Monthly Archives: May 2020

Listen to God’s Wisdom

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International Sunday School June 7, 2020 Summer Quarter Lesson #1

Proverbs 1:1-4 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: (2) for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; (3) for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; (4) for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young–

Proverbs 1:7-8  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  (8)  Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them.

Proverbs 1:20-22 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; (21) on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: (22) “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

Proverbs 1:32-33 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; (33) but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

 

Pursue Love and Justice

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International Sunday School May 31, 2020 Spring Quarter #14

Hosea 11:1-2  “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.  (2)  But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.

Hosea 11:7-10  My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them.  (8)  “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.  (9)  I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man– the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.  (10)  They will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west.

Hosea 12:1-2  Ephraim feeds on the wind; he pursues the east wind all day and multiplies lies and violence. He makes a treaty with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.  (2)  The LORD has a charge to bring against Judah; he will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds.

Hosea 12:6-14  But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always.  (7)  The merchant uses dishonest scales and loves to defraud.  (8)  Ephraim boasts, “I am very rich; I have become wealthy. With all my wealth they will not find in me any iniquity or sin.”  (9)  “I have been the LORD your God ever since you came out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, as in the days of your appointed festivals.  (10)  I spoke to the prophets, gave them many visions and told parables through them.”  (11)  Is Gilead wicked? Its people are worthless! Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Their altars will be like piles of stones on a plowed field.  (12)  Jacob fled to the country of Aram; Israel served to get a wife, and to pay for her he tended sheep.  (13)  The LORD used a prophet to bring Israel up from Egypt, by a prophet he cared for him.  (14)  But Ephraim has aroused his bitter anger; his Lord will leave on him the guilt of his bloodshed and will repay him for his contempt.

Repent of Injustice

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International Sunday School — May 24, 2020 Spring Quarter #13

Jeremiah 22:1-10 This is what the LORD says: “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah and proclaim this message there: [2] ‘Hear the word of the LORD to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David’s throne—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates. [3] This is what the LORD says: Do what is just and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place. [4] For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people. [5] But if you do not obey these commands, declares the LORD, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’ ” [6] For this is what the LORD says about the palace of the king of Judah: “Though you are like Gilead to me, like the summit of Lebanon, I will surely make you like a wasteland, like towns not inhabited. [7] I will send destroyers against you, each man with his weapons, and they will cut up your fine cedar beams and throw them into the fire. [8] “People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the LORD done such a thing to this great city?’ [9] And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.’ ” [10] Do not weep for the dead king or mourn his loss; rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled, because he will never return nor see his native land again.

Practice Justice

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International Sunday School May 17, 2020 Spring #11

Jeremiah 21:8-14 “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. [9] Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives. [10] I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the LORD. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’ [11] “Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the LORD. [12] This is what the LORD says to you, house of David: “ ‘Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done— burn with no one to quench it. [13] I am against you, Jerusalem, you who live above this valley on the rocky plateau, declares the LORD— you who say, “Who can come against us? Who can enter our refuge?” [14] I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the LORD. I will kindle a fire in your forests that will consume everything around you.’ ”

 

Promising Peace

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International Sunday School May 10, 2020 Spring #11

Zechariah 8:1-8 The word of the LORD Almighty came to me. [2] This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.” [3] This is what the LORD says: “I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.” [4] This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. [5] The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” [6] This is what the LORD Almighty says: “It may seem marvelous to the remnant of this people at that time, but will it seem marvelous to me?” declares the LORD Almighty. [7] This is what the LORD Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west. [8] I will bring them back to live in Jerusalem; they will be my people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”

Zechariah 8:11-17 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as I did in the past,” declares the LORD Almighty. [12] “The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people. [13] Just as you, Judah and Israel, have been a curse among the nations, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.” [14] This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Just as I had determined to bring disaster on you and showed no pity when your ancestors angered me,” says the LORD Almighty, [15] “so now I have determined to do good again to Jerusalem and Judah. Do not be afraid. [16] These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; [17] do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the LORD.