This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Faith in God's Promises", 5/27/2013

FAITH IN GOD'S PROMISES

 

2 Peter 3:3-15

 

V:3. "Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts."

 A. Approaching is the time that this Church age will end.

    1. One of the signs that the end is near is “scoffers” (false teachers).

    2. They will interpret the Word of God according to their own desires.

 B. This open revolt will come from inside the Church.

    1. They will ridicule those in the body of Christ for their belief in the Word of God.

    2. They will promote a different doctrine than the Word of God.

 

V:4. "And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

 A. These people have read the Word of God, but they don't trust the Word to be true.

     1. They cause others to be doubtful because of their own disbelief.

     2. They find fault in the Word using worldly rationalizations.

 B. God promised a second coming of Jesus, which has not yet been fulfilled.

     1. Jesus did not come in their father’s time.

     2. Jesus has not come in their time, so they conclude that the promise is a hoax.

         a. They do not recognize that God’s time is not the same as our time.

  C. They fail to see God working in His every creation.

      1. They believe in creation, but not in the Word of the Father of creation.

      2. From their point of view, the laws of nature remain the same.

      3. They do not see anything to suggest the second coming of Christ.

  D. The false teachers do not see the progressive revelation of God’s plan of

 

        redemption for mankind.

      1. They do not see the progressive Work of God in creation.

 

V:5. "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water."

 A. The false teachers view the creation story in Genesis with skepticism.

    1. They would rather believe the "Big Bang Theory" for the creation of the universe.

    2. The universe was a tight mass of matter which exploded and expanded into

 

        hot gases, then cooled into a recombined state, from which all the galaxies of the

        universe were formed.

    3. Scientist would rather spend their time looking for a logical reason for the

        existence of the universe than to believe in the Word of God.

 B. False teachers focus so intently on finding the logic in creation that they become  

      blind and can discredit the whole Bible.

         a. Either it is all true or all false.

  C. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by God's Word.

       1. Faith does not come by scientific observation.

       2. God created the heaven and the earth by His Word.

       3. We do not need an exact explanation of how He did it, or what exactly He did.

       4. All we need is the faith that God did what He did according to His Word.

 

V:6. "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished."

   A. After God created man, sin entered into him and he became so sinful that God

        destroyed all of the inhabitants of the earth except for Noah and his family, with a

        great flood.

       1. God repopulated the earth from the descendants of Noah's family and the

 

          animals He placed in the Ark. 

       2. The laws of science and order do not include this catastrophic this event.

          a. The Word records this event in great detail, as it does the original creation.

          b. Man’s limited knowledge of science cannot explain the workings of God in

              creation.

          c. It is only by faith that we gain some limited knowledge of God.

          d. Man cannot rationalize the omniscience of God nor His omnipotence.

          e. There is no scientific explanation for God or for His works.

 

V:7. "But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men."

 A. God is the creator and the maintainer of His universe which includes heaven and

      earth.

   1. It was by the Word that all things were brought into existence, and it is by the

 

       Word that all things are maintained until the day of judgment.

   2. The rationalizations of man cannot account for creation, the maintenance of that

        creation, nor the eventual destruction of God's creation.

   3. It is only by the Word that we know that we shall all be judged.

       a. It is only by the Word that we know the unredeemed will be cast into the lake of

           fire.

       b. It is only by the Word that we know that current heaven and earth will be

           destroyed and a new heaven and earth will be created.

       b. It is only by the Word that we know that the redeemed through Jesus Christ

 

           have   home in heaven.

 

   B. Science and the rationalizations of man cannot explain God.

       1. It is only by faith in the Word that we can know God.

 

V:8. "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."

 A. God is not on our time. We live in God's time.

     1. Man's time on earth is limited.

     2. God is not controlled by time or any other means.

     3. God fulfills His promises in His time.

  B. We know by the Word, which is confirmed throughout history, that God has

 

       fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Old Testament.

     1. We can be sure that God does not change and that the remaining prophecies will

 

         be fulfilled.

 

V:9. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

 A. God’s word is absolute, regardless of your belief in it.

     1. In addition to the scripture of the Bible, we have a historical record of God

 

         fulfilling His promises.

        a. World history books have recorded the fulfillment of many of God's promises.

     2. The Bible is more than 2000 years old and remains uncorrupted by all man's

         attempts.

     3. The Word of God continues to spread despite all manly efforts to stop its

 

         movement.

 B. God put His Word in print so that all men would have access to the Truth

     1. God has made salvation available to all who believe.

 

V:10."But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

 A. We have a choice to believe the Word of God or to believe the rationalizations of

 

      man.

    1. Based on our choice, heaven is our final home, or hell is our destination.

    2. If we believe the Word, we know that there is a heaven and a hell.

 B. Just as God created the heavens and the earth, He will destroy them with fire.

    1. The current Heaven and earth is corrupted with sin.

    2. Heaven was corrupted with the fall of Lucifer, a created angel of the Lord, better

        known as Satan.

    3. Satan corrupted all the demons that fell with Him.

 C. This same Satan deceived Eve, the mother of humanity.

    1. After which Adam willfully disobeyed God's command not to eat from the Tree

 

       Of  Knowledge, of Good and Evil.

     2. Sin entered into God’s perfect creation and thus the redemptive process began.

3. God promised us a Savior, His son, Jesus Christ.

   D. God also has promised a new heaven and a new earth that will be prefect, without

        sin, and inhabited by the redeemed of the Lord.

 

V:11. "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness."

 A. With our knowledge of God's Word, we would be foolish to trade heaven for hell

 

      by believing the scoffers, the enemies of God.

 B. We should be busy doing God's work by faith, and serving His kingdom with the

 

      best that we have.

     1. We must commit our lives to the Father.

     2. We only have one conversation worthily of communication and that is Jesus

        

         Christ.

 C. We should walk in a manner that glorifies the Father and honors Him.

      1. Through our walk, others will come to know Christ and be encouraged in their

          faith.

 

V:12. "Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"

 A. How is it that we see death all around us, and yet we do not believe the scriptures.

     1. The Word is clear that the life of man is but a few days filled with trials and

         tribulations.

     2. All of us have experienced this truth.

  B. How is possible that we wake up every morning and not give God the glory for the

       gift of another day?

  C. We know the work of God in our lives and we know the truth of the scriptures.

      1. We should be prepared for the day of the Lord.

      2. Our hope is grounded on this truth, that Jesus will return for His redeemed.

 

V:13. "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."

 A. The Word of God is the truth.

    1. We should base all of our actions on the Word of truth.

    2. According to the Word, there will be a new heaven and a new earth prepared just

        for you, that is all believers.

    3. We should act according to the old phase, "this is not my home, I am just passing

         through."

 B. Heaven has been promised to us by the Father.

    1. Jesus told us that He was going to prepare a place for us.

    2. Let no one deceive you that God does not keep His promises.

 

V:14. "Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

 A. A life dedicated to the righteousness of God should be our aim.

     1. Through the death of Jesus Christ we may have peace with the Father.

     2. Our sins do not prevent us from entering heaven because Jesus already

         paid the penalty.

  B. Roman 12:1 says, “we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice,

       holy and pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service.

     1. We should worship the Lord in spirit and truth which is our response

          to the great gift of salvation.

      2. We should honor the Lord with our faithfulness because His grace and mercy

          fall fresh on us every moment of our lives.

 

V:15. "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation."

 A. Jesus died on the cross for you and for me.

     1. He died that we might be redeemed.

     2. He died that we might be presented to the Father without blemish.

     3. He died because of His Great love for us.

 B. We owe the Father honor and glory though obedience to His Word.

 

This Week Sunday School Lesson, "Growing In Christ", 5/19/2013

GROWING IN CHRIST

 

1 PETER 4:1-11

 

V:1. "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin."

 A. The purpose of Christ first coming was to suffer for us in the flesh.

     1. When Christ step down out of heaven, He had a view of the cross.

     2. When Christ step down out of heaven, He had full knowledge of our sins.

     3. When Christ step down out of heaven, He knew what it would take to redeem us

         out of the world.

     4. When Christ step down out of Heaven, He knew He would be persecuted by

 

         leaders of His temple.

         a. Christ knew that leaders of His temple would try to protect their self interest

             by falsely accusing Him and nail Him to the cross.

     5. When Christ step down out of heaven, it was His divine plan to shed His blood

 

         on  the cross.

  B. If they did it to our Lord and Savior, they will do same to us.

      1. We have to arm ourselves with the knowledge  that an important part of our

          experience in this life is trials and tribulations.

      2. An athlete has to train himself to endure the strain of running the race.

         a. In the race, an athlete has to strain to cross the finish line.

      3. Likewise, we who believe in Christ Jesus, must arm ourselves with His Word to

          endure this Christian race.

  C. It is purpose of God's Word to point out our sins and arm us with power to resist

 

       the desire to sin.

 

V:2. "That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

 A. Armed with God's Word, we can easily identify the lust of our flesh and the means

 

      to  our sin.

    1. With indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are well equipped to live this life according

   

         to  the will of God.

    2. We got the "I will power" and the "I want power."

        a. I will follow God's commands.

        b. I want follow the ways of the world.

        d. I will seek the righteousness of God.

        e. I want follow the desires of my flesh.

 B. The most joyous time in life is under God's commands.

      1. The most peaceful time in life is the peace we have with Jesus.

      2. The most comfortable time in life is the comfort we find in God's Word.

 

V:3. "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. "

 A. We all got a past life in the world.

    1. We use to do some stuff that was not pleasing to God.

    2. We use to do everything that pleased our flesh.

    3. We talked like the world, walked like the world and were glad to be apart of

         the worldly scene.

    4. It was our desire to be in the "in crowd" because we did not want to be left out.

 

 B. Thank God for His grace and mercy.

    1. Thank God that He saw fit to call us out of the world.

    2. Thank God that He showed us His light so we could recognize how deep in the

         dark we were.

    3. Thank God that He changed our appetite for darkness to an appetite for His light.

    4. Before Christ we had no choice but to walk in darkness, because we knew no

        better way.

       a. Thank God, He gave us a choice through His Son, Jesus Christ.

V:4. "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you."

 A. The world, the crowd you used to run with, can't understand the change in your

     

       life.

     1. The world can't understand the joy you have in serving God.

     2. The world can't understand how you can drop them for a life with Christ.

     3. The world can't understand why you don't want to enjoy the good times with

 

         them.

 B. Because you want run with them, the world will turn against you.

     1. They will point out your faults to show that you are no better than them.

     2. The world does not  have anything good to say about your walk with Christ.

 C. We have to arm ourselves with the hope in Christ to keep from being brought down

      by the evil of the world.

 

V:5. "Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead."

 A. God could put an end to this world and judge the living and the dead.

    1. The quick (the living) are those in Christ.

    2. The dead are those in the world without Christ.

 B. We will all have to give an account to God for all of our deeds.

    1. God keeps up with what you do.

    2. You can't hide anything from God.

 C. In the End Time, God will judge the world according to their sins and cast them

 

     into the lake of fire.

    1. God  looks over the sins of believers because they have been covered

        by the blood of Jesus.

       a. Believers will be judged according to their good works and crowed for their

           position in heaven.

    2. While the world looks at us with a frown, God favors us with His glory.

 

V:6. "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."

 A. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.

     1. His death on the cross makes atonement to the Father for every ones sins.

     2. God has made the Gospel known to the whole world.

        a. The Gospel is preached in Churches around the globe.

       b. The Gospel is in the airwaves of the world.

       c. The Gospel is available on the internet which reaches around the globe.

B. God caused His ministers to preach the Gospel so that everyone would have

     opportunity for salvation.

    1. The dead in Christ are judged by the world, but glorified by Christ.

       a. Absent from the body, but present with God in the spirit.

       b. Weather dead or alive, we still are in the spirit with God.

    2. The dead outside of Christ will have their day in hell.

       b. Absent from the body and absent from God in the spirit.

 

V:7. "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer."

 A. Two thing are sure; death and taxes.

     1. We don't know the time, but there will be an End Time.

     2. This present Church age will come to an end.

 B. The Lord says, the End Time is at hand.

     1. God is no respecter of time. To God, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand

         years is a day.

     2. It is not our job to worry about the time.

        a. It is our job to be alert and watchful of the time.

        b. We need to always be ready for the return of Christ.

        c. We need to pray without ceasing lest we forget that End Time is at hand.

     3. The train is coming, Christ is your ticket to board

        a. The destination is heaven, no baggage is allowed.

 

V:8. "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

 A. There are some recommended preparations for the second coming of Christ.

     1. Love is recommended.

     2. We need to love the brethren as we love ourselves.

     3. It is recommended that we strain ourselves to extend goodwill to others.

     4. We need to ensure that we do good to those in the body of Christ.

 B The reason to love is that it covers a multitude of sins.

     1. Love allows us to overlook the sins of others.

         a. Love allows us to serve others without being concerned with how they see us.

         b. Love allows us to see the person and not their issues.

         c. Love forced us to be concerned about needs of others.

     2. The mercy of God overlooks our sins.

     3. What goes around comes around.

     4. When we love others, that same love will be returned to us.

 

V:9. "Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

  A. Another recommended preparation for the End Time is to be hospitable.

      1. We ought to be careful to entertain those in the body of Christ.

      2. God has equipped us with ability to be helpful to others.

      3. Some of us are gifted with a heart to share ourselves with others.

  B. Some of us are gifted to visit the sick.

       1. Some of us are gifted to entertain others in our homes.

       2. There are many ways to be hospitable to others.

 

V:10. "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

 A. We are all ministers of Christ.

     1. Our job is to minister to others.

 B. God has gifted each of us with spiritual gifts.

     1. We have an obligation to be good stewards of God's gifts.

     2.  What ever God has gifted us with, we should be actively using to serve

          in the body of Christ.

     3. Nobody in the body of Christ at anytime should be unemployed.

         a. We ought to always be employed doing good and serving others.

 

V:11. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

 A. We have only one conversation that is important.

     1. The Word of God  should be the center of all our talking.

     2. Any advice we give should be according to the Word.

     3. Any consolation should be according  to the Word.

     4. Any encouragement we give should be according to the Word.

 B. We are all God's ministers.

     1. The Word of God is the source of all ministering.

     2. The Holy Spirit, our teacher should guide our ministry.

 C. The object of any ministry is to give God the glory.

     1. God should get our praise and honor.

     2. We should never take credit for ourselves but give it all to God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week Sunday School Lesson, "Growing In Christ", 5/19/2013

GROWING IN CHRIST

 

1 PETER 4:1-11

 

V:1. "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin."

 A. The purpose of Christ first coming was to suffer for us in the flesh.

     1. When Christ step down out of heaven, He had a view of the cross.

     2. When Christ step down out of heaven, He had full knowledge of our sins.

     3. When Christ step down out of heaven, He knew what it would take to redeem us

         out of the world.

     4. When Christ step down out of Heaven, He knew He would be persecuted by

 

         leaders of His temple.

         a. Christ knew that leaders of His temple would try to protect their self interest

             by falsely accusing Him and nail Him to the cross.

     5. When Christ step down out of heaven, it was His divine plan to shed His blood

 

         on  the cross.

  B. If they did it to our Lord and Savior, they will do same to us.

      1. We have to arm ourselves with the knowledge  that an important part of our

          experience in this life is trials and tribulations.

      2. An athlete has to train himself to endure the strain of running the race.

         a. In the race, an athlete has to strain to cross the finish line.

      3. Likewise, we who believe in Christ Jesus, must arm ourselves with His Word to

          endure this Christian race.

  C. It is purpose of God's Word to point out our sins and arm us with power to resist

 

       the desire to sin.

 

V:2. "That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

 A. Armed with God's Word, we can easily identify the lust of our flesh and the means

 

      to  our sin.

    1. With indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are well equipped to live this life according

   

         to  the will of God.

    2. We got the "I will power" and the "I want power."

        a. I will follow God's commands.

        b. I want follow the ways of the world.

        d. I will seek the righteousness of God.

        e. I want follow the desires of my flesh.

 B. The most joyous time in life is under God's commands.

      1. The most peaceful time in life is the peace we have with Jesus.

      2. The most comfortable time in life is the comfort we find in God's Word.

 

V:3. "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. "

 A. We all got a past life in the world.

    1. We use to do some stuff that was not pleasing to God.

    2. We use to do everything that pleased our flesh.

    3. We talked like the world, walked like the world and were glad to be apart of

         the worldly scene.

    4. It was our desire to be in the "in crowd" because we did not want to be left out.

 

 B. Thank God for His grace and mercy.

    1. Thank God that He saw fit to call us out of the world.

    2. Thank God that He showed us His light so we could recognize how deep in the

         dark we were.

    3. Thank God that He changed our appetite for darkness to an appetite for His light.

    4. Before Christ we had no choice but to walk in darkness, because we knew no

        better way.

       a. Thank God, He gave us a choice through His Son, Jesus Christ.

V:4. "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you."

 A. The world, the crowd you used to run with, can't understand the change in your

     

       life.

     1. The world can't understand the joy you have in serving God.

     2. The world can't understand how you can drop them for a life with Christ.

     3. The world can't understand why you don't want to enjoy the good times with

 

         them.

 B. Because you want run with them, the world will turn against you.

     1. They will point out your faults to show that you are no better than them.

     2. The world does not  have anything good to say about your walk with Christ.

 C. We have to arm ourselves with the hope in Christ to keep from being brought down

      by the evil of the world.

 

V:5. "Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead."

 A. God could put an end to this world and judge the living and the dead.

    1. The quick (the living) are those in Christ.

    2. The dead are those in the world without Christ.

 B. We will all have to give an account to God for all of our deeds.

    1. God keeps up with what you do.

    2. You can't hide anything from God.

 C. In the End Time, God will judge the world according to their sins and cast them

 

     into the lake of fire.

    1. God  looks over the sins of believers because they have been covered

        by the blood of Jesus.

       a. Believers will be judged according to their good works and crowed for their

           position in heaven.

    2. While the world looks at us with a frown, God favors us with His glory.

 

V:6. "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."

 A. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.

     1. His death on the cross makes atonement to the Father for every ones sins.

     2. God has made the Gospel known to the whole world.

        a. The Gospel is preached in Churches around the globe.

       b. The Gospel is in the airwaves of the world.

       c. The Gospel is available on the internet which reaches around the globe.

B. God caused His ministers to preach the Gospel so that everyone would have

     opportunity for salvation.

    1. The dead in Christ are judged by the world, but glorified by Christ.

       a. Absent from the body, but present with God in the spirit.

       b. Weather dead or alive, we still are in the spirit with God.

    2. The dead outside of Christ will have their day in hell.

       b. Absent from the body and absent from God in the spirit.

 

V:7. "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer."

 A. Two thing are sure; death and taxes.

     1. We don't know the time, but there will be an End Time.

     2. This present Church age will come to an end.

 B. The Lord says, the End Time is at hand.

     1. God is no respecter of time. To God, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand

         years is a day.

     2. It is not our job to worry about the time.

        a. It is our job to be alert and watchful of the time.

        b. We need to always be ready for the return of Christ.

        c. We need to pray without ceasing lest we forget that End Time is at hand.

     3. The train is coming, Christ is your ticket to board

        a. The destination is heaven, no baggage is allowed.

 

V:8. "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

 A. There are some recommended preparations for the second coming of Christ.

     1. Love is recommended.

     2. We need to love the brethren as we love ourselves.

     3. It is recommended that we strain ourselves to extend goodwill to others.

     4. We need to ensure that we do good to those in the body of Christ.

 B The reason to love is that it covers a multitude of sins.

     1. Love allows us to overlook the sins of others.

         a. Love allows us to serve others without being concerned with how they see us.

         b. Love allows us to see the person and not their issues.

         c. Love forced us to be concerned about needs of others.

     2. The mercy of God overlooks our sins.

     3. What goes around comes around.

     4. When we love others, that same love will be returned to us.

 

V:9. "Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

  A. Another recommended preparation for the End Time is to be hospitable.

      1. We ought to be careful to entertain those in the body of Christ.

      2. God has equipped us with ability to be helpful to others.

      3. Some of us are gifted with a heart to share ourselves with others.

  B. Some of us are gifted to visit the sick.

       1. Some of us are gifted to entertain others in our homes.

       2. There are many ways to be hospitable to others.

 

V:10. "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

 A. We are all ministers of Christ.

     1. Our job is to minister to others.

 B. God has gifted each of us with spiritual gifts.

     1. We have an obligation to be good stewards of God's gifts.

     2.  What ever God has gifted us with, we should be actively using to serve

          in the body of Christ.

     3. Nobody in the body of Christ at anytime should be unemployed.

         a. We ought to always be employed doing good and serving others.

 

V:11. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

 A. We have only one conversation that is important.

     1. The Word of God  should be the center of all our talking.

     2. Any advice we give should be according to the Word.

     3. Any consolation should be according  to the Word.

     4. Any encouragement we give should be according to the Word.

 B. We are all God's ministers.

     1. The Word of God is the source of all ministering.

     2. The Holy Spirit, our teacher should guide our ministry.

 C. The object of any ministry is to give God the glory.

     1. God should get our praise and honor.

     2. We should never take credit for ourselves but give it all to God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Week Sunday School Lesson, "Growing In Christ", 5/19/2013

GROWING IN CHRIST

 

1 PETER 4:1-11

 

V:1. "Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin."

 A. The purpose of Christ first coming was to suffer for us in the flesh.

     1. When Christ step down out of heaven, He had a view of the cross.

     2. When Christ step down out of heaven, He had full knowledge of our sins.

     3. When Christ step down out of heaven, He knew what it would take to redeem us

         out of the world.

     4. When Christ step down out of Heaven, He knew He would be persecuted by

 

         leaders of His temple.

         a. Christ knew that leaders of His temple would try to protect their self interest

             by falsely accusing Him and nail Him to the cross.

     5. When Christ step down out of heaven, it was His divine plan to shed His blood

 

         on  the cross.

  B. If they did it to our Lord and Savior, they will do same to us.

      1. We have to arm ourselves with the knowledge  that an important part of our

          experience in this life is trials and tribulations.

      2. An athlete has to train himself to endure the strain of running the race.

         a. In the race, an athlete has to strain to cross the finish line.

      3. Likewise, we who believe in Christ Jesus, must arm ourselves with His Word to

          endure this Christian race.

  C. It is purpose of God's Word to point out our sins and arm us with power to resist

 

       the desire to sin.

 

V:2. "That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

 A. Armed with God's Word, we can easily identify the lust of our flesh and the means

 

      to  our sin.

    1. With indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are well equipped to live this life according

   

         to  the will of God.

    2. We got the "I will power" and the "I want power."

        a. I will follow God's commands.

        b. I want follow the ways of the world.

        d. I will seek the righteousness of God.

        e. I want follow the desires of my flesh.

 B. The most joyous time in life is under God's commands.

      1. The most peaceful time in life is the peace we have with Jesus.

      2. The most comfortable time in life is the comfort we find in God's Word.

 

V:3. "For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. "

 A. We all got a past life in the world.

    1. We use to do some stuff that was not pleasing to God.

    2. We use to do everything that pleased our flesh.

    3. We talked like the world, walked like the world and were glad to be apart of

         the worldly scene.

    4. It was our desire to be in the "in crowd" because we did not want to be left out.

 

 B. Thank God for His grace and mercy.

    1. Thank God that He saw fit to call us out of the world.

    2. Thank God that He showed us His light so we could recognize how deep in the

         dark we were.

    3. Thank God that He changed our appetite for darkness to an appetite for His light.

    4. Before Christ we had no choice but to walk in darkness, because we knew no

        better way.

       a. Thank God, He gave us a choice through His Son, Jesus Christ.

V:4. "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you."

 A. The world, the crowd you used to run with, can't understand the change in your

     

       life.

     1. The world can't understand the joy you have in serving God.

     2. The world can't understand how you can drop them for a life with Christ.

     3. The world can't understand why you don't want to enjoy the good times with

 

         them.

 B. Because you want run with them, the world will turn against you.

     1. They will point out your faults to show that you are no better than them.

     2. The world does not  have anything good to say about your walk with Christ.

 C. We have to arm ourselves with the hope in Christ to keep from being brought down

      by the evil of the world.

 

V:5. "Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead."

 A. God could put an end to this world and judge the living and the dead.

    1. The quick (the living) are those in Christ.

    2. The dead are those in the world without Christ.

 B. We will all have to give an account to God for all of our deeds.

    1. God keeps up with what you do.

    2. You can't hide anything from God.

 C. In the End Time, God will judge the world according to their sins and cast them

 

     into the lake of fire.

    1. God  looks over the sins of believers because they have been covered

        by the blood of Jesus.

       a. Believers will be judged according to their good works and crowed for their

           position in heaven.

    2. While the world looks at us with a frown, God favors us with His glory.

 

V:6. "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."

 A. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world.

     1. His death on the cross makes atonement to the Father for every ones sins.

     2. God has made the Gospel known to the whole world.

        a. The Gospel is preached in Churches around the globe.

       b. The Gospel is in the airwaves of the world.

       c. The Gospel is available on the internet which reaches around the globe.

B. God caused His ministers to preach the Gospel so that everyone would have

     opportunity for salvation.

    1. The dead in Christ are judged by the world, but glorified by Christ.

       a. Absent from the body, but present with God in the spirit.

       b. Weather dead or alive, we still are in the spirit with God.

    2. The dead outside of Christ will have their day in hell.

       b. Absent from the body and absent from God in the spirit.

 

V:7. "But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer."

 A. Two thing are sure; death and taxes.

     1. We don't know the time, but there will be an End Time.

     2. This present Church age will come to an end.

 B. The Lord says, the End Time is at hand.

     1. God is no respecter of time. To God, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand

         years is a day.

     2. It is not our job to worry about the time.

        a. It is our job to be alert and watchful of the time.

        b. We need to always be ready for the return of Christ.

        c. We need to pray without ceasing lest we forget that End Time is at hand.

     3. The train is coming, Christ is your ticket to board

        a. The destination is heaven, no baggage is allowed.

 

V:8. "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."

 A. There are some recommended preparations for the second coming of Christ.

     1. Love is recommended.

     2. We need to love the brethren as we love ourselves.

     3. It is recommended that we strain ourselves to extend goodwill to others.

     4. We need to ensure that we do good to those in the body of Christ.

 B The reason to love is that it covers a multitude of sins.

     1. Love allows us to overlook the sins of others.

         a. Love allows us to serve others without being concerned with how they see us.

         b. Love allows us to see the person and not their issues.

         c. Love forced us to be concerned about needs of others.

     2. The mercy of God overlooks our sins.

     3. What goes around comes around.

     4. When we love others, that same love will be returned to us.

 

V:9. "Use hospitality one to another without grudging."

  A. Another recommended preparation for the End Time is to be hospitable.

      1. We ought to be careful to entertain those in the body of Christ.

      2. God has equipped us with ability to be helpful to others.

      3. Some of us are gifted with a heart to share ourselves with others.

  B. Some of us are gifted to visit the sick.

       1. Some of us are gifted to entertain others in our homes.

       2. There are many ways to be hospitable to others.

 

V:10. "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

 A. We are all ministers of Christ.

     1. Our job is to minister to others.

 B. God has gifted each of us with spiritual gifts.

     1. We have an obligation to be good stewards of God's gifts.

     2.  What ever God has gifted us with, we should be actively using to serve

          in the body of Christ.

     3. Nobody in the body of Christ at anytime should be unemployed.

         a. We ought to always be employed doing good and serving others.

 

V:11. "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

 A. We have only one conversation that is important.

     1. The Word of God  should be the center of all our talking.

     2. Any advice we give should be according to the Word.

     3. Any consolation should be according  to the Word.

     4. Any encouragement we give should be according to the Word.

 B. We are all God's ministers.

     1. The Word of God is the source of all ministering.

     2. The Holy Spirit, our teacher should guide our ministry.

 C. The object of any ministry is to give God the glory.

     1. God should get our praise and honor.

     2. We should never take credit for ourselves but give it all to God.