Monthly Archives: August 2017

Sunday School — September 3, 2017

The Rainbow

Genesis 8:20-22  Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  (21)  And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, the LORD said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.  (22)  While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Genesis 9:8-17  Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,  (9)  “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,  (10)  and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.  (11)  I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.”  (12)  And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:  (13)  I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.  (14)  When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,  (15)  I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.  (16)  When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”  (17)  God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

 

Sunday School Lesson — August 27, 2017

Called to be Inclusive

Acts 10:19-33  And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you.  (20)  Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.”  (21)  And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?”  (22)  And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.”  (23)  So he invited them in to be his guests. The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.  (24)  And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.  (25)  When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.  (26)  But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”  (27)  And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered.  (28)  And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.  (29)  So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”  (30)  And Cornelius said, “Four days ago, about this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing  (31)  and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.  (32)  Send therefore to Joppa and ask for Simon who is called Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’  (33)  So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

 

Sunday School — August 20, 2017

Called to Preach

Acts 9:10-20  Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”  (11)  And the Lord said to him, “Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying,  (12)  and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.”  (13)  But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem.  (14)  And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”  (15)  But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.  (16)  For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”  (17)  So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  (18)  And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;  (19)  and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus.  (20)  And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”

Sunday School — August 13, 2017

Called to Breakdown Barriers

Acts 8:26-39  Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.  (27)  And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship  (28)  and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.  (29)  And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”  (30)  So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”  (31)  And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.  (32)  Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.  (33)  In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”  (34)  And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”  (35)  Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.  (36)  And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”  (38)  And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.  (39)  And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.