Sunday School

Love, Mercy & The Sabbath

Lesson Text: Luke 6:1-11

Acts of love and mercy are a part of the Sabbath.

Thought to Remember:

Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath

Lessons Learned:

If Jesus remains the Lord of the Sabbath, how do we honor the Sabbath as believers? For example, honor occurs when we demonstrate kindness, mercy, and justice as priorities over men's traditions. Yet, conflicts arise when men prioritize strict Sabbath laws or church customs over kindness, mercy, and justice. In such cases, I must learn to navigate the tension between church customs and the higher calling of love and mercy. I must do this in a way that aligns with Jesus' teachings and examples.

My Prayer:

Dearest Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Sabbath rest in Jesus. We praise you for being a God of love and mercy. We ask that You empower us to show love and mercy to those who need it. Give us wisdom to discern when and how we should act. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

The Messiah Arrives

Lesson Text: Luke 2:1-17

The Messiah is born.

Thought to Remember:

Every promise of God seems problematic.

Lessons learned:

Often, we hear this common saying. What God has for me is for me. Yet, when we face difficulties, we question the validity of the promise. We forget that God has a plan for us and is always in control. We become discouraged and doubt our faith when things don't go according to our plans. We need to trust the timing of Divine Intervention, like the birth of Jesus, which occurred according to prophecy in Bethlehem instead of Nazareth. Therefore, I must learn endurance to witness God's extraordinary things. Trusting in God's plan is essential in receiving His blessings based on His timing.

My Prayer:

Dearest Heavenly Father, we thank You for bringing Your Word to pass. You brought Your Word to pass in sending Your Son, Jesus. We know that You can bring Your Word to pass in our lives. Therefore, we ask that You allow Your way in our lives as we obey the leading of every aspect of our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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A Blessing for Ishmael and Isaac

Lesson Text: Genesis 21:13-14, 17-21; 26:2-5, 12-13

God promised to make a great nation of Ishmael even though his mother was an Egyptian.

Thought to Remember:

God creates great nations of His choosing.

Lessons learned:

There can be no doubt that God loved Ishmael as much as he loved Isaac because God promised each of them to become a great nation. However, each of them found themselves in a distressful situation in our lesson today. Distress often blinds us, and we cannot see or remember God's promises. Everything appears dark when we are troubled. It is important to remember that God's promises are everlasting, and no matter what our circumstances. God will provide for us. Isaac and Ishmael receive God's promises, and they were able to endure the distress they faced. Likewise, I must receive God’s promises and remain faithful in my Kingdom walk.

“God don’t make no junk…He made us just how we are, and He likes us that way.”

My Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for choosing us. You chose us before the foundation of the world to be Your children and receive Your promises. We praise You because You have chosen us even when we were sinners and Your enemies. Therefore, help us to walk obedience to Your Word. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

The Blessing Passes to Jacob

Lesson Text: Genesis 28: 1a, 10-22

We can rely on God to never leave us or forsake us.

Thought to Remember:

God gives assurances about keeping His promises.

Lessons learned:

What appears as loneliness can become a perfect setting for something divine to happen in our lives. After his dream, Jacob vowed by stating, If God will be with me. His concerns about his immediate needs in distress give in to bargaining with God instead of relying on God. I, too, have bargained with God because of my shortsighted vision. Yet, I must remember God still does exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.

My Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, because You promised to be with us, keep us, and provide for all our needs, I am completely Yours. So help me to yield to the Holy Spirit leading in my daily life. Help me to become steadfast and unmoveable toward Your direction as You give me the heart to listen. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

eginning of the Tabernacle

Lesson Text: Exodus 40:16-30, 34,38

God is the same as when He created His Tabernacle after the Israelites left Egypt.

Thought to Remember:

God wants to abide in and with us like Yesteryears when He established the moveable Tabernacle.

Lessons learned:

The Tabernacle was a moveable tent of meeting that God commanded Moses to build. God wanted to dwell among his people, the Israelites. He wanted to fellowship with them and communicate with them. The Tabernacle and its courtyard were constructed according to a pattern set by God, not by Moses. I think the same rationale exists today because God has established us as His Tabernacle through the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. Because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus our Savior, God set up His permanent residence within us, allowing us to experience His presence and fellowship with Him in a more intimate way than ever before.

My Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your presence. We thank You that You are a God near and far away. Father, we ask that You make Your presence known to us, especially when we are unsure. Give us supernatural guidance, and let us know that You are with us. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Beginning of Freedom

Lesson Text: Exodus 14:21-30

God is the same when He delivers Israel from the Egyptian army.

Thought to Remember:

God is willing to use Moses like individuals even today.

Lessons learned:

The deliverance of Israel from the Egyptian Army demonstrates the act of saving. Even though this deliverance represented a physical liberation, it was a foreshadowing of the ultimate salvation provided by Jesus. I realize that God still desires to bring glory to Himself with the miracle of salvation by using believers just like Moses.

My Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You that we do not have to lose hope. We thank You that we can come before Your throne and You can empower us to change our community. We ask that You would fill us with your Holy Ghost and make us YOUR willing vessels to deliver those in our communities who are in bondage to Satan. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Beginning of the Passover

Lesson Text: Exodus 12:1-14

People who are living under oppression hunger for freedom.

Thought to Remember:

The blood creates doers instead of hearers.

Lessons learned:

God regarded Israel as His firstborn, His favored people. If Egypt refused to release God’s firstborn, then God required the firstborn of Egypt as a penalty and judgment. Further, they realize that an intellectual agreement with what God said about the blood was not enough; they had to do what God said must be done with the blood. Likewise, I must grasp the concept of doing instead of telling. What a memorial in knowing and believing the blood of Jesus enables my redemption back to God.

My Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for delivering us. We thank You for sending Jesus to liberate us through His blood and set us free from the chains of the devil. We ask that You help us walk in this freedom and never return to being in bondage. Also, help us aid others to gain this freedom we have in Christ. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Preparation for Deliverance

Lesson Text: Exodus 3:7-17

God is always present with us.

Thought to Remember:

Your age is irrelevant to God.

Lessons learned:

The first 80 years of Moses' life were a crucial preparation period for the monumental task of liberating the Israelites. Through his experiences as an Egyptian prince, a Midianite shepherd, and now a chosen servant of God, Moses has developed the qualities necessary to lead his people to freedom. Moses' experiences gave him a unique understanding of his people, an understanding of their struggles, and a unique set of skills that no one else had. His age was not a barrier but rather an asset in that he was uniquely suited to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Therefore, I must realize the irrelevance of age when God gives tasks to perform on His behalf.

My Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You because You created the challenges we face in life. We praise You because if You created the challenges, You can help us overcome the challenges. Yet, we ask for faith and courage when we are placed in challenging situations. Help us not to shrink back in fear but to walk in courage and obedience, knowing that you are separate but connected. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.

Meaningless Worship

Lesson Text: Isaiah 29:9-16A

God’s expectation consists of heartfelt worship.

Thought to Remember:

Worship God from the Heart

Lessons learned:

Isaiah wanted the Israelites to develop a relationship with God from the heart instead of performing rituals. Even today, we cannot see the forest for the trees. In other words, we become so tethered to worship performance we need to remember worship's purpose. Our worship becomes hollow when we lack a relationship with God, even though we attend church faithfully. Therefore, I must ensure that my heart is at the same level as my devotion. To achieve this level of intimacy with God, I must combine my traditional worship with a genuine intention to dedicate myself to Him.

My Prayer:

My Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for enabling us to reconnect with You through Your Son, Jesus. We know how You value our relationship, and we want to nurture this relationship and remember the purpose of worship. Please allow the aiding of the Holy Spirit to increase our relationship. With thankfulness, we pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Give Thanks

Lesson Text: Isaiah 12:1-6

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Praise the Lord and declare His name.

Thought to Remember:

The removal of sin enables one to hear what God is saying.

Lessons learned:

This lesson reminds me of God’s goodness even in a world of chaos and pain. If Isaiah realizes God’s goodness and sings His praises during his day, I should recognize the same today. Because of God’s unconditional love that fills us the same today as it did for Isaiah, I must Give Thanks and remember that God’s goodness is a blessing that goes beyond what I can see or imagine.

My Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for all You have done to make a way and to remain in fellowship with You. Be pleased with our worship and receive our praise and thanksgiving as an offering of our gratitude. We look forward to joining the heavenly host in ascribing to You with all power, glory, and honor; in Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

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