ASSEMBLIES OF GOD NIGERIA ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSONS FOR SEPTEMBER 17, 2023.

Lesson Bible Text:

Lesson Central Truth:

Glorify the living God, who is sovereignly active in the affairs of humankind.

Psalm 65 and 115 describe two different aspects of life. In Psalm 65, David rejoiced in God for answering prayers and forgiving sins. He praise God for great power and blessings. Psalm 115, in other hand, describes those who are through adversity. They know God is sovereign and resides in heaven, but the physical evidence is not there. The Psalmist provided hope in adversity. The people needed to trust God and praise Him because of who He is even in difficult circumstances. Both Psalms remind us that we are to glorify God, our sovereign King, in all circumstances. God alone is the God of all glory, and so we must turn to Him to bless Him alone. And when we give glory to Him, He in His divine grace has fashioned the world in such a way as to allow us to be a reflected glory.

A. Our Loving God – Psalm 115:1-2

B. The Futility Of Idol – Psalm 115:2-8.

A. God Our Helper And Shield – Psalm 115:9-11

B. God Blesses Those Who Fear Him – Psalm 115:12-18.

A. God Provides For Our Spiritual Needs – Psalm 65:1-8

B. God Provides For Our Physical Needs – Psalm 65:9-13.

Also see; open-heaven-17-september-2023

Psalm 115:1-8

The Psalmist does not tell us what the adversity was, but the people recognised that it somehow reflected to God’s ability to protect and provide for His people. Thus, they prayed, “Not to us O Lord, not to us.” They recognised God as the one who has delivered them from every adversity they were into. As believers, we should note that when God did wonderful things, the glory should be given Him alone – not unto us, even if we are in some sense active in the work.

The doings of God in our lives are wonderful and we must recognise His wonders. The glory should go unto God and His Holy name. The psalmist asked God to deliver His people so that He would be glorified among the nations, and the Gentiles (unbelievers) would have no reason to think God had forsaken them. The world will taunt us with mocking questions like: “Where now is your God?” Yes, they will point to the gods created by their own hands and boast about how impressive they are. But as funny as it is, their gods ultimately fall on their faces and break into pieces like Dagon before the ark of the covenant in 1 Samuel 5.

Part of our problem is we have forgotten where our God is. In this psalm, we are reminded that “Our God is in the heavens and He does whatever He pleases!” The world worships idols of their own creation: these may be idols of materialism, idols of sports heros, idols of religious formality–all sorts of idols. But they all have one thing in common: these idols are powerless to impart any type of blessing. This psalm provides one of the most graphic comparisons between the power of the true God and the helplessness of manmade idols.

The idols have human characteristics — mouths, ears, eyes, hand, feet and throat. But unlike their human counterparts, these parts have no ability to function in a meaningful way. Our Almighty God hears, sees and speaks (Psalm 33:13; 34:17; 85:8). Note that those who make and trust in idols are just like them and just as foolish as their idols. Indeed, idols are lifeless and powerless. Our trust should be in the everlasting and most powerful God who reigns supreme over all.

Our God is the help and shield of those who fear Him and trust in Him. He will bless those who fear Him. Our God is actively involved in His creation. The psalmist drew upon God’s past faithfulness and used it as confidence in God’s future blessing. He has not forgotten us in the past and He will not forget to bless us in the future. When we contemplate the vastness of God’s creation we exclaim with David, “What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (Psalm 8:4).

It is of great importance to note that it is God’s nature to bless, it is His prerogative to bless, it is His glory to bless, it is His delight to bless; He has promised to bless, and therefore be sure of this, that He will bless you without ceasing as long as you keep trusting Him.

In giving this blessing to those of us who fear and trust the LORD, the psalmist recognized God as the true source of such blessing, extending even to our children. The psalmist recognized God’s authority as Creator over both heaven and earth. Here he acknowledged God’s continuing dominion over the heavens, probably in all three senses (the blue sky, the starry sky, and the heaven where God dwells). Though God has authority over earth as the Creator, He has given a significant dominion on the earth to the children of men. We being alive is a great opportunity to glorify Him because only the living can praise Him. Our afflictions and depressions of spirit shall not cause us to suspend our praises of Him. We can praise the Lord both now and forever.

Psalm 65:1-13

The psalm highlights what seems to be a very nationalistic psalm about the people of Israel and their feasts and offerings being performed at the sanctuary in Jerusalem. But verse 2 expands this worship psalm to all people. “for you answer our prayers, and to you all people will come.” This psalm expresses the universal need to come to God. All people on the earth, not just the Jewish people, are to praise and worship Him. God’s goodness overflows from His presence. The chosen people must come to God. We come to God because He is the One who has provided us with all our spiritual needs. With great love and mercy has He guided us into His truth.

We are what we are today all by His grace. Another spiritual blessing we enjoy from God is that He is always near to us. Note that we are satisfied when God is near to us. We will find provisions from the Lord when we remain near the Lord. God’s goodness overflows from His presence. Goodness and righteousness surround God and we should desire to be near to Him at all time.

They learned to trust God for His care of them by His care of the land. So, David declares that it is God who visits the earth and waters it. God makes the ground rich and fertile. Further, God brings the showers on the earth to soften it for farming, by which people receive the blessing of growth from their harvest. In verse 11 David continues by describing the harvest that people enjoy because God has made the earth profitable. God’s purpose is for the earth to bring fruits to His people. The abundant outpouring of God’s care and provision is a sign of His gracious mercy through the forgiveness of sin. God desires that all flesh experience His saving grace through Christ. He wants to restore all humanity to His original purpose for which he created this world. Our responsibility is to tell others about God’s saving grace, the forgiveness of sins, and blessings God desires to pour out on those who serve Him (Matthew 28:19-20). All that God created should rise in praise and glory of His mighty powers working wonders through the creation.

Lesson Action Word

True worship seeks to elevate and exalt the beauty and wonder and magnificence of God – not us. We are called to glorify our only sovereign King who rules over all.

Lesson Prayer Point

Gracious God, You are sovereign and holy, compassionate and faithful. Nations and king come and go, You alone lives forever. Amen!

Remain blessed as you join us in our Sunday school both online and at any Assemblies Of God Church close to you as we study together under the Feet of the Master.

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Shalom!