DATE: – SUNDAY, 4TH SEPTEMBER 2022
TOPIC: -EXPECTING AND PREPARING
BIBLE PASSAGE: – Matthew 25: 1 – 13
MEMORY VERSE: -“And at midnight there was a cry made; Behold, the bridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet Him” (Matthew 25:6).
INTRODUCTION: – Every heavenly minded believer must constantly examine his or her spiritual condition in the light of the coming of Christ at an unknown and unexpected time. They must remain true to their faith in Christ and earnestly content for the faith, no matter what, as we see the day fast approaching.
LESSON OUTLINES
1) Are You Preparing?
The greatest event being expected is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ for the saints. Are you preparing for this greatest of all events? Are you seeking God daily for Him to purify you, prepare you by cleansing you from all filthiness of the flesh and of the spirit, from all blemish and spots to fill you with His spirit and grant you grace to fill you with His Spirit and grant you grace to walk daily with Him in the light? Are you putting off the things of this very temporal world and taking hold of the things of eternal value in heaven?
Failure to be in devoted relationship with the Lord Jesus at His coming will not be part of His kingdom.
The difference between the foolish and wise virgins is that the foolish failed to recognize that the returning Lord (Jhn.14:13) would come unexpectedly, without obvious signs as the time approached (Mtt.24:36; 44).
The Lord Jesus Christ indicates that a large portion of the Church will be unprepared at time of His return. The Lord makes it clear that He will not wait until all Churches and professing believers are prepared for His coming.
All the virgins were taken by surprise at the bridegroom’s coming. It appears that all the virgins may have at one time been ready for the groom to return, but the foolish failed to prepare for the wait. Perhaps they planned to take care of things later but instead they fell asleep, by the time they awoke, it was too late.
This should serve as a challenge to all those who make a decision to follow Christ. That initial choice is one thing, but sticking to that decision and staying ready for Christ’s return takes persistence and dedication. If Christians do not stay active and grow spiritually of if they view His return as being distant – the sense of urgency will easily fade. However, if we maintain a high level of expectancy, we will be ready at a moment’s notice.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The fact that both the faithful and the unfaithful “fell asleep” does not seem to be an issue in the Bible passage of today. Infact, if we are spiritually prepared, we can be at peace and enjoy rest in life. Then, when Jesus returns unexpectedly, we will be ready to go with Him. May we be counted worthy to go with Him in Jesus’ Name.
QUESTIONS
- What can qualify us to go with the Lord at His return?
- How can one get prepared for the Lord’s return?
DATE: – SUNDAY, 11TH SEPTEMBER 2022
TOPIC: – OCCUPY TILL I COME (Part 1)
BIBLE PASSAGE: -Luke 19:11 – 27
MEMORY VERSE: – “And he called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them, Occupy till I come” (Luke 19:13).
INTRODUCTION: – God work in sundry times, He is still working in our time and will continue to work through the ages. He uses the feeblest instruments, and those least likely to accomplish their purpose. He used the ravens to feed Prophet Elijah during the drought morning and night. He used a poor widow with the last meal to feed the same Prophet for years (1Kgs.17:2-16).
LESSON OUTLINES
1) Brighten The Corner Where You Are
The little maid in Naaman’s house turned the fortunes of the great prince of Syria (2Kgs.5:2-4). Joseph in a prison kitchen was as important a factor in the world’s history as Joseph on the throne.
The Hebrew maid, the beautiful Esther, was God’s chosen instrument to save her whole nation from extermination through the craft and cruelty of the wicked Haman (Esther 4:10-16).
God use Daniel a captive in Babylon as His instrument for humbling the whole empire of Babylon, and for putting Nebuchadnezzar, its king, upon his face before Jehovah God (Dan.2:46-49).
God used the same Daniel by His believing prayer to bring about the restoration of the captivity of their land and home by the decree of Cyrus.
God Zerubbabel, Joshua and Ezra to restore the ruined city and temple (Dan.9:1-3; Ezra 1:1-3; 3:8-10; 5:1-2).
To teach all of us, like Esther, God has given a kingdom of influence and power, and has in His providence placed us in times and circumstances best adapted for the exercise of the power entrusted to us. Just like a little candle in a dark corner, we must brighten the corner where we are (Matt.5:16).
2) Our Kingdom
Do you recognize that even your person, your natural attractions, your intellectual gifts, all are a trust from God and for God that you might sacredly use your personal influence and power of advance kingdom?
Our social position and circumstances are part of our Kingdom. God led Ester in the providence, into a palace and made her the bride of a king, giving her thus an influence that practically controlled the whole world.
Likewise, God has given each of us our places in life, our relationships, our friendships, our family ties, our wealth or poverty, out occupation and business – as channels of holy influence and opportunities of service for His kingdom.
We have not the placing of ourselves, but the filling of our place sometimes the humblest place is as important as the most prominent, even as the little jeweled pivot in the watch is the axis of the whole machinery.
Let therefore, recognize every place in life and every circumstance that comes to us as a definite occasion, for some heavenly purpose, let us seek to use it for the service and glory of our Lord.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Are you in the family circle? You are there to be a blessing to those around you. Are you rich? Your money is not your own but a “trust” for God. Are you in a business? You are there, not merely to seize the opportunity for gain and aggrandizement, but to the glory of God to be a blessing to all with whom you come in contact. Are you a worker in a factory or civil service? Your are there for the name of Christ. Are you surrounded by uncongenial and unholy associates? You are there that you may bring to them that they will never read in the Bible or see in any volume but the living epistle of your life.
QUESTIONS
- How do you brighten your corner?
- What is expected of you anywhere you find yourself?
DATE: – SUNDAY, 18TH SEPTEMBER 2022
TOPIC: – OCCUPY TILL I COME (Part 2)
BIBLE PASSAGE: – Daniel 1: 1 – 21
MEMORY VERSE: – “But Daniel proposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, not with the wine which, he drink; therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8)
INTRODUCTION: – Every Christian while passing through this world of sin must live his/her life only to the glory of God. He/she must live as salt (providing sweetness and preservation) of the earth and light (a shining brightness in the midst of darkness) of the world (Matt.5:13-16, Phil.2:12-16).
LESSON OUTLINES
1) Your Spiritual Experiences Constitute a Still Higher Kingdom
You have been born again that you might become the parent of other souls. You have been led through the varied experiences of your Christian life that as you tell others the story their hearts may be converted, comforted and instructed. Every discipline through which you pass, is meant to prepare you to lead another soul through a similar pathway.
Do you suffer? It is that you may comfort others with the comfort wherewith you yourself were comforted of God (2Cotint.1:3-4). Are you happy? It is that you may shed your radiance upon hearts that are overshadowed with gloom. Have you been saved from peril and temptation? It is that you may guard others against the snare. Have you been established, strengthened and settled? It is that you in turn may go and strengthen your brethren (Luke 22:31-32).
2) Your Spiritual Endowments And Privileges Constitute An Even Higher Kingdom: – God has given you His exceeding great and precious promises. What a kingdom of holy influence! But it is given to you to use for His service. Are you doing this? Are you entering into all the fullness of your inheritance for His glory and service? God has given you His precious faith. Are you using it as an engine to bless others, to glorify God and to build up His kingdom? And like Abraham, are you staggering not at the promises of God through unbelief but strong in faith, giving glory to God? (Rom.4:13-21).
God has given you His mighty Word. It is the Gospel, the power of God unto salvation. What a kingdom of truth! How it breaks and heals the hearts of men! How it sanctifies, stimulates, ennobles, moves, revolutionizes the whole of human society! Are you using this might force for the spread of the Gospel and for the establishing of the kingdom of truth in every land?
God has given you the Holy Ghost, the mightiest power that a mortal can possess in His indwelling you, in His Omnipotence to possess you, to use you and to work mightily through you. Are you using this mighty power? (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8).
And God has given you the power of prayer, the arm that moves all things. Oh! The power of believing prayer to open the heavens, to bless the hearts of men, to conquer the power of Satan, to bring salvation near, to overcome the most formidable difficulties, and foes, and to accomplish all that our weak human hands are unable to do! What a kingdom of God has given us!
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
The King has given each of us a trust to occupy (Lk.19:13). We can make much or little of it, as we are faithful and diligent or the opposite.
When He comes, each of us shall be called to meet Him and to present our account to receive the reward in proportion to our faithful service. What a responsibility it lays upon us to have received so much; for to whom much is given, of him much is also required (Luke 12:48; Rom.14:12).
QUESTIONS
- What are the resources God has given us for influence?
- How can we use our spiritual experiences to further God’s kingdom?
DATE: – SUNDAY, 25TH SEPTEMBER 2022
TOPIC: – OCCUPY TILL I COME (Part 3)
BIBLE PASSAGE: – Esther 4: 1 – 18
MEMORY VERSE: – “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement, and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou, and thy father’s house shall be destroyed; and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Esther 4:14).
INTRODUCTION: – Mordeceai believed that it was God’s purpose to use Esther to save Israel and that she had become queen for this very reason.
However, Mordecai knew that Esther could miss being used at her most important time if she did not do her part in God’s plan. If she refused to help the Jews, she too would perish. Even though God has all power and authority to do as He chooses, His highest purposes most often include much human involvement and responsibility.
LESSON OUTLINES
1) The Full Resources Of His Grace
There is no service which God expects of us for which He has not made the fullest provision in the infinite sources of His grace. We cannot dare too much. If it be in dependence upon Him; for He has given us all fullness, and He sends no one warring upon his own charges; but He is able to make all grace abound toward us, so that we, always having all sufficiency in all things, abound unto every good work (2Corint.9:6-8).
Shall we go to the armouring of our King and clothed in His infinite power, meet His expectation for us, attempting great things for God because we expect great things from God?
Do we realize, the high place which God has given us? It is even as Esther’s. the Church of God is the Bride of the King of Kings and has been raised from nothingness and worthlessness to share all His resources and glory, to represent Him in all His fullness, to draw from Him in all His might and to use His power to establish His own Kingdom.
Oh! Shall we clothe ourselves with His glory and then go forth to do His bidding and to bring in His Kingdom? Do we really know that we have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
Esther had been raised especially to meet the times; likewise God has prepared each one of you for the very crisis in life which you are to meet (Songs of Solomon 6:10; Isa.52:1).
No sooner does He prepare an instrument for service than He shows the service for which it has been prepared.
As soon as Paul was ready, the Gentile missions were opened for him. As soon as Philip had obeyed the spirit and gone down to the desert, the eunuch appeared to received his ministry.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
God is involved in world events in order to save His people from its evil order to accomplish His eternal purpose of saving and bringing spiritually lost people to a relationship with Himself. God can give ordinary people extra ordinary influence at just the right time. God knows how to accomplish great things. All believers must remember that God is active in the events that surround our lived in order to protect us, work through us, bless us and bring us to be with Him throughout eternity (Rom.8:28-39).
QUESTIONS
- Can God send someone to battle on his own charges?
- Have you found your own purpose for living?