SundaySchool-2008-10-26
1. Prayer Requests
2. Who Wants To Do Some Exercise?
Ø Exercise In The Spirit! Joy – Peace – Happiness
3. Recap:
A. 3 Weeks Ago – Sharing The Gospel
B. 2 Weeks Ago – The Transforming Power Of Christ
Ø Talk About Physical Proof Of Christ – The Miracle Of Paul’s Conversion
4. Last Week – Gospel Is For Everyone – We Have Been Handed The Responsibility Of The:
Great Commission – A Personal Instruction
The Great Commission Is One Of The Most Significant Passages In The Holy Bible. First, It's The Last Recorded Personal Instruction Given By Jesus To His Disciples. Second, It's A Special Calling From Jesus Christ To All His Followers To Take Specific Action While On This Earth. The Great Commission Is Found In The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 28 Verses 18-20:
“And Jesus Came And Spake Unto Them, Saying, All Power Is Given Unto Me In Heaven And In Earth. Go Ye Therefore, And Teach All Nations, Baptizing Them In The Name Of The Father, And Of The Son, And Of The Holy Ghost: Teaching Them To Observe All Things Whatsoever I Have Commanded You: And, Lo, I Am With You Alway, Even Unto The End Of The World.”
What’s The Significance For Christians?
The Great Commission Is The End Of A Gospel And The Beginning Of Faith In Action For All Christians. This Command From Jesus Is Significant Because It's A Personal Instruction For Christians To Have A Profound Faith In Jesus Christ As Indicated In Verse 18. "All Authority Has Been Given To Me In Heaven And On Earth." This Is An Incredibly Powerful Statement Which Demands Faith In Jesus Christ, Validating His Power In The Lives Of Christians And Their Commitment To Him. This Verse Acts As A Clear Claim To Christ's Omnipotence, And Therefore His Deity. If Christians Do Not Believe This Statement, Complete Faith Does Not Exist. Jesus Is Very Clear About His Authority In The World -- It Is Complete And Total From The Beginning Of Time Itself. Read With Me:
John 1:1-5
“In The Beginning Was The Word, And The Word Was With God, And The Word Was God. The
Same Was In The Beginning With God. All Things Were Made By Him; And Without Him Was Not Any Thing Made That Was Made. In Him Was Life; And The Life Was The Light Of Men. And The Light Shineth In Darkness; And The Darkness Comprehended It Not.”
In Verse 19, Jesus Gives His Believers Specific Directions To Follow After They Have Affirmed Their Faith. "Go Therefore And Make Disciples Of All The Nations, Baptizing Them In The Name Of The Father And Of The Son And Of The Holy Spirit." Jesus Calls All His Followers To Act And Share The Good News Of Salvation Throughout The World. People Hear This Calling And Travel Each Year On Missionary Trips Throughout The Earth, Spreading The Word Of Jesus Christ. Many Christians Have Made Incredible Sacrifices, Traveling To Remote Regions Of The World Beyond The Civilized Cities Into Jungles And Deserts. Mission Fields Can Also Be Very Close To Home. It Could Be A Neighbor Who Has Not Heard The Good News, Or A Poverty Stricken Area Just Down The Road Where People Can't Afford Bibles. In The 21st Century, The Internet Has Become A Mission Field Where People Can Reach Out And Share Christ's Love. The Places And People Who Need To Hear The Gospel Are Everywhere!
Another Important Aspect Of Verse 19 Is That Christ Is Specifically Teaching The Doctrine Of The Trinity To His Followers. The Three Persons Of The Godhead Are Each Equally And Fully God And Here Presented In The Logical Order Of Father, Son And Holy Spirit - Yet Only One God From The Beginning (See Romans 1:20).
Finally, In Verse 20, Jesus Provides Specific Direction With Affirmation To His Followers, "Teaching Them To Observe All Things That I Have Commanded You; And Lo, I Am With You Always, Even To The End Of The World." Christians Are Instructed To Teach Others About Jesus Christ And The Entirety Of His Truth. We Can't Profess Christ As Savior And Lord, While Rejecting Certain Of His Teachings. As We Teach Christ's Truths, Verse 20 Declares That We Can Be Confident, In Faith, That Jesus Christ Will Support Us. This Fact Has Proven Trustworthy Throughout The Centuries As Millions Of Believers Have Heard, Accepted And Shared The Good News Of Jesus Christ. Yes, Christ Has Ascended Back To Heaven, But He Is Present By The Power Of The Holy Spirit In Every Believer!
A Personal Calling!
In The Great Commission, Jesus Calls Every Christian To Step Out In Faith And Spread The Good News. This Is Faith In Action! People Who Obey This Command Change Their Spiritual Lives Forever! It Could Be Spreading The Good News To A Neighbor Or Moving To Another Country To Reach The People There. It Could Be Sharing With Less Fortunate Kids Down The Street Or Spreading The Word In A Town Two Hours Away. Wherever We Go, Every Faithful Christian Is Compelled Through Obedience To Share The Gospel. If You're A Believer In Jesus Christ, Where Has He Called You To Go? Who Has God Put On Your Heart To Share The Gift Of Salvation? What Small Or Large Steps Can You Take, With The Knowledge That Christ Will Be By Your Side, "To Make Disciples Of All The Nations"?
5. Today’s Lesson – Benefits Of Wisdom – Four Areas To Cover
Ø First – We Need To Define Wisdom
t Wisdom Is Knowledge, Understanding, Experience, Discretion, And Intuitive Understanding, Along With A Capacity To Apply These Qualities Well Towards Finding Solutions To Life’s Problems. It Is The Judicious And Purposeful Application Of Knowledge That Is Valued In Society. To Some Extent The Terms Wisdom And Intelligence Have Similar And Overlapping Meanings. The Status Of Wisdom Or Prudence As A Virtue Is Recognized And Valued In Every Religion In The World.
Ø Secondly – How Do We Begin To Acquire Wisdom?
t Follow What We Have Already Discussed!
t God’s Word: Very Familiar With Proverbs 9:10
a. “The Fear Of The Lord Is The Beginning Of Wisdom: And The Knowledge Of The Holy Is Understanding.”
b. “The Fear Of The Lord” – 30 Times In Bible – See List
Ø Thirdly – How Do We Become Truly Wise?
t A Lifetime Of Serving God With Study, Meditation And Prayer
Ø Finally – What Are The Benefits? - From The Lesson Scriptures:
t Length Of Days – Long Life – Peace – Mercy – Truth – Favor – Good Understanding – Direct Your Paths – Health – Have Plenty – Blessings – Happiness & Joy – Rich In Perception – Riches & Honor – Pleasantness – A Tree Of Life
1 Samuel 11:7
7. . . And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent.
2 Chronicles 14:14
14 . . . for the fear of the Lord came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.
2 Chronicles 17:10
10 And the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.
2 Chronicles 19:7
7 Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.
2 Chronicles 19:9
9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.
Job 28:28
28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Psalms 19:9
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
Psalms 34:11
11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Psalms 111:10
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Proverbs 1:7
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:29
29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:
Proverbs 2:5
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs 8:13
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Proverbs 9:10
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Proverbs 10:27
27 The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
Proverbs 14:26
26 In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
Proverbs 14:27
27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Proverbs 15:16
16 Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Proverbs 15:33
33 The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Proverbs 16:6
6 By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.
Proverbs 19:23
23 The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
Proverbs 22:4
4 By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.
Proverbs 23:17
17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long.
Isaiah 2:10
10 Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty.
Isaiah 2:19
19 And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 2:21
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 11:2
2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
Isaiah 11:3
3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
Isaiah 33:6
6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the Lord is his treasure.
Acts 9:31
31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.