PROOF OF YOUR LOVE (2 CORINTHIANS 8:24; JOHN 14:15)

 

PROOF OF YOUR LOVE

2 CORINTHIANS 8:24; JOHN 14:15

 

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

Lesson updated: February 05, 2023

Scheduled Teacher: Sis. Roxan Velena

 

 MEMORY VERSE:

2 Corinthians 8:24 (KJV)

Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.

 INTRODUCTION:

People are not fully aware how God’s love is shown to the world. If we see how the world rotates around the sun and how the balance is done every day to make the people experience comfortable in the place, they were put in to live, we would fully have amazed not just the wonderful creations God had done but His love all throughout the humanity. Bible says in Matthew 5:45 “… he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” So, you see, whatever your treatment to God, even you love God, or you don’t love God, He sends rain for everyone. How about us? What are the proofs of our love?

Humanly speaking, do we need proofs that we are loved by our loved ones? (Ask few people for response)

What is your feeling if your girlfriend or boyfriend says he/she loves you, but he hides it to other people? It seems like He doesn’t know you. This is painful, isn’t it? Another thing, if a man is in love to a woman, he’ll reach the point to ask her to marry him, right? He wants to spend their whole life together and build a family. That is one of the proofs of human love.

 

Do you love God? If you truly love God, what is the proof of your love? True love cannot be hidden; it is expressed in words and actions. It is not enough to sing and say that you love God; you must also put action to it. Maybe there are times we meet people who claim to love God but their words and especially their actions say otherwise. True love is not self-seeking, it desires to please whom it loves. If we love God, we will long do what pleases Him all the time.

 

If you’ve watched the movie the “Passion of Christ.” That was 2004 if I’m not mistaken. If we would just see and feel the agony of Christ that time, we were deeply touched of His sacrifice for every one of us.  That was a great proof of Christ’s love to God, the Father and most especially to us. Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16 (use any testimony or illustration to this part)

 

You can’t love someone, and the person will not know it because if you truly do so, you will show it. God too knows when you really love Him, because your words and especially your actions will express it.  God is the God of knowledge; by Him actions are weighed – 1 Samuel 2:3. So how will God know that you truly love Him?

(most words are taken from http://stepswithgod.com/proof-love-god/)

 

LESSON OUTLINE:

1)  OBEDIENCE (JOHN 14: 15)

-        Your obedience to God and His words is the number one evidence of your love for Him. Christ Himself said, “If you love me, keep my commandments”. You can’t love God and be disobedient to His commands. God cannot be mocked; He who made ears and eyes can certainly hear and see the things that you do.

-        Jesus proved His love for the father by obeying all His instructions, even to death on the cross: the most shameful death of His time, (Philippians 2:8, Galatians 3:13).  He judged as He heard from His father because He was seeking the will of His father who sent Him – John 5:30. His primary assignment on earth was to carry out the plan and purpose of God for man, which He completed successfully. At the end, He said, “It is finished”. –John 19:30

-        God demands that you obey Him absolutely, not as convenient. He showed an example for us by sacrificing His only son. And on the cross for the first time, He forsook His son because of your sin and mine – Matthew 27:46. It certainly was not convenient for God, but He did it for the love He has for you and me.

-        Therefore, your obedience must be total. God will not accept half commitment from you, which is why He said He prefers you being cold or hot and not lukewarm. Christ will not condone a lukewarm service; He will spew you out of His mouth if you are lukewarm – Revelation 3:15-16

(say a testimony on this part if needed)

 

2)  SOULWINNING (JOHN 21: 15-17)

-        Another important proof of your love for God is your love for lost souls. If you love God, you will love what He loves and hate what He hates. Soul winning is God’s heartbeat and passion. Whatever God does is geared towards reconciling people back to Himself.

-        God the father sent Jesus to earth and allowed Him to be crucified in order to reconcile man to Himself – 2 Corinthians 5:18-19. His target was to win as many people as possible, that whosoever believes in Christ will not perish but have eternal life.

-        And Christ’s great commission to His disciples, including you if you love Him is to go and teach all nations to observe all things that He had commanded, Matthew 28:19-20. Also, that you should bear fruit that will remain in the Lord – John 15:16.

-        Christ demanded that Peter proved his love for Him by preaching the word of God – John 21:15-17. “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?”

It is not God’s desire that anybody should perish but that all should come to repentance – 2 Peter 3:9 and so He has committed the ministry of reconciliation to the disciples – 2 Corinthians 5:18.

-        Christ emphasized the importance of soul winning in the whole 15^th chapter of Luke, through the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin and lost son.

-        God is interested in bringing back lost souls and He has chosen you to work with Him in accomplishing this task. If you love Him, you will partner with Him in this ministry of reconciliation.

(say a testimony on this part if needed)

 

3)  GIVING (2 Corinthian 8: 1-5, 8, 24)

-        Giving is an expression of love. You cannot have true love for someone and not give to the person. There’s a saying “You can give without loving but you cannot love without giving.” So also, you cannot love God and not give to Him and for His kingdom work. It is a proof of your love for Him. If you love Him, you will give without being coerced to do so. It will be a thing of Joy to you to do so.

-        God first loved us (1 John 4:19) and gave His only son for us all. And He had promised that if He could give His only son then, there is nothing He cannot freely give us – Romans 8:32. Love is a giver and if you love God, you must be a giver too.

-        God expects you to give willingly, cheerfully and bountifully, but according to what you have and not to what you don’t have – 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, 2 Corinthians 8:12. It is a test of the sincerity of your love – 2 Corinthians 8:8.

(say a testimony on this part if needed)

(points are taken from http://stepswithgod.com/proof-love-god/)

CONCLUSION:

SACRIFICIAL LOVE ILLUSTRATION:

Maria Dyer was born in 1837 on the mission field in China where her parents were pioneer missionaries. Both her parents died when Maria was little girl, and she was sent back to England to be raised by an uncle. The loss of her parents, however, did not deter her young heart from the importance if sharing the gospel. At age sixteen she, along with her sister, returned to China to work in a girl’s school as a missionary herself. Five years later, she married Hudson Taylor, a man well-known today for his life of ministry, faith, and sacrifice.

Hudson and Maria’s work was often criticized – even by other Christians. At one point Maria wrote, “As to the harsh judging of the worlds, or the more painful misunderstandings of Christan brethren, I generally feel that the best plan is to go on with our work and leave God to vindicate our cause.” Of their nine children, only four survived to adulthood. Maria herself died of cholera when she was just forty-three. But she believed that the cause was worthy of sacrifice. On her grave marker these words were inscribed: “For her to live was Christ, and to die was gain.”

In a day when many are self-absorbed and care more about what they can get rather than what they can give, we need a renewal of sacrificial love. It was God’s love for us that sent Jesus into the world to die for our sins, and it is that kind of giving love that our world needs so greatly today.

In aspect of God’s love, sometimes we ask God for proofs most especially during dark hours of our lives. Though His love is so evident we still question Him when we face trials.  We easily ask for proofs, but we don’t see ourselves. What if God return our question to us: “Do you love Me? If you love Me, prove your love!”  We are blessed because though God hasn’t received love in return from us, He still loves us.

 

 

IN COURT WITH THE LORD

BIBLE PASSAGE: MICAH 6:1-8

• Picture taken from Google
• Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page
• APRIL, 2024

INTRODUCTION:

If were to ask how’s your relationship to God, what’s your answer? How about God, if he would answer, what would be the possible reply you expected based on GOD - YOU- relationship?

In Micah chapter 6, we can read that God had complaints against His people and the people urged God to voice out His complaints and it’s like telling the case in the court. Also, the Israelite people were complaining of God’s expectation of them.

In verse 3, God asked, “What have I done to you? And How have I wearied you? (In tagalog: Ano ba ang nagawa ko sainyo? Paano ba ako naging pabigat sainyo?)

Sometimes, as Christians, we think that being a Christian has a lot of responsibilities to do and this is one of the possible reasons why some of us don’t commit in a certain ministry. Have you experienced having complains in the ministry and converse it to the Lord?

I remember one time in our church when the ministry leaders had a meeting with the pastor and we talked about the prayer ministry. At the end of the meeting it was time to vote for what time would go church to pray (once a week) and the winner for that vote is 6:00am. I had a kind of complains at that time but I had no choice because that was time mostly the leaders voted for. I was thinking of the things I need to prepare on that early morning but I asked the Lord for my heart to humbly accept the decision. Eventually, God gave me the heart of acceptance and though there were sacrifices, I felt the intimate time praying with the Lord. I asked the Lord to forgive me and accept my service in prayer.

In the passage, let’s see the dialogue as witnesses of what had happened to the GOD-ISRAEL relationship.

 

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.  GOD PROVIDES A BRIEF HISTORY OF ALL THAT GOD HAS DONE TO THEM.

God provides a brief history of all that God has done for them through the years (6:4-5). Given this story, they should be more grateful than their complaining suggests. Those “saving acts of God” (verse 5) on Israel’s behalf include: the exodus from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 1-15); the leadership of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam (a striking female reference, Exodus 15:20-21); the deliverance from the Moabite King Balak through the agency of Balaam as the people made their way through the wilderness (Numbers 22-24); and the climactic move into the promised land itself, using familiar shorthand:  from Shittim, east of the Jordan, to Gilgal on the west (see Joshua 2:1; 3:1; 4:19; 5:19). (workingpreacher.org)

 

We can see that like in a courtroom, Israel stepped as a witness and God asked what He has done. Sometimes we need to be reminded what God has done to our lives in order for us to remember that God has done nothing but good to all of us. Israel was thinking that they were cursed by God because of the things happened to them but God reminded them about what happened to King Balak who wanted to curse Israel through Balaam but God intervened and instead of cursing, Balaam blessed them.

 

Not only did God not do evil to Israel, He also did them an enormous amount of good. He redeemed them and gave them godly leaders. God’s case against Israel was strong and Israel was guilty in the prophet’s court.

 

In light of this, Israel must remember that God could never be persuaded to curse Israel, except if they brought curses on themselves through their own idolatry and disobedience. In the prophet’s courtroom God showed Israel that if they felt cursed in any way, it was entirely their responsibility. (enduring.com/bible-commentary)

 

Sometimes we are in the same situation with Israel; we blame God for everything that happens in our lives. We don’t see that our stubbornness has consequences and leads us to a wrong path.

 

Remembering God has done in our lives is the best way to be a witness that God doesn’t want us to have a miserable life. If we just only be obedient to His instructions.

 

 

2.  THE ISRAELITES REPLIED WITH BITTERNESS AND RESENTMENT (MICAH 6:6-7)

Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? This was a question asked out of bitterness and resentment. In Micah’s imagined courtroom, Israel called out to God from the witness stand and said, “Just what do you want from me?”

 

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil? This reply from Israel is like saying, “You’re asking too much from me.”

 

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? This answer from the people was like saying “Would that be enough to please You?”

 

Sometimes we are in a situation that pleasing the Lord is hard for us. To the extent that we’re thinking that God is asking too much from us without realizing that obedience is the best way God wants.

 

Of all God has done for us, is it worth to become obedient to Him?

 

 

 

3.  GOD TELLS WHAT HE REQUIRES OF US (MICAH 6:8)

He has shown you: In Micah the prophet’s imagined courtroom God stopped the shouting of the angry defendant from the witness box. God essentially said, “You act as if what I require of you is some mystery. In fact, it is no mystery at all. I have shown you clearly what is good and what I require of you.”

To be just is to be fair in all you do. To act justly means to be honest and tell the truth. It means you treat every person equally, hold them to the same standard, and not apply a different system of fairness to one person versus another.   This means you will do what is morally right even when it is not socially popular. 

To love mercy means you will respond in the situation the way God would. You will uphold his standard in the earth and view every situation through this lens. It means you will love people the way he loves them and care for people the way he cares for them. Especially those who are less fortunate.

To walk humbly with God means you are not only careful about your walk, but you recognize your position is a result of God’s grace and nothing else. Your walk with God should cause you to increase in humility, not become full of arrogance.

When you add it all up, this verse is about your character. One of the ways character is displayed is how you treat people who disagree with you, and how you treat people who can give you nothing in return. In Matthew Jesus talks about how easy it is to love those who love you back. That does not display character or fruit. How do you love those who choose not to love you back, or where there is no personal benefit from loving them? When you can do these things, you are fulfilling the challenge to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with God. This is what God has shown us. Now let’s go do it. 

In Micah the prophet’s imagined courtroom God has proven His case before the court. Israel was afflicted, but it was not because of the neglect or disregard of God. Their own sin brought their affliction upon them. In addition, what God required of them was not mysterious or too difficult – they simply did not do it.

 

 

 

FOLLOW YOUR GOD (1 KINGS 18:1-46)

 

FOLLOW YOUR GOD

BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 KINGS 18: 1-46

Picture taken from Google
Lesson Prepared by: Krisha of Solomon’s Wisdom FB page

JANUARY 16, 2022

MEMORY VERSE

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

JOHN 12:26

 

INTRODUCTION:

Israel had come to the time of its history which it hit battle. King Ahab was a very wicked man. He had introduced all kinds of immoral practices among the people. The nation had sunk to the bottom. He had married a woman named Jezebel whose name is synonymous with “evil” and together this couple introduced the worship of Baal, the worship of Ashtoreth. They were guilty of leading the people away from God. In fact, they had set about to execute all the prophets of God. Suddenly during this period of history, a man seemed to appear to nowhere. We know a very little of his background and in fact we know nothing of his background. This man stood before the king and before the people and he said, “It is not going to rain again until I give the word” and then he disappeared. At first people didn’t matter before they may be thinking who he thinks he is who can control the weather. When the year without a rain, they began to wonder “who was that man, where did he go.” Two years they began to search for him; no rain drought had set in. The king ordered that they be found and be delivered to the king and when the searched parties came back they said “We’d searched all over we can’t find him.” The king ordered to put them to death to those who unable to find the prophet. In the third year, King Ahab called Obadiah, the governor of the palace; they will be both finding fountain of water, brooks and grass for the cattle. King Ahab went his way while Obadiah went in other direction. Then Obadiah met Elijah on the way and he fell on his face. Elijah asked Obadiah to tell the king that he wanted to meet him but Obadiah refused because he might be killed by the king when he would tell him but then eventually caught by the spirit of God and disappeared. In the verses 12 to 15, Obadiah explained how he fear the Lord and helped the prophets during the slain by the order of the queen Jezebel.

In verses 17-18, we can see how the king was in denial of his sins. Let’s read, “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?” Then Elijah rebuked him, “And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.” In the next verses, Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and Asthoreth (verses 19-20.

When the people of Israel gathered together, Elijah said in verse 21, “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”

LESSON OUTLINE:

1.  STOP HALTING BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS (1 KINGS 18:21)

There are three groups that had assembled in Mount Carmel. The prophet of God, Elijah the Tishbite. We don’t know the meaning of Tishbite; it probably indicates the locality where he came but even the scholars don’t know where the location is or what it is. What we know is, he was a rough and rugged fellow dressed in rough clothing and carry a heavy message. He comes on the scene very suddenly in times of great spiritual crisis but his name is very significant; the name Elijah means “Jehovah is My God.” Next, there in the mountains were gathered the prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth. These were the men who were defiling the land by leading the people in those abominable practices. They were leading the people in this moral decay; leading the nation down to worship other gods. These men were openly defiant against Jehovah the God of Israel. And then there was the third group, the halting multitude; the multitude that Elijah was cried out to. Imagine you took an opinion poll; you believe in God that you would gotten probably believe in God 100% but they were also all of them bowing their knees at the altar of Baal. They were mixed: in their devotion, in their commitment; in fact, they just worked committed and that was their problem. They were neither committed to God nor were they were committed to Baal; they were sort in between. Since that time, times have changed but people haven’t changed. Still today, we have three classifications of people same three categories. We have here, committed their lives as Elijah took totally serving the Lord. They are involved in active service; they are seeking to get more involved than they are waiting patiently for the call of God to lead them in what particular ministry or area of service that God would have them to commit their lives. Those who have made that decision and commitment. They are those who have given their lives to evil.

Then there is the large vast majority of the halting multitude. Those that who haven’t just made a commitment either direction. Jesus describes them as lukewarm. You were neither cold nor hot. Jesus said to them “I would rather that you be cold or hot” but because you are lukewarm, “I would spew you out in my mouth.” Uncommitted lukewarm condition or uncommitted multitude is the silent majority. The silent majority who stand by and do nothing; they just watch, stand for nothing, and thus, allow anything. These were the crowd Elijah was addressing and when he challenged them, “How long will you halt between two opinions? How long will you live out of the fence? How long will you go without making a real commitment?

For illustration, take your little son up to main street in Los Angeles. Walk down the sidewalk with him and let him see all of those men lying there on the gutter. Their own vomit caked on their clothes. Let them smell the stench. Let them look at the destroyed ruined lives of men who were one professionals but to see them lying helpless on the gutter. Within the mind of your son, will come a strong resolve, “I would never drink or take drugs.” But you in the uncommitted class, where the son watches you savor your wine at the dinner table, watches you seldom go to church, watches you don’t commit your life in the ministry, watches you prioritizing some other else rather than spiritual matters, watches you spending time watching television rather than reading the Bible and pray. You would say, “I would able to handle it” but how do you know what you kindling in your son’s little bosom and mind and he will not able to distinguish and you were actually encouraging him to go the path you wouldn’t like. Your influence upon him is far worse than the person who is turned themselves totally to evil.

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”

Let’s read again in the last line, “And the people answered him not a word.”  So the uncommitted people in this verse allow the evil to continue and you would say to yourself, “I can handle it” but you just encourage others who can’t handle it. Your liberty becomes a stumbling block to the weaker. How many times pastor asks you, “Would you commit?” and you answer him not a word. Elijah said, “How long you halt between two opinions?” Would I commit or not?

To those who have committed but halting between two opinions which means committed in paper but not in heart, beware of your silent work in the ministry. Some Christians only committed in a few months then no show after that; God sees everything.

To others until know who is still in the state of being indecisive, Elijah said, “How long you halt between two opinions?” What is indecisive? (of a person) not having or showing the ability to make decisions quickly and effectively. Again, Elijah said, “HOW LONG?”

2.  CHOOSE WHOM YOU WILL SERVE (1 KINGS 18:21)

 “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”

If we take notice of the prophets of Baal, we can see many things: their courage; they had the courage to accept the challenge of the prophet of God. They hadn’t seen the power of Baal but they took the courage. Also, we can see their enthusiasm; not only did they pray but they began to leap on the altar, they began to cut themselves and screamed. Another thing, their determination; they stocked with that all day long up until evening. How about us, what we got? That we would be as enthusiastic and as determined in the causes of righteousness as they are who are involved in the causes of evil; that was be a different world.

Elijah said in verse 27, “And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.”

After the prophet of Baal had tried everything and nothing happened, this verse shows that the god that they’d chosen, the god they were bowing their knees to, came a great question, are you sure that he can hear you in the day of trouble? Psalms 135:16-17 say, “They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.” t

 

 

 Is your god that way? You see every man has a god; every man has a master passion that governs his life. Every man bows his knee to some ideal, to some philosophy and to some ambition. There is that the heart of your life that keep you going that which occupies your mind whether it will be pleasure, whether it will be educational pursuit, whether it will your business, whether it will be your bank account and some materials things that devoting yourself to. It is your god that has the control your life but the thing is, is it able to help you in time of need. Will your god be asleep? Do you see pity in the life of the prophets of Baal? Imagine their bodies gushed out with blood when they cut themselves (verse 28) and they were weak, and tired, they leaped, screamed all day till evening. They had chosen god who cannot hear nor speak.

In Elijah, the prophet of God, you see the courage; he’s alone. There are 850 prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth and he stood alone for God and yet stands for the Lord, yet he stands alone. His calmness in times of the prophet of Baal did the demonstration is what we should I admire. He trusted God and saw that God was in control and able to meet the need.

In the mixed multiplied, nothing much to admire; they were the one that responsible that whole evil happened; they didn’t speak against it they were allowed to happen. Elijah was addressing to them, “How long halt ye between two opinions? How long you will sit and let things happen?  If the Lord be God, then follow him: commit yourself, get involve! Don’t just sit, but commit yourself to following Him, serving Him with all your heart, and begin to love your God with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength and make that commitment.

And in verse 30 and onwards, he showed the great demonstration. Though the altar was wet and he started praying, then the fire of the Lord fell to the altar.

 

CONCLUSION:

In which of the three categories do you fit? Where would you place yourself? Those who are fully committed to following Christ? Those who are fully committed to evil? Or are we the one who are halting between the two? How long will we stay there? If the Lord Jesus Christ is God, let’s begin to commit and serve Him. Bible says in John 12:26,

“If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.”