Sunday School

MEMORY VERSE:“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts:and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”1 Peter 3:15

BIBLE PASSAGE:Jude 3-4

INTRODUCTION

The English word “apology” comes from a Greek word which basically means “to give a defence”. Christian apologetics, then, is the science of giving a defence of the Christian faith. There are many sceptics who doubt the existence of God and/or attack belief in the God of the Bible. There are many critics who attack the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible 2 Timothy 3:16. There are many false teachers who promote false doctrines and deny the key truths of the Christian faith. The mission of Christian apologetics is to combat these movements and instead promote the christian faith and truth.

OUTLINE

1.CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

2. WITH GENTLENESS AND RESPECT

1.CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

There is no excuse for a christian to be completely unable to defend their faith Jude 3-4. Every Christian should know what and why they believe as well as how to share it with others. They must also know how to defend it against lies and attacks Colossians 4:6. We are all commanded to be ready and equipped to proclaim the gospel and defend our faith Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 3:15. The only way to do this effectively is to study the reasons why we believe what we believe 2 Timothy 2:15. This will prepare us to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ, “as Paul said we should 2 Corinthians 10:5. Jesus was His own apologetic, as He often stated that we should believe in Him because of the evidence He provided John 2:23; 10:25; 10:38;14:29. In fact, the whole Bible is full of divine miracles that confirm what God wants to believe Exodus 4:1-8; 1 Kings 18:36-39; Acts 2:22-43;Hebrews 2:3-4; 2 Corinthians 12:12.

Paul practiced what he preached; in fact, defending the faith was his regular activity Philippians 1:7. Paul referred to apologetics as an aspect of his mission in the same passage (v.16). He also made apologetics a requirement for all believers Titus 1:9. Jude, an apostle of Jesus, wrote that “although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” Jude 3.

2. WITH GENTLENESS AND RESPECT

Defending the Christian faith with apologetics should never involve being rude, angry, or disrespectful 2 Timothy 2:24. While practicing Christian apologetics, we should strive to be strive to be strong in our defence and at the same time we must behave like Christ in our world, in our presentations to people Matthew 10:16; 1 Thessalonians 2:7. If we win a debate but turn a person even further away from Christ by our attitude, we have lost the true purpose of Christian apologetics 2 Corinthians 6:3.

CONCLUSION

We are commanded to use apologetics in as many or more places as we are told to preach the gospel.

MEMORY VERSE:“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11-13.

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Kings 11:1-11

INTRODUCTION

Destiny is God’s ordained purpose for your creation into this world, it is a divinely pre-planned destination for your life. Destiny is the snapshot of God’s counsel for a person and what God has decided concerning a person even before conception Jeremiah 1:5. God has a prepared destination for us and we must surrender totally to Him so as to avoid destiny destroyers that may want to scuttle God’s plan for our lives Jeremiah 29:11. As good as God’s desired end for your life could be, arriving at that destination still depends on your attitude and agreement with God.

OUTLINE

1.DESTINY DESTROYERS TO AVOID

2. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

1.DESTINY DESTROYERS TO AVOID

1.IGNORANCE OF DIVINE WILL: Lack of knowledge of what your purpose in life is could be a huge destiny destroyer Hosea 4:6; Proverbs 29:18. If we are aware of our destiny, we shall be free, focused and fulfilled. Being unaware of destiny however could lead to great frustration in life John 8:32; Isaiah 6:1-9; Hebrews 11:13.
2.PURSUIT OF VANITY: The focus on the pursuit of vanity by king solomon made him turn back from following God and eventually destroyed his destiny in life Ecclesiastes 2:10-11, 1 Kings 11:1-10.
3.LOSING FAITH IN GOD: Lack of faith in God as you journey through life is also a destiny destroyer Hebrews 4:2; 1 Timothy 1:19.
4.PRIDE: Pride is excessive self- esteem; it is a sinful attribute that leads to destruction and eventually cuts you off your divine destiny James 4:6; Daniel 4:28-33; Proverbs 29:23.
5.SINFUL LIFE CHOICES: Sins not confessed and forsaken are dangerous because they provoke God to anger. A man who is living in sin cannot fulfil his destiny or attain eternal destination which God has promised 1 John 3:4; Romans 3:23.
6.ANGER: Anger is another destiny destroyer. Uncontrolled emotional outburst has led many people out of God’s purpose for their lives Ecclesiastes 7:9; Proverbs 29:22.
7.LAZINESS: Proverbs 12:24; 22:29.
8.PRAYERLESSNESS: Prayerlessness can cause the enemy to take advantage of a man’s destiny Matthew 13:25; 26:41; Luke 18:21.

2. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

There are scriptural examples of people whose uncorrected character flaws destroyed their destinies, these include Solomon 1 Kings 11:1-11, Samson Judges 16:6-18, Judas Iscariot Luke 22:3-5; Matthew 27:3-5, Demas 2 Timothy 4:10, Gehazi 2 King 5:20-27, Reuben Genesis 49:3-4, Achan Joshua 7:24-25.

CONCLUSION

Run away from destiny destroyers and make up your mind to live a life that will enhance the fulfilment of your destiny.

MEMORY VERSE:“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, though the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.” 2 Peter 1:3

BIBLE PASSAGE: 2 Peter 1:3-7

INTRODUCTION

There are two root words in Greek translated virtue. The first is “dunamis” as in Luke 6:19; 8:46 meaning ‘miraculous power’. The second is “arete” meaning ‘moral excellence’ or ‘goodness’. In the context of the later, “virtue” is a right inner disposition: a disposition is a tendency to act in certain ways. It is not an impulse but a settled habit of mind. Virtues are general character traits that provide inner sanctions on our motives, intentions, and outward conduct.

OUTLINE

1.HOW TO ACHIEVE VIRTUE

2. DESIRE TO EXCEL

1.HOW TO ACHIEVE VIRTUE

Our God is excellent in all ways Psalm 76:4, Matthew 5:48. He expects His children to be like Him Genesis 17:1, 1 Peter 1:15-16. Hence, the main aim of a christian should be to walk to please God. Virtue is attainable only if we follow the divine guidelines Philippians 4:8.

2 Peter 1:5-7 tells us how to attain virtue. It is like a ladder; the attaining of one will lead to the next, and so on. The sequence begins with faith and ends with love. Without faith, nobody can have virtue. Faith supplies moral excellence as taught in the Bible Hebrews 11:6. After we have attained some knowledge, we add self-control, or self- discipline 1 Corinthians 9:25-27. This is the opposite of the excesses prevalent in the world. Perseverance means to view the unfolding of time from God’s perspective rather from the human eyes 2 Peter 3:8-9; Hebrews 12:2’ Matthew 6:33. Godliness means that we have a very practical awareness of God in every aspect of our life 1 Timothy 6:6, 2 Peter 1:3. Kindness is described here as “Philadelphia”, the kind of love that we have for brothers and sisters. The most magnificent virtue of all: Christian love. This love is “agape” and results in self-sacrificing action for another 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, John 3:16; 1 John 3:16.

2. DESIRE TO EXCEL

The desire to excel comes with the recognition of excellence, and a consciousness of falling short of it. The goal is to be like Jesus Christ because He is the glory of God revealed Hebrews 1:3, John 17:3; Romans 3:23. This desire to excel also involves a willingness to give up lesser things to achieve a greater goal Matthew 19:16-26 and a willingness to work hard towards perfection Luke 10:17-20, Matthew 17:15-21. We must be willing to be taught, not only by those who are in a higher position, but anyone regardless of position or age 1 Corinthians 1:19-29.

CONCLUSION

Now we see that if we indeed have these virtues as an integral part of our being, and if they continue to increase as we apply them, then we leas a useful, fruitful life for Christ.

MEMORY VERSE:‘’And when he had found him,he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church and taught many people.And the disciples were called christians first in Antioch.” Acts 11:26

BIBLE PASSAGE:Matthew 7:21-23

INTRODUCTION

The Christian faith is the experience of daily living in a dynamic and new personal relationship with God Romans 10:9-10; John 1:11-13. The very term “Christian” was coined in the city of Antioch to identify the first followers of Christ Acts 11:26. The first disciples were so much like Jesus that they were called “little Christs” by their detractors. Unfortunately, the term has lost meaning over the years and come to represent an ideology or a social class rather than a lifestyle of obedience to God. Today, there are two shades of Christianity: Cultural Christianity and Biblical Christianity.

OUTLINE

1.WHAT IS CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY?

2. IDENTIFICATION MARKS

1.WHAT IS CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY?

Cultural Christians are nominal believers who superficially identify themselves as “Christians” but do not truly adhere to the tenets of the Christian faith Matthew 15:8. They wear the label “Christian” without personal conviction that Jesus is the true Lord over all aspects of their lives 2 Timothy 3:5.

Cultural Christianity is more focused on the social experiences than deepening personal spiritual encounters with God 1 Corinthians 2:14-15. A cultural Christian identifies with certain aspects of Christianity, such as the good works of Jesus John 6:26-27, but rejects the spiritual aspects required to be a biblically defined Christian Romans 8:5. Some people consider themselves “Christians” because of their family heritage, charity giving, place of residence, Christian name or title in the Christendom, their regular church attendance or social environment. Others identify as “Christian” as a way of declaring a religious affiliation. Cultural Christianity is not true Christianity. There was no such thing as cultural Christianity in the days of the early church.

2. IDENTIFICATION MARKS

The following are some identifying marks of cultural Christians:
1.They deny the inspiration of Scripture or parts of Scripture not compatible with their lifestyle choices 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21.
2.They ignore or downplay true repentance as the first step toward knowing God at a personal level Matthew 4:17; Acts 2:38.
3.They focus on Jesus’ love and acceptance to the exclusion of His teaching on hell, obedience, self-sacrifice Matthew 4:17; 23:33;Mark 9:43; Luke 12:5.
4.They tolerate or even celebrate ongoing sin while claiming to know God Romans 1:32; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; 1 John 3:9-10.
5.They redefine scriptural truths to accommodate culture Numbers 23:19; Malachi 3:6.
6.Claiming God’s promises while ignoring the requirements included with them Psalm 50:16; Jeremiah 18:10.
7.They deny or minimise Jesus’ claim that He is the only way to God John 3:15-18; 14:6.
8.They engage actively in religious activity believing this puts them in good standing with God without a true devotion to Jesus Galatians 5:16-17; Romans 8:9.
9.They see protection and blessing as goals to be achieved, rather than by-products of a love relationship with God Mark 12:30, Deuteronomy 11:13-17.
10.They are lukewarm and choose the church to attend based on any or all the above considerations Revelation 3:15-17.

CONCLUSION

Jesus ‘ warning in Matthew 7:21-23 should be a wake-up call to cultural Christians.

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’Jesus said to him, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”Matthew 22:37.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Exodus 20:3-5

INTRODUCTION

An Idol is anything that replaces the One, True God in our lives. It can be anything that appeals to our own heart more than God does, and anything that takes significant amount of our time leaving us with little or no time to spend with Him. While the scripture condemns idolatry in strong terms Jeremiah 25:6; Exodus 20:5,many christians engage in idol worshipping today without knowing it.

OUTLINE

1.FORMS OF MODERN-DAY IDOLATRY

2. CONSEQUENCES OF MODERN-DAY IDOLATRY

1.FORMS OF MODERN-DAY IDOLATRY

Unlike the past, where idol-worship is bowing down to statues and objects typical of pagans in many cultures, modern day idol-worship is expressed through various insatiable pursuits and cravings of man, driven by his sinful nature. These shift all attention to man, leaving God out of the equation Isaiah 42:8. It is also expressed by portraying and painting God contrary to sound and total biblical precepts but revealing Him to suit personal values and ideologies 2 Timothy 4:3.
Quite often, modern day idolatry takes the form of:
1.Self -worship expressed through aggressive pursuit and realisation of goals and dreams in which God is excluded.
2.Materialism- a great or excessive regard for worldly possessions 1 Corinthians 7:31; Colossians 3:5.
3.Pride and Ego – which often takes the form of obsession with careers, business, or job to increase social status Ecclesiastes 2:21-23; Proverbs 8:13.
4.Idolising fellow humans- honouring renowned individuals above God e.g. music stars/actors, footballers, ministers of God, politicians, spouse, etc.
5.Naturalism and the power of science- this cling to the illusion that man is the lord of his word due to scientific and technological breakthroughs 2 Peter 3:10-13.
6.Self-indulgence -through alcohol drugs, excessive watching of TV, excessive and abnormal use of the social media, clubbing , gambling among other things 1 Corinthians 10:31.

2. CONSEQUENCES OF MODERN-DAY IDOLATRY

1. Deviation from the laws and teachings of the Lord 2 Timothy 3:1-4,4:3-4.
2. Loss of zeal for the things of God 2 Timothy 4:10.
3. Generational departure from the one true God Hosea 4:17.
4. Eternal separation from God 1 Samuel 2:29-36.
5. Incurring of divine curse Daniel 4:30-33.

CONCLUSION

“Self -worship“ is the basis of all modern idolatry. It is a lifelong battle in christian life that must be resisted Ephesians 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:3-4.

MEMORY VERSE: “Regard not of them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them; I am the LORD your GOD.” Leviticus 20:27

BIBLE PASSAGE: Isaiah 47 : 13 – 14

INTRODUCTION

Alternative spirituality is a loosely defined term generally used to describe spiritual practices that do not conform to true christianity. It is largely characterized by some spiritual practices and rituals that often are chosen by the particip[ant to fit their individual needs. In this lesson ,we shall attempt to highlight some of them and spiritually view what our perspectives should be as believers.

OUTLINE

1. SOME ALTERNATIVE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

2. SCRIPTURAL PERSPECTIVES.

SOME ALTERNATIVE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES

Astrology or the belief in the potency of zodiac signs and predictions is the interpretation of an assumed influence that the starry host ( and planets) exert on human destiny Isiah 47: 13; Daniel 2 : 27 . According to astrology, the sign you were born under, like aquarius, Pisces, etc impacts your destiny. Crystal is the belief that a precious stone have an inherent power that can be used to man’s benefit. Like attracting wealth, rekindling romance, expelling of evil spirits or bad energy thus bringing good luck. Necromancy is the conjuring of the spirit of the dead for purposes of magically revealing the future or influencing the course of events. In the Bible, necromancy is also called ‘’Divination’’ ‘’sorcery’’ and spiritism’ Exodus 7:11; 2 Kings 17: 17

Other include practices like palm reading, spiritual bathing, playing of some seemingly harmless games designed to initiate people into divination, visiting websites that promises to guide and reveal destiny to unsuspecting victims , buying perfumes and cosmetics , capable of bringing good luck or warding off bad luck, visiting false prophets, using charms, amulets or talismans etc. Leviticus 19: 26 , Deuteronomy 18 : 10- 11

SCRIPTURAL PERSPECTIVES

Astrology, crystals as well as necromancy are forms of divination expressly detestable and forbidden in scripture, Deuteronomy 18 : 10- 14, Stars, along with the sun and moon, were given for ‘’signs’’ and ‘’season’’ Genesis 1: 14. To ‘’worship the starry host ‘’ is a clear violation of God’s law, Deuteronomy 4 : 19; Exodus 20: 3 – 4 . the royal astrologers of Babylonian court were put to shame by Daniel God’s Prophet Daniel 1: 20; 2 : 27

Our wisdom comes from God, not the dead James 1 : 5. Also, those who are dead, either go to heaven or hell for condemnation, anything outside this is the conjuring of demonic spirits. Likewise, anything that seeks to manipulate the spirit world can be categorized as witchcraft which is named along with idolatry as ungodly behavior Galatians 5 : 19 – 21. All these practices involve demonic manipulations and expose those who practice it to demonic attack. It is worshiping created things rather than the creator Roman 1 : 25. The word of GOD is and must remain our guide through life Psalms 119 : 105.

CONCLUSION

Every spirituality outside the will of Christ is false and demonic . It should not be embraced by true Christians..

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’And the LORD God said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, the serpent beguiled me, and I did eat”Genesis 3:13

BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 3:9-13

INTRODUCTION

The “blame game” signifies accusations exchanged among people who refuse to accept the responsibility for some undesirable events or outcomes.These people shift fault and liability to another person or thing while they paint themselves as flawless. We need to examine some negative effects of the “blame game” and learn to take responsibility for our actions instead of passing the buck.

OUTLINE

1.NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE “BLAME GAME”

2. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE “BLAME GAME”

The following, among others,are some negative effects of the “blame game”

1.‘CHASING SHADOWS’: It makes us leave the main issue and continually look for excuses. For example, a slothful person will transfer blame to his boss, colleague, government, etc,instead of dealing with laziness Proverbs 20:4.
2.STAGNATION: It keeps us on one spot for a long time. This is counter- productive to human progress. Some people fold their arms to do nothing about their predicament because they blame and believe others are responsible for their conditions Proverbs 22:13; Ecclesiastes 11:4.
3.‘NEVER WRONG SYNDROME’: Such people are quick at absolving themselves of any wrongdoing while they see every other person as being at fault 1 John 1:8; Genesis 3:12.
4.DEPRESSION: It leads to unhappiness and despair which can degenerate to depression, ill-health, hopelessness ,etc.
5.MENTAL BLINDNESS: Like a veil, it prevents one from seeing solutions clearly as there is only a focus on supposed wrong of others Matthew 7:3.
6.HATRED: It produces deep-rooted hatred as the “blame game” condemns or speaks derogatively about the person being blamed. Hatred is a terrible sin 1 John 4:20.
7.PRIDE AND IGNORANCE COMBINED: Pride sets in when we over-rate ourselves. It combines with ignorance because we refuse to be sincere with ourselves Philippians 2:3.
8.INGRATITUDE: “Blame gamers” are unappreciative as they believe their benefactor can do more 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
9.BITTERNESS: “Blame gamers” become offended and allow bitterness to take an evil root in them Ephesians 4:31; Hebrews 12:15.
10.DESTRUCTION OF RELATIONSHIPS: It tears relationships through suspicion and a lack of trust 1 Samuel 18:8-9.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

Taking responsibility for one’s actions or inactions may not be easy, but it is worth it in the long run. Hence, we must learn to sincerely acknowledge our wrong when we are at fault Psalm 51:4a; 1 Kings 21:29. We must show a high level of personal accountability for our actions/inactions even in the face of failure 2 Samuel 12:13. Let us ask God to create a right spirit in us to be swift to acknowledge that there is a problem when a mistake is made, or conflict arises Psalm 51:10; 2 Samuel 24:17. Identify your role in a blunder and plan how to avoid a future occurrence James 1:13-14.

CONCLUSION

Stop trading blames, take responsibility for your actions/inactions, and be accountable.

MEMORY VERSE:‘’The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. ” Proverbs 12:19

BIBLE PASSAGE: Acts 5:1-10

INTRODUCTION

A lie is a false statement made with the deliberate intent to deceive or convey a false impression. Liars often engage in the premeditated act of deviating from the truth. Some people have branded lies and given them different colourations like, white lies, grey lies, black lies, and red lies. Also, there are those who justify the reasons for lying during their businesses or to save their faces.

OUTLINE

1.CHARACTERISTICS OF A LIAR

2. ELIMINATING THE LYING HABIT

CHARACTERISTICS OF A LIAR

According to 1 John 2:22, a liar is the person who denies that Jesus Christ is Lord. The Devil is a liar and the father of all liars John 8:44. A liar claims to know God but does not obey His commandments 1 John 2:4. Scripturally, a poor person is better than a liar, this is because you can be poor and still get to Heaven but all liars shall have their portion in hell Proverbs 19:22; Revelations 21:8. Anyone given to lies is an individual with the old man fully at work in them Colossians 3:9. No matter how smart a liar may be, their falsehood will only be for a limited time before the truth is established Proverbs 12:19; Psalms 63:11.

A liar is a proud person who must lie to sustain their false lifestyles and all the wrong impressions created Psalms 119:69; 59:12; 12:3; Proverbs 6:16-19. A liar is disloyal, unfaithful and a betrayer of trust who deceives at will Proverbs 14:5, 25; 19:9, and destroy by executing a well planned misrepresentation that may endanger lives Psalms 109:2; Jeremiah 14:4. Anyone who lies or is always given to falsehood is regarded as a wicked person Proverbs 17:4; Psalms 58:3.

ELIMINATING THE LYING HABIT

Believers must be conscious of their new status in Christ and be watchful 2 Corinthians 5:17. Therefore , it is expedient to be intentional about telling the truth all the time 1 Timothy 2:7; Romans 9:1. As believers we must learn to control our tongues Psalms 39:1; James 3:2, ensure our words are few and avoid any form of exaggerations Ecclesiastes 5:2; Proverbs 10:19. We must learn to think before we speak James 1:19. Let our Yes be Yes and No be No James 5:12.

Speaking the truth in love Ephesians 4:15 takes a lot of discipline but it brings peace to us and honour to God- who cannot tolerate liars Psalms 15:1-2; 24:3-5. Above all, we must remember eternity! No liar will get to heaven Revelations 22:14-15.

CONCLUSION

A liar has no worth on earth and has no place in heaven.

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and full of uncleanness” Matthew 23:27.

BIBLE PASSAGE: Acts 5:1-16

INTRODUCTION

A person, who pretends to be something that they are not, is a hypocrite. Such people make a deliberate plan to pretend, deceive or cheat. Such people are often dirty inside but appear to be very “clean” outside Matthew 23:27. Just like actors acting out of a script, they could imitate the speech, mannerisms and conduct of the character portrayed; but in real life they are a different person.

OUTLINE

1.HYPOCRISY UNCOVERED

2. THE CONSEQUENCES OF HYPOCRISY

HYPOCRISY UNCOVERED

Hypocrisy can take three forms. The first is that of professing belief in something and then acting in a manner contrary to that belief Isaiah 29:13. The second form is to look down on others when we ourselves are flawed Matthew 7:3-5; Romans 2:1. The third form of hypocrisy is projecting ourselves to be what we are not Romans 12:3 – this is common across the social media platforms.

Jesus described hypocrites as wolves in sheep’s clothing Matthew 7:15, white- washed tombs Matthew 23:27, snakes and broods of vipers Matthew 23:33 and graves Luke 11:44.

There are several reasons people engage in hypocrisy. These include pride of life. 1 John 2:15-16, desire for the honour of men John 12:43 and a feeling of insecurity 2 Corinthians 10:12. They want to be respected in the church as being holy but in secret, they are committing sins 1 Samuel 15:13-15,20,25-30. Ananias and his wife wanted the praise given to Barnabas when they were not as faithful Acts 4:34-37; 5:1-10. Some people pretend to be who/what they are not to cheat Genesis 27:20-22. People who falsify records and present inaccurate tithes to God fall under this category Proverbs 11:1. Self-indulgence may be another reason for hypocrisy. Romans 16:18.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF HYPOCRISY

The consequences of hypocrisy may include:
1.Wrong leadership choices because of a heart of disobedience to God’s will. 1 Samuel 15:13,20,25-30.
2.Hypocrites will experience shame and disgrace as a harvest of deliberate sinfulness. Jeremiah 13:22-26.
3.Divine punishment Proverbs 11:21.
4.Hypocrites come under God’s curse Job 15:34-35.
5.Untimely spiritual and physical death Job 27:8; 36:13-14; Acts 5:1-11. God knows all things including the secret deceit of the heart Psalms 44:21; Jeremiah 17:9-10; 1 Samuel 16:7 and all the ways of man Job 31:4; Psalms 1:6. No one can hide from Him or deceive Him Psalms 139:7-12. He will repay every man according to his works Revelations 22:11-12.

CONCLUSION

The same way fornication is a sin against God, so also is hypocrisy Galatians 5:19-21. The only solution is repentance Isaiah 55:7

MEMORY VERSE: ‘’And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, why sit we here until we die?” 2 Kings 7:3

BIBLE PASSAGE: 2 Kings 7:1-5

INTRODUCTION

In Bible times, people suffering from skin diseases like leprosy were treated as outcasts. There was no cure for the disease, which gradually left a person disfigured through loss of fingers, toes, and eventually limbs. It is, therefore, surprising and intriguing how God decided to use these categories of people to bring relief to the nation of Israel during the feminine, despite their serious physical limitations 1 Corinthians 1:27.

OUTLINE

1.LIVING ABOVE LIMITATIONS

2. LESSONS TO LEARN

LIVING ABOVE LIMITATIONS

Limitations are obstacles on our way to the fulfilment of God’s plans and purposes for our lives especially as christians. Limitations can also mean personal setbacks, stagnations, and failures in the battles of life. These can come from various sources: spiritual Daniel 10:12-13, human mistakes, or errors 2 Samuel 4:4, natural occurrences Exodus 14:10, afflictions Exodus 3:7, etc. In our Bible passage- 2 Kings 7:1-5, leprosy(among other diseases)confined and restricted the purpose for living of these four men. These lepers were treated as outcasts; they stayed outside the camp Numbers 5:2-3, could not live among their brethren Leviticus 13:45-46 and stayed at the entrance of the gate 2 Kings 7:3; Luke 17:12.

In our lifetime, we could encounter setbacks, even as christians: being christians does not exempt us from the challenges of life Jeremiah 1:19. The good news is that God has assured us of being more than conquerors through Christ Romans 8:37. However, we have a lot to learn from the four lepers in 2 Kings 7:1-5, who asked themselves a fundamental question “Why sit we here until we die?”

LESSONS TO LEARN

1.UNITY: The lepers were united in purpose. Unity is strength and it is easy to accomplish a feast when we are in one accord Amos 3:3; Psalm 133:1-3.
2.PURPOSEFULLNESS: They were determined to achieve their goal, and this helped them to conquer their fears despite their condition. 2 Kings 7:4, Daniel 1:8.
3.UNDERSTANDING: They were able to analyse and interpret the situation they found themselves in. This informed the decision they made and there was no discord amongst them. Proverbs 20:3.
4.DARING: They were audacious and bold! They made up their mind to go to the camp of the enemy irrespective of the odds Esther 4:16, 2 Kings 7:4
5.RESOLUTE: Twilight is a period of obscurity or haziness , but the lepers were not deterred even in this period of uncertainty, they still went ahead with their plans. Do not give up on your dreams 2 Kings 7:5a, Daniel 3:15-18.
6.SAVING CULTURE :Do not consume all that comes your way. After eating to the full they reserved some. Savings is important to grow big 2 Kings 7:8; Proverbs 21:20.
7.COMPASSION: They rebuked themselves and went to report their findings to the king’s household so that everyone could benefit from the booty 2 Kings 7:9; 1 Peter 3:8.
8.STOP PROCRASTINATING : Immediately they arrived at a decision to tell the porter of the city their discovery they followed it with a decisive step. They did what they had planned to do in their mind Proverbs 13:4; 2 Kings 7:10a
9.SHARE INFORMATION: They did not withhold information about all that they saw at the Syrian camp, they took the good news to the right source; the king Hebrews 13:16; 2 Kings 7:10.

CONCLUSION

As believers, we must see beyond our limitations and fulfil our purpose Philippians 4:13.