A Synopsis of the Winter Quarter       (December 2009 - February 2010) Sunday School Lessons.                                    

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                 Winter Quarter

About These Lessons

        "What Was the Reason?"

by Mark S. Krause

Does everything happen for a reason? This is actually a deep doctrinal question. Any thoughtful person must wrestle with whether there is an all-powerful God who controls things, or if our universe is a place where things happen purely by mechanical cause-and-effect procedures. In each scenario, a reason may be given for things happening, but those reasons will be very different.

Why did the life of Jesus play out the way it did? Was there a reason? The Bible’s answer to this question is Yes. The reason is that the birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus were according to God’s plan. This was not a make-it-up-as-we-go plan, however. It was a plan in the wisdom of God that had been foreordained long before Jesus was born.

Unit 1: December
The Promised Birth Fulfilled

The lessons for the month of December look at the birth of Jesus from the perspective of the books of Matthew and Luke. Matthew is the Gospel author most concerned with showing ways in which Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. Our four lessons also will examine Old Testament passages that give important historical context in understanding the Messiah.

Lesson 1 (December 6 The Lineage of David-Ruth 4:13–17; Matthew 1:1–6) takes us to what may seem an unlikely source: the book of Ruth. This little book is known for its story of courage and faithfulness, but it has a larger role in the biblical story line. Ruth’s marriage to Boaz is a heartwarming tale, but its lasting significance is in the great-grandson of this couple: King David. The lesson explores the ways in which the lineage of Jesus (a descendant of David) is a vital part of His identity as the promised Messiah.

In Lesson 2 (December 13 The Foreshadowing of Messiah’s Birth-Isa. 7:13–17; Luke 1:30–38) we will look at the interplay between a dramatic prophecy in Isaiah and its fulfillment in the life of a young Jewish girl over 700 years later. Some may ask, “Can we still believe in the virgin birth in our world of technology and science?” At the core of this lesson is the statement from the angel, “With God nothing shall be impossible.” The truth of the virgin birth is a fundamental part of a Christian understanding of the Christmas story, and it will be presented using Luke’s account of Mary’s visit by the angel. This lesson is valuable in understanding how Mary felt at the center of these dramatic events.

On the other hand, Lesson 3 (December 20 Emmanuel’s Birth (Christmas) - Matthew 1:18–25) examines the story of the birth of Jesus from the perspective of the man who became Jesus’ earthly father in a legal sense: Joseph. The miraculous pregnancy of a virgin was not immediately explained to him. At first he saw her pregnancy as evidence of the defilement of his fiancée and was determined to release her from their engagement. Then he, like Mary, received an angelic message that told him to stand firm in his commitment to the woman. The lesson portrays Joseph’s obedient faithfulness.

How did others respond to the birth of the Messiah? Lesson 4 (December 27 Confirming Messiah’s Birth - Matthew 2:7–10, 16–23) looks at two diametrically opposed reactions. On the side of faith and wonder are the wise men, mysterious scholars from the East who learn of Jesus’ birth through their interpretation of a new star. On the side of jealousy and violence is bitter old King Herod, who seeks to have the baby killed. The lesson will explore why these different reactions arose and why we still see them today in people who are confronted by the message of Jesus.

Unit 2: January
Evidences of Jesus as Messiah

Jesus’ claim to be the Jewish Messiah is not built on only a single piece of evidence. While the resurrection of Jesus from the dead may be His ultimate, unquestionable stamp of approval by God, His life and ministry offer many earlier proofs of His true identity as the Son of God.

 

 

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  Lesson 5 (January 3 Proclaimed in Baptism - Matthew 3:1–6, 11–17) studies the first public confirmation of His messiahship: His baptism by John. Here we consider the testimony of John himself and the heavenly voice and dove sent from the Father.

  A difficult episode during the initial stages of Jesus’ ministry is examined in Lesson 6 (January 10  Strengthened in Temptation - Matthew 4:1–11). His experience of a period of temptation while spending time alone in a wilderness location. Jesus was challenged by Satan in a direct, personal way that startles us. But His faithful handling of the situation is both instructive to us for our own temptation experiences and helpful in understanding the Messiah more fully.

Jesus received wide acclaim for His ministry of miraculous healing. Lesson 7 (January 17 Demonstrated in Acts of Healing - Matthew 9:27–34; 11:2–6) looks at two of these healings. One is the restoration of sight for two blind men. That is followed by the healing of a man who could not speak because he was possessed by a demon. The lesson also looks at the various responses to Jesus and His ministry: from the amazed crowds to the critical Pharisees to the doubting John the Baptist.

Lesson 8 (January 24 Declared in Prayer- Matthew 11:25-30) is an analysis of one of Jesus’ recorded prayers. Jesus’ comments on His prayer include the gracious invitation “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus’ promise of rest for the spiritually weary is as inviting today as it was when first offered, and this lesson promises comfort and assurance to those who study it. With this Scripture, we better understand the nature of Jesus’ mission.

This unit of evidences for Jesus’ messianic claims finishes with the disappointing account of His lack of acceptance by the residents of His home region. Lesson 9 (January 31 Revealed in Rejection - Matthew 13:54–58) looks at how Jesus marveled at the lack of repentance by some despite His mighty works. Those who rejected Him seemed to be unable to get beyond the fact that Jesus came from a local family of carpenters. They were offended by word and deed, just as some are offended by those same things today. Their lack of faith prevented the full power of God’s mighty works from being shown in their community.

Unit 3: February
Testimonies to Jesus as Messiah

The lessons for the month of February are also drawn from the book of Matthew. They are based on some of the personal testimonies that Matthew offers from people who came to faith in Jesus as the Messiah as a result of their encounters with Him.

Lesson 10 (February 7 Recognized by Canaanite Woman - Matthew 15:21–28) begins with the testimony of a woman who was not even a Jew. A Canaanite woman asked Jesus to save her little daughter from a demon. This occurred while Jesus and His disciples made their longest journey from their home base: to the region of Tyre and Sidon on the Phoenician coast. Matthew records Jesus’ delight at the great faith He found in this Gentile woman. The lesson reinforces to us that faith may be found in unexpected places and from unlikely people.

Lesson 11 (February 14 Declared by Peter - Matthew 16:13–27) is based on one of the key passages in the entire New Testament: Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God. All who would claim to be Christians must see their own faith mirrored in Peter’s confession, for it is the very core of the gospel. This lesson will challenge students to reaffirm their personal faith in Christ.

In Matthew, Peter’s declaration of Jesus as the Christ is followed quickly with a dramatic confirmation from God himself: the transfiguration. Peter and his companions were allowed to see Jesus in conversation with Moses and Elijah, two of the greatest figures of Jewish history. Yet the two historical figures faded away, and only Jesus remained. Lesson 12 (February 21 Witnessed by Disciples - Matthew 17:1–23) will lead students through an examination of this glimpse of Jesus’ glory that was given to the three disciples, and it will apply this eternal reality to their own walks of faith.

The quarter ends with a beautiful lesson based on the touching act of a woman who anointed Jesus with costly perfumed oil. Jesus promised that her act of extravagant faith would not be forgotten. Lesson 13 (February 28 Anointed by a Woman in Bethany - Matthew 26:6–13) teaches us how her devotion was derided by critics, but honored by Jesus himself. From her we may learn new ways in which we too may offer acts of faithful devotion to our Lord Jesus.

Prophecy and Fulfillment

Jesus fulfilled many dramatically detailed predictions about His life, predictions given hundreds of years in advance. This is remarkable and amazing. But there is more to the fulfillment side than predictions. Jesus himself was also the fulfillment of God’s plan in a larger way: He was the embodiment of God’s will. He was the plan for saving sinners. This quarter’s lessons drive that theme home to your students. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plan for our salvation.
 

 

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Summary and commentary derived from Standard Lesson Commentary Copyright© 2010 by permission of Standard Publishing.

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