International Sunday School Lesson December 28, 2025
Hi, I’m Donnie Bryson. Welcome to another edition of our treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson. Today’s lesson is entitled, “The Holy Spirit”. It’s for December 28, 2025. The text is taken from Romans 8:12-17 and verses 26 -27. Paul is discussing the victory we have in Jesus and the battle between our flesh and the spirit. We have to be careful using the word, “flesh”. It’s one English word with multiple meanings. One meaning is our physical body. There’s nothing sinful about our physical body. But, the same word in English can also mean our natural tendency to sin. Some of the places you see “flesh” in the Bible that it means body and other places it means our sinful tendencies. There’re primarily two Greek words translated into ‘flesh’. The Greek work, sarx, is used sometimes as our physical body and sometimes as our sinful tendencies. The other Greek word translated as flesh is soma. It usually only means the physical body. Unfortunately, we can’t say sarx always means our sinful tendencies though. Sometimes sarx merely means body. For example, 1 Corinthians 15:39 uses sarx in Greek when it states, “Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.” That obviously is NOT talking about sinful tendencies.
Spirit-Driven Transformation
We’re pulled in two different directions. We are pulled toward fleshly desires and the life in the spirit. Friends, we need to submit to God and resist the flesh.
Romans 8:12–13 NIV
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
We need to crucify the flesh and live for God. Paul told the Galatians in Galatians 5:24–26 “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”
Adoption Without Fear
Adoption was very common during Roman times. There’s some indication that adopted children had special rights. For example, they could not be disowned like natural children .
Romans 8:14–15 NIV
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
The word, “Abba”, is an untranslated Aramaic word. There’re some indications that it was often used affectionately like we use the word, “Daddy”. Paul is making the point that we have a closeness to God. Accepting Jesus brings us into the family. There’s forgiveness. There’s fellowship. There’s a sense of belonging. We’re part of the family. Yes, we serve God but we’re not mere chattel. We’re joint-heirs with Christ. We need to push forward with God though. The apostle John said in Revelation 21:7 “Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.”
Heirs of Hope
Paul told the Galatians in Galatians 4:1–7 “What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”
Romans 8:16–17 NIV
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
God comforts us in our spirit. We can feel Him sometimes. I’m not saying all the time but in those special moments He floods our soul. Thank God!
Spirit-Led Intercession
Tony Evans said, “… we don’t know the language of prayer like God does. We’re like foreigners, wandering around a country completely helpless. But in this unknown territory, the Spirit of God translates for us.”
Romans 8:26–27 NIV
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
There’s a lot of debate in the commentaries. Those of us that are Pentecostal, we understand these verses to be talking about praying in the spirit. We understand it to be praying in tongues. I’m NOT arguing about it. I’m just telling you what I believe and experience. It seems to perfectly agree with these verses. I am so thankful that I pray in tongues and say things that only God knows. There’s a lot of things I don’t know and much I don’t understand. God knows everything.
Concluding Thoughts
A couple of concluding thoughts. First, resist the works of the flesh and surrender to the move of the Holy Spirit. Second, be thankful that we are joint-heirs with Christ. Don’t feel like an outcast. Third, turn lose and let the Spirit of God pray through you. Well friends, good Lord willing, I’ll be back with you next weekend.
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