Commitment story

To introduce the close of your lesson, “Commitment: A Path to Effectiveness,” read the following story and ask members what word they would use to characterize Connie?

Read: Connie Douglas spends part of her summers at Camp Waldemar for Girls along the Guadalupe River in Texas, helping teach horseback riding to girls, ages 7 to 16. What makes Connie Douglas so unusual is that she is 100 years old and has been doing this for 66 summers. She has also attended law school, taught school and worked with her husband as a rancher. When the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame opened this summer, Douglas was honored because she has taught more than 30,000 girls to ride horseback.Source: "Almost 101, cowgirl still saddles her horse," CNN.com, 22 Sept. 02, http://www.cnn.com/. Updated article on Connie.

As an alternative, here are a few ‘case studies’ you could ask members to read to uncover individual commitments.

1. Allan and Susan are new Christians. They thanked God for the blessing of giving them a grand baby, but Susan has just learned that her daughter’s newborn baby has a birth defect. She and Allan do not want to question God, but their new faith is being shaken. Others around them are blaming God for the baby’s problem. What is your suggestion for this couple to remain faithful and committed in the face of this discovery?

2. John has worked for his company for 20 years. He has just been informed that because of a downsizing, he will no longer have a job. He and Mary, his wife, have outstanding debts that demand monthly payments. The two are Christians, and their friends are urging them to sue his former company for age discrimination. They asked you for advice. What would you tell them?

3. Robert is not a Christian. However, he respected that Jesus could attract such a large following through His teachings, but feels that he can’t live up to His requirements. Robert’s life is unsatisfying to him and he does not like life’s lack of ‘real purpose’ as he sees it. You sit down beside Robert on an airplane trip and strike up a conversation. He asks you “In what way is your life with Jesus personally satisfying?” What would you say to him?

Incomparable God

On May 28, 2006, LifeWay’s Explore the Bible series offered a lesson from Isaiah and Micah titled, “Praise Our Incomparable God.” See blog posts Incomparable God, Matchless God of Wonder, God’s Incomparable Plan, God's incomparable deeds, No one is like Him and What have you learned?.

Step 4 of this week’s lesson, “Commitment: A Path to Effectiveness,” includes Micah 7:18, which begins with “Who is a God like You…?,” a statement of God’s incomparability. This suggests a way to introduce this step. Show a slide of a collage of people, places or things that are marketed as incomparable, and ask class members if the items are really incomparable, or are they just hyped?

The following is an example of the slide I have in mind. Are these items truly incomparable in the sense that they cannot be compared with anything else? The answer is no, and the claim of incomparability is more hype than reality. State that this step will help us commit to God because He truly is incomparable.

Ambidextrous

For Step 2 of the lesson “Commitment: A Path to Effectiveness,” consider playing this video of a person writing with both hands. The people of Judah were “both handed” in accomplishing evil.

Commitment: A Path to Effectiveness, Micah 7:1-20

My lesson Sunday was well received. I knew the Lord used the preparation because the truth of His word was proclaimed. The PPT slides I used have been downloaded 129 times so far. I hope some of you were able to effectively use them.

This week’s lesson from Micah 7 is “Commitment: A Path to Effectiveness,” (Mark Rathel gave it a different title). I wonder if preachers today identify with Micah 7:1 when they are faithful to deliver God’s word, but likewise find no evidence of repentance among their congregations?

As I read the background passage, it occurred to me to use Micah’s action of searching in 7:1 as a way to start off the lesson. We all use Internet search engines to quickly locate relevant results. However, we have all experienced times when our searches returned lots of results, but none were useful. Like Micah, our search yielded no fruit. Show a PPT slide of a Google front page to get started.

Instead our search may return everything but what we looked for. Micah experienced that. He looked for repentance. Instead he found no one who trusted and followed the Lord. Judges demanded bribes, children rebelled against their parents, and neither close friends nor spouses could be trusted.

To strengthen this idea of using search as an analogy, Micah later refers to watchmen—individuals who could see a coming judgment on the people for their sin, and in verse 7, Micah looks to the Lord.

If you find a better idea than using ‘search’ as a analogy for kicking off the lesson, please post a comment so we can all benefit from the insight the Lord has given you.

PPT Slides for "Hope: A Path to Fulfillment", Micah 4-6

I posted my PPT slides for “Hope: A Path to Fulfillment,” which are based in a large part on the LifeWay teaching suggestions. I hope you find them useful. Pray that all the teachers sharing God’s Word this coming Sunday will be clear, interesting, and relevant to members in their Life Groups.

What can you see?

What can you see in the picture? McDonald Observatory is in the near-distant, left-center of the picture. I took this snap standing on top of Baldy Peak of Mt Livermore last week.

Looking out from where he stood, the prophet Micah could see the corrupt leaders and priests, the coming judgment, and a future hope.

I will use this picture to open the lesson, “Hope: A Path to Fulfillment” based on Micah 4-6. It will create interest and discussion, and challenge members to see into the distance. I can liken this to how God’s Word allows us to clearly see moral issues, and the future return of Jesus Christ.

Under siege

In Micah 5, Jerusalem was under siege from the Assyrians. I’m thinking it’s important for members to understand a siege mentality. How would you communicate what it’s like to be under siege? Illustrate it using a picture of Lachish under Assyrian siege? Relate a story of a school system under siege?

We’ve taught previous lesson on hope, and the following sets of PPT slides may be helpful to review.

What Hope Do You Have?

Live in Hope

Hope: A Path to Fulfillment, Micah 5:2-5

As I began preparing to teach this week’s lesson, “Hope: A Path to Fulfillment”, I wondered what the Lifeway editors had in mind by using the word “fulfillment.” For example, what if it was simply omitted and the lesson title was “Hope: The Path”? Does that state the subject of the lesson more clearly? As Bible teachers, we want to be clear, not just interesting and relevant.

Mark Rathel’s commentary re-titled the lesson, “Hope: a path to the future,” and he uses phrases such as “the path of hope,” which indicates to me his understanding that this is a lesson focused on hope, not fulfillment. He even coins the title, “Ruler of Hope” to put the focus on a Person.

Food preservatives

Dan Kassis, Internet Producer at Lifeway, suggests opening the lesson: “Corruption: A Path to Nowhere,” by having members share a time when they encountered spoiled food.

To add interest to the lesson, consider taking this suggestion a bit further in Step 4. What causes food to spoil? Some answers can be found here. Draw a parallel between the agents that cause food to spoil and those who pervert what is right given in Micah 3:9-12.

An important question is, how can we preserve food? The last two slides of the reference lists a number of methods. Again, draw a parallel between preserving food and the important question, how can Christians please God? For example, holding to ethical standards might be equivalent to “adding salt or sugar” to preserve food. Or, “Ionizing radiation” might equate to reading and studying the Bible.

Show a list of preservation methods and ask members to think about which one best applies as an analogy of a help that enables them to please God?

Money talks

Reading the lesson plan from Kelly Kinto, “Corruption: A Path to Nowhere”, I thought of a number of phrases like “money talks,” “take your money and run”, “do it for the money”, “easy money,” or “follow the money”.

You might consider having members read Micah3:5 silently and have them pick the phrase about money that best matches the political and religious leaders of Israel and Judah.

This is a simple idea, but it has merit. It gets members to personally read the Bible and then make comparisons, which means they have to think about what God is saying through Micah (not just listen). It's a step toward making your class interactive, too.

Corruption: A Path to Nowhere, Micah 3:1-12

Yesterday co-teacher Curt did an outstanding job introducing the book the Micah, which uses puns in the first chapter. He illustrated a pun using an oilman’s joke. Why do all the drug addicts in New Orleans want to work on offshore rigs? Answer: The rigs need pushers, there’s lots of dope, and the joints are all 40’ long. He went on to explain the important role of a tool pusher on a rig, the dope used to join pipe segments, and the typical length of pipe is 40’.

I can’t wait to see how co-teacher Randy tops that this week when we study the lesson titled, “Corruption: A Path to Nowhere,” based on Micah 3. For me, verse 3:11 holds the key to understanding the ancient Israelites. In view of their corrupt behavior, why did they believe the Lord would protect them (Jer 7:4)?

Jeff Meyer labels this phenomenon as a false sense of security. Perhaps you can illustrate this using this article on a false sense of security. After the depression investors have believed that regulation on the financial system prevented corrupt schemes, and so conned, they gave their money to corrupt managers like Bernard Madoff.

Were the people of Israel and Judah conned by their religious and political leaders?

Tattooing as an illustration of rebellion becoming mainstream

To help in teaching the lesson “Rebellion: A Path to Ruin,” I thought of using tattooing as an illustration of how rebellion permeates a society, or culture. Tattooing was once only for the “rebellious,” but now it has become mainstream.

Tattooing may have started small, affecting only a few people, but as a signature of a rebellious spirit, it has become widespread. Pictures of ruined bodies abound. Your reaction to a picture of such a happy person may help you relate to God’s response to rebellion.

Rebellion: A Path to Ruin, Micah 1:1-2:13

The first lesson from Micah 1-2, titled “Rebellion: A Path to Ruin” foretells a coming judgment of Judah (chp1) for a number of reasons: rebellion, exploitation, oppression, adherence to false teachings, etc. (chps and 3).

Micah anticipates Judah’s argument for a way out of the judgment (chp 6:6-7) . Lately there has been lots of news about buyouts of American companies in trouble. As individuals, how to we buy our way out of judgment (consequences of unwise or ungodly decisions)?

For example, we can prevent a ticket from showing up on our record if we will take a course in defensive driving. Fees are a means for buying our way out of just about everything you can think of: 20 fees to avoid.

In short, consider starting the lesson with a discussion of how people want to buy their way out of trouble. That is, if there is a way out. Praise be to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, believers do not get what they deserve.

The Invitation is Inclusive, Isaiah 55

Well, this week you’ll have to decide between teaching an outline of the final 12 chapters of Isaiah (55 thru 66), or focus on Isaiah 55:1-13 and leave the rest for another day. For Isaiah 55, the LifeWay lesson title is “The Invitation is Inclusive”.

We have studied the same focal passage on May 14, 2006 (starting in a blog entry called A special for sure. Click the “Newer Post” link on the bottom, left side of each post to advance to the next day’s post).

Without modification, I posted my PPT slides for that lesson: “Accept God’s Free Offer”. May they be a blessing to you this week as you prepare.

PPT slides for "The Lord is Compassionate", Isaiah 54

After studying and praying a little more this morning, I’ve posted my final PPT slides for “The Lord is Compassionate”. As I play the slides, I will have my Bible opened to Isaiah 54 and work thru the verses along with the class. I pray that your walk with the Lord will be such that you recognize and consciously thank Him for every blessing He gives.

Seeing ahead

Isaiah wrote in Chapter 54 of things that would not come to pass for more than a hundred years and beyond. The people of Judah could see no evidence of what Isaiah prophesied.

This reminded me of when I once hiked a trail on a dark night using a flashlight. Everything outside the beam of the light was invisible to me. There was no evidence of a trail, for example, beyond the light where I could see. I had no idea what was ahead. Nevertheless, I pushed on and eventually made it to the camping spot.

The Lord is not visible to us moment-by-moment as we walk the trail of life (He is “outside the light” where we can see). So we tend to put him out-of-mind and live absent-mindedly of Him. However, His Word is "a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path". Using it I can see the blessings ahead. As Bible teachers we want to help class members use the Word like a flashlight and see God's glorious future for believers. I updated my slides again today.

A picture for each verse

The language in Isaiah 54 is very picturesque, and suggests teaching it by showing a picture along with each verse. This strategy is reflected in my updated slides for “The Lord is Compassionate”. They’re not final yet, so I appreciate any picture suggestions you have! Post a link as a comment.

Making the most of time

I don’t know how you prepare, but God works on me throughout the week as I study to prepare exactly what He wants me to say. I thought I’d start this week with a draft of my PPT slides for “The Lord is Compassionate”, and then update them as I continue studying the rest of the week.

This makes the most of my time since I will continually update the presentation as I study rather than save up notes and try to produce the slides all in one sitting.

The Lord is Compassionate, Isaiah 54:1-17

I read the material for “The Lord is Compassionate,” our lesson this week from Isaiah 54:1-17. The life impact of the lesson is “to help adults maintain a close fellowship with the Lord.” A Christian’s positional fellowship with the Lord is guaranteed, so instead of the idea of closeness, I suggest you consider the idea of “conscious fellowship with the Lord.” See 1 John 1:5-2:2 and think about what it means to live in conscious fellowship with the Lord versus "walking in darkness," or living unconscious of God in your life.

With this in mind, have you had an absent-minded driving experience where you suddenly become aware that you are further down the road than you thought, and you realize you've been driving unconsciously? Relate this to living in conscious fellowship with God. As a help to maintain interest, share parts of a story on how absent-minded drivers take their toll.

Outside the box

I read a lesson plan for “The Lord is at Work” from Scott Susong of Second Baptist, Houston. His theme is that God operates outside the box in which we place Him. He closes with the story of Charles Spurgeon’s salvation experience, which occurred during a brief sermon from Isaiah 45.

More recently, here is a link to a news story in which a young woman mentions the Lord's working in the lives of her and her fiancé. I call it to your attention because sharing portions of it (eg. her getting a wedding dress) might help you stimulate interest in your lesson, and generate interaction with members on how God is working unexpectedly in their lives.

What can we learn about God

The focal passage Isaiah 45:1-7, 9-13 is replete with the idea of knowing the LORD God and who He is. One way to teach this passage is to read a verse. Then ask members what the verse teaches about God. Develop a list of the attributes of God as you progress thru the verses. Finally, ask members in light of what they’ve learned about God, what change would they like to make in their lives. End by praying about these requests.

Otherwise, consider using Jeff Meyer’s lesson plan for “The Lord is at Work.”

The Lord is at Work, Isaiah 40:1-48:22

We return to Isaiah this week with a lesson called, “The Lord is at Work,” based on Isaiah 40:1-48:22. As an opening for the lesson, consider using the concept of “behind the scenes” and read selected portions of this article, “Kevin Galuski Jr.: The Man Behind the Scenes.” You might say, God worked behind the scenes to achieve His purposes. The unspiritual cannot see God at work. However, believers do perceive the Lord’s presence, power, and sovereignty.

The Lord is Alive, Matthew 28:1-17

I won’t blog about this week’s lesson, “The Lord is Alive,” since Champion Forest Baptist Church will not have Bible Study classes.

If I come across some lesson plan's, I'll post those, however.

Other lesson plans

From Second Baptist Houston: Kelly Kiinto’s lesson plan for The Sacrifice is Sufficient (Isaiah 53) has a compelling opening. She likens prophecy to the brush strokes of an artist, and notes that only over time do we began to see what the artist had in mind.

From Bayleaf Baptist: Jeff Meyer’s lesson plan for The Sacrifice is Sufficient suggest a great teaching idea for a class exercise that gets members into reading their Bibles in class.

Let me know if you have a lesson plan you'd like me to link to!

The Sacrifice is Sufficient

I liked Dan Kassis, Internet Producer at LifeWay, Teaching Insights email illustration to use the notion of debt collector calls he is getting on a new phone number. Essentially he related these debtor calls for bills that cannot be paid to a person’s sinful condition before a righteous God.

We last taught Isaiah 53 on May 7, 2006 in a lesson called, “Recognize God’s Ways”. One of the blog posts from that time may be helpful to you, or this one.

I don’t know Gary Goodworth, but he makes a point about prophecy not being taught today that is interesting. You might want to comment on it?

The Sacrifice is Sufficient, Isaiah 49:1-53:12

The lesson, “The Sacrifice is Sufficient” is taken from Isaiah 53:2-12.

Sample openings from selected comentaries:

James McCullen “A prominent lawyer, Jay Sekulow, currently serves as Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice. He gives the testimony that this passage of scripture caused him to convert to Christianity from the Jewish faith. He could not explain these scriptures unless they referred to the sacrifice Christ made”

Leroy Fenton Regarding the current economic crisis: “Would it not be a good thing to look beneath the problem to the cause. Morality is related directly to the issues of faith in a Holy God who demands righteousness of his people. Where is God in all of this? Why should we have to suffer? How do we overcome this economic bondage and captivity? How do we reconcile the economist’s view with religious beliefs? How do we reconcile human freedom and irresponsibility?”

Mark Lashley “We all have lots of things going on in our lives. What if God showed up in your life in ways that simply defied human explanation? What would happen if God unleashed His power within you?”

David Self “In today's Bible Study we'll see startling clear specific prophecies about Jesus that were written hundreds of years prior to their fulfillment. The Hebrew was translated to Greek by at least 150 B.C.!”

Another idea for starting the lesson is to allow members to share about the hometown where they grew up. Ask what expectations the towns people had on those growing up there, for example, what should they become, or do in life? Ask, what do you think the townspeople of Nazareth would have expected of Jesus?

PPT slides for "Stay Spiritually Alert", Isaiah 36-39

A couple of ideas I incorporated into my PPT slides for “Stay Spiritually Alert” are “spiritual yawning” and the Volvo Driver Alert System.

Yawning is an action to increase alertness, so I paralleled that action with Bible study to form an idea of “spiritual yawning.” We practice spiritual yawning to increase our focus on God to act with Godly wisdom. Hence, I can excuse some members who yawn during my lessons. They are actually trying to stay alert!

If you have an idea about how to improve the slides, let me know (comment on this post).

Pickpockets

I went with a church group to Israel. As we visited the various sites, the tour guide frequently reminded us to watch out for pickpockets. Sadly, when we visited the Garden Of Gethsemane, an older gentleman in our group had his wallet stolen. He was on the lookout, too, but it happened anyway.

Perhaps you can read the following testimony during your lesson:

Pickpockets on the subway in Lisbon were very active. They didn't get anything from me because the money was in my money belt — but my purse was opened twice in the same day! And I thought I was alert!! Teri, Portland, Ore.

I haven’t settled on how I want to teach this week’s lesson. I like the LifeWay application, but I think there is more to the background passage than meets the eye.

For example, Hezekiah prayed regularly and worshipped God, implying that he was spiritually alert, but his faithfulness was tested (2 Chron. 32:31).

Alternatively, David Self of Second Baptist, Houston, offers three applications:
1. In times of calamity, we must trust God.
2. God hears our prayers and answers them.
3. Rejecting God involves judgment.

Questions

Step 2 of the LifeWay Adult Leader Guide for, “Stay Spiritually Alert” proposes six questions (p.56) to ask class members. An additional question is included in the commentary on verse 5, “Did Hezekiah’s prayer change God’s mind or will?” (p. 56).

And there’s more! Based on Isaiah 32:1, “a king will reign in righteousness” was Hezekiah a type of Christ?

What does Hezekiah’s name mean?

Was there significance to the additional 15 years of life given to Hezekiah?

Hezekiah prayed but does that imply he was spiritually alert?

The same question applies to us: if we are praying does that imply we are spiritually alert?

Stay Spiritually Alert, Isaiah 36-38

After reading the background passage (Isaiah 36-38, see also II Kings 18-20) for this week’s lesson, I checked out a few lesson commentaries to see if there was consensus on Lifeway’s application: “Stay Spiritually Alert.”

Mark Rathel and Leroy Fenton agreed, but Lucien Coleman did not focus on Hezekiah being prideful after his healing. He suggests instead that Hezekiah was demonstrating his wherewithal to offer support against the Assyrians.

What does it mean to be spiritually alert? Jesus was alert when Peter said, “Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.” (Matthew 16:21-23). Jesus recognized Peter’s words as an attack from Satan.

Can you cite another example from Scripture of spiritual alertness?

Fake ice cream

Two lessons plans by Jay Hancock and Mark Cimijotti from Carmel Baptist were posted this week. Mark’s plan has a handy two-sheet handout with blanks that learners can fill in as the lesson progresses.

Tony Collins opens his comments on the lesson, “Follow the Lord’s Will” by noting that it is not easy for men to follow directions. Maybe this applies to Rob Faircloth who wrote in his blog, “Free Will Run Amok” regarding the LifeWay material this week.

The opening in Lucien Coleman’s lesson plan (from Riverland Hills) suggested to me an illustration to consider. I enjoy real ice cream as opposed to a cheap, ice cream-like version. Does anyone remember Melorine? One way to start the lesson is to ask class members which fast food restaurant chain offers the best ice cream cone? I vote for Chick-fil-A.

The applications listed in the lesson outline from W. B. Tolar (p. 4) might help you end your lesson. Speaking of endings, that’s it for this week!

Cultural helps and hinderances

Sam Tullock’s comments on the lesson offer a good outline of the background passage. He also states that Americans “embrace a gospel that has little place for confrontational preaching.”

Our culture both helps and hinders us as we seek to follow the Lord’s will. For example, consider how we value: (1) Individual freedom and liberty, (2) Technological advances, and (3) Wealth, health, comfort and entertainment.

Discuss with your class how these values can be a blessing and help us follow the Lord, or how they can deter us.

Had it backwards

Reading Isaiah 29:15-16 for the lesson, “Follow the Lord’s Will,” made me think of people who work undercover of darkness and think no one can see them. However, God has “night vision” and sees everything that goes on in the affairs of men.

Verse 16 in particular reminded me of the idea that someone "had it backwards!” Our knowledge and wisdom has limits, which we forget. God must see our backward thinking and laugh. I thought the following was funny:

Yahoo Question: “I've worn contact for about 6 years with no problems. But today, one of them keeps moving around and falling out and it's become a real hassle. I couldn't even see clearly while driving to work! I put in a new one, but nothing has changed. Any tips on what I can do? It's ruining my day!!!”

Yahoo Answer: The only reason mine did that is if I had it in backwards, inside out.

Generation gap

The lesson writers for “Follow the Lord’s Will” emphasize man’s ability to make life choices (right and wrong) in contrast to a fatalistic view that attributes everything that happens to “the Lord’s will.”

Reading Mark Rathel’s comments on the focal passage the following words were top of mind: blind, illiterate, shallow, and foolish. To start your lesson, try putting these words on a marker board and ask members what category of people they describe. Note their answers on the board, too.

I thought the words best described a younger generation who is biblically illiterate, un-churched, and unwise. Members of a generation gap perhaps?

Bible software

I was pleased with how my lesson went yesterday. I felt that it was informative (not just interesting) and challenging (not just accurate). This week we study a lesson titled, "Follow the Lord's Will," based on Isaiah 24:1-35:10.

I'm hoping you'll comment (below) and tell me if you use Bible software installed on your PC, or not. I've used Quickverse Bible software in the past, and occasionally use iLumina, but in general, I use the web instead of any locally installed software. However, a friend is talking to me about using Logos Bible Software. Have any of you used it?

Don't be shy. Let me hear from you.

Tullock's comments just in...

I encourage you to read Dr. Sam Tullock’s lesson commentary this week. It is especially helpful given the length of the lesson background passage (17 chapters). I used it to update my PPT slides for the lesson.

PPT slides for "Act on Revealed Truth," Isaiah 7:1-14,16

Dr. Harry Leafe teaches that Christians misuse the saying, “God opened a door for me.” The idea of the Lord “opening a door” is used in Scripture to refer to His making a way for the sharing the gospel.

However, in making a decision unrelated to ministry, many Christians simply say, “The Lord opened a door,” when in fact the Lord had nothing to do with the decision. They simply did what they wanted to do. They avoided the heavy lifting of seeking spiritual wisdom from the Word.

I thought this teaching point was pertinent to step 4 of the lesson, “Act on Revealed Truth,” so I included it in my PPT slides for the lesson.

P.S. Sign up to follow this blog (see right side of page), or forward a link to other Explore the Bible teachers you know.

Focus on God

Step 2 of the lesson, “Act on Revealed Truth” emphasizes our focus should be on the Lord in a time of crisis. This is one of the applications in the lesson plan by Mark Cimijotti of Carmel Baptist.

However, to help create interest with a little humor, I thought I’d show a timeline chart that included a few secular events I found in the iLumina Bible.

How to develop confidence

Developing confidence in the Lord is the main idea of Step 3 of the lesson, “Act on Revealed Truth.” For some years, I’ve enjoyed reading Ray Stedman’s sermon on Isaiah 7. Understanding this passage helped me develop confidence in the Lord.

See the article: “how to develop confidence...” for a possible exercise in "growing confidence" in God.

Opportunity knocking to trust God?

In Step 4 of “Act on Revealed Truth”, King Ahaz’s response to the LORD in Isaiah 7:10-12 reminded me of the truth that Jesus spoke in Luke 16:19-31. Some people simply will not believe God.

Isaiah pictures the people of Judah as fear struck in Isaiah 7:2. David Self’s lesson commentary begins with an analogy of people being under pressure. How do they respond?

Kelly Kinto’s lesson plan begins with a good illustration. An opportunity to trust God’s word is ignored and pain and suffering results. I’ll begin with a PPT slide somewhat like the following.

Act on Revealed Truth, Isaiah 7:1-14, 16

If you can believe it, the background passage for this week’s lesson, “Act on Revealed Truth” covers 24 chapters (Isaiah 7:1-23:18)! Fortunately, the focal passage (Isaiah 7:1-14, 16) is short enough.

When we taught the same focal passage three years ago, our lesson was titled, “Do you take God at His Word?” I’d bet the lesson writers at Lifeway knew of this title, and perhaps even those used back in the day of Herschel Hobbs, too. It must be an interesting exercise to sit in a Lifeway meeting to decide lesson titles on passages that have been taught many times.

A more interesting topic is Isaiah 7:14. Be sure and spend the time this week praying and studying this verse to make sure you understand it well.

Slide redux

We taught the same focal passage (Isaiah 6:1-13) 3-years ago, so I posted my slides for the lesson back then, “Do you volunteer to serve?”

I didn't update the slides for this lesson since I am not teaching this week.

Isaiah's experience

Isaiah’s vision reminds me of John’s testimony when he saw the Lord in heaven.

Isaiah’s understanding of his sinful condition (and that of the people) occurs as a result of his vision of God.

Today, how can we observe perfection and realize our sinful condition? We look into the perfect law of the LORD and through the law we become conscious of sin.

You might consider reading this article on how the law exposes sin.

Honor the Lord, Isaiah 6:1-13

Based on Isaiah 6:1-13, the lesson, “Honor the Lord” is thought provoking. Isaiah saw a vision of God and afterwards, served Him the rest of his life.

Isaiah might agree with this statement: his vision of God’s holiness changed his life. What do people say, “changed my life” today? If you Google the Internet, or Google News with the quoted phrase, “changed my life” you seen many results for what people say today.

Making up your own list of these (say the top 10), and presenting them to your class might be a good way to start the lesson. This would get members talking about what changes people’s lives. Of course, we are interested in changed lives that commit to honoring and serving the risen Lord!

Also, here is a link to a previous post about honoring the Lord.

Famous failures

There is a pretty cool video on famous failures you might play for the class.

Class members can feel like failures in a number of areas: as an employee, a spouse, a parent, etc.

They may not have lived up to God's expectations. However, make the point that the past is history and they can start over today!

Does God have the same expectations for all of us?

In his Teaching Insights email Dan Kassis, Internet Producer at LifeWay suggests that the failure of promising athletes or bright stars as an illustration for teaching the lesson, “Meet Divine Expectations.”

LifeWay posted its QuickSource plan for the lesson. You might give it a look since it’s not often available. For this lesson, they suggest using a measuring cup as an object lesson for illustrating the idea of “measuring up” to expectations.

As an alternative, take along a set of measuring cups and ask class members if God has different expectations for different people?

Always one to meet expectations, Dr. Jeff Meyer posted a teaching plan for the lesson, and a couple of MSB commentaries on Isaiah (intro and vs by vs).

Symbolic comparison

Mark Lashley’s commentary on the lesson “Meet Divine Expectations” asks, “How are you taking care of your vineyard?” I like this direct application because it forces the reader to deal with the question, “To what symbol would God use to describe me?” (I’m assuming it’s not a vineyard.)

Israel was described symbolically as a blessed vineyard in Isaiah 5:1-12. They had every opportunity and were cared for, and should have produced righteousness. Instead they produced unrighteousness.

If God wrote a song about Christians, what would He use to symbolically describe them? “living stones”? (1 Pet 2:5) “a building”? (1 Cor 3:9-10). “good soldiers”? (2 Tim 2:3-6). “sojourners”? (1 Pet 2:11). “sheep” (John 21:16-17, 1 Pet 2:25, Heb 13:20).

I could go on to list: children, a family, a bride, salt and light, fish, and probably more.

Use this list to help your class understand the many ways in which God tries to help us understand how He thinks of us.

Classified ad

I personally do not drink alcohol and advise others not to out of wisdom, but it has not escaped me that wine has become such a fad in American culture. According to this article: “America's current interest in quality wine stems from a 1991 60 Minutes Program that examined the health benefits of moderate wine consumption.” It may have started innocently enough, but consumption has increased to the point that “wine today is part of the very fabric of America.”

Ancient Israel was enamored with wine, too (see Isaiah 5:11-12), so it seems that America has achieved par with Isaiah’s audience. Today, we give every aspect of wine great attention, but we have no regard and no respect for God.

I say all of the above because the Bible never ceases to amaze. What was true continues to be true, and I can only wonder about the depths of God’s understanding compared to our lack of the same.

The lesson is titled, “Meet Divine Expectations.” What are God’s expectations of Christians today? Paul gave us a hint in Romans 12:9-21.

Another source I read gave the illustration of an employer’s expectations for an employee. Maybe you could show a picture of a classified ad and analyze it with your class to get some understanding of the expectations the employer would have of an employee?

Meet Divine Expectations, Isaiah 5:1-14

This week we start a new series of lessons from Isaiah. Based on Isaiah 5:1-14, the first, “Meet Divine Expectations,” aims to help Christians live up to God’s expectations. To help get the point, Leroy Fenton’s comments on the lesson begins by asking what if Isaiah was the pastor of your church right now? How would you respond to his sermons?

I would summarize Chapter 5 as the parable of the tenants (Mark 12:1-12) with six woes against evildoers that illustrates the justice a holy God demands. Pretty sobering stuff, and having just studied the coming of the Lord in the Thessalonian letters, I wondered about Israel’s expected future (Jer. 31:35-37, Romans 11:25-26, Zech 12:10-13:1).

Note: We last studied Isaiah in March-May of 2006 (see previous blog posts starting Feb 27, 2006 by successively clicking on Newer Post in the lower left corner).

Labor day

Mark Cimijotti of Carmel Baptist Church posted his lesson plan for “You can keep at it” that includes a two-page learner handout (page down to the end of the document).

Faithful Jeff Meyer of Bayleaf Baptist also posted a lesson plan, and Kelly Kinto from Second Baptist, Houston posted a lesson plan. He relates his military experience of maintaining order to the lesson. His reference to ‘labor’ made me think of “Labor Day”.

My Powerpoint slides for “You can keep at it” may be helpful to some of you, too.

PPT slides for "You can keep at it", 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

I posted a version of my slides for Sunday’s lesson, “You can keep at it.” Howver, I plan to study a few more sources before I finalize my thoughts. So feel free to send me your changes or ideas about the slides (ronnieward AT SIGN yahoo DOT com), or post a comment on this blog.

Perseverance

To illustrate the idea behind the word translated perseverance in 2 Thes 3:5, which is used in Step 3 of the lesson, “You can keep at it,” I plan to show a video clip of Eric Liddell from the movie Chariots of Fire. In scene 12, “The Bravest Victory”, another runner trips Liddell, who falls down. Instead of quitting the race, however, he gets up, takes out after the other runners (now, well ahead in the race), and overtakes them. He wins the race. He took a blow and kept going. That’s perseverance!

Under what circumstances in life have you had to keep going ("hang in there")?

You can keep at it, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18

Two ideas to share about teaching the lesson, “You can keep at it” based on 2 Thessalonians 3:1-18. In the first verse, Paul asked for prayer that the message would spread rapidly. So how fast was the spread of Christianity? To help grab people’s attention, I think I’ll show one or two maps (still looking for the right ones) and talk briefly about the early spread of Christianity (still looking for the right reference). It was honored.

The other idea came from the next to last verse where Paul demonstrates his own hand writing for the Thessalonians. He did this to combat forged letters (2 Thes 2:2). He wanted them to be able to distinguish a letter from him verses a counterfeit from someone else (Judiazers?). Counterfeit products are a huge problem for businesses today. Similarly, counterfeit Christians are a huge problem in the church today.

Critical thinking

Critical thinking is key skill, which few of us practice well. In teaching the lesson, "You can stay calm", consider testing "How gullible are we?" in class. Might be a fun exercise.

You can stay calm, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17

If you have ever had a flight canceled due to weather delays, lost your luggage, or had a lost reservation at a hotel, you might begin to understand the emotions experienced by the Christians Paul wrote to in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17, the focal passage for this week’s lesson, “You can stay calm”. I say this because in these modern situations, travelers are frequently given wrong information that’s upsetting, or troubling. All experienced travelers in your class have been in these situations and may be willing to share a story or two to use in introducing the lesson.

If not pertaining to travel, other situations when erroneous data is conveyed include wrong medical diagnosis, shipping information on an important package, or misleading financial advice (here there is always a promised messiah who can fix any problem). Search News on Google and you’ll find a story to use in opening the lesson.

Aside from these ideas, I also thought of looking at the situation in Thessalonica from Paul’s perspective. He probably thought of Murphy’s Law :).

Swamped

Sorry, I've been swamped this week and haven't had a lot of time to blog. I searched the blog and found lots of hits for 'suffering'. Some of the resulting posts may be useful.

However, Karen Conner of 2nd Baptist, Houston, shared her lesson plan for "You can feel safe."

Jeff Meyer of Bayleaf Baptist also shared his lesson plan for "You can feel safer." There is no explanation for the subtle change in the title.

Be sure and read Sam Tullock's commentary on the lesson passage. I always find it useful.

May God bless your teaching!

You can feel safe, 2 Thes 1:1-12

The lesson, "You can feel safe" from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 asks three questions. (Step 2) What is God doing in me? (believers faith is flourishing and their love is increasing). (Step 3) What is God going to do with me? (reward believers with rest in God's kingdom). (Step 4) What does God want to do thru me? (join Him in glorifying the name of the Lord Jesus Christ). My short answers are given in parenthesis.

How does knowing these answers help believers suffering persecution because of their faith? You might consider stating the lesson by asking what they do when they're having a bad day?

PPT slides for "Do you get along with others?" 1 Thes 5:12-28

I read Jeff Meyer’s plan for the lesson to understand his take on the focal passage before I posted my PPT slides. “Play” the slides, and I hope they will be helpful to you in preparing your lesson.

If you are friends with other Bible teachers, forward them a link to this post. It might help them, too. Also, if you haven't done so, sign up as a “Follower” on the right side of the page.

God bless!

Remember to drive safely

Sonshine’s introductory comments for the lesson point out that Paul nowhere corrected the church at Thessalonica for spiritual decline, or moral decay. According to chapter 1 of the letter, they were a role model to other churches, and imitators of Paul. They were his glory and joy (2:20), and pleasing God (4:1).

Hence, in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28, I don’t see Paul correcting the church for the types of errors that would be indicative of one whose members don’t get along. I think it might be confusing to start off teaching that the Thessalonican’s were a model church (“When You Started Out”), and end up implying they didn’t get along with one another.

Sam Tullock’s commentary on, “Do you get along with others?” brings out the practical application of the text. He notes that Paul may have directed specific instructions to the Church’s leadership (vs 14), and I can see how persecuted believers (2:15b) needed the encouragement in vs.15-22.

As for how to present this section of 1 Thessalonians, I see Paul much like a concerned father (2:11, 3:5b) writing to little children and he gets in some final instructions. The equivalent today happens when we talk to our kids over the phone, and in ending the conversation, we say things like, “Remember to drive safely”. See this article and notice the admonition to “remember to drive safely.”

Ask class members for examples of what they say to loved ones in the closing moments of a conversation. "Be careful." "Drive safely." "Take care of yourself." "Watch out for ..."

Avoiding confusion

As I indicated in a post last week, the verses in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 give instructions on how Christians should live in view of Christ’s imminent return. Keeping the context of last week’s lesson on the 2nd coming in mind, I don’t want this week’s lesson to turn into one on “church unity.” There was keen interest in discussing 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 last week, and I don’t want to lose that interest this week. How do you plan on avoiding confusing in your lesson?

Do you get along with others? 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28

The central truth of the lesson, “Do you get along with others?,” can be illustrated using the proverb Ecclesiastes 4:12 , which says “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

How do personal relationships affect the strength of a local church? Take a spool of thread to class, and roll out a single strand. Show how it easily breaks when placed under stress. Next, roll out two strands and twist them together. Have the class guess whether or not this pair can be broken using the same stress as before. Go ahead and break the strands.

Take out of your pocket a cord made of many threads (prepared in advance). Ask the class if this cord will break under the same stress? Demonstrate that applying the same stress does not break the cord. Ask members to identify what is it about the individual strands that allows the cord not to be broken (ans. their relationship with other strands).

Liken this chord to a church that has strong relationships between its members. Indicate that the point of the lesson is to learn ways Christians can relate to each other to create strong churches.

P.S. Even simple binding combs as pictured could be used to introduce the many ways individuals can relate to each other to create a single unit.

Expectant living

Gregory K. Beale’s comments on the lesson’s focal passage in 1-2 Thessalonians about the analogy of a thief are helpful to understanding how to live expectantly.

How can we encourage class members to live expectantly? If you expected a thief to visit your home, what difference would it make in your life? Would you hole up in the house and wait, or what? No, but Paul does give specific behaviors in 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 that Christians should practice.

To finish out the lesson, have class members scan 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 and call out what we should do to live expectantly.

Quadrant analysis

Mark Rathel's comments on the lesson, "Are you ready?" use Paul's points in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 to dileneate the characteristics of the following groups of people--unprepared unbelievers, unprepared believers, and prepared believers. If we admit one other category, prepared unbelievers, a chart can be constructed that's divided into four quadrants. The left-horizontal axis would be labeled "unbelievers," and the right-horizontal axis "believers". The top-vertical axis is labeled "prepared", and the bottom axis is "unprepared". Write the characteristics of each group in its corresponding quadrant.

Consider leading your class to complete this chart (drawn on a marker board), by reading the focal passage and suggesting one-word descriptions for the characteristics pertaining to each group. Do this one quadrant at a time. This should get members into reading and analyzing the text in the context of an interactive discussion.

Are You Ready, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

To prepare to teach the lesson, "Are you ready?" from 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, think about life situations where you, or your class members have had to prepare for a coming event. For example, do you know someone who is pregnant? How should she and her husband make ready for the expected birth? What sort of things should they purchase? When should they begin to make ready?

In the focal verses, Paul ministered to the Thessalonicans as he taught them how to prepare for the coming of the Lord. Essentially he encouraged them to live a holy life as preparation for Jesus' return. He exhorted them to be ready.

What would you give as tips to prepare for anything: a job interview, a physical exam, a move to a new location, an emergency, or to teach the Bible on Sunday?

Collage poster

The file, “Poster Size Collage,” contains the collage slide of a previous post, the PPT page size is set to 48” x 34”. This is a poster size I've used effectively in the past, but you can change the dimensions to whatever suits your printer. For example, go to File->Page Setup-> and change the size 10” x 7.5”, which fits on a 11” x 8.5” piece of paper.

Some do, some don't

Well, Jeff Meyer of Bayleaf Baptist provided a lesson plan for "Whose Life is Important?".

Interestingly, Carmel Baptist did not, and neither did Second Baptist, Houston. I could have missed their plans, but it appears they do not teach a "sanctity of life" lesson, or at least don't teach it on the same schedule as other churches.

Digging up the past

Two years ago, I posted on this blog my PPT slides for the sanctity of life lesson, “Valuing Every Life”. Since some of the focal passages overlap with this week’s lesson, I suggest you look at the slides to see if they can be of any help to you.

A couple of other posts related to that previous lesson includes Dumbfounded, and God Accompanied Noah.

I found these just by searching this blog. If nothing else, its at worst a good filing system for previous lesson material :)

Whose life is important?

What makes a good lesson? Grabbing people’s attention is key. How do you accomplish this in Sunday’s lesson, “Whose Life is Important?”

You can start off discussing political correctness, situation ethics; end justifying the means, or philosophies like humanism.

However, I suggest something visual since the lesson is about life. One idea that strikes me as useful is to show a collage of various images like the example given below. These images correspond to the focal verses covered in the lesson, which all teach the value of human life (see Brian Harbour’s plan (p. 7)).

PPT slides for "What Hope Do You Have?", 1 Thes 4:13-18

I posted my PPT slides for Sunday’s lesson, “What hope do you have?” I structured the lesson to be more interactive, so instead of their usual density, the slides are more suggestive. I may need to add a slide concerning the timing of the rapture, but I don’t want to have a dispensational versus covenant theology discussion.

If my slides don’t help you, try using Jeff Meyer’s lesson plan, or the plan (p. 6) from the Riverland Hills Baptist Church site by Brian L. Harbour.

Without warning

Step 4 of the lesson, “What Hope Do You Have?” is based on 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17. I thought it would be instructive for members to read these verses in two translations and a paraphrase, comparing the later to a formal equivalent translation.

In this passage, Paul clearly expected the Lord to return at any time, possibly while he was still living. He communicated “no early warning sign” that would tip off the occurrence of the rapture (harpazo). In other words, the rapture will occur without warning, and can happen at any moment (1 Cor 15:51-52).

Putting 2+2 together

If I understand 1 Thessalonians 4:14 correctly, Paul took several facts into account. (1) Jesus died, and (2) was raised to life by God. (3) Believers die, and (4) are immediately with Christ after death of the body (2 Cor 5:8, Phil 1:23), which will be eventually resurrected (1 Cor 15). (5) Christ is coming again. Hence, those who have died and are with Christ will return with Him when He comes again. God will make this happen.

To help members think about key truths in the Bible, before I present 1 Thessalonians 4:14, I will show the following as a slide:
After a few members answer, I will move on to Step 3 on the lesson, “What Hope Do You Have?”.

P.S. I don’t plan to bring it up in class, but this week’s Travolta family tragedy may give rise to questions about what Scientology teaches regarding an afterlife.

Ignorance and examples not to follow

Examining the key words in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, the emphasis in step 2 of the lesson, “What Hope Do You Have?,” is that Christians should not be ignorant and grieve in the same way as unbelievers who have no hope.

To make my lesson interesting on the point of ignorance, I'll cover the afterlife alternatives offered to unbelievers by various worldviews and religions (see Mark Rathel’s commentary).

For the element on grief, I’m considering an example of what Christians ought not to emulate by reading this 1932 poem by Mary Frye. I’d really appreciate your thoughts. Am I interpreting the poem as something unbelievers advise doing?

P.S. Below, you can “react” this post with a single click.

What Hope Do You Have?, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The lesson, “What Hope Do You Have?” is exciting because it’s based on 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, where Paul explains why Christians have reason for hope.

The LifeWay Adult Leader Guide (p. 71) suggests introducing this lesson using an obituary page from a newspaper. This might go well in your class, but I can imagine this might not excite interest from members in my class. So I went looking for alternatives.

Mark Rathel’s commentary introduces this lesson by noting what various worldviews and religions teach regarding an afterlife. This approach could be informative as well as interesting.

Louis Johnson’s commentary introduces this lesson likening the irony in a local news story to that of how believers’ have trouble in their lives, yet they are concerned about leaving it (by death). I like the idea, but it may be too subtle to grab everyone’s attention.

Joy Ross’s commentary uses a child’s reaction at a funeral to introduce the lesson. Reminds me of the story in Jim McCullen’s commentary of a child’s reaction to an open grave.

My hope for a successful lesson opening is to use a simple quiz, which asks, “Which of the following words do not appear in the Bible?”

* Trinity
* Rapture
* Omnipotence
* Atheism
* Hope

This will get members thinking about what’s in the Bible, and what’s not. This can be leveraged into discussion of reasons why Christians have hope.

What's best for me, or others?

Steps 4 & 5 of the lesson, “What’s your goal in life?,” are exhortations to practice love according to Dr. Sam Tullock’s commentary. One way to think about agape love is to define it as “doing something that’s in the best interest of someone else” (which may not be in your own best interest).

With this idea of love in mind, read 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, and think about how leading a quiet life, minding your own business, and doing your job can be something done in the best interest of outsiders (unbelievers). Check out an example of the normal mode: “to do what’s best for me.”

Site Update, 2008

Happy New Year!

Usage of this blog grew again in 2008. The year-over-year growth can be seen in the following statistics (taken from statcounter.com):

------------------------Average Per Month
Year: ----------------> 2006 2007 2008
Page loads: ----------> 2640 5296 8,307
Unique visitors: -----> 1046 2237 3,667
First time visitors: ---> 644 1327 2,224
Returning visitors: ---> 403 911 1,443

The bar chart (below) graphically shows 2008 traffic by month to this site. For comparison, I also reported traffic to this site in 2006 and 2007.

I also posted PPT-lesson slides 20 weeks in 2008, which were downloaded an average of 84/post. If I were more consistent, this number would probably increase.

Thank you for visiting here. Take a moment to sign up as a Follower (see right side of this page). May the Lord continue to bless Bible teachers in 2009 as we prepare together to teach His word each Sunday.

Oh my!

Step 3 of the lesson, “What is your goal in life?” informs believers regarding God’s will for sexual purity (confining sex to marriage of a man and woman). Is this a problem for our class members today? If you believe the statistics, it is. Given the Bible’s clear teaching on this matter, why do you think it is still prevalent in the church? Ignorance of the Word? No fear of the Lord? Lack of spiritual growth? Some members are unbelievers? Impulsive behavior?

Have an honest discussion about this issue in your class, and ask members to help add to the suggestions above. Understanding “why” might lead particular individuals to come to grips with personal sin. Perhaps you should lead the class in praying thru 1 John 1:9.

Forgetting facilitates growth

Step 2 in the lesson, “What is your goal in life?” emphasizes the principle of how believers should live, but it also highlights that a growth process is at work—“do so even more”.

Call this phrase to the attention of class members and then ask, “What does it mean that adult Christians are to ‘do so even more’?” Pause and allow members to answer.

The pause may seem a bit awkward, but asking a question like this forces class members to think beyond simple factual recall. Afterward you can bring out an illustration by reading Philippians 3:12-16. Forgetting facilitates growth. How so?

If you have time, the LifeWay ETB Adult Leader Guide asks the discussion question: “Do Christians have the right to live as we want, since we cannot lose our salvation? Why?” (p. 62). What Bible verses would you cite to support your thinking?

We can discuss answers to these questions here if you post a comment.

What is your goal in life? 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12

Joy Ross’s commentary on this week’s lesson from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12, “What is your goal in life?” shares her husband’s goal to bring her a brass tea service from Southeast Asia.

To get members thinking about how they approach establishing a life goal, consider introducing the lesson with brief statements illustrating various philosophies of life. Identify the author’s implied goal in life based on their philosophical quote. Goals may include “just trying to live,” “live it up,” or “seeking what’s in it for me”.

What is your philosophy of life? What goal does it translate to?

When others cared for you, 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13

The lesson, “When others cared for you,” is based on 1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:13. This passage reveals the reality of spiritual warfare (see 2:18 and 3:5). Mark Rathel’s lesson commentary makes a point of Paul’s example of discipleship. He notes Satan’s number one strategy is to take advantage of our “busyness”.

Holding a discussion on busyness is one way to introduce the lesson. Certainly all of us have used the “too busy” excuse to care for others at one time or another.

Perhaps a way to start the lesson is to talk about our “list of things to get done.” What fails to make your list?

To the point

A lesson plan "For Christmas" from Dr. Lucien Coleman was posted on the Riverland Hills Baptist Church site. It's brief, and offers a pointed message. He uses the traditional "nativity scene" as an ice-breaker.

What are your picks for the top 10 Christmas specials that have been broadcast on TV? You could show the list to your class to see if anyone remembers what made them special?

The lesson covers Mary's Song, so you might want to discuss the top 10 Christmas songs (one of many such lists) instead.

If you have a last minute question about the lesson, post a comment. I'll reply, and perhaps others, too!

For Christmas, Luke 1:26-56

Remember, as teachers, we want our Bible lessons to be clear, relevant, interesting, and biblically based.

As an aid toward one of these ends consider building your lesson “For Christmas“ around a video. As an example, I like the Jesus and Santa video. It should help make the message of your lesson clear. The video, What is the Christmas Story should help make the message clear, relevant and interesting. A Christmas Response is based on Luke 1:31, and fits the LifeWay lesson plan, but it could help your lesson be more relevant and interesting.

Last minute help!

A few last minute links for help in teaching 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16:

* Jeff Meyers lesson plan: “When Others Helped You”

* Houston’s Second Baptist lesson plan: “Pattern for Persuasion,” by Wallace Henley

* Riverland Hills Baptist Church lesson plan: “WHEN OTHERS HELPED YOU,” by Brian L. Harbour (see p. 2)

Resume lying

Paul was in Corinth when he pinned 1 Thessalonians 2:1-16, the background passage for this week’s lesson, “When Others Helped You”. Had the Thessalonians been “taken for a ride?” Was Paul deceiving them?

Scan 2 Corinthians 10-13, paying attention to the context of 10:7, 10:12, 11:5-6, 12:1, 12:11, 13:3, and 13:5. Notice that Paul is defending himself to the Corinthians. Had he “sold them a bill of goods?” Had he misrepresented himself?

Resume lying is a common practice today. According this article, it’s as high as 50%. To help learners understand the context of 1 Thessalonians, bring up the topic of misrepresenting oneself, and the negative results of lying on a resume.

When Others Helped You, 1 Thess 2:1-16

The first thought I had about teaching this week’s lesson, When Others Helped You, is the great opportunity it presents to recruit a co-teacher from your class. But how difficult is it to find a suitable, qualified Bible teacher?

To get started, briefly outline teacher qualifications and show a list of names of Best Bible Teachers in America (or make up your own list). Ask your class members to select their favorite. This is an alternative to asking members to recall their favorite teacher in school.

Note: over a 100 people downloaded the slides from yesterday’s lesson!

PPT slides for "When You Started Out", 1Thessalonians 1:1-10

Two things:

1. I added the Google Followers gadet to this blog (see right side of page). Please sign up as a Follower. I promise, you will not be spammed! :-)

2. I posted my PowerPoint slides for the lesson, "When You Started Out." The slide notes contain a link to Jeff Meyer's lesson, which I referenced.

May God bless your lesson this week!

RW

Thank God and commend others

In preparing to teach, “When you started out”, I thought of previous members of my class that have moved on to serve in other places. I thank God for enabling their service when we were together. If you’ll suggest a few names, my guess is that your class members can name others, too. Take a moment and pray for the previous members named, and do thank God for them!

If you have time, pass out a few thank you cards to members who volunteer to write a note to the former class members.

God chooses. We believe.

Do you plan to address the doctrine of election, as does Roger Freeman in his comments on the lesson, “When you started out?”

Dan Wallace says it’s analogous to that of inspiration (see 11). Please also read David Self’s comments (section “Genuine faith”).

Remember when...

To me, Paul wanted to encourage the church at Thessalonica, so he wrote them a letter reminding them of their salvation. As you teach the lesson, “When You Started Out,” make the point of how important it is to encourage others. Then show this picture.

Ask members to say what they think the player on the left is saying to encourage the player on the right (presumably a pitcher). Listen for use of the word “remember”, and if no one uses it, then offer your own version by saying something like, “Hey! Remember when you struck out this same guy in the title game last year? You can do it again! Throw some heat up there. I know you can do it!”. Stirring the memory of their salvation is what Paul did to encourage the Thessalonians.

When You Started Out, 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10

"When You Started Out" is the title of our lesson this week. It’s taken from 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10. In addition to your typical reading, I encourage you to read the NetBible translation of 1 Thessalonians because of the translator notes it provides. For example, the translator notes (see the bottom of the page) for verse 1 explains the somewhat blunt greeting in verse 1. The note for verse 3 mentions “Christian virtues in action,” which is helpful. Note 16 points out why verse 8 was translated “message of the Lord” instead of “word from the Lord.” The NetBible site also provides an audio version of the text, and a handy “Discovery Box” that has topical links for “Background and History” and “Names, People and Places”. Included also are links to a “Study Dictionary”, maps, and “Sermon Illustrations.”

This lesson will be taught on Dec 7th, the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which was a world changing event. Because of “Who you are in Christ,” are you “turning the world upside down?”