Monthly Archives: December 2017

Sunday School — January 7, 2018

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A Sincere Faith

Daniel 1:8-21  But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.  (9)  And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs,  (10)  and the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink; for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age? So you would endanger my head with the king.”  (11)  Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,  (12)  “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.  (13)  Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.”  (14)  So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days.  (15)  At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king’s food.  (16)  So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.  (17)  As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.  (18)  At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.  (19)  And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king.  (20)  And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.  (21)  And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

 

Sunday School — December 31, 2017

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Faith to Unite

Ephesians 4:1-16  I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,  (2)  with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,  (3)  eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  (4)  There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—  (5)  one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  (6)  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.  (7)  But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  (8)  Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”  (9)  (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?  (10)  He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)  (11)  And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,  (12)  to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,  (13)  until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,  (14)  so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.  (15)  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,  (16)  from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Sunday School — December 24, 2017

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Faithful Seekers of the King

Matthew 2:1-12  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,  (2)  saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  (3)  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;  (4)  and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  (5)  They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:  (6)  “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”  (7)  Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.  (8)  And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”  (9)  After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.  (10)  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.  (11)  And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.  (12)  And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

 

Sunday School December 17, 2017

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Faith to Persevere

Acts 14:8-11  Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked.  (9)  He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,  (10)  said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking.  (11)  And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”

Acts 14:19-23  But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.  (20)  But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.  (21)  When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch,  (22)  strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.  (23)  And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

 

 

Sunday School — December 10, 2017

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Faith to Discern

Acts 13:1-12  Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  (2)  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”  (3)  Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.  (4)  So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia, and from there they sailed to Cyprus.  (5)  When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John to assist them.  (6)  When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus.  (7)  He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.  (8)  But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.  (9)  But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him  (10)  and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?  (11)  And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand.  (12)  Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.