A Synopsis of the Summer Quarter       (June 2010 - August 2010) Sunday School Lessons.                                    

Take a peek below at what's coming up!

                 Summer Quarter

Unit 1: June
The Nature of Christian Commitment
Lesson 1 (June 6 Visible for God   1 Thessalonians 1:1-10) reveals Paul’s gratitude that the Thessalonians were committed to enduring in the faith, receiving the gospel message, turning from idols, and awaiting Christ’s return. Their example was readily apparent to believers and nonbelievers in their day. It remains an example for us.
 

Lesson 2 (June 13 Pleasing to God   1 Thessalonians 2:1–12)teaches us that Christian commitment can be emulated. Paul and his coworkers were able to encourage the Thessalonians to live lives worthy of their calling precisely because those missionaries lived that kind of life while among them. The integrity of the church’s witness today depends on leaders who model such commitment.

 

Christian commitment can and will be tested, as Lesson 3 (June 20 Sustained Through Encouragement 1Thessalonians 3:1-13 reveals. Paul knew how difficult it was to endure trials, and he was greatly encouraged to learn that testing had made the Thessalonians stronger. Modern Christians endure trials and tests of many kinds. May we be encouraged by the example of Paul and the Thessalonians.

 

Our commitment to Christ involves not just our spiritual dedication, but also the physical side of our being. In Lesson 4, (June 27 Demonstrated in Action   1 Thessalonians 4:1) Paul instructed the Thessalonians that pleasing God is not an abstract, otherworldly matter. Christians must be faithful in concrete, everyday actions and behavior. These include abstaining from sexual immorality, loving fellow disciples, and having a good work ethic.

Unit 2: July
The Foundation of Christian Commitment
Unit 1 emphasized that Christian commitment must be expressed in concrete actions. But such commitment is not founded on human effort. Rather, it is by divine initiative. In that light, Lesson 5(July 4 God’s Plan for Salvation   1 Thessalonians 5:1–11) teaches about the fact and significance of Christ’s promise to return and finish His saving work. Paul taught the Thessalonians that they did not need to know precisely when Christ would return. What they needed to know—as must we—is that God is faithful to fulfill His promise, and that He has called us to be prepared. This foundation can be obscured when false teaching enters the church.
 

In Lesson 6 (July 11 Glory to Christ   2 Thessalonians 1:3–12) we learn that a key part of Christian commitment is the faithfulness of the persecuted. Down through the ages, the endurance of persecuted disciples has left a rich legacy of Christian commitment to which we are all indebted. The same God who worked through the persecuted Thessalonians will complete that work and glorify himself through us.

 

Christian commitment is founded on God’s sovereignty or control of world history, as Lesson 7 (July 18 Chosen and Called   2 Thessalonians 2:13–17) firmly establishes. God knows that lawless forces are at work in the world, and He allows their operation for a time. God’s people must stand firm in full assurance that God will, indeed, accomplish His purposes both to condemn the lawless and to save His people.

God’s own faithfulness is to be a model for our own commitment.

 

 

Click here to continue at top right.

 

 Home            

  Lesson 8 (July 25 God’s Own Faithfulness   2 Thessalonians 3:1–15) points out certain ungodly attitudes and behaviors within the church that work against our faithful commitment to Christ. Paul shows us how to recognize attitudes and behaviors that distract and mislead. These are not problems to be ignored! Believers of all eras must spend their time wisely and productively in the service of God. Part of that service involves admonishing those who do not.

Unit 3: August
The Marks of Christian Commitment
We discern various marks of Christian commitment in Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi. Lesson 9 (August 1 Sharing God’s Grace   Philippians 1:18–29) teaches us that Christian commitment must be unwavering. Paul conducted his ministry under opposition from both those claiming and those rejecting Christ. He was able to endure by placing Christ first. His letter encouraged the Philippians to follow his example in that regard. They were to live worthily amidst whatever suffering might come their way. So must we.
 

Christian commitment must be humble and selfless, as Lesson 10 (August 8  Serving Others   Philippians 2:1–13) establishes. For the church to endure and flourish under suffering, its members must stay on the same page. For this to happen, believers must follow the example of Christ, who humbled himself and put the needs of others first. Only in this way will we be able to shine brilliantly as stewards of the Word of life. To “empty” ourselves as Christ did is our supreme challenge—and our supreme privilege.

 

Lesson 11 (August 15 Living into the Future   Philippians 3:7-16) brings us the challenge of distinguishing between past and future orientations. Paul is clear in this regard: Christian commitment must be oriented to the future, to be oriented toward a heavenly goal. To be enamored with the past, by contrast, is to focus on one’s resumé of personal accomplishments. Like the apostle Paul, we must be willing to renounce all of these. We must resolve to know Christ alone as we press forward in Him. In so doing, we experience both the fellowship of His sufferings and the power of His resurrection in the present.

 

Lesson 12 (August 22 Growing in Joy and Peace   Philippians 4:2–14) teaches us that Christian commitment involves a zeal for peaceful, joyous fellowship within the church. Churches that are fractured by strife will not endure. No one wants to be part of a joyless church.

Believers are to be at peace not only with fellow believers but also with whatever uncertainties the future may hold. Rather than dwell on what we cannot control, we are to focus on the good that we know and have in Christ. Like Paul, we must exhibit unflinching confidence that God will meet all our needs.
 

Lesson 13 (August 29  Upheld by God   Acts 28:16–25a, 28–31) shows us how Paul embodied all of the above marks of Christian commitment during his last recorded days under house arrest in Rome. Here we see unwavering commitment while under persecution. Here we see a steadfast commitment to proclaiming the reality of the present and future kingdom of God that has been made possible by Christ. Paul lived what he taught until his dying days. So must we.

Our Commitment
by John C. Nugent
Genuine, long-term commitment seems to be a rare thing today. A highly mobile culture offers fewer and fewer exemplars of those willing to accept long-term obligations. Think about how many people choose a short-term lease for a vehicle rather than purchasing it outright and holding onto it for, say, eight years. Think of all those tantalizing cell phone offers with “no contracts to sign.”
This trend to shorter-term arrangements is closely tied to the expectations of a consumer-driven economy. How can one possibly bear the inadequacy of last year’s technology? Why would anyone repair something old when a newer version is within reach? The exceptional person who wishes to repair and retain a certain product may soon learn that the manufacturer seems to have conspired against that idea. For example, it may cost almost as much to buy a replacement battery for one’s old cordless drill as it does to buy a new cordless drill with one or more batteries! To “just get a new one” often seems to be the easiest route.
Indeed, to the modern mind it seems entirely irrational to commit to just about anything on a long-term basis. To do so would be to limit one’s options and to surrender one’s flexibility.
That was not the mind-set of Paul. That apostle’s unwavering commitment to Christ is a refreshing break from the “commitment to noncommitment” of our culture. A primary long-term commitment we should make is to adopt his outlook as our own. In so doing, we immerse ourselves in a commitment worth living and dying for: a commitment to Jesus Christ.
Television commercials, blockbuster Hollywood films, and “the latest buzz” on the Internet capture our imagination and cloud our vision in the process. The Christians of Thessalonica and Philippi may not have had mass media outlets to compete with, but they had to practice unflinching Christian commitment when reputations, occupations, and the security of future generations were on the line. Though times have changed in many ways, the need for commitment to Christ has not.

 

    __________________________________

 

Sign Up for Sunday School Lessons

 

Top

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

Sunday School | Salvation | Scriptures | Contact Us | Bible Trivia | Children | Store

At your service for over 10 years, by the grace of God!

Copyright © 2000-2010 Jesus Is All Ministries, LLC. All Rights Reserved In Christ. Design -Viaden-