For teaching plans and full explanations of all the verses
in today’s lessons, consult the Explore the Bible leader guide. Make
sure each learner has his or her own Explore the Bible learner guide.
Will I Be Judged? (Matt. 25:31-33)
Have learners read Matthew 25:31-33.
Read the the following statement from page 15 of The Baptist Faith and
Message adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention on June 14, 2000:
X. Last Things
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the
world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will
return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be
raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will
be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in
their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will
dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
Ask:
Upon what basis
will Christ judge all people?
What difference
does it make to you that all Christians will stand before God's judgment?
How does the
reality of future judgment affect you today?
Will I Be Rewarded? (Matt. 25:34-40)
After reading and discussing Matthew 25:34-40,
read the following excerpt about rewards for those who rescued others during the
Titanic disaster:
A few hours after the Titanic sank on April 15, 1912,
another British passenger vessel, the Carpathia, rescued the 712 survivors
and the lifeboats in which they had taken refuge. Under British law, the
owners of the Carpathia could have recovered a salvage award, limited to the
value of the lifeboats, from the owners of the Titanic, and the British
Board of Trade had the statutory discretion to make an additional award for
the saving of human life. By contrast, if American law at that time had
applied to the case, the salvors could have received no more than the value
of the lifeboats, and if no property had been saved, they could not have
recovered a penny. A few months after the Titanic disaster, Congress enacted
legislation codifying a 1910 multilateral treaty that was intended to
increase the rights of life salvors.
Source: Friedell, Steven F. (May, 1979).
Compensation and Reward for Saving Life at Sea. Michigan Law Review,
Vol. 77, No. 5 pp. 1218-1289. Full article available at
http://links.jstor.org.
Ask:
Do you think
the rescuers were motivated by money or their concern for the people who
needed help? Explain your answer.
Why should our
focus be on reaching people instead of the rewards we may receive?
Will I Be Surprised? (Matt. 25:41-46)
Ask learners to read Matthew 25:41-46 and ask why the people in
these verses were surprised to hear that they were not saved.
Ask:
Why is
ministering to the needs of people a reflection of our salvation
experience?
Ask learners to think of people they saw last week who may have fit into some of
the ministry categories listed in these verses.
Ask:
Where did you
see these people?
How were others
responding to their needs?
How did you
respond?
Ask learners to suggest ways that the Sunday School class could get involved in
meeting the needs of others.
Share with the class the
testimony of Tommy, whose name has been changed to protect his identity:
Tommy always came to church but rarely attended. He would
sit outside in the parking lot, feeling that his bipolar diagnosis meant he
would not mesh with the other members of the congregation. The way many
treated him seemed to confirm his suspicions. Few spoke to him, and many
looked the other way when he crossed their path. Hardly a Sunday went by
where he was not on the church property, but he stayed on the outside where
both he and everyone else would feel more comfortable.
Thank the Lord for the associate pastor who refused
to give up on Tommy. He spent time with him and looked past his differences.
He even scheduled a meeting with the senior pastor so he could meet Tommy.
At a retreat a week later, Tommy gave his heart to Christ. Now he sits on
the third row, participates during the prayer meeting, and even asks for
prayer for others who have lived with the same conditions.
To everyone else, Tommy was one of the least, but that
didn’t stop the associate pastor from seeing him as Jesus saw him.
Ask:
Why are some
people blind to the potential that others have in Christ?
What factors
cause us to overlook those we consider “the least"?
Ask learners to examine their hearts for ministry and encourage them to live out
their commitment to Christ daily.
EXTRA! is a supplement designed
to enhance and expand the effectiveness of printed curriculum provided by
LifeWay Church Resources.
EXTRA! is produced by Publishing
Services and Multimedia, LifeWay Church Resources, Copyright 2007, LifeWay
Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
SPECIAL NOTE: Some Internet
addresses given in EXTRA! are outside the LifeWay Internet domain. Because of
the changing nature of the Web, EXTRA! editors cannot be held responsible for
content on pages outside their control. At the time of this posting, the
specific pages mentioned have been viewed and approved by the EXTRA! editorial
staff. However, at the time of your viewing, the information on these pages may
have changed. Links from the specific page addresses referenced in this material
possibly could link to inappropriate material.
EXTRA! Weekly Supplemental Teaching Plans
Adult
Bible Studies for Life
Bible Studies for Life EXTRA
November 18, 2007
20/20 Vision
Dana Armstrong
Matthew 7:1-12
Before the Session
For teaching plans and full explanations of all the verses in today’s lessons,
consult any of the Bible Studies for Life leader guides or
commentaries. Make sure each learner has his or her own learner guide.
Matthew 7:1-6
Enlist a volunteer to read Matthew 7:1-6. Explain that in these
verses, Jesus warned His followers against judging other believers in a
critical, condemning way.
Ask: What word do you see when you look
at this picture? (Allow class member to look at the image briefly, but don’t’
reveal the not-so-obvious answer at this time.)
Say: Whether you saw both words or not,
there are two words—good and evil—in the picture. Our ability to see one word
without seeing the other relates to what Jesus was saying about judging others.
Spiritually speaking, judging others often causes us to focus on the faults of
others while remaining blind to our own sins. We see others’ sin, but miss our
own.
Ask:
Based on this activity, why it is important for use
us judge others cautiously?
How do verses 3-4 show the folly of one sinner
judging another?
Avoid implying that Jesus condemned all judgment. Instead,
emphasize that Jesus commanded believers not to have judgmental attitudes,
destructive criticism, and petty fault finding in our relationships with fellow
believers.
Matthew 7:7-11
Enlist a volunteer to read Matthew 7:7-11.
Read or paraphrase the following article:
A Matter of Trust
Remember the "trust fall" game you played at almost every youth retreat?
The instructions were simple: Find a partner, turn your back to him or her,
and close your eyes. When given the OK, fall back and let your partner catch
you.
Somehow it never got old. You always felt a rush the moment you leaned back
in complete unknown, lost balance, and dropped (hopefully) into your
partner's arms.
What about your sense of trust today? Most real-life uncertainties
involve much more than a three-foot free fall. And the safety net of even
our closest supporters comes with a few gaping holes.
Unfortunately, those repeated disappointments blunt our eagerness to lean on
God. Our trust in Him ebbs from past hurts, from the fear of what lies
ahead, and in the face of relinquishing control over daily matters. Yet
truly trusting God can literally change every part of your life — if you
take that plunge of faith.
In God We Sort of Trust
Do you really trust God? It's one thing to put your life in God's hands on
blue-sky days when your marriage is thriving, work is enjoyable, and church
life couldn't be better. But it's another to carry that same attitude
through a family crisis, a sudden death, or a financial disaster.
Blame it on the human condition. We tend to feed on our self-sufficiency,
reluctant to yield to an "unseen" God when the rubber hits the road. The
truth, however, lies beyond our circumstances.
Brennan Manning hits on this thought in his book Ruthless Trust. "The faith
that animates the Christian community is less a matter of believing in the
existence of God than a practical trust in His loving care under whatever
pressure," he writes.
"Jesus is Lord when good things happen in my life, and He is still Lord when
He allows uncomfortable things to happen in my life," writes Mike Nappa in
The Courage to Be Christian.
Redefining the Past
"Just trust God." Christians offer this pat answer to problems as if it were
as easy as chewing gum. But what if you've been disappointed in God? What if
you honestly trusted Him at one time but feel like He never came through?
You're not alone. Many Christians' ability to trust God takes a blow when,
despite their faithfulness, God allows hardships to bombard their lives.
Joseph (from the Old Testament) could lead a support group for these
believers. As a youth, he received dreams from God of becoming a leader. But
after being sold into slavery by his own brothers, it's safe to say his
visions of leadership took a hit. And when he was wrongfully accused of
seducing his boss' wife and imprisoned, Joseph could've easily doubted God's
reliability.
Yet Joseph completely trusted God with his tangled past. Was he frustrated
by life's events? Probably. But his belief in God's faithfulness allowed him
to tell his brothers, "You planned evil against me; God planned it for good
to bring about the present result — the survival of many people" (Genesis
50:20).
Can you say the same? Or has a past abuse, betrayal, or loss decimated your
trust in God? Sometimes our only resolve is to remember God's words to
Isaiah: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My
ways" (Isaiah 55:8, Holman
Christian Standard Bible).
God's ways may be baffling, but His character is not. He is a God of love, a
God who loves each of us beyond measure. The question Manning poses is this:
Do you trust God's love? Scripture says, "And we have come to know and to
believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains
in love remains in God, and God remains in him" (1 John 4:16, HCSB).
"God can be trusted," says Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek Community
Church in South Barrington, Ill. "But unless you are willing to jump … His
trustworthiness will be simply a useless, unproven, theological theory,
rather than a powerful, personal, life-changing reality."
This "jump" doesn't involve throwing yourself off a cliff and praying for
angels to arrive. Instead, it's a deeply personal experience in which God
shows Himself to you in an undeniable way, resulting in your own reassurance
that despite what happens, God is trustworthy.
Into the Great Unknown
Maybe you've gotten over your past issues but fret about the future, feeling
either gripped by fear or resolved to conquer what lies ahead with sheer
determination. After all, you've made it this far; why turn the reins over
to God now?
"It's a fearful thing to throw yourself into the hands of God and let Him
lead you blindfolded through the doors and hallways of life," Nappa says.
"But it is also the most secure, most rewarding way to live … Make no
mistake, though, reliance on God doesn't mean you will always be safe."
It doesn't mean you'll have all the answers, either. "The way of trust,"
Manning says, "is a movement into obscurity, into the undefined, into
ambiguity, not into some predetermined, clearly delineated plan for the
future."
Abraham knew this firsthand. God instructed him to pack up his family and
possessions and head for a new land (see Genesis 12). His trust in God led
him on what seemed like a pointless, dangerous trek. And many times, Abraham
panicked and grabbed the trust reins from God.
The path God leads you on doesn't always seem best. It's hard enough to
entrust your future to Him and harder still as you venture through rough
territory. But in the midst of your winding, often frustrating journey, you
can take this to the bank: God will always, always come through in the end.
He is faithful by nature. He has a greater purpose for your future than you
could ever devise (Jeremiah 29:11), and He will see you through as you
follow Him.
Giving Up Controls
At the heart of our disinclination to trust God is the issue of control.
Henri Nouwen said, "One of the most arduous spiritual tasks is that of
giving up control and allowing the Spirit of God to lead our lives."
The reasons for refusing to submit to God's leadership can range from a
simple reluctance to "burden" Him with seemingly minor matters to a
full-blown pride showdown with the God of the universe.
Where does self-reliance lead? Jeremiah 48:7 says, "Because you trust in
your works and treasures, you will be captured also." While God directed
those words to a specific group of people, the same sentiment rings true for
us today. Relying on our own capabilities and intellect results in a
self-imposed imprisonment of pride. And that puts a thick wall between us
and God, who "resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6,
HCSB).
Does God expect us to use our talents? You bet. Jesus talked about that. But
He also encourages us to trust Him with every provision and decision, great
or small. If you don't believe that God's concerned about the "little"
things, see Jesus' words in Luke 12:24: "Consider the ravens: they don't sow
or reap; they don't have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren't
you worth much more than the birds?" (HCSB).
God cares about even the smallest, dullest parts of our lives. In fact,
we're worth so much that He sacrificed His own Son for us, proving the depth
of His love. Can you trust Him with your entire life? The cross answers yes.
Trusting God — truly trusting Him — requires much. Sometimes it feels like a
wild plunge into a deep unknown. Yet, in typical God fashion, when you give
up controlling your own life and, in trust, fall back into His embrace,
you'll find His hands were there to catch you all along.
Source: Yoars, Marcus. "A Matter of Trust." This article
is available at www.lifeway.com and is
available courtesy of HomeLife, a magazine helping families
experience dynamic, healthy, Christ-centered living.
Ask:
What barriers
keep us from trusting God?
According to
these verses, why is trust in God as Father crucial for praying?
Say: Our heavenly Father stands ready to give His people what
is good when they ask. For this reason, trustful, persistent, and expectant
prayer should characterize Jesus’ followers. We can approach God with
confidence, knowing that the One who responds to our asking, who reveals Himself
in our seeking, and who opens His heart to our knocking is our loving Father.
Matthew 7:12
Enlist volunteers to read Matthew 7:12, Leviticus 19:18, and
Matthew 22:39.
Ask:
What do these
verses have in common?
How do we
achieve this kind of love?
Say: Life’s relationships include God and others. This world
focuses on self first, satisfying fleshly desires before considering others,
looking out for number one. These verses, from both the Old and New Testaments,
instruct us to love others and to treat them as we want to be treated.
Read the following article excerpt:
Neighborly Love
Throughout Scripture, Christ never asked His followers to do anything He
didn't demonstrate Himself. When He said in Matthew 5:44, "Love your
enemies, and pray for those who persecute you," He backed it up by going to
a cross and saying, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know what
they are doing" (Luke 23:34).
Loving others isn't always easy. It's messy, unpredictable, and costly.
Just ask God; it cost Him His one and only Son. But just as God transformed
the world through Christ's loving work on the cross, He can transform the
lives of other people through our neighborly love.
Four Ways to be Neighborly
1. Ask God to help you see others through His eyes.
What gifts and strengths did He create in them? In what unique ways can they
bring glory to God? We're all created in His image and are all in the same
need of His love, grace, and forgiveness.
2. Ask God to help you love others like He would.
Pull from God's abounding love for you when you're interacting with others.
Use His love to shape your words and actions toward your neighbors.
3. Take the initiative. Truly loving your
neighbors means going out of your way to meet their needs — no strings
attached. It may simply be stopping long enough to smile and genuinely ask
how they are, or perhaps it's dropping an encouraging word to someone for a
job well done.
4. Practice the 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love — even when it
means sacrifice or tears. This passage is full of practical
ways to love others. Try meditating on one verse each day, applying it
throughout your daily routine.
Source: Blackaby, Tom. "Neighborly Love." The full
article is available at www.lifeway.com.
Ask:
How is God leading you to love others more deeply?
EXTRA! is a supplement designed
to enhance and expand the effectiveness of printed curriculum provided by
LifeWay Church Resources.
EXTRA! is produced by Publishing
Services and Multimedia, LifeWay Church Resources, Copyright 2007, LifeWay
Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.
SPECIAL NOTE: Some Internet
addresses given in EXTRA! are outside the LifeWay Internet domain. Because of
the changing nature of the Web, EXTRA! editors cannot be held responsible for
content on pages outside their control. At the time of this posting, the
specific pages mentioned have been viewed and approved by the EXTRA! editorial
staff. However, at the time of your viewing, the information on these pages may
have changed. Links from the specific page addresses referenced in this material
possibly could link to inappropriate material.
