Sunday School

CENTRAL THOUGHTOnly a people prepared will meet the Lord. HYMN: HAVE YOU BEEN TO JESUS FOR THE CLEANSING POWER. TEXT: John 2:13-17, 2 Cor 6:14-18. INTRODUCTION The Passover celebration took place yearly in Jerusalem. Every Jewish male was expected to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem during this time ( Deut.16:16). The temple area was always crowded during Passover with foreigners who needed to change their money to local currency and buy the needed animals for sacrifice. The merchants and money changers exploited the people, turned the temple to a market place and this attracted Christ righteous indignation. Purging is to make clean or free of physical, moral or spiritual impurity. In the bible, the temple being a physical place of worship where the lord chose to put his name, was highly revered, and it was forbidden to do some things or talk carelessly, and of such was seen as sacrilegious ( see John 2:20-21). Before the death of Jesus, God dwelt in the physical temple; however, the light of this topic purging the temple will involve both the church and our bodies. LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this study are:1.To know what made Jesus chase the merchants and currency changers away from the temple. 2.To know the reasons for the...

CENTRAL THOUGHTGod fulfills His promises in His time. HYMN: WHEN WE WALK WITH THE LORD. TEXT: 1 Sam 16:1-3; 2 Sam 2:1-4; 5:1-10. INTRODUCTION The promises of God never fail even in the face of hardship and affliction. Humanly speaking, it was possible for David to think that God has forgotten him like we do at times. This also happened in the life of Joseph, Abraham among others. Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised, HE was able also to perform ( Rom 4:21). God has not failed in any of His promises ( 1 Kings 8:56b). His words are yea and amen. He is not slack concerning His promises ( 2 Pet. 3:9). A Child of God should therefore, hear from God expressly, understand Him well and believe Him. He should continue to live, walk, work and patiently behave or do things in consonance with God’s instructions. We are in a race where distractions abound, but we are expected to follow the principles spelt out rigidly for a crown to be given to us at the end ( 1 Cor 9: 24-27). It is expected in stewards that a man be found faithful ( 1 Cor 4:2). We should therefore, not be like the fools who...

CENTRAL THOUGHTAnointing is an inward consecration for service. HYMN: ALL TO JESUS I SURRENDER. TEXT: 1 Sam. 16:11-23, 17:15-37 INTRODUCTION: David was the youngest son (8th) of Jesse, a Bethlehemite. He later became the second King of Israel. The name David means BELOVED. In his immediate family, David was assigned the job of attending to the flock of their father. He was a shepherd boy. But against human judgement, he was preferred by God above his brethren who were more physically well-built and more militant. His pastoral/shepherd life may have provided him the opportunity of meditation, contemplation and communion with God and endowed him with compassion for the less privileged. David certainly had his personal weakness and failures, but in the old testament, he left a footprint in relating with God and in relating with humans. He was anointed by prophet Samuel while King Saul was still in power. This anointing first of all brought troubles in full measure. But most importantly, it brought enough grace to overcome all the troubles, and unimaginable empowerment for the fulfillment of a divine destiny. In this study, we shall take a careful look at the early life of David, his anointing and the lessons we can learn from them. LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives...