RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’S MANUAL LESSON FORTY- FOUR SUNDAY 1ST JULY 2018: LIFE

RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER’S MANUAL LESSON FORTY- FOUR SUNDAY 1ST JULY 2018: LIFE

*SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN*

*1.* O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

*2.* O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Thy friend friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

*3.* O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

*4.* O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

*5.* O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds be black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.

*6.* O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

OPENING PRAYER
Father, let my life be hidden in your life. Don’t allow the devil to snuff out my life.

BIBLE PASSAGE: John 15:5-19

John:15.5
“I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
John:15.6
“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned.
John:15.7
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
John:15.8
“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
John:15.9
” As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
John:15.10
“If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
John:15.11
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and [that] your joy may be full.
John:15.12
“This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John:15.13
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John:15.14
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
John:15.15
“No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.
John:15.16
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
John:15.17
“These things I command you, that you love one another.
John:15.18
” If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before [it hated] you.
John:15.19
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

MEMORY VERSE: “Jesus saith unto him, l am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”. -John 14:6.

INTRODUCTION:
From time immemorial, people have been asking: “Why was I born? Why did God make me? Why am I here? What is the purpose of life? What is the meaning of life? What is life itself”. Various people give various answers. Some say, “Life is the union of soul and body.” This may be true of humans, but not of plants. Some say it is the period between birth and death. This of course is not true, for life exists before birth and after death. Only Jesus has the answer (john 11: 25;14: 6). The Bible speaks of three kinds of life: Physical life, which was given to man at the time of creation; Spiritual life, which is the new life that God gives to the believer in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1); Eternal life, which is the nature of the Lord God Himself.

TEXT REVIEW: JOHN 15:5-19
BENEFITS OF ABIDING IN CHRIST.
Christ is the Vine, we are the branches. Those who abide in Christ have the following benefits to enjoy:
i. They will bring forth much fruit. John 15:5
ii. They will not amount to nothing. John 15:5.
iii. They will not be cast forth or cut down. John 15:6
iv. They will not wither. John 15:6
v. They will not be burnt in fire. John 15:6
vi. Whatever they ask the Lord will be done for them. John 15:8
vii. They shall be the disciples of Jesus. John 15:8.
viii. Jesus will love them. John 15:9.
ix. They will abide in Jesus’ love and keep His commandments. John 15:10.
x. The joy of the Lord will remain with them. John 15:11
xi. Their joy will be full. John 15:11
xii. They will be friends of Jesus. John 15:14.

LESSON OUTLINES
1. What is the origin and purpose of life?
2. How long is the life span and with what can life be compared?

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF LIFE?

A. ORIGIN OF LIFE
i. All lives come from God. Genesis 2:7

ii. The Lord Jesus is life. John 14:6; John 11:25

iii. The Lord Jesus gave life. I John 5:12-20

iv. Our parents are vehicles through which we came to this world.

B. PURPOSE OF LIFE
i. To accomplish our God-given assignment or destinies.

ii. To prepare for eternity with the Lord Jesus in heaven.

iii. To choose the final resting place for our souls.

CLASS ACTIVITY 1
Why should a believer avoid Satan and his work?

HOW LONG IS THE LIFE SPAN AND WITH WHAT CAN LIFE BE COMPARED?

A. LIFE SPAN
i. The Bible gave different life spans at different dispensations.

ii. Before the flood it was 846 years on average. Gen. 5.

iii. After the flood it was reduced to 393. Gen. 11.

iv. At the time of Moses it was between 70 – 80 years. Psalm 90:10

B. COMPARISON
i. Life is compared to a journey. Gen. 47:9 (From birth to death).

ii. Life is compared to a dream which comes in the night and disappears in the day. Psalm 73:20

iii. Life is like a shadow which is a poor imitation of real substance (compare 70 years to eternity. This is infinitesimal). Ecc. 6:12

iv. Life is like a vapour which vanishes away. James 4:4.

v. Life is like a tale (an interesting story). Psalm 90:9

vi. Life is like water spilled on the ground which is absorbed immediately. 2 Sam. 14:14.

vii. Life is like a flower which fades away soon after budding. Job. 14:2

CLASS ACTIVITY 2
Why should life be carefully handled?

SUMMARY
Life is precious. Keep it in Jesus. Phil. 1:21

CONCLUSION
Those who keep their lives on the shelves will soon see it expire or stolen. John 10:10

CLOSING PRAYER
Father, do not let me be careless with my life.

ASSIGNMENT
From the Bible passage for today (John 15: 5-19), find ten reasons why you should keep your life in Christ or why you should abide in Christ.