Master Teacher: 1st Qtr 2018

By R.H. Boyd

Master Teacher is the teacher’s quarterly to be used with Adult Christian Life and College and Career. Each lesson contains extensive biblical exposition and specific instructions for the teacher. The outline of the lesson is reader-friendly, and includes suggestions for maximizing teacher/student interaction and topics for making the study informative and enriching.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Oct 23, 2017
• ISBN: 9781681673349

Book preview

LESSON 1 FOR WEEK OF JANUARY 7, 2018

LIVING YOUR CONVICTIONS

UNIFYING TOPIC:

A Sincere Faith

LESSON TEXT

I. Daniel’s Resolve (Daniel 1:8–10)

II. Daniel’s Request (Daniel 1:11–17)

III. Daniel’s Reward (Daniel 1:18–21)

THE MAIN THOUGHT

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. (Daniel 1:8, KJV)

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE

People find themselves confronted by contradictory requirements from different sources of authority. How do we resolve such conflicts? Daniel’s active faith combined with tact helped him resolve his conflict and remain obedient to God in terms of dietary requirements.

LESSON AIM

To appreciate Daniel’s strong convictions and the risk he took to live out those convictions

LIFE AIM

To understand the importance of living out our convictions

BEFORE YOU TEACH

Consider . . .

Focus for College and Career—Young adults may have trouble living out the demands of the faith consistently. Today’s lesson is a good opportunity to discuss the effects of peer pressure.

Focus for Adult Christian Life—Older adults may grow complacent in their faith over time. Today’s lesson can be a reminder that faith is meant to be lived out in the face of challenges.

Supplementary Study Materials

For further reference, see today’s lesson from Boyd’s Commentary, New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition, #65 (NNBH, #44), and God’s Promises Bible.

Teacher Helps

For teaching supplements visit http://www.rhboydpublishing.com.

First Step: Introduction. Open the class by reading the passage and then leading the class in prayer.

Second Step: Have the class discuss how valuable one’s convictions are in various environments, such as family, church, or work.

Third Step: Have the class discuss the importance of standing up for what you believe, especially if it involves faith. Then have them talk about ways that one can defend his or her faith without being either defensive or overbearing.

Fourth Step: For College and Career: Have the students briefly write down a time when their faith was challenged. How did they respond? For Adult Christian Life: As they have grown older, have challenges to faith diminished in frequency at all? Discuss.

Fifth Step: Have a student summarize one or two points that he or she learned from the Sunday school lesson today. Have another student close the class with a prayer.

God’s Word in Life

Often, it is difficult to stay true to our convictions, especially in our day. Hostile pressure weighs down on us by way of social media, political and social fracturing, financial stresses, and so forth.

The Bible is clear in its position about how we should live and govern our lives with regard to our families, our jobs, and our treatment of others. It also warns us not to worship any person or thing other than God. As we study this lesson, may we not only be clear about what we believe, but may we also hold firm to our convictions in action without wavering, even if it means our lives or livelihoods are threatened.  †

— EXPOSITION —

Introduction

How do you normally respond when you are faced with a difficult decision? Do you step up to meet the challenge, or do you find yourself avoiding the issue? If you struggle with this choice—which, in all honesty, few of us find to be easy—today’s lesson will hopefully be the prompt you need to reconsider your approach to difficult moral and spiritual decisions. Daniel’s convictions were so strong that he was willing to take a stand. His stand affected not only him, but also the lives of his friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, as well as the palace officials and even King Nebuchadnezzar. How will you respond the next time you are faced with a difficult decision?

In 605 B.C., 597 B.C., and again in 586 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, launched attacks against Judah. The book opens with this final attack: In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it (Dan. 1:1, NRSV). In the end, Solomon’s temple was destroyed, and Judah’s political leaders along with their wealth were carried into Babylon. Part of subduing the Israelite population was assimilating their nobility into Babylonian culture. As Amy-Jill Levine points out: Nobility from conquered kingdoms were typically brought into exile (see 2 Kings 24:14–16); educating their youth was thought to increase acceptance of foreign rule and minimize the likelihood of revolt (The New Oxford Annotated Study Bible, 4th Ed. [Oxford University Press, 2010], 1234). This is exactly what happened in Daniel’s case: And the king spake unto Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the king’s seed, and of the princes; Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans (Dan. 1:3–4, KJV). These are the circumstances operating in the background of today’s lesson. They remind us that often the greatest challenges to our faith come when we enter positions of (seemingly) great privilege and status.

I. Daniel’s Resolve (Daniel 1:8–10)

When we believe in our hearts that God cares for us and will provide all of our needs, it is much easier to stay true to our faith without wavering—even if it means our lives might be threatened. Daniel had this kind of faith: Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself (v. 8, KJV). He resolved in his own heart not to eat the king’s food. He did not want to eat or drink anything that had been consecrated to idols or that might not have been slaughtered in the proper manner (see Deut. 12:23–24). So when the palace master presented him with this food, Daniel refused. (Although the Scriptures emphasize Daniel’s resolve, it is evident that Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had the same mindset.)

It is important to note both the language and tone in Daniel’s request to the official in charge of him and his friends. Daniel framed his request as an experiment with fixed time limits. He was not dogmatic or defiant toward the palace master. God had brought Daniel into favor with his overseer: God allowed Daniel to receive favor and compassion from the palace master (Dan. 1:9, NRSV). This could very well be the result of the way Daniel carried himself in the presence of his captors, but it also shows that God was active in Daniel’s life. Speaking of this favor and compassion, one commentator notes that the Hebrew word for compassion is a very strong expression, and denotes a kind of parental compassion, like that of St. Paul in his epistle to Philemon (http://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/daniel/1.htm).

It is significant that Daniel’s request was not granted without question. Verse ten lays out the palace master’s concerns about what would happen if Daniel’s request did not bring about a favorable outcome. What would he report to his superior if he were questioned? He says, ‘I am afraid of my lord the king’ (v. 10, NRSV). Why would he take this chance? What was in it for him? We may never know.

For more information about THE ROYAL RATIONS, visit www.rhboydpublishing.com.

COMMUNED

(Hebrew: dabar)

(Daniel 1:19)

This verb means to speak; to converse with. There was a continuous dialogue between the king and the young men in order to test their knowledge and skills.

II. Daniel’s Request (Daniel 1:11–17)

Having complete trust and confidence in God allows the believer to live and move, knowing that doing things God’s way will effect change. Daniel was persistent. Even though the palace master denied his request, he did not give up. He next proposed to his guard that he and his friends be tested for ten days to see if eating and drinking vegetables and water would make them healthier. In other words, Daniel requested, I want you to do a thorough examination of me and my three friends. Look at our health, our skin, and our weight. Test our minds for sharpness. At the end of the ten-day period, I want you to do a comparison between the ones who have eaten the king’s diet and us, who chose not to defile ourselves with the rations of the king’s diet. Examine us and see if our diet has made us malfunction in any way. The guard agreed to Daniel’s proposal. At the end of ten days, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food (v. 15, NIV). Their diet did not mean that Daniel and his friends were in any way neglected. Indeed, God gave [them] knowledge and skill in every aspect of literature and wisdom (v. 17, NRSV). In addition to this, Daniel could understand visions and dreams (v. 17).