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