Read Genesis 29:16-17,21-23,26-27 and ask learners
how Laban deceived Jacob. Ask them to discuss how God was faithful to
Jacob even though Laban had deceived him.
Read the following testimony by R. Ruth Barton in
the article, Living in a Material World, found in Today’s Christian
Woman:
When my husband and I were first married and lived in a
small apartment, I thought if we could just buy a house I'd be satisfied.
Several years later, we did get our house. Even though
it was a modest, three-bedroom ranch in need of decorating and repair, it
felt so good to have space! And to walk out our front door into a grassy
yard rather than a dank hallway seemed like heaven on earth. For the
privilege of owning a home I could certainly live with peeling paint, yellow
and green wallpaper, and an outdated kitchen.
Or could I?
It didn't take long for me to realize I'm not that
easily satisfied. Oh, I was fine as long as the first flush of purchasing
excitement lasted. But pretty soon, desire began to overtake me again. If we
could just replace the shag carpeting, if we could just get rid of the
avocado appliances, if we could just remodel the kitchen … then I'd be
satisfied.
Well, here it is ten years later. We've done all those
things (and more!) and I've made a startling realization: It doesn't matter
how much we buy, there is always plenty more that I want. I'm very much a
part of the never-enough world. Chances are, so are you.
What did Jacob learn about the “never-enough” world?
Why does materialism fail to deliver on its promises?
How did materialism affect Laban?
Why is materialism so deceptive?
Faithful Despite Hostility (Gen. 31:1-3)
Enlist a volunteer to read
Genesis 31:1-3.Ask learners to discuss the article excerpt
about the school shooting at Northern Illinois University:
As students at Northern Illinois
University (NIU) still recover from shock after a fatal shooting left six
dead, including the gunman, Christian campus groups have opened their doors
around the clock to offer comfort and prayers.
"We walk in hope, we pray for
healing," says one message outside the Lutheran Campus Ministry Center. The
Rev. Dard, the Lutheran campus pastor, has been ministering with families
and friends since Thursday's campus shooting.
Dard stood with families of those
wounded and killed at Kishwaukee Community Hospital, according to the ELCA
(Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) News Service.
Six large crosses have been set up outside the Lutheran
center, inviting people to write messages expressing their grief and to join
evening "remembrance prayers" everyday, Dard told the news service.
"The crosses have become a huge witness to this
community," Dard said.
Source: Kwon, Lillian.Prayers of hope, healing after latest US university shooting.
Retrieved February 26, 2008, from http://www.christiantoday.com.
Ask:
How did the actions of the Christians after the school shooting
in Illinois reveal that God was faithful despite hostility?
How does the presence of a Christian witness help to
overcome hostility?
How did God prove Himself faithful by sending Jacob
back to the land of his fathers?
Faithful Despite Hardship (Gen. 31:38-42)
Enlist a volunteer to read Genesis 31:38-42. Read
the testimony about missionaries in Uganda:
Amid Uganda's hardships, 14,000 baptized
RICHMOND, Va. (BP)--Digging down three feet in the
dirt, a group of Ugandan Baptists lined the hole with a tarp, then filled it
with muddy water collected in jars. There was just enough to baptize 35 new
believers.
"It is a hard place to live," said Danny Hood, an
International Mission Board missionary in Uganda's capital of Kampala. "I
mean it is almost desert up there" where the baptisms took place. "[But]
God's Spirit is very much at work."
Hood has many stories about Ugandans who have given their
lives to Jesus Christ. In Kampala, more than 1,000 were baptized in a year,
according to Ugandan Baptists and IMB missionaries. In addition, the
IMB's 2007 Annual Statistical Report showed more than 14,000 were baptized
in the country and 609,968 worldwide.
These decisions for Christ come about in part through the ministry of
missionaries like Hood and his wife Claudia who are supported through the
generous gifts of Southern Baptists to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
and the Cooperative Program.
A key role of a missionary is providing guidance and training for local
believers. In many instances, Ugandan Baptists already are leading the way
in ministering to their own people.
"Our Ugandan pastors do all of the baptizing. We try to keep our Ugandan
pastors and leaders upfront and in the limelight," Hood said.
"We were supposed to go home last week, and [IMB leadership] asked us to
extend so that we could cover some bases here," Hood said. "Right now, we're
really short on personnel. We really do need [more missionaries]."
In a remote area of northern Uganda there is only
one IMB missionary -– who is in his 70s -– working among a Muslim people
group, Hood said.
With recent violence and political protests in Kenya, a
number of refugees have fled into neighboring countries like Uganda. And a
growing Muslim presence in the country supports the second-largest mosque in
the world, located in Kampala.
The Hoods will end their three-year term in April
serving through the IMB Master's Program for people age 50 and older, but
they plan to make a long-term commitment for missions service.
What hardships did Jacob endure, and how did God demonstrate His
faithfulness through them?
What hardships do the missionaries
face in Uganda, and how has God demonstrated His faithfulness?
In what ways has God demonstrated His faithfulness to
you in hardships you have faced?
Write the word faithful on the board and develop an
acrostic with each of the letters. It should describe how God has proven Himself
faithful to members of the class.
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
March 9, 2008
Living 3:16-Where God Is at Home
Dana Armstrong
1 Corinthians 3:9-17; 6:12-13,18-20
Before the Session
For teaching plans and full explanations of all the verses in today’s lesson,
consult any of the Bible Studies for Life leader guides or
commentaries.
Make sure each learner has his or her own learner guide.
1 Corinthians 3:9-11
Enlist a volunteer to read 1 Corinthians 3:9-11.
Say: The church Paul established
in Corinth was filled with both Jews and newly converted Gentiles. Although he
spent a year and a half with the church at Corinth, teaching them God’s Word and
the attributes of godliness, they continued to struggle with self-discipline and
were setting a poor example for their pagan neighbors. Paul felt responsible
for this baby church filled with new Christians who struggled with previous
worldly influence. Paul wrote a letter to them, admonishing them and encouraging
behaviors that would honor God. A foundation of faith had been established for
the church to build on, but many were straying from godly behavior and were
beginning to look like the world.
Read or paraphrase the following article:
New Orleans woman becomes a
beacon of the hope that others shared with her
NEW ORLEANS (BP)--Experiencing
tremendous loss is a common theme to many New Orleans residents, but for
Doris Cousin the string of tragedy started long before a hurricane ravaged
the city. Within a year she lost family members, then her home and hope.
The bleak situation surrounding her intensified her
downward emotional spiral into depression.
A foot and a half of water stood in her home for two
weeks after the flooding of Hurricane Katrina. Few items escaped the mold
that filled her house.
"Everything had to be taken out. It was heartbreaking,"
Cousin said.
And then, things started to change.
Cousin applied to have her home
rebuilt by Southern Baptist volunteers involved in the SBC's Operation NOAH
Rebuild (New Orleans Area Homes Rebuild), a three-year partnership project
between New Orleans churches and associations, the Louisiana Baptist
Convention and the North American Mission Board to help New Orleans in the
wake of Katrina.
Last April, Don Snipes, a NOAH zone coordinator for the
Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, arrived at Cousin's FEMA trailer with
plans to begin the process of helping her return home.
As a zone coordinator, Snipes is committed to seeing
his section of the city spiritually and visually transformed.
"I'm in a position where I can share and touch people's
lives. I want to make sure they know where they're going to be for
eternity," Snipes said.
Shortly after Snipes entered Cousin's home to assess
it, he noticed her need for prayer. He listened as she shared her series of
losses, and he offered to pray for her grief. As her tears flowed, he shared
the Gospel with her.
When he returned for a second assessment of her home,
Snipes shared the Gospel again, prayed with Cousin and encouraged her to
pray through her grief. Through their conversations, Snipes discovered she
was raised as a Catholic, and she mentioned that the prayers were helping
her.
"God began to break down barriers," Snipes said.
About two weeks after Snipes witnessed to Cousin, a
team of Canadian volunteers finished gutting her home and Cousin became
friends with one woman from the team.
"She told me to go directly to Jesus," Cousin said,
adding that the woman walked her through the process of receiving Christ,
and "I prayed that prayer and began to see things differently."
Snipes said he noticed the change that took place in
Cousin.
"In trusting in God, we learn to forgive and learn to
let go. I'm trusting in God," Cousin said.
Cousin's family soon followed her lead as she shared
with them the hope she received. Her daughter and granddaughter both made
professions of faith, and the home that once held grief and despair now is a
beacon of hope to the community.
"I felt like I had been given so much by the Lord, I
wanted to give back," Cousin said.
So she did. As a grandparent of children and youth in
the neighborhood, she wanted to reach out to the young generation.
Snipes initiated a meeting between himself, Cousin and
David Rhymes to discuss how the local Baptist association, NOAH volunteers
and Cousin could work together to reach her neighborhood. Rhymes is a North
American Mission Board missionary serving as the evangelism strategist for
the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans.
Rhymes tapped into the network of volunteers to find a
team who could help start the evangelism work at her home, and one
particular team jumped at the opportunity to help.
The team prayerwalked the neighborhood, making contacts
with 15 individuals and families, and provided a free lunch of hot dogs and
burgers for about 50 neighbors.
"The events allowed us to begin
building relationships in the neighborhood and connect Doris' home to
the evangelical work in her community," Rhymes said.
The week ended with a two-day
backyard Bible club on Doris' property. A tent was set up, games were
played and Bible stories were taught to the 12 children who attended.
"God clearly has a plan for Doris
and her home," Rhymes said. "We look forward to moving forward with a Bible
study at her residence once repairs to her home are complete."
Not far from Cousin's home is the property where
Elysian Fields Baptist Church once stood. The building was bulldozed after
suffering substantial damage from the hurricane, and the congregation has
merged with Gentilly Baptist Church.
Research by the Baptist Association of Greater New
Orleans indicates that 40 to 50 percent of the residents in the Elysian
Fields neighborhood have returned to their homes following the hurricane.
"Within 10 blocks of Doris' home, 10
to 15 homes are being worked on in some way," Snipes said.
Ken Taylor, pastor of Gentilly Baptist, said the church
wanted to make sure ministry continued on the Elysian Fields property, and
several leaders see an open door for church planting initiatives to start in
the neighborhood.
"There is a potential for the work there to be
established before the community is back," Rhymes said.
"I have seen the work and the impact it's had in the
area. They are very open and friendly. A lot of this neighborhood has been
touched," Snipes said.
At least nine people are reported to have made
professions of faith in the zone thanks to additional NOAH evangelism
efforts in the area.
As volunteers placed the finishing touches on her home,
Cousin said she has brighter days ahead.
"Thank you, NOAH, and to everyone who came through
NOAH. You will always have a special place in my heart," Cousin said.
Snipes noted that two and a half years after Hurricane
Katrina, 140,000 to 150,000 homes in the area still are unoccupied, and a
need for evangelism still exists.
"What is needed are soldiers of the cross volunteering
their time and talents to touch the lives of people in the name of Jesus,"
said John L. Yeats, communications director at the Louisiana Baptist
Convention.
Source: Billger, Stacey (2008,
February 18). New Orleans woman becomes a beacon of the hope that others
shared with her. Retrieved February 26, 2008, from http://www.baptistpress.com/BPnews.asp?ID=27440.
Ask:
How did the churches who came together for Operation
NOAH make a difference in an entire community’s life?
Meeting the physical needs first is vital, but one
important factor is needed in order to make an eternal difference in a
person's life. What is it?
How can actions through outreach such as Operation
NOAH change the world’s opinion of the church?
What are some things you can do in your church
to continue building on the foundation of Christ?
1 Corinthians 3:12-17
Read 1 Corinthians 3:12-17.
Ask:
Why does Paul use the illustration of building with
silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw?
What does it mean to be revealed by fire?
What is the temple of God? How is
the “temple of God” destroyed?
Say: According to these verses, every person’s work
shall be revealed. Paul was addressing the actions of people who serve in and
through the church. He specifically spoke to church people who were supposed to
be building the kingdom through actions and decisions that honor Christ.
1 Corinthians 6:12-13,18-20
Enlist a volunteer to read 1 Corinthians 6:12-13,18-20.
Ask:
Why is the immoral sin committed against the body
specifically addressed in verse 18?
Why do you think Paul specifically addressed sexually
immorality in this letter directed to the church?
Read the following article:
The Cost of Honor
During a college commencement address, Fox TV news host Bill O’Reilly
challenged graduates to “live honorably.” He noted, “You have to do what you
say you are going to do … If you live by that code, you will accomplish what
you want to accomplish.”
Christians should strive to live honorably each day in the power of the
Holy Spirit. We should let our “light shine before men,” so they will see
our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).
The secular workplace poses great challenges to living out our faith.
When ethics increasingly are becoming situational and right or wrong is a
matter of personal choice, there is enormous pressure to do what is
expedient.
The world’s standards have become so low that simply doing the right
thing causes a person to stand out, and, according to a Japanese proverb,
the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
I believe the greatest challenges to our integrity come from those pesky
gray areas. Those little white lies. Those times when stretching the truth
just a bit could land a new piece of business. Or where speaking up for what
is true and right and honorable leads to being branded as intolerant.
Where do we draw the line so we can do what is right and still, as much
as is possible, “live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18)?
Jesus warned that troubles would come. It is not a matter of if, but
when, we will be tested. Ultimately, “we must obey God rather than men,”
regardless of the consequences (Acts 5:29).
Determining ahead of time to do what is right is half the battle. If
you’ve determined that acting unethically or illegally is not an option,
your decision has already been made, and you’ll be less apt to cave in when
temptations come.
In Ephesians 6:10, Paul said to “be strengthened by the Lord and by His
vast strength.” In verse 11, he provided the secret to being strong in the
midst of spiritual warfare: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can
stand against the tactics of the devil.”
When a situation occurs that you may not have anticipated, seek the
Scriptures and the counsel of godly men and women and pray for wisdom.
Living honorably has a price tag. Doing the right thing can cost us
socially, financially, and emotionally. We may sometimes wonder if living
honorably is worth it. Life would be easier, and perhaps more financially
rewarding, if we’d just be team players, even if the team is headed in the
wrong direction.
Equally discouraging is seeing those who lie, steal, or engage in other
unethical behavior appear to skate by without consequences. They often even
seem to prosper as a result of living dishonorably. Apparently Asaph
struggled with this issue: “For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity
of the wicked. They are not in trouble like others; … They mock, and they
speak maliciously; they arrogantly threaten oppression … Look at them – the
wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth. Did I
purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?” (Psalm
73:3-13).
Sounds like Asaph was having the kind of day you and I sometimes
experience. Fortunately, that’s not the end of the Psalm: “When I tried to
understand all this, it seemed hopeless until I entered God’s sanctuary.
Then I understood their destiny. Indeed You put them in slippery places; You
make them fall into ruin.” (73:16-18).
Bill O’Reilly was right. If you and I live honorably, we will accomplish
what we want to accomplish. If that is to do God’s will on earth, we will
escape the ruin of the unrighteous. We will also enjoy eternal rewards, the
greatest of which will be to hear “Well done, good and faithful servant”
(Matthew 25:21*).
Source: Beehler, Don. The Cost of Honor.
Retrieved February 26, 2008, from
www.lifeway.com. This article appears courtesy of HomeLife
magazine.
Ask:
What does it mean to live honorably?
How are we to honor God in our everyday lives?
What is the cost of living honorably as unto God?
Say: Our goal should be to look more like Jesus and
less like the world. If we choose to do this daily with the help of the Holy
Spirit, the world will begin to take a different view of the church as a whole.
We must continue to do our best to live and make decisions that will bring glory
to God.
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.
