Master Teacher: July- September 2020

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation

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: Jun 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781681677279

Book preview

Lesson 1 for Week of July 5, 2020

WISDOM IN ACTION

UNIFYING TOPIC

Wisdom’s Vindication

LESSON TEXT

I. The Need for Confirmation (Matthew 11:7–8)

II. The Affirmation of Christ (Matthew 11:9–11)

III. Impacting the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 11:12–19)

THE MAIN THOUGHT

The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children. (Matthew 11:19, KJV)

UNIFYING PRINCIPLE

People often label unusual or unexpected behavior as eccentric, foolish, or even wrong, and the ones who act in unusual ways are vilified. What should be our assessment when someone’s behavior is unexpected? In Matthew, Jesus said His behavior and John’s, while unusual in their day, would eventually be proven wise by their subsequent deeds.

LESSON AIM

Jesus and John the Baptist were very different people. They even were different from the culture of their time. Their purpose and approach to the Gospel was also very different. Their actions ultimately proved to exemplify divine wisdom.

LIFE AIM

Followers of Jesus often stand out as different or even peculiar. It takes courage and faith to stand for Christ—even though we may seem peculiar.

BEFORE YOU TEACH

Consider . . .

Focus for College and Career—Young adults should seek godly wisdom to help guide their choices and actions.

Focus for Adult Christian Life—Adults should seek wisdom, recognize it in others, and understand the wisdom of God may not be understood by others.

Supplementary Study Materials

For further reference, see today’s lesson from Boyd’s Commentary and The New National Baptist Hymnal, 21st Century Edition, #341.

Need more teacher helps? Visit www.rhboyd.com.

TEACHING STEPS

First Step: Introduce the lesson by asking class members to share times when their faith was rocked by an unexpected life event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Discuss how they handled the situation and ways in which they can anchor their faith in times of adversity.

Second Step: Direct the class to read Matthew 10:1–14 and Matthew 11:1–19.

Third Step: Form two groups. One group represents the followers of John the Baptist, and the other group represents Jesus’ followers. Instruct each group to read and discuss the passages in today’s lesson. Contrast and compare what John’s followers may have experienced when he was imprisoned and what Christ’s followers may have experienced when Jesus began His ministry.

Fourth Step: College and Career—Lead students to list ways in which Jesus’ followers are different from those who do not follow Christ on their college campuses or in their workplaces. Adult Christian Life—Expressing our faith in work settings isn’t always easy or accepted. Discuss the challenges of being a follower of Jesus in the workplace. What are some things you cannot express to others at work? How do you walk out your faith in your work life?

Fifth Step: Talk with your class about how today’s lesson has impacted their faith in Jesus and inspired ways in which they can advance the Kingdom of God. Challenge your class to live in such a way that the Kingdom of God is forcefully advanced through their lives. Pray each member of your class will be able to live out their faith and express their Christian identity to others so the Kingdom of God may be advanced through them.

God’s Word in Life

One of the interesting things about John the Baptist was that he did not fit in well with his present culture. He dressed and ate differently, and he lived in the wilderness. He led a humble life, yet he carried an enormous amount of influence. As he preached, many were drawn to him because of the wisdom he possessed and because the power of God was evident in his life. The Bible says John the Baptist’s preaching forcefully advanced the Kingdom of God (Matt. 11:12). What do others say about you? Are you different from your peers? Do you live your life in such a way that others can see the light of the Gospel in you? Do others trust your wisdom and insight?

Connect with Learners: Give each learner a sheet of paper folded in half. Direct them to list on one side the things they believe may cause them to doubt the identity and power of Christ. One the other side of the paper, ask them to write things He has done in their lives to empower them to walk in faith.

Introduction

John the Baptist preached about the coming Messiah, trying to get the people ready for His arrival. He was imprisoned around the time Jesus began His ministry. When he heard about the things Jesus was doing, he needed confirmation to ensure Jesus was the Messiah. He sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was indeed the Messiah they had been expecting (Matt. 11:2–3). Jesus expected John would know who He was because of His miracles that confirmed the prophesies that foretold His coming. Although John the Baptist had baptized Jesus, he still needed further confirmation Jesus truly was the long-awaited Messiah. Sometimes when adversity or the unexpected happens to us, we may doubt Christ and His power to change the situation.

I. The Need for Confirmation (Matthew 11:7–8)

We all go through difficult times when the unexpected happens. It may be the loss of one’s health, family member, job, or opportunity. It may be an accident, a legal matter, divorce, loss of a friendship, not doing well in a class, or a pandemic. Regardless of the situation, life happens to all of us, and our faith may be tried severely. During these times, we may need a fresh reminder of God’s power and encouragement to continue our faith walk with Christ.

John the Baptist was no less immune to unfortunate circumstances than we are today. After preaching powerfully and leading many to repent of their sins in anticipation of the Messiah’s arrival, His ministry ended abruptly because Herod Antipas arrested him. No doubt, John must have been confused by the chain of events that led to his imprisonment and uncertain about whether or not his work was in vain. He heard about all of the miracles Jesus was performing, but still, he needed confirmation Jesus was in fact the true Messiah he had preached about. Did his plans fail? Was his ministry all for naught? John the Baptist needed to know for sure whether or not all of his work in preparing the way for Christ was effective. The only way to know for sure was to send his disciples to inquire whether Jesus was the Messiah or should they look for another.

#WisdomInAction

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Those who share their faith may come under violent attacks and may be rejected by others. This may cause doubt and discouragement, especially when things do not work out the way we think they should. Jesus assured John his work was not in vain.

II. The Affirmation of Christ (Matthew 11:9–11)

Many Jews rejected the teachings of John the Baptist. His ministry posed a threat to the Pharisees, therefore, they rejected him and imprisoned him. The followers of John the Baptist were committed to him despite his imprisonment. John’s purpose was to be the forerunner of Christ. He worked diligently to let people know the Kingdom of heaven was at hand. His ministry drew many to repent of their sins. During his imprisonment and facing his imminent death, John needed to know whether or not his work was in vain. He sent his disciples to inquire of Jesus whether or not He was the Messiah or should they look for another. Jesus told the disciples of John the Baptist to go back and tell him all of the things they had witnessed. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, gave sight to the blind, and caused the lame to walk again. Jesus performed many miracles and preached the Gospel, which were testament to His Messianic identity. He knew John the Baptist would recognize His miracles as credentials of His Messianic ministry. As John’s disciples departed from the inquiry with Christ, Jesus affirmed John’s work and his identity as greater than a prophet. When the news reached John the Baptist, he was encouraged to know his