Adult Christian Life: January- March 2021

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation

Adult Christian Life is a best-selling quarterly study guide that is specially written for practical adult life experiences. These lessons provide clear, biblical interpretations and stimulating discussions for everyday living.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Dec 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781681677767

Book preview

Seeking God’s Guidance

Suggested Opening Exercises

1. Usual Signal for Beginning

2. Prayer (Closing with the Lord’s Prayer)

3. Singing (Song To Be Selected)

4. Scripture Reading: Psalm 24 (KJV)

Director: The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

School: For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

Director: Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place?

School: He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Director: He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

School: This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

Director: Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

School: Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

Director: Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.

All: Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.

Recitation in Concert:

Jeremiah 21:11–14 (KJV)

11 And touching the house of the king of Judah, say, Hear ye the word of the LORD;

12 O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

13 Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the LORD; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations?

14 But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.

CLOSING WORK

1. Singing

2. Sentences: 2 Corinthians 4:5–15 (KJV)

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.

13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;

14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

3. Dismissal with Prayer

AN AMAZING MESSENGER

RESOURCES: New National Baptist Hymnal 21st Century Edition, Boyd’s Commentary for the Sunday School

KEY VERSE: The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18–19, KJV

Intro

Preaching is a calling of and from God. It’s one of the mediums God chooses to use to communicate His will to His people. Not only are preachers messengers for God, but they are significantly impacted by the message given to them by God.

Modern examples of some prophet/preachers include Adam Clayton Powell, Howard Thurman, and Martin Luther King, Jr. These prolific prophets were unified by the common message of liberation and justice for the oppressed. Their sermons have helped to establish a universal language for Black identity, suffering, and community building. However, Jesus is the greatest example of a preacher/prophet. As the Christ, the message He preached was the life He lived so He could be the salvation for all.

In today’s lesson, Jesus is returning to Capernaum as it became His headquarters for Galilee. Luke records Jesus returning to Galilee, after being tempted in the wilderness. He uses the temptation narrative to function as the last preparatory episode that launches Jesus into public ministry. It also served to reinforce the essence of His humanity. Luke needed to show his readers that like all of us, Jesus was tempted. But what makes Him unique, in addition to being chosen by God, is that everything He did was under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Think About It

It takes courage to be a messenger for God. Believe it or not, everyone receives a word from the Lord in a positive way. Imagine if it were you, in the shoes of our Savior, while in front of synagogue members. What would you say?

1. Empowered by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:14–15)

Know It

The author’s opening words in verse 14, Then Jesus returned, marks the victorious culmination of His temptation ordeal (v. 1-13), and inauguration into His earthly ministry. To further validate His Messiahship, Luke goes to great lengths to demonstrate the relational connection Jesus has with the Holy Spirit. He has been confirmed by the Spirit at His baptism (3:22). Being driven into the wilderness by the Spirit, Jesus shows that His relation to the Spirit was as coequal member of the Godhead, but also as One who was obedient to the leading of the Spirit. Now, He returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit. The author’s multiple references of Jesus and His connection to the Spirit, are intentional. They validate Jesus’ actions as being both, of God’s will and the source of His power.

Evidence of Jesus’ spiritual empowerment is confirmed by the speed at which news regarding His ministry circulated , through all of the surrounding region. Verse 15 identifies one of His mission objectives was teaching. After being tempted in the wilderness, Jesus came back to Galilee empowered by the Spirit to be a messenger from God with a message for God’s people in Galilee.

He taught in the local town synagogues. Jesus’ reputation grew. Though Luke had not yet narrated any events of Jesus demonstrating His power, the fame of His divine abilities was already known by his readers. By the time this Gospel was composed, most of Luke’s readers would have heard about the incident at the Jordan, where God audibly confirmed Jesus as His beloved Son (3:22). Prior to that, others would have heard about His unique insight into God, the Law, and humanity (2:51). Being widely accepted in Galilee, Jewish people from all over thronged to hear Jesus. His message and His methods for sharing His it were quite unique. He and His life example are the embodiment of the message; a concept the author of the Gospel of John later developed in his account (John 1:14). Jesus’ words inspired the people and amid such adoration and acknowledgment, He was glorified by all. Then the time arrived for Him to go home.

2. The Mission of the Messenger (Luke 4:16–19)