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BIBLE CLASS LESSONS

YEAR 3

LESSONS 1 – 20

Lesson 10 – Missionscene is about outreach to overseas students.

There is a leaflet included regarding the work of Friends International which can be used as part of this

lesson. For further information regarding the work of Friends International you can view their website at:

http://friendsinternational.uk/ or contact: [email protected]

http://friendsinternational.uk/

mailto:[email protected]

New Testament: Luke

Lesson 1 Birth of Jesus Announced Luke 1:26-45

Aim: To appreciate the significance of the birth of Jesus and the circumstances that surrounded it.

Materials: Bible, pens/pencils, worksheets

Introduction: Explore how the arrival of an important person would be announced today.

1. The birth of Jesus was heralded in style, as befits the birth of the King of kings, but not with worldly pomp and ceremony. The glitter associated with the rich and powerful, the celebrities of this world, would have been out of place for the One whose “kingdom is not of this world”. It would have appeared tawdry had it been applied to Jesus, whose integrity and sheer goodness would have outshone anything this world could have produced by way of celebration. It would have been inappropriate for Jesus to have received the plaudits of men steeped in sin, particularly the sins of pride, violence and corruption associated with the rich and powerful. But Jesus did not come unannounced. Mary’s hymn of gratitude makes reference to the promise given to Abraham, now fulfilled in Jesus (vv 55,56); other references in this passage to Isaiah 9:6-7 and 2 Sam 7:8-13 (vv 32,33) along with more quotes from the Old Testament in Matthew’s account shows how his birth had been foretold centuries earlier. John was sent as a herald to prepare the way before him and, intriguingly, being filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb, he leapt with joy while yet unborn (v 44) and started his ministry with his mother Elizabeth pronouncing the words of blessing, “blessed is she who believed” (v 45). But most striking of all was the involvement of angels: Gabriel spoke to Mary (v 26) and to Joseph (Mat.1:20) and to Zechariah (v 11) while a veritable heavenly host appeared to the shepherds (2:8-45). A little later important visitors came from the East with rich gifts for Jesus, a recognition that this was a king whose kingdom would one day fill the whole earth. It was divine wisdom that orchestrated the announcement of Jesus and “it is wondrous in our eyes”.

2. Who was this special baby? The name given to him by the angel was “Jesus” (v 31), meaning “God saves”. He came into this world to save his people from their sin. He is also called “Son of the Most High” (v 32). “Most High” was a name for God found in the Old Testament scriptures and favoured by Luke. Here we have the uniqueness of Jesus. He is a “little baby thing that made a woman cry”, the son of Mary, fully human in body and soul, yet he is also Son of God, having existed from all eternity, of whom the Father said, “this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” The Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it so well, “God and man in two entire and distinct natures, yet one person for ever.”

3. Mary is a key player in all this. What a privilege to be chosen to carry the incarnate Son of God in her womb. When Gabriel spoke to her she did not doubt but did express her inability to understand how she, as a virgin, could become pregnant with the long promised Messiah. “Overshadowed by the Most High” are words that remind us of the cloud that covered the tabernacle and the cloud that overshadowed the mount of transfiguration. The Holy Spirit would work a miracle to ensure the Messiah was born. We can learn a lot from this attitude of faith and submission to the will of God, believing what seemed impossible yet feeling free to ask honest questions.

4. Other players, Zacchariah, Elizabeth and John introduce us to that long line of people who believed and received the blessing. Among them are few celebrities by this world’s standards. Overlooked or even despised by the powerful, they were called by God to announce his Son, as Saviour, to a needy world.

Activities: Complete the worksheet.

New Testament: Luke

Lesson 2 Jesus – The Early Years Luke 2:21-52

Aim: To look at the glimpses Luke gives us of Jesus growing up and to examine what this means for our understanding of who Jesus was.


Introduction: Ask the young folk to share incidents they think were important in their growing up and that helped make them what they are today.

The gospels give us very little information about Jesus as a child, but what we are given is very helpful. As the announcement of his birth was rooted in Old Testament prophecy, so also his childhood was faithfully aligned with the OT Law as he grew up in a pious Jewish home. Leaving aside the very early visit of the Magi and the flight to Egypt we have the circumcision on the eighth day, the presentation of Jesus at the temple on the sixth week and the visit to the temple at age twelve.

1. Circumcised on the sixth day (v 21) in obedience to the requirements of the covenant made with Abraham. In this Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law and identified with the covenant people of God. It was the first public act of faith by his parents, naming the child “Jesus”, as the angel had directed, demonstrating an obedient faith in the promises of God. Today, believing parents bring their children for baptism, publicly declaring their incorporation into the family of God’s covenant people. The New Covenant is rooted in the Old.

2. Presentation at the temple at six weeks (vv 22-23) In obedience to the law set out in Leviticus 12 Mary had to offer a sacrifice for ritual purification following childbirth. Also Mary and Joseph had to offer a sacrifice for the firstborn as God had claimed all firstborn males, man and animal, as His own, following the dramatic final plague in Egypt when the angel of death passed over the houses of the Israelites but entered the homes of the Egyptians killing their oldest sons (Exodus 13:2,15-16). The minimum sacrifice allowed was two pigeons when worshippers were too poor to offer a lamb. It gives us an indication of the level of poverty that Jesus was brought up in. When he later said, “blessed are the poor” he knew what he was talking about. Today the poor are still with us and God is still concerned for them and will bless any who reach out to them in compassionate care. While in the temple Simeon and Anna, two old and faithful servants of God recognised who Jesus really was, the “suffering servant” foretold by Isaiah. Simeon spoke of Jesus as “set for the rise and fall of many in Israel” and also warned that Mary, herself, would have her own pain to bear. (v 34) Once again we meet those who cut no ice with the rich and the famous but who believed the promises and were owned and valued by God. Age is no barrier to usefulness in God’s service.

3. Visit to the Temple. (vv 41-51) Again, in fulfilment of the Law of God, every male was required to present himself at the temple to offer a sacrifice at the Feast of Passover. At twelve years old a Jewish boy came of age and assumed adult responsibilities. When his parents set out on their return journey Jesus stayed behind and questioned the teachers of the Law at the temple. They were astonished (a strong word used also in Luke 8:56 to describe the reaction to the raising of Jairus’ daughter) at his insight and understanding. Having reached adulthood he had to remind Mary that his relationship to his Heavenly Father had to take precedence over any earthly ties, although he would spend another eighteen years at home before his public ministry began. It is important to note that Jesus had to learn like any other child, attending classes in the synagogue in Nazareth and learning from the scriptures.

In Nazareth Jesus grew physically, mentally, spiritually and socially (“in favour with God and with man”) and was obedient to his parents. Wisdom in the Bible is much more than intellectual ability. It is moral and practical. A right attitude to God is essential for true wisdom. Jesus’ conduct clearly commended him to his neighbours. What are our priorities in the use of our time and talents? Activities: Complete the worksheet.

New Testament: Luke

Lesson 3 Good News and Rejection at Nazareth Luke 4:14-30

Aim: To show violent opposition arose to Jesus when he preached good news.


Introduction: If possible get hold of a good picture of a synagogue and explain how it functioned.

Jesus ministry was empowered by the Holy Spirit, widely known, popular and centred on the synagogue. Its content was based on the Old Testament scriptures.

1. It is important to note that Jesus drew his power from the Holy Spirit. (v 14) Although he was fully God, he was also fully man and it was important to his mission that he lived as a man. When he needed wisdom he learned from the scriptures. When he needed strength to fulfil his ministry he prayed to his Father. When he went out teaching he “went out in the power of the Spirit.”

2. Jesus ministry was centred on the synagogue. (v 15) The synagogue was where the local community met for worship on a weekly basis. The synagogue service is thought to have included the singing of a psalm, a recitation of Deut. 6:4ff, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord, …”, readings from the scriptures (hand copied scrolls were carefully stored in the synagogue and reverently handled), and an explanation of a passage. Sometimes a visitor, known to have teaching abilities, would be asked to speak.

3. Jesus ministry was marked by authoritative teaching (“in the power of the Spirit”) based on the Old Testament Scriptures, along with miraculous signs that accompanied the Word and authenticated the message. His ministry was so powerful that his reputation travelled fast and far. Initially he was well received. (v 15)

4. When he spoke in the synagogue in Nazareth he was given a scroll containing words from Is 61:1-2. They spoke of good news for the poor, the captives, the blind and the oppressed and were clearly Messianic. Then Jesus sat down and announced to the expectant congregation that the prophecy was fulfilled as they listened. It was an unusually explicit declaration by Jesus of who he was and what he had come to do. This was too much for the people of Nazareth who thought they knew Jesus, the local boy turned preacher, (v 22) and could not conceive of him being the long awaited Messiah. Mark also records how Jesus’ own family refused to accept he was more than just one of themselves. It is a clear indication of just how effectively familiarity can blunt the edge of the truth. How often we attend church and fail to grasp the significance of what we hear. God speaks and we do not hear. It is also another indication of the true humanity of Jesus who lived among the people for nearly thirty years without their suspecting him of being anything more than a man like themselves.

5. When Jesus went on to bring out from Old Testament passages (1 Kings 17:9 and 2 Kings 7:3-10) references to gentiles who had been blessed while Israelites suffered. (vv 25-27) the assembled congregation exploded and tried to kill him. Throughout the book of Acts, also written by Luke, we also see Paul attacked for his conviction that Gentiles could, by faith, be accepted by God, whilst Jews, rejecting the gospel, were lost. It is faith not race that saves and many Jews refused to accept that crucial fact. Challenging the Jewish belief that God accepted them because they were sons of Abraham, in spite of their failure to repent, proved a particularly explosive issue in the ministries of both Jesus and Paul. What is our basis for acceptance by God?

6. Jesus walked away from the murderous mob. God was, and is, still sovereign. Jesus ministry had still a bit to run before he would give up his life at Calvary.

Activities: Complete the worksheet. If time permits, it would be useful to look at contemporary rejections of the gospel by strident atheism, woolly new ageism, fundamentalist Islam with reference to actual persecution of Christians in North Korea, Eritrea, etc.

New Testament: Luke

Lesson 4 The Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37

Aim: To face the challenge of Jesus’ answer to the question, “Who is my neighbour?”


Introduction: Start with a DVD from Tearfund or some similar aid organisation.

1. The background to this well-known parable is the distorted values of religion gone sour. Religious leaders were self centred, proud, insensitive to the needs of others and focussed more on tearing down rather than building up. The expert who questioned Jesus knew his Bible. He correctly asserted that the Law demanded love towards God and one’s neighbour (Leviticus 19:18) but he seemed to be looking for an escape clause, a way of avoiding having to put into practice the exacting demands of true love. Hatred between Jew and Samaritan went back a long way. When the Assyrians had conquered the Northern kingdom of Israel and deported its people in 721 BC, they had brought in a mixed race of settlers to cultivate the land. These people mingled Old Testament and pagan elements in their religion. (cf. Islam) They accepted only the first five books of the Bible and would have nothing to do with the temple in Jerusalem. Later the Jews were deported to Babylon and returned under Persian rule to settle again in Judea. These Jews refused to have anything to do with the defective religion of the Samaritans and strong animosities grew up on both sides. (cf. The disciples’ reaction to Jesus talking with the Samaritan woman at the well.) The Priests and Levites at the time of Jesus were more concerned with the minutiae of the Law than with its core demand of love, were often hypocritical and were concerned for their own ritual purity than with the needs of others.

2. Jesus was being deliberately provocative in telling a story where the bad guys were from the religious elite and the good guy was a despised Samaritan. It was essential to make people think out of their comfort zones and examine closely their deepest beliefs. The story is well known. The victim was mugged on a notorious stretch of the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. The priest and the Levite who passed that way were rightly concerned about their safety, especially in view of the clear evidence that robbers were around. However, they were exclusively concerned for their own safety and left the injured man to his fate. The Samaritan had money and was vulnerable but he could not pass the one in such dire need without helping. His help was generous (initially the equivalent of two days’ wages for a labourer with a commitment to more as necessary) for a complete stranger, towards one who was probably a Jew, who despised Samaritans. What does it take to break down our preconceived ideas and open our eyes to see clearly what God has revealed in the Bible?

3. This answer by Jesus was in accordance with the Law of God. Many today assume that Jesus broke with the harsh, judgemental world of the Old Testament and focussed on love instead. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus recognised that love is at the heart of the Old Testament. The Ten Commandments are all very personal. The Law had a lot to say about support for the poor and needy (gleaning, giving to the poor, year of Jubilee, etc.) and this emphasis continues in the Prophets and the Psalms. (Deut. 15:11, Deut. 19, Deut. 24, Job 31:16-27, Psalm 146, Amos 8:4-6) The emphasis on the poor is picked up again in the New Testament by Paul (Gal. 2;10), BY James (James 1:27) and by John (1 John 3: 17-18).

The general question, “Who is my neighbour?” elicited a response from Jesus that was very pointed. Our neighbour whom we are to love is the one whom God has placed in our way. This may be someone at the school we go to or who lives on our street. It may also be one who lives on the other side of the world but whose plight has been brought to our attention through the globe shrinking means of modern communications. It may be someone we naturally feel sorry for or it may be one we don’t like or who gives us grief. We are told by Jesus to love our enemies.

Activities: Complete the worksheet. Consider a project the young folk might undertake.

New Testament: Luke

Lesson 5 The Crucifixion Luke 23:26-56

Aim: To examine the reactions of various participants in the crucifixion story.


Introduction: Start with a sensitive and brief description of crucifixion as a form of capital punishment.

1. Crucifixion was a very cruel form of execution, reserved for the worst of criminals and never used on Roman citizens. It was a slow death with great suffering from muscular contraction, gradual suffocation and raging thirst.

2. The Political Authorities. Pilate was the Roman Procurator, the effective final authority in Palestine. In AD 26 he was appointed to the rebellious region of Judea. He was insensitive and brutal. Jesus made reference to an incident where he had ordered the massacre of a group of worshippers in Galilee. (Lk 13:1) He knew Jesus was innocent (vv 4,15) but did not let justice stand in the way of his political career. He was superstitious and cynical. Herod came from a family of local, self serving puppet kings. Immoral and ruthless in his pursuit of power and pleasure he executed John the Baptist. He wanted to see Jesus, hoping to witness a miracle (v8). Jesus did not even answer Herod’s questions. It is always the way with those who seek power, wealth and fame for themselves. God is pushed into a tiny superstitious compartment and daily life is characterised by degenerating morals.

3. The Soldiers. The Roman soldier was poorly paid and trained to be an efficient, callous killing machine. They mocked Jesus and threw dice to see who would get the victim’s clothes. It is a solemn reminder of how brutal human beings become when they deny God and live for the moment. The seed of such depravity is in the heart of every sinner. There is great danger for a society that knows Jesus only as a swear word. The Centurion showed more sensitivity. He recognised Jesus was different (v47). The spark of divine witness had not been extinguished.

4. The Religious Authorities. There were two main parties among the religious leaders. The Sadducees had the political power, the high priest coming from among them. They had the links with the Roman occupiers and did not want to rock the boat by encouraging any messianic figure. They accepted only the Pentateuch and denied the resurrection. The Pharisees were conservative and widely respected if not loved. Jesus denounced them as hypocrites. They were inclined to a self-righteous preoccupation with the minutiae of the law whilst denying its core teaching. Both parties opposed Jesus and were complicit in his trail and crucifixion. They gave religion a bad name.

5. His Followers. The disciples were disorientated, bewildered and afraid. They fled when he was arrested. In spite of listening to Jesus for three years their own mistaken ideas of Jesus mission blinded them to God’s own plan. Although weak in faith and understanding they loved Jesus. God uses such unlikely material. Many women followed Jesus throughout his ministry and were there, even at the foot of the cross. They provided hospitality for Jesus and his disciples and drank in his teaching. Jesus treated them with greater respect than his contemporaries. Joseph of Arimathea was a good man, a member of the Sanhedrin, the the ruling body in religious affairs, who finally identified himself with Jesus.

6. The two criminals reacted to Jesus in different ways. Both had hours to live and were suffering. One took it out on Jesus. The other recognised his sin and looked to Jesus for forgiveness. Here we have the clearest example of grace and saving faith.

7. The mob were there for the spectacle. The most momentous event in history was enacted before their eyes and they were blind to its significance.

Activities: Complete the worksheet. Focus on asking how each would relate to the mix of people at the crucifixion and their varied reactions to Jesus.

New Testament: Luke

Lesson 6 The Resurrection Luke 24:1-35

Aim: To look at the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus.


Introduction: Start discussing what evidence would be required to believe a story about something very unusual.

1. The first day – the third day. The words of the angel to the women at the tomb (v 7) are a reminder that Jesus had forewarned his followers that he would die and on the third day rise again from the dead. The demoralised disciples had forgotten what they had failed to understand. Jesus raising others from the dead was one thing. Subjecting himself to death and then coming alive again was something else, a step too far for their faith. It took the actual resurrection on the first day of the week, Sunday, to transform them. The continuance of Christian worship focusing on that day, and the boldness of the disciples in witnessing to Christ’s resurrection, is clear evidence for the historicity of the event itself. The Christian church went on to link this day of worship with the Sabbath rest of the fourth commandment, seeing the resurrection of Jesus as the historical focal point of their faith.

2. Women as first witnesses of the Resurrection. Early on the first day of the week, leaving home while it was still dark and arriving at the first light of dawn, women came to the tomb with spices. All gospel writers are unanimous in this, although they choose to name different members of the group. John only mentions Mary Magdalene but does quote her as saying, “We did not …” (John 20:2) thus indicating she was not alone. They had followed Jesus faithfully and were broken-hearted with the turn of events on Friday. Having rested on the Sabbath they set out as early as they could to do one last act of devotion for their Lord. Having women as the primary sources for the resurrection story was highly unusual. At that time women were not considered reliable witnesses. The gospel stories, if invented by the early church, would not have had women as the ones who first reported the empty tomb. What new organisation looking for credibility in first century Palestine for a truly shocking claim, would have painted its male leaders in such a poor light and rested its case on eye witness accounts of women?

3. The empty tomb was a fact that the Jewish authorities did not even attempt to deny. They tried fanciful stories (The demoralised disciples mounted an SAS attack on the guard and stole the body while they slept!) to explain away the absence of the body and the disturbing account by the guards of an angelic presence. When the disciples later preached at Pentecost, they focused on the empty tomb, knowing that no one could contradict their claim that Jesus body had disappeared. These gospel accounts ring true. The apparent differences are what you would expect from four separate witnesses. The fact that they are not presented as proof, but simply as narratives of what happened, further strengthens their credibility. The accounts were not invented to bolster a new doctrine. The doctrine arose from the undeniable facts of the event itself. After the disciples had been alerted to the fact of the empty tomb they found it too much to believe but Peter and John ran to the tomb and confirmed the women’s story.

4. Hard on the heels of this startling turn of events there came reports of Jesus appearing to Mary Magdalene, then to Simon (v 34), then to Cleopas and his companion as they walked home to Emmaus and then to the disciples in the evening. The two on the road to Emmaus “were kept from recognising him.” This seemed a feature of resurrection appearances. Luke mentions it with his typical stress on God’s sovereign control of all events. No wonder the disciples were transformed. They had something to shout about, something to die for.


New Testament: Luke

Lesson 7 Post Resurrection Appearances and Ascension Luke 24:36-53

Aim: To explore the consequences of Jesus’ victory over death.


Introduction: Start with a brief discussion of what the young folk most hope for in life.

1. When the church put the resurrection story at the heart of its message it was doing something truly radical. First century Judaism had no concept of a Messiah who would die and rise again. Greek and Roman culture, which could absorb all kinds of superstitions from different parts of the Roman Empire, ridiculed the idea of a bodily resurrection. The best they could hope for after death was a shadowy existence in the underworld.

2. Luke 24 presents us with a plain statement of historical facts, no spin, not even overt apologetic applications of the facts recorded. Jesus died, was buried, rose again, appeared to many, and ascended up to heaven. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 15:42-54) Jesus’ resurrection was a fact as witnessed by the women who went to the tomb, Simon, the two on the road to Emmaus, the disciples in the upper room on two successive Sundays, James, more than 500 in Galilee, the disciples by the shores of the Lake of Galilee and other occasions.

3. Both Paul and Luke emphasise the fulfilment of prophecy. Luke 24:44 refers to the Law (the first five books of the O.T.), the Prophets (a division of the O.T. that included the historical books) and the Psalms (the third division of the O.T. that included the other “wisdom” literature, i.e. Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon). Jesus continued to teach his disciples after the resurrection from the O.T. Scriptures, demonstrating that none of the recent events had taken God by surprise. His original plan of redemption, announced through the Scriptures, in the fullness of time was being unfolded before their eyes.

4. The message of the resurrection lies at the heart of the Christian hope. Death, the last enemy to be destroyed (1 Cor. 15:24) is a defeated enemy. The resurrected Jesus is the first fruits of those who have died (1 Cor. 15:20). “We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.” (1 Thes. 4:14). The victory of Jesus over the grave is proof that the sacrifice on Calvary has been accepted by God as sufficient to cover the sins of all who believe on him. (1 Cor. 15:17). The Christian hope of a physical existence after death is assured by the fact of Jesus’ resurrected body.

5. The risen body of Jesus is physical. He was seen and touched by the disciples and he ate food with them. (Luke 24:43) But it is also a glorious body. Likewise the resurrection bodies of believers will be imperishable, glorious and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 15:42) Much of the detail is hidden from us but what is revealed has been of great comfort to those who suffer, a sure hope of a glorious life yet to come.

6. Having appeared to many of his followers during the weeks following his resurrection Jesus lead his disciples to Bethany on the Mount of Olives. There he pronounced a blessing on them and was taken up to heaven, leaving the disciples rejoicing and worshiping Jesus. There is no doubt in their minds but that Jesus is Lord, that he has all authority in heaven and earth and that he will constantly be with them until the end of the age. (Mat. 28:18-20) He left his disciples with a commission to go to all nations with the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. (Luke 24: 47) Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God, there to make continual intercession for his people and from there to come again in power at the end of the age when his kingdom will come and his will, will be done on earth as it is done in heaven. What a stupendous hope!

Activities: Complete the worksheet. Ask the young folk to bring newspaper cuttings of items of interest to them next week.

LESSON 8 IS A REVISION LESSON USING NOTES FOR LESSONS 1-7

Lesson 9

Time to talk

Luke

Aim: To encourage the young people to talk about the issues raised in their study of Luke’s Gospel.

Materials: Bible and worksheets. Take some newspapers and magazines with you in case your students do not bring enough.

Introduction: Ask the students to share their most interesting cutting or news item and to explain why they found it interesting. Possible subjects for discussion: Is the Bible true? Is it unique or equal to other religious books like the Koran? Is all of the Bible true or just the New Testament, or just what Jesus says? How can biblical history (as in the OT) be useful to a teenager today? Do we have to believe all of the Bible to be Christians? The practicalities of being a believer – e.g. the Good Samaritan. The reason for Christ’s death on the cross. The necessity of the resurrection – of a real bodily resurrection. If the young folk stray from the subjects, it may be because they have other issues they need to talk about. Be patient with them. Bible Class may be the only place where they can talk about their faith or lack of it, and their doubts too.

Missionscene

Lesson 10 Service to Overseas Students

Aim: To look at the opportunities presented for the Gospel by young people coming to the UK to study.

Materials: Bible, pens/pencils, worksheets and the materials that you were sent by the International Missions Board Secretary.

Introduction: Ask if your students know anyone who has gone abroad to study or if they would consider doing that should the opportunity arise. Why would they like to go overseas?

1 Look at the yellow box on the front of the worksheet and talk about why people come here to study and what that must feel like.

Look at the map and see if the young people can identify the countries from which the arrows are pointing. Talk about what backgrounds people would have coming from these places. America – students would know about Christianity even if they were not Christians.

South America – probably a background in Catholicism.

Japan / China – may know very little, if anything, about the Lord.

Africa – will likely know about the church, may have been brought up in the church.

Indonesia – Muslim background and may be antagonistic to the Gospel.

2 Go through the information on the front of the worksheet and discuss it.

3 Distribute any materials from the International Missions Board and allow the students’ time to read it and talk about it themselves or with you.

4 Encourage them to imagine the situation described on the back of the worksheet and discuss it with them before they write the suggested letter.

5 Explain the fact that overseas students who become Christians here and then return home are missionaries to their own families and friends. Ask what that would be like.

6 Remind your students that it is far better to become a Christian before leaving school and moving away from home.

7 Try to encourage your students to pray for the Church’s work with overseas students.


Christian Doctrine: The Last Things

Lesson 11 The Last Days Heb. 1:2; 1 John 2:18; Acts 2:16ff;

Matt. 28:18-20; Rev. 20:1-3

Aim: To appreciate the significance of the fact that we are living in the last days.


Introduction: Let the young folk suggest what they think “the Last Days” refer to.

1. The Bible presents us with a flow of history – from the origin of the physical world; through the Fall; the covenant with Abraham; Christ’s Birth, Death and Resurrection; the final judgement to the New Heavens and the New Earth.

2. The history of the church is littered with theories about the end of the World, when it will come, what will be the signs, what events will occur and in what order they will unfold. Some of these theories have caused deep division and great harm to the cause of Christ. Much of the error comes from human pride. We like to think we have special knowledge others fail to see. Mini empires have been carved out in the church on the basis of gathering a following around some “special insight”. This lesson must focus on “what the Scriptures principally teach” and avoid it being hijacked by speculative detail.

3. The Bible talks about “the Last Days” in both OT and NT. It is important to realise that this refers to the entire period between Christ’s first coming to die on Calvary for the sins of his people and his second coming to banish evil entirely from their experience. (Heb. 1:2) Whatever we make of the passages dealing with the Antichrist, the great tribulation, the Millennium etc. these should not be used to identify some more limited period at the end of time as being “the Last Days”.

4. The OT deals with preparation and foundational matters as God prepares the way for the Messiah to accomplish his work “in the fullness of time” and gradually unfolds the truth about himself and our nature and spiritual needs, and what He has determined to do for us. The NT deals with the fulfilment of OT teaching, in the Law, the Wisdom books and the Prophets. (Acts 2:16-21)

5. Many looking at the picture of the Antichrist have allowed their imaginations to run riot. John tells us there are many antichrists. (1 John 2:18) This still allows the possibility that there may be one particularly potent figure giving expression to the antichrist principle. The Reformers saw the papacy as fulfilment of this teaching. Others look to Mohammad or Marx. It is best to admit we do not know and avoid any identification of the antichrist with an individual while recognising that the antichrist principle is very much at work today as it was throughout the past 2000 years, with individuals making great claims for themselves while they oppose true believers, often violently, and subvert the truth.

6. The Millennium and the binding of Satan (Rev. 20:1-3) also gives rise to a variety of interpretations. How can Satan be bound when we see so much evidence of his activity all around us, and indeed within us? Some have taken the millennium (thousand years) as a literal period of time, with Christ’s return coming before (Premillennialists) or after (Postmillennialists) the thousand years. Others take the millennium to be a figurative description of the whole of the “Last Days” (Amillenialists). During the period before Christ came the Gentile world lay in ignorance of God and the way of salvation. Often Christians have dangerously taken this more obscure part of a difficult book as the foundation of their understanding of the Bible, allowing a speculative interpretation of a more difficult passage distort their understanding of more fundamental biblical teaching. However, the fact is that the gospel has gone out to all peoples. Previously the truth was confined to Israel and many of them refused to accept it. Now it has spread throughout the whole world. Col 2:15 may also refer to the binding of Satan when it talks of Christ “disarming the rulers and authorities.”

7. Jesus promised to be with his people to the end of the age. (Matt. 28:18-20) The abiding presence of Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit is a vital reality for a persecuted church. It is also a guarantee of the resources necessary to carry out the great commission to go out into all the World with the gospel. That commission is what should be our chief concern in “the Last Days”.

Activities: Complete the worksheet. Use a map of the World to indicate the spread of the gospel over the past two thousand years.


Lesson 12 Christ’s Second Coming 1 Thess 4:13-5:11

Aim: To teach the students about the future of Christians after death. To explain about the Second Coming of the Lord and of the necessity of being ready for that great day.


Introduction: Start by talking about the first coming of Jesus, about his birth at Bethlehem and then ask what they think His Second Coming will be like. Will it very different?

• The reason for this teaching in 1 Thess 4. Paul wrote about Christ’s Second Coming to comfort believers who were bereaved. Many early Christians expected the Lord to return in their lifetime and were confused and distressed when deaths occurred. Paul tells them that, unlike unbelievers, there is hope beyond the grave – the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. Note in v 15 Paul left open the possibility of Jesus coming back while he is still alive.

• Paul then outlines the events that will accompany Christ’s Second Coming, whenever that happens. ‘The Lord himself will come down from heaven’ not to a stable, nor as a baby, but as the glorious Lord. He will come with the trappings of Lordship – a loud command, an archangel’s voice, the trumpet call of God.

• Everyone will know when Christ comes again. Only a few knew of the baby born in Bethlehem and it has taken 2,000 years for the Gospel to spread throughout the world and all people groups have not yet been reached. When Christ comes again the whole world will know. Then every knee will bow to him – believers will bow in worship, and others will have no choice but to bow in acknowledgement of the Lord whom they rejected.

• At the Lord’s coming in glory the bodies of those dead in Christ will rise from their graves, not gruesome decaying bodies but glorious new bodies fit for heaven. The bodies and souls of dead believers will be reunited and complete for ever.

• Then Christians who are still alive on that great day will be taken home to heaven without going through the experience of death.

• Paul says ‘Therefore encourage each other with these words.’ He has told them about the Second Coming not to scare them but to encourage and comfort them. When a Christian dies there is comfort and encouragement in the sure and certain hope that they will be resurrected and be with the Lord and that we will join them there for ever, whether we pass through death or the Lord comes while we are still here on earth.

• When will this happen? Paul reminds his readers that that we do not know the date and time of the Second Coming. Any religious group that claims to do so is misguided in its thinking and lying in its teaching.

• As well as being a comfort and encouragement, the Second Coming is an inspiration to live our lives in such a way that we will not be ashamed should Christ come today. Paul describes the life of the Christian who is ready for the Lord’s coming – it is alert, self-controlled, faithful and loving.

• He reminds his readers that they have been called of God to receive salvation. ‘He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.’ (5:10) That is God’s will for God’s people. Whether they live until His coming or die before that great day, they are alive and safe in His hands or they have fallen asleep in Jesus. Whichever it is, they are IN Jesus for ever and ever.

• ‘Therefore encourage one another and build each other up …’ (5:11).



Lesson 13 The Last Judgement Matt 25:31-46

Romans 14:10-13

Aim: To present the reality of the last judgement and its relevance for us today.


Introduction: Consider someone who appears to have got away with doing wrong.

1. This is probably the most solemn subject to be tackled in the entire Bible Class syllabus. It must be handled with care but without obscuring or distorting the solemn truth presented to us by God’s Word. The plain fact is that “we must all appear before the judgement seat of God”. (Rom. 14:10) There are no exceptions. We must give an account of how we have lived. The detail will all be there as the books are opened. Nothing will be forgotten.

2. Because God is the judge there will be no miscarriage of justice. As Abraham said in his prayer for the cities of the plain, “The judge of all the Earth will do right”. This ought to encourage those who have been clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ, the only protection and the perfect protection for guilty sinners. It is also important in dealing with the vexing question dealt with in Psalm 73. The righteous often suffer in this life while they watch the wicked prosper and seemingly get away with great evil. Stalin died in power and Hitler avoided human retribution by taking his own life. They did not get away with their enormous crimes. They, too, must stand before the righteous and all-powerful Judge. Others appear pillars of respectability while harbouring malice in their hearts. God sees that also. The final judgement makes moral sense of history.

3. Jesus, in the parable of the sheep and the goats, (Matt. 25:31-45) sheds more light on God’s standards of justice. It clearly teaches that there will be two groups at the final judgement – those whom the Judge will welcome into his eternal presence with joy and those who will be rejected to spend eternity with the devil and his angels. The strongest pictures we have of the eternal state of the damned come from the gospels, from the lips of Jesus, himself. The two groups will be separated on the basis of how they have lived. This is not salvation by works. Justification is by faith alone but the reality of a saving work by the Holy Spirit in the life of any individual will be evidenced by a changed life style. Redemption is about new life in Christ. Only those who walk the narrow way will find life eternal. In the parable Jesus focuses on unselfish and selfish life styles. Indeed, he deals not with great sinful acts but with sins of omission. Failing to have a heart for the poor is evidence of a heart that is not right with God and that will condemn us before God.

4. This parable also draws attention to the role of Jesus in the final judge. He is “the Son of Man”, a title found in Daniel 7:13ff. In the NT the title is always used with the definite article. Jesus is not just a son of man but the Son of Man, the Lord made flesh who rules over a universal and eternal kingdom and who will return in glory to judge the whole World. What we do with Jesus now is of eternal significance for each one of us. (cf. Psalm 2)

5. While the Scriptures (e.g. parable of Good Samaritan) make it clear that Christian love must reach out to all in need, just as God makes the sun to shine on the righteous and the unrighteous, (and we must remember we don’t have God’s ability to determine who belongs to one category or the other) this parable emphasises the importance of doing good to “one of the least of these my brethren”. In some parts of the World Christians are discriminated against when aid is distributed following an earthquake or flood. The Christian family has a special responsibility towards its persecuted members.

6. Judgement not only punishes the evildoer it also vindicates the righteous and relieves the oppressed. The Psalms appeal to God who alone has the right to avenge wrongdoing. Psalm 98 speaks of the very trees singing for joy when God comes to judge the Earth.

Activities: Complete the worksheet. Tearfund, Barnabasfund and other similar agencies provide material for discussion on how Christians reach out to the poor today.


Lesson 14 The New Heavens and the New Earth 2 Peter 3:1-18

Aim: To explore God’s plan for his creation beyond the final judgement.


Introduction: Ask what the young people most enjoy about their physical environment.

1. When God created the world he repeatedly declared, “It was good.” Psalm 24 reminds us that “the Earth is the Lord’s …” and God continues to delight in it.

2. When Satan sought to destroy God’s handiwork he struck at the heart of the creation by tempting man, made in the image of God, into disobedience and rebellion. Adam’s sin brought a curse from God on all mankind and his environment. Man died spiritually. The NT describes man as, “dead in trespasses and sins”. This had consequences for him as a physical being living in a physical world. Frustration and toil was to characterise his work as thorns and thistles from a skewed environment turned satisfying work into a constant battle for survival. Man’s sinful nature lead to further suffering as he selfishly exploited the physical world and his fellow man. It should be noted that not all pain is evil. We need pain as part of our defence mechanism, warning us of proximity to danger. Human physical suffering and death are certainly consequences of man’s sin. However, it is not clear that the death of animals is part of the curse that followed man’s sin.

3. Into this picture of doom and gloom God brought new life and a firm hope. The creation is important to God and not to be discarded but rather redeemed and transformed. Just as man’s sin brought universal consequences to the physical world so God’s redemption of his people will bring about the formation of new heavens and a new earth. Even the petition in the Lord’s prayer, “Your will be done on Earth …” leads us to expect a new earth “wherein dwells righteousness”. The clear teaching on a physical resurrection must also mean an appropriate physical environment for the resurrected bodies.

4. In Romans 8 Paul likens the present pain and suffering in the world to birth pangs, pain with promise. The creation groans, being subject to corruption and decay. Many philosophers over the ages and many popular song writers today have concluded that life is meaningless (cf. Ecclesiastes “all is vanity and vexation”) and, indeed, a simple analysis of what can be seen “under the sun” would lead to such pessimism or to the transient hopes of those who say, “let us eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die”. However, Paul with his eternal perspective grounded in God’s revelation of himself, sees a hope for the creation arising from the redemption of the children of God.

5. 2 Peter 3:1-18 appears to give some answers to those who want to know the details of the mechanisms and timing of this transformation of the old order to the new at “the end of all things”. There appears to be some correspondence between his talk of fire dissolving the basic elements of the universe and the current scientific picture of star death, super novae, a collapsing universe etc. It is important not to press these tenuous links too far. The important points are that God will act in His own time and way to bring about a catastrophic change, reminiscent of the flood at the time of Noah when no one was expecting it although they had all been warned. God was, is and always will be in the driving seat.

6. Rev. 21: 1-5 completes the picture with the central truth that God will be with his people. Before the Fall God walked with Adam in the cool of the day. In the new heavens and the new earth there will be uninterrupted communion with God with no possibility of sin coming in to destroy and cause pain. In this symbolic picture there is no more sea, possibly pointing to no more separation and an end to restlessness symbolised by ever moving waves.



Lesson 15 Heaven Revelation 7:9-17

Aim: To look at what God has prepared for those who love him.


Introduction: Assuming the young folk want to go to heaven start by trying to tease out what they hope to find when they get there.

1. In the Bible “heaven” translates the Hebrew “shamayim” or the Greek “ouranos”. It can refer to the sky we see above, where birds fly and the stars are found, part of the physical universe (Gen. 1:8; Ex. 31:17; Jer. 8:7; Matt. 5:18), or to where God lives surrounded by created spiritual beings, as in “the God of heaven” (Gen. 24:7 and many other passages), “Our Father which art in heaven” (Matt. 6:9) and the common phrase, “the Kingdom of Heaven” equated to “the Kingdom of God”, and also “the angels which are in heaven” (Matt. 13:32). This is not a physical place in space nor is it bound by the flow of time. It is also used to designate the final destiny of the Christian, a place of eternal happiness and security, the alternative to a lost eternity which will be the reality for all whose sins are not covered by the blood of the Lamb. Elijah went up into heaven (2Kings 2:11). Peter called it “an inheritance … reserved for you in heaven.” (1 Peter 1:4) In any one passage it is not always immediately clear which meaning is intended so care must be exercised.

2. The last lesson looked at the new heavens and the new earth replacing the current heavens and earth. We have seen this to be a new physical environment, fit for physical resurrected bodies, where sin has been banished for ever. This must be part of what is meant by heaven although it may not include heaven as the non physical abode of God and angels. The exact relationship between the two is not clear to us this side of eternity.

3. The most important teaching on heaven is that it is the sure hope of living for all eternity in the presence of God. It is the hope of enjoying a glorious body, in a glorious environment, in the company of all God’s people, in the near presence of Christ and in the unclouded assurance of God’s love. “The pure in heart shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8) Since God is a Spirit this seeing must be spiritual rather than physical sight, although it must also include the seeing of Christ in his glorious body. It is the pure in heart, as distinct from those merely ritually clean who will see God. It is blessedness for those who love God with sincerity and whose lives are truly God-centred.

4. Sin separates us from a holy God. The final goal of our redemption is the removal of all that separates us from God. The picture of the saints in heaven dressed in white robes (Rev. 7:9) emphasises the purity of those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. Here we have Christ’s death on the cross along with our active appropriation of redemption leading to sins being forgiven and sinful corruption being removed as the believer works at sanctification by the enabling of the Holy Spirit. Heaven is not a place everyone would want to go to. Those who are at enmity with God, still unregenerate in heart, could not enjoy uninterrupted exposure to Him. For them there is no hope but a fearful prospect of bearing the full punishment for their own sins.

5. Heaven is the immediate reality experienced by God’s people when they die. Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Complications arise with the immediacy of this hope when we think of the body still lying in the grave. Theologians speak of the intermediary state with the soul in heaven whilst the body awaits the resurrection. The idea of soul sleep, where the souls of believers are unconscious of the passage of time between death and the resurrection at the end of the age, has been rightly rejected as unbiblical. However, other Christians are not happy with the idea of the soul existing happily apart from the body. They do not see this distinction in the Bible and feel it is too much influenced by Greek philosophy. They would rather believe that the believer exiting time at death enters eternity at the resurrection. This has to remain in the realm of speculation but it demonstrates how carefully we have to read our Bibles to avoid mixing into the Word other ideas we have picked up from other sources. What is clear is that believers are immediately perfectly blessed when they pass from this scene of time and suffering into the presence of their Lord.

6. It is very comforting to note that the desire of Christ is that we should see his glory and spend eternity with him. (John 17:24) At the right hand of God in heaven Jesus continues to pray for his people.


LESSON 16 IS A REVISION LESSON USING NOTES FOR LESSONS 11-15

Lesson 17 Time to Talk

Aim: To encourage the students to discuss the topic they have just completed.

Materials: Bible, pens/pencils, worksheets, selection of newspapers and magazines.

Introduction: Discuss programmes the students might know that involve law and order, courtroom scenes etc. Ask their views of crime and punishment and the meaning of justice.

Use the suggested topics on the front of the worksheet as a basis for discussion. Perhaps three young people could act the parts of the characters on the front of the worksheet and argue the points made.

Then use the four points on the back of the worksheet as the basis for further discussion. While some effort should be made to keep to the points made, it may be that the young folk have concerns about the last things that they want to discuss. Be open to diverting from the topics given if that is so and encourage a more general discussion.

Old Testament

Lesson 18 God’s Covenant with Abraham Genesis 15:1-11

Aim: To learn that God is sovereign and that he sovereignly chose Abraham to be the spiritual father of all who hear God’s call and walk in obedience to him.


Introduction: What is a sovereign? How do we relate to a sovereign? How would we behave in the presence of a sovereign. Have any of the young people seen the Queen in real life, or has anyone they know seen her?

1 The story so far – Abraham was called by God from his homeland to a place he had never seen and by a route he did not know. His response was to follow God’s call and trust in his leading.

2 God spoke to Abraham again (he was Abram at this point, but use Abraham throughout rather than confuse) making a promise to him, a covenant with him. ‘Do not be afraid … I am your shield, your very great reward.’ God was his shield – his defender and protector. Abraham was in a foreign land and meeting unknown people but God would defend him. Abraham was also to be rewarded and God himself was his reward.

3 Abraham’s response is significant – ‘O Sovereign Lord.’ Abraham recognised that God is King, that he reigns, that he is to be obeyed, that when he calls he is to be followed.

4 Despite recognising the immense greatness of the One with whom he had to do, Abraham approaches the Sovereign Lord with a personal matter – he has no son, no heir. To whom better to take this pressing matter than the Sovereign who reigns over all creation and who is able to do whatever he chooses.

5 God responds with the promise of a son and not only a son, but descendents from that son who would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. ‘Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.’ (v 6) Having accepted the sovereignty of God, Abraham accepts his word. His simple faith was to be tested by the passage of time but God was faithful to his promise; he always is.

6 God reinforces Abram’s faith in who he is. ‘I am the Lord, who brought you out of Ur … to give you this land and take possession of it.’ Again Abraham takes a practical problem to the Lord and, just as God had reinforced his faith, Abraham begins his question with the same name for God. ‘O Sovereign Lord, how…?’

7 The Lord tells his servant to make an offering. Abraham did what he was told and his offering was accepted by his Lord and King.

8 God’s covenants. God made a covenant with Noah that was for all mankind. Never again will God wash away the population of the world with a great flood. Here God makes a specific covenant with a specific man. ‘I will be your …’ The covenant with Abraham was sealed with the sacrifice.

9 God’s covenant with Abram extends through his offspring to those whom he sovereignly calls to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We, like Abraham, come with no righteousness of our own. Like him we respond to a sovereign call, and the faith that God gives us to answer he call is ‘counted to us as righteousness.’ Our salvation is sealed with a sacrifice - the death of Christ on the cross.

10 God’s promise to Abraham to provide descendents as the stars in the sky has been wonderfully kept. Among the stars is the Light of the World along with all who have reflected Jesus’ light throughout history and all who reflect him throughout the whole wide world today.


Old Testament

Lesson 19 Joseph Goes to Egypt Genesis

Aim: To explore God’s working out of his covenant plan for his people through the life of Joseph.


Introduction: Start with

1. God works out his plan of redemption, through the lives of real historical characters. Last lesson we looked at Abraham, to whom God gave the covenant of grace including promises of many descendants who would receive the land of Canaan as an inheritance. This lesson we look at his great grandson, Joseph, who saved the family from the effects of a major drought, before going on to look at Moses, who lead God’s people out of slavery and gave them God’s law and finally Joshua who lead them into the land of promise.

2. Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, born to him while a refugee in the household of Laban, whose two daughters he married. Jacob had been duped into marrying Leah, having always loved her younger sister, Rachel. Joseph was Rachel’s son and Jacob looked on him as his true heir, the firstborn of the woman he had chosen. Shortly after they returned to Canaan, Rachel died in childbirth, leaving Joseph and his baby brother without their true mother in a dysfunctional household.

3. Original rivalries between the two wives continued among the unruly sons. Jacob’s showing favouritism to Joseph stoked the fires of jealousy. The coat of many colours (or of long sleeves) was a visible symbol of Joseph’s privileged position and his recounting of his two dreams: firstly of the sun, the moon and eleven stars bowing down to him and secondly of his brothers’ sheaves of corn bowing down to his sheaf, further increased their resentment. (Gen.37:5-11) When he brought tales to his father of his brothers’ wild life style they wanted to kill him.

4. At every turn Joseph is presented to us as an attractive character in whose life God was working to further his gracious plans for the covenanted household of Jacob. Joseph had to go through much suffering before he understood that “God meant it for good”, even using his brothers’ evil dealings with him (Gen.37:12-36) as dark threads completing the picture He had designed for the tapestry of Joseph’s life. (Gen 50:20)

5. God did not speak directly to Joseph as he had done to Abraham but it is clear that “God was with Joseph” (Gen. 39:2,23) at every turn, as a servant prospering the house of Potiphar, as a trusted prisoner looking after the other prisoners, as Prime Minister of Egypt. His earlier dreams, and no doubt prayerful consideration of them, prepared him for the butler’s and the baker’s dreams in prison and opened the way into the palace itself when Pharaoh’s dreams troubled him and he could get no satisfaction from the extensive apparatus for interpreting dreams that had existed for many centuries in Egypt. This reminds us of Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. In both cases pagan kings steeped in superstitious beliefs regarding dreams were spoken to by God in such a way that caught their attention, but could not lead to a full revelation except through one of His prepared servants. Joseph and Daniel were quite clear that “interpretations belong to God.” (Gen. 40:8)

6. Joseph was only 30 years old when he became ruler in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. It reminds us that Jesus was also 30 years old when he started his public ministry. For Joseph the years of preparation had been difficult but he learned to trust God when all other support had been withdrawn. As with Abraham and Jacob (Gen. 22:17,18; 30:27) God blessed others through Joseph – a reminder that the covenant of grace has a worldwide dimension with God’s people the salt of the earth. When God blesses his people the blessing overflows to all around. Joseph lived to a ripe old age.

7. The story of Joseph’s dealings with his brothers is very instructive. The famine in Egypt was caused by a failure of rains hundreds of miles further south which lead to a failure of the annual flooding of the Nile. A quite separate drought had hit the lands to the North where Jacob lived, forcing him to look for food wherever it could be found. How could he know that the food available in Egypt was there because of the wisdom and faithfulness of his own son, the son he thought he had lost. God is full of surprises. The brothers were brought to a point where they had to face up to their past sins, “God has found out the guilt of your servants” (Gen. 44:16) From that point Joseph could reveal himself and assure them of forgiveness although they were not entirely convinced he meant it. (Gen.50:15-21) How like Joseph’s brothers we are – slow to face up to our sin and slow to be convinced that God’s pardon is full and free.


Old Testament

Lesson 20 Moses Leads Israel out of Egypt Exodus 6:1-3

Aim: To learn from God’s dealings with Moses in his continuing working out of the covenant promises made to Abraham.


Introduction: Start with some pictures of Egyptian architecture and cultural achievements.

1. Moses is one of the greatest figures to have walked the stage of human history. A man with a strong physical constitution and of exceptional intellectual capability, he was educated in the palace of the greatest power of his time, with a bright future in the upper echelons of Egyptian society. However, he never forgot he was a Hebrew by birth and believed firmly the future lay with the downtrodden Hebrew slaves rather than with the riches of Egypt. He became a leader of his people, able administrator and lawgiver, yet noted for his meekness.

2. The story of the deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery is an epic that has inspired God’s people down through the centuries. However powerful the enemy was, God was vastly superior, not only dealing with political and military might but also with the centuries old false gods of the dominant Egyptians. However, taking Israel out of Egypt was accomplished in a number of weeks or months of dramatic activity, but taking Egypt out of Israel was a much longer and more delicate work.

3. Israel, the sons of the covenant made with Abraham, found themselves in a desperate situation. The memories of privilege in the days of Joseph had faded and given rise to the reality of abject slavery even to the point of being forced to kill their own baby boys. In this situation the faith of Amram and Jochebed shines brightly as they determined Moses should live. Their faith was rewarded as God provided for their son in the palace of Pharaoh. At the height of his natural powers, when forty years old, he made an abortive move to defend his oppressed people and killed an Egyptian. This resulted in forty years tending sheep in Midian, clearly necessary preparation to become part of God’s plan for Israel. At Mount Horeb, in the incident of the burning bush, he met with God, who is a consuming fire yet protects his people, and was transformed.

4. God’s time to move forward his covenant plans had come. The Canaanites living in the promised land were ripe for judgement, the Israelites were ready to leave Egypt (before the oppression they would have been too comfortable) and Moses was ready to lead. However, Pharaoh was not ready to let them go. God so worked that the political, military and spiritual forces arrayed against his people were convincingly routed. For the Israelites, cowed into submission, nothing less would have started them on the road to becoming a people of faith, although that proved a long and rocky road. To the end Pharaoh was stubborn in his refusal to submit to God. His counsellors, steeped in the religious lore of Egypt, were able initially to replicate Moses actions, so making things worse for themselves, but never able to counter them. Indeed, the incident of the rods becoming serpents showed them to be outclassed. (Ex. 7:12) By the third plague they were saying, “This is the finger of God.” (Ex.8:19) The sun, worshipped by the Egyptians, failed in the ninth plague. Repeatedly the plagues were announced in the name of the “God of the Hebrews” and from the fourth plague a clear distinction was made between the land of Goshen, where the Hebrews lived, and the rest of Egypt. (Ex. 8:22) The crossing of the Red Sea and destruction of the Egyptian army set the Israelites firmly on a one-way journey. Even the Amalakite attack was quickly dealt with, but once again with the emphasis on God’s enabling.

5. On the desert road to the promised land, lead by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, God richly provided. In spite of constant grumblings the people were given water from a rock, manna from the sky and the law from God, through Moses, with the awesome display of power at Sinai. God was their provider and protector but never theirs to manipulate and approach as they fancied.


EXTRA WORKSHEET

The coming of the Lord as our Saviour A worksheet is provided covering the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to be our Saviour. If you wish to use this worksheet at Christmas time, it is suggested that the young people do the worksheet at the beginning of the lesson and then the subjects raised by it be used as in a Time to Talk lesson.

BIBLE CLASS SYLLABUS - Home - Free Church of Scotland...being filled with the Holy Spirit from his...

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