in kind to His love for us. Thus, if we adhere to the first and great commandment, we intrinsically fulfill the second “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.(Matthew 22:39-40)”.
Moses admonishes the Israelites to diligently teach their children “when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates. (Dueteronomy 6:7-9)”. The purpose of such was to retain the commandments of God in the hearts of all, not done through pious pretenses (Matthew 23:5); but as a constant reminder of God’s will, a will to be obeyed for the good of the Israelites. Such is continued for Christian, through the abundance availability of His written and preached word.
1 Timothy 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
When a new generation of Israelites would ask the meaning of the testimonies, statutes, and judgments, they would be told how God delivered them from the bondage of Egypt. How God, through His mighty works, signs and wonders brought them out of Egypt into a land that He promised to their fathers. Such was told so they would fear and obey God’s commandment for their good, that He might preserve and bless them always in the land He would give them to possess.
As Christians, we have a greater story (The Gospel), one of a sinless savior who selflessly died for our transgressions. A Savior ordained by God to deliver us from the bondage of sin. Such is our story to tell, that all would come to fear, accept and obey, all that our Lord commands. This is for the good of all, to be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ; “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)”.
If you are not a typical Sunday School attendee, Go and surprise the teacher. If your Church does not follow the Standard Sunday School Lesson and you are not aware of the topic of discussion, take on the attitude of "positive anticipation". I am sure you will like it; there is nothing like reading and discussing God's Word.
FYI: Sunday School is not just for Kids, it is also for the Humble (those who desire to be obedient) at heart.
Good Day and God Bless