Master Teacher. R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
rel="nofollow" href="#uc057c278-64ac-406e-8a6e-98b27c824013">Matthew 2:7–15
What’s in Store THIS QUARTER
God commands us to love one another as God loves us. This quarter begins with David and Jonathan’s friendship as a model of love. It continues with God’s laws requiring care and concern for the poor and needy, loving and embracing the stranger, and the demands of love for one another in the teachings of Jesus in the Gospels. These sessions elaborate on themes of love for one another in the epistles of Paul and James and the expressions of love in the early formations of the church in Acts. Finally, the quarter ends with God’s call in stories from the New Testament. The greatest call came to Jesus.
UNIT I—INCLUSIVE LOVE
Unit I, “Inclusive Love,” has four sessions that center on love for the stranger, the poor, and enemies as well as divine love reflected in human life. First Samuel shows David’s love for others. Luke explores the teachings of Jesus regarding love for one’s enemies and Jesus’ Parable of the Good Samaritan. First Corinthians explores the sermon on love from Paul’s writing, which depicts the height of human love coming from divine love.
UNIT II—GODLY LOVE AMONG BELIEVERS
Unit II, “Godly Love Among Believers,” contains five sessions. John elaborates on how believers love by serving and portrays Jesus’ explanation of the intertwining love of God for Jesus and for those who abide in Christ. First John clarifies the abiding love of God through the Holy Spirit, which makes it possible for us to love one another. Acts reveals the expression of the love of God in the formation of the early Christian community by the workings of the Holy Spirit. James tells of the love of neighbor as the fulfillment of the law of God.
UNIT III—THE BEGINNING OF A CALL
Unit III, “The Beginning of a Call,” has four sessions from the Gospel of Matthew. Session one highlights the heritage of Jesus. Session two tells the story of Jesus’ birth. Session three speaks of the witness of the Magi to Jesus’ call as the Messiah. Session four tells of the call of John the Baptist.
SEEKING GOD’S GUIDANCE
Suggested Opening Exercises
1. Usual Signal for Beginning
2. Prayer (Closing with the Lord’s Prayer)
3. Singing (Song to Be Selected)
4. Scripture Reading: Psalm 61 (KJV)
Director: Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
School: Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Director: Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
School: Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
All: For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Recitation in Concert:
James 3:3–8 (KJV)
3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
Closing Work
1. Singing
2. Opening Sentences: Isaiah 9:6–10 (KJV)
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
8 The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
9 And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,
10 The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
3. Dismissal with Prayer
Lesson 1 for Week of October 4, 2020
A TRUE FRIEND INTERVENES
| Background Passage: 1 Samuel 19:1–7; 23:1–18; 2 Samuel 9 | Lesson Passage: 1 Samuel 19:1–7 |
UNIFYING TOPIC
Love and Devotion to Others
LESSON TEXT
I. What’s in the Heart Bubbles to the Top (1 Samuel 19:1–3)
II. A Friend’s Impassioned Plea (1 Samuel 19:4–7)
THE MAIN THOUGHT
And Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him, Let not the king sin against his servant, against David; because he hath not sinned against thee, and because his works have been to thee-ward very good. (1 Samuel 19:4, KJV)
UNIFYING PRINCIPLE
Although families are important, family dysfunction can skew our priorities and lead us to ruin. Is there