ASSEMBLIES OF GOD ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL OCTOBER 29, 2023

The words of Christ offers instructions for daily Christian living.

Sharing the gospel should not be seen as optional for the Christian. It can be easy to share the way of salvation with someone you love, but it is not always as easy to share the gospel with someone you hardly know or someone who is a stranger.

In this lesson, you will explore how declaring the good news is a part of discipleship, and then be challenged to help others to live out that same faith you have come to practice. Such a life is at the heart of discipleship. Sharing the good news of Christ is a great mandate to all believers. We can share the gospel by reaching out and not by staying at a place. Any where we found ourselves, we must take the gospel along with us.

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A. Proclamation To The Jews – Matthew 10:1-16

B. Proclamation To The World – Matthew 28:16-20.

A. Confident In Terms Of Trouble – Matthew 10:17-20

B. Cost Of Obedience – Matthew 10:21-25.

A. A Bold Proclamation – Matthew 10:26-28

B. In God’s Care – Matthew 10:29-33.

Matthew 10:1-20

Jesus sent out the twelve disciples that He had been training for some time. This shows that they had been learning from Him. Jesus gave them power and authority to cast out evil spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness. Learning at His feet is a wonderful thing, but we need to go out share what we’ve learnt with others who are yet to experience the power of God. The disciples were given a specific instruction—not to go to Gentiles and Samaritans, but rather they have to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

The disciples had a specific goal and vision. They had a target. This is very important for sharing the gospel. How can you go if you don’t know were you are going or who you are going to? This gave them a clear direction and a clear mission. God had a plan to reach all the nations. We see this plan carried out as recorded in Acts. And we see it prophesied in Isaiah 49:6. However, it was also part of His plan to share first with the Jews. Preaching that the kingdom of God is at hand was the centre of their message and not to preach of their church as we can see in today’s messages. As believers, our message must centre on Christ crucified.

The disciples were given an instruction to take care of people’s physical needs, which goes back to what Jesus had told them in verse 1 of this chapter. It would not be effective to preach a spiritual reality while ignoring a physical need right in front of them. Jesus wanted them to heal and to help these people, which would be visible evidence that what they were saying was trustworthy. Jesus wanted His disciples to learn faith. He wanted them to depend completely upon Him and no one and nothing else.

As believers, we must depend on God and not on physical or material gains. Freely we’ve received the gospel and in the same vein, we must freely give to others. Many have commercialised the gospel making it looks like a secular business. We must trust God’s providence. Note that not all will receive our message. Those that will receive us are blessed and those that will not are to be Judged by God. Our duty us to proclaim the gospel and pray for one another as we trust God for total transformation in the loves of people.

Prior to His ascension to the right hand of the Father, Jesus gave the disciples what is known as the Great Commission. Jesus instructs His disciples regarding their duty after His departure ie to proclaim His gospel to the world. The Geeat Commission is made possible through the authority of Jesus Christ. Because Jesus has this matchless authority, we are therefore commanded to go. It is His authority that sends us, His authority that guides us, and His authority that empowers us.

His work and message would continue to the world through us His disciples. As His disciples, we are commanded to go and make disciples of all the nations. In making disciples for our Master, we must note that He is always with us even to the end of the world.

Matthew 10:17-25

Jesus freely and honestly warned His disciples that they would face persecution. Because He sent them as sheep in the midst of wolves. As believers in Christ, we are instructed to be on guard no matter the persecution that may come our way. Note that being on guard is not to be defensive, but to be prepared to face difficulty. In any form of persecution that we maybe facing, we must understand that we are not alone.

Holy Spirit is always available to guard and put words in our mouth. Disciples and many other followers of Christ faced interrogation, imprisonment and even death by the Romans. But just as Jesus promised, the Holy Spirit was with them and the kingdom of God continued to expand despite opposition. Christians should not be surprised when the face persecution of their faith. Following Christ will result in tough times, so we must not be caught off guard. Recalling that the Holy Spirit is with us during tough times will provide comfort and confidence as we faithfully declare God’s kingdom.

It is important to not that being in the family of Jesus will put you at odds with the rest of humanity. Jesus warns that they will persecute us in various places starting from our household. Jesus says that Christians will even be hated and delivered to death by their own family members. He then adds, “You will be hated by everyone.” That is, you will be hated by all types of people: your countrymen, the government, even your own family.

This is a shocking and sobering reality. Some people are so bent against the cause of Christ that they will hate and even kill those who follow Him. We can clearly see this in the Northern part of Nigeria and in some other part of world. We should always pray for people in such areas. The dangers of persecution and hatred are real and scary. However, God is more powerful than anything in this world and He can comfort any fear, hurt, or danger that this world can throw our way.

Matthew 10:26-33

Jesus’ command not to be afraid in the face persecution goes against all human instincts. Jesus instructed the disciples to demonstrate their courage by being bold in their proclamation of the kingdom. Fear can make someone to be afraid of what he shouldn’t be afraid of.

The only antidote for the fear of man is the fear of God. Faith in God will always make us fearless even in the face of persecutions. As believers, we should have confidence that the truth of His Word will prevail over the falsehood of men. So, we must preach the Gospel with boldness despite the danger of persecution. The persecutors and the worldly powers can subvert justice, but they are not aware that nothing covered or hidden that will not be revealed by God. Note that the judgment of eternity gives us great confidence in God’s ultimate justice.

Those who seem to cheat justice on earth will never cheat it in eternity. God is the only one we must fear, not the men who persecute us. The worst they can do is to destroy the body and has no power over our souls. God has matchless power over all.

Jesus reassured the disciples that God cared for them by reminding them that He cares for every part of His creation, even that which seems insignificant. Likewise, God cares so intimately that He knows the number of hair on person’s head–a seemingly trivial point, and one that is difficult to ascertain. If God is concerned about birds and hair counts, surely the believer can have confidence in His care for them. Believers need not to live in fear because they know that God loves them and value their lives.

Note that God’s care does not guarantee a life without trial, but a life of joy and peace, even in the midst of trouble. Jesus then gave an important reminder: Believers would face real temptations to deny that they are His disciples. Those who are willing to acknowledge themselves as followers of Christ will be acknowledged to the Father as His followers. But those who deny Him will be denied before the Father. As His disciples, let us stand boldly for Him in any situation and let the world get to know Him through us.

Lesson Action Word

For the Great Commission to be accomplished, we must make ourselves available to be used by God to get the gospel to all the nations.

Lesson Prayer Point

Father, in this troubling moment, grant us boldness in sharing the gospel in Jesus Matchless Name. 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.

Share the contribution and as well ask your question from the lesson.

Shalom!