College & Career: Second Quarter 2019

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation

College and Career is the young adult quarterly directed toward students and young adults as they venture into the world of higher education and work. This quarterly is designed for young adults and stresses the issues and concerns of young Christians. The lessons are both challenging and rewarding, and they present practical approaches towards cur

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Feb 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781681674841

Book preview

Focal Scripture: Matthew 10:1–15 • Background Scripture: Matthew 10

LET’S GET STARTED . . .

Jesus came into the world to save humanity. Throughout His life, He demonstrated His divine purpose. When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, He called each of them to a great purpose: to share the Gospel. Some people seem to come into the world knowing their passion and purpose. Others go through life trying to discover it. College is a time of discovering who you are and finding your purpose. What is your purpose? Does it align with Jesus’ purpose for you?

REMEMBER THIS . . .

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. (Matthew 10:1, KJV)

What You’ll Need . . .

God’s Promises Bible, Matthew 10:1–15; Boyd’s Commentary for the Sunday School

Get into the Lesson . . .

1. THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH TODAY

(MATTHEW 10:1—5)

The mission of today’s church is the same as Christ’s mission—the mission of salvation. From the beginning, Satan has worked relentlessly to destroy humanity. Satan seeks to destroy the image of God in us by tempting us to sin. The suffering of humanity caused by the reality of sin requires divine intervention to help us escape Satan’s snares to be saved for eternal life with God. The plan to save us from sin required the shedding of the blood of One who was without sin. Jesus was the only One qualified to die for us, and He demonstrated His love for us by coming into the world to die that we may be saved.

Throughout history, many prophecies proclaimed the coming of the Messiah, whose purpose would be to redeem a lost and dying world. For generations, people waited for the Savior. John the Baptist was born to prepare the way for the coming Messiah. He preached a message of repentance, admonishing all to repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near (Matthew 3:2, NIV). People throughout Judea, Jordan, and Jerusalem gathered to listen to John’s teachings. They confessed their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River (v. 6). John prophesied that although he baptized with water, the Messiah would come and baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire (v. 11).

Christ began His public ministry following His baptism by His cousin John the Baptist. He called twelve disciples to follow Him and continue His ministry into the future. Throughout Jesus’ ministry, the disciples learned by watching Him. Christ preached the message of salvation, healed the sick, restored sight to the blind, raised the dead to life, cast out demons, and established His Church. The Church became the Bride of Christ. Though the Church is comprised of imperfect Christ followers, Jesus loves His Bride.

After Christ’s resurrection, the disciples continued to spread the Gospel to the world. Christ’s parting charge to the disciples was to go and make disciples of nations; baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; and teach them to observe everything He had commanded (Matthew 28:19–20).

2. FULFILLING THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH (MATTHEW 10:6–10)

The mission of the Church today remains the same as when Jesus commanded His disciples: Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near’ (Matthew 10:6–7, NIV). Christ established the Church to bring people to Himself so they might be saved (Matthew 16:18–19). Our job as Christians is to share the Gospel and lead others to salvation through faith in Christ. We are also charged to serve the community in whatever ways are needed. Christ empowers us to heal the sick; raise the dead; cast out demons; help the poor and destitute; and minister to those who are imprisoned physically, mentally, and emotionally.

#ChurchMission Start an online conversation on whether local churches are doing the work Christ intended for the Church. Tag us @nationalbaptist!

Sometimes, as a college student, it may appear as though Christianity is neither relevant nor popular among the many beliefs and ideologies promoted on modern campuses. False doctrines, cultural traditions, hypocrisy, immorality, greed, and other circumstances have given Christianity a bad name. This can make our efforts to share the Gospel difficult at times. Nevertheless, the real question we need to ask ourselves is: Am I promoting a message of relevance? Many students and professors are seeking relevance in their lives. They need something more or something better, something that will bring happiness and personal fulfillment. This search for relevance is the God void they are trying to fill, which is God’s means of pursuing their hearts. Despite the difficulty, Christ expects each of us to carry the Gospel to all the world and share the hope of salvation with others so their God voids can be