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Table of Contents
RCCG Sunday School STUDENT Manual
TOPIC: Life [Sunday, 1st July 2018] RCCG Sunday School
MEMORY VERSE: “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” – John 14:6 (scroll down for SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN)
BIBLE PASSAGE: John 15:5-19
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
INTRODUCTION:
From time immemorial, people have been asking: ‘’Why was I born? Why did God make me? Why am I here? What is the purpose of life? What is the meaning of life? What is life itself’’. Various people give various answers. Some say, ‘’Life is the union of soul and body’’. This may be true of humans, but not of plants. Some say it is the period between birth and death. This of course is not true, for life exists before birth and after death. Only Jesus has the answer (John 11:25; 14:6). The Bible speaks of three kinds of life: Physical life, which was given to man at the time of creation; Spiritual life, which is the new life that God gives to the believer in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:1); Eternal life, which is the nature of the Lord God Himself.
LESSON OUTLINES
1. What is the origin and purpose of life?
2. How long is the life span and with what can life be compared?
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF LIFE?
Where did we get life? The answer of course is, from our parents. Where did they get it? From their parents. Inevitably one goes back to Eden and the creation of man (Genesis 2:7). It is easy to see that all life comes from God (1John 5:11-20). No wonder Jesus said, ‘’I am the life’’, since Jesus is God.
Life is a moment of time to prepare for the long, long, eternity. In this brief, fleeting time called life, we are to accomplish our divinely appointed assignments. We also have to answer one question ‘’Where do I wish to spend eternity? Is it forever with the Lord Jesus in Heaven or with Satan in a burning hell? The purpose of life is to let you personally choose the abiding place of your soul. Have you made the choice yet?
HOW LONG IS THE LIFE SPAN AND WITH WHAT CAN LIFE BE COMPARED?
Before the flood that destroyed the first world, the length of life of man was an average of 846 years (Genesis 5). After the flood, the life span was reduced to 393 years (Genesis 11). At the time of Moses, there was a further reduction to 70-80 years (Psalm 90:10).
In comparison:
1. Life is like a journey (Genesis 47:9). We are travelling on this journey whether we like it or not. Birth is an automatic start. To some, it is a long journey but to some, it is short. Whether it is long or short, provided it ends in Jesus, then, all is well that ends well.
2. Like is like a dream (Psalm 73:20). Most dreams last at most a few minutes and soon after waking up, most dreams are forgotten. Similarly, some people live and are forgotten as soon as they die. Nevertheless, those who live for Christ live forever. For example, how many of the contemporaries of the Apostles are remembered today?
3. Life is like a shadow (Ecclesiastes 6:12). A shadow is a poor imitation of the real thing. Similarly, our physical life is a very poor imitation of eternal life just as seventy years is a poor imitation of eternity.
4. Life is like a vapour (James 4:14). How quickly it vanishes away! This is why it is wise to lose this life in order to inherit the next because the next life never vanishes.
5. Life is like a tale (Psalm 90:9). Life is like an interesting story that is soon told and people look for another form of entertainment. However, when we have been in Heaven for a thousand years, we shall just be beginning eternity and our joy will just be starting.
6. Life is like water split on the ground ( 2Sam 14:14). In a moment, the earth absorbs the moisture and it disappears.
7. Life is like a flower (Job 14:2). First we see the blade, then the leaves and afterwards the beautiful bud. Slowly, it opens and we gasp at its beauty. Then it withers and is gone, gone so soon, so quickly.
CONCLUSION
To choose Christ is to choose life, for Christ is life (Philippians 1:21)
QUESTIONS
1. With what can you compare life?
2. What is the purpose of life?
Click to read previous RCCG Sunday School STUDENT Manual June 24th, 2018 Lesson 43 — Hearing From God
SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN
1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.
2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day, Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.
3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.
4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.
5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.
6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?
