Sunday School Lessons

An event that is the culmination of God’s plan is that of Jesus Christ giving His life on Calvary’s cross for us. This fundamental truth is one of the two largest points that separates Christianity from any other world religion. The other is that same Jesus raising from the dead. No other world religious leader has ever made such sacrificial gift and testament to His power over death… many have claimed it… but they all sit in the grave.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

This tree as it was called has become a symbol of this event. A symbol of this sacrifice, a symbol of our beliefs and burden we often might carry. It it not the glamorous cross that the world chooses to display, the clean and shiny jewelry that people wear or the beautiful artwork with the glow behind it… it was a symbol of a vicious death and suffering… so much as this old rugged cross we are told to remember each day.

A Life Changing Event Foretold

Psalms 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Account of the Cross

The account of the cross is told in these 4 places to give us a few different points of view of the same event. Remember you can have 4 people standing in 4 different places while witnessing the same event and testify of that event from different perspectives. This accounts do not conflict, but rather give a broader scope of the events.

Matthew 27

Mark 15

Luke 23

John 18-19

Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

Note:

John 3:16 tell us that God so loved the world (love put to action) that He gave… God’s desire to fellowship with His creation (you and me) that it pleased Him to see His Son suffer… because He knew what would happen because of it… That finally there would be a clear path to Him and His fellowship.

Isaiah 53:10  Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Exodus 12:13  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

In our main verse we start to see the beginnings of the sacrificial system of atonement for the sins of the people leading up and through the Law. In the presentation of the law of Moses we see memorial items in place and patterns established to help us not only understand what sin was… but how to avoid it… and how to receive forgiveness for it.

1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

It is important to understand, when talking about sin and forgiveness… that we can have a way to have joy.

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

But when we sin… just in the days of old… God makes a way…

All throughout Biblical history we see that God always created a path to get to Him. Whether it was Noah’s Ark, or withing the faith of Abraham, the Law of God, the trust in Christ… God always made a way to get to Him.

There is a difference between getting cleaned up… and getting cleansed.

1 John 1:7  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Often in the ministry you hear of people getting “cleaned up” meaning they started going to church, or stopped drinking or stopped cussing or stopped gossip, lying, cheating, hitting others… but this “self righteousness” doesn’t deal with the sin that God sees.

Isaiah 64:6  But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

However, when God Cleanses us

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Corinthians 7:1  Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Word of God is our soap…

Ephesians 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The world’s programs, religious systems, self righteousness might get you clean… but your not cleansed until you’ve been washed by the Word of God. In this respect there is indeed a difference between clean and cleaned…

1 Timothy 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Preparation

2 Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Part of having a right heart for worship is to prepare yourself. It is difficult for God to use us when our hearts and mind is filled with the ways of the world.

How to Prepare

The night before church, lay out your clothes and get your Bible. Pray for the Pastor, Sunday school teachers and other ministries within the Church.

The morning of church get up early, feed your flesh and your spirit; I can’t stress this enough. If you come to church with no breakfast, all you can think about is eating. If you start your day reading the Word of God, then it will prepare your heart for the Holy Spirit to work; being more productive.

Luke 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

Prayer

Psalms 5:3  My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Part of having a good church service is prayer… but not just prayer at church. In fact, if all the bible and prayer you get is on Sunday… you simply are not getting enough spiritual nourishment to grow.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Praying for the Pastor and those give charge of the church ministries:

Romans 15:30  Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;

Hebrews 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

Praise

Hebrews 2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

Psalms 22:22  I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

Psalms 149:1  Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

Ephesians 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Praise and Prayer are the fundamental part of worship (preaching is not) The modern twisting of praise as a form of entertainment is not God desire (as the doctrine of separation dictates) In fact the modern title of praise and worship identifies that they don’t have a clue. Praise is part of worship.

Preaching

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

1 Corinthians 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Provision

Hebrews 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

2 Corinthians 9:8  And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

• Can someone listen without hearing?
• Can someone look without seeing?
• Can someone talk without saying anything?
• Can someone eat if they are not hungry?

We live in a time when people are:

2 Timothy 3:7  Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

This society has become a fast food generation… we want it cheap, we want it biggie sized and we want it right now. Because of this, we have started to practice this in every point in our lives.

In our homes we eat frozen dinners instead of a meal.

In our schools we learn how to take the test rather than the building of knowledge.

In our relationships we want the benefits of a lifelong relationship, by the 2^nd date.

In our business practices: service companies must be available instantly, or customers go elsewhere. Products are made of cheap materials with the knowledge that they won’t keep it long enough to care about the quality.

In our Churches we can’t get to the doctrines of the Word of God because of time constraints.

In our society we have come to seek those who will do the thinking for us rather than exploring the matter ourselves to the point of fact.

As a result of this prepackaged mindset we don’t seem to value the Word of God, the House of God, the people of God or the teachers and preachers of God’s Word… because there is only enough effort to participate, not a desire to build upon the knowledge of God.

Romans 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

When I was young, school was about knowledge. Methods and patterns were there to build upon knowledge… working the brain as a muscle to become stronger. We learned… how to learn, to experiment, to test and retest, to observe; then do it all again. There was effort to obtain the knowledge, and that made learning easier as you grew… Today we get the answers from a phone, bypassing the exercise of learning.

Proverbs 1:5  A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

Proverbs 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Psalms 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

Having an effect

There is an old saying that you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink…

Romans 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

When pastoring… I once came home frustrated saying: “I have shouted the gospel to the ends of the earth and no one is listening”… to which my wife mentioned: “try whispering instead. That way they will have to put in the effort to listen.”

There is a certain privilege to be able to teach a child with the hopes of helping them see and understand… before this world has a chance to corrupt them to the point they become unteachable.

Daniel 1:4 Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

As a teacher and preacher of the word of God that is my prayer… that people come ready to:

• Listen and hear
• To Look and see
• To speak and have something worthy to be said
• To come to God’s house… hungry for the word of God…

… that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God

Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

• There is always a struggle that takes plays between the spirit and the flesh.
• Society teaches us to hate anything that is against our will, destroy that which is in your way. But God doesn’t see it that way.
• Loving your enemy is what sets a Christian apart from the world’s ways…

Note these verses:

Luke 6:29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Being a Christian is not always easy, especially when the flesh gets in the way.

• It’s natural to be bitter at times
• It’s natural to want to fight when you are offended
• It’s natural to cut down others and gossip to make yourself look better
• It’s natural for little boys to try to act like little men.

But it’s natural for the world, not a Christian.

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Peter 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Note the Apostle Paul

Romans 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

This is the same man who:

2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.

24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;

27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?

30 If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.

31 The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

Memory verse

Luke 6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.