Making Up the Differences

Theme: Adoptive Discipleship

Scriptures:

Titus 2

1 Samuel 3:1-10

2 Timothy 2:2

Acts 8:26-40

Acts 18:24-28

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: Other believers can make up the difference when children do not have Christian parents to disciple them.

Think: I can pass along to others what I am learning in the faith.

Do: Be ready to step in to mentor and disciples those less mature in the faith.

Notes and questions:

B1 1 Timothy 4:13 NKJV Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

C1 Obviously, this passage is not just for pastors.

C2 It is for all of us.

C3 When we become Christians, we are ignorant. God wants to correct this.

C4 We can apply this to ourselves and our ministry to each other.

C5 Why is reading the Bible so important?

C6 Why do we need to encourage (exhort, preaching) each other in the faith?

C7 Why is teaching doctrine important?

C8 Why are these 3 things frequently neglected?

B2 Fellowship with God

C1 What is fellowship with God?

D1 Fellowship is partnership, togetherness, sharing, etc.

D2 God wants this. He enjoys this.

D3 God talks to us with the words of the Scripture. We talk to God in prayer. There is no voice, meditation, silence, emptiness. We are to be active in our faith, not in a passive state. 1 Peter 5:8

D4 The devil wants to separate and devour: 1 Peter 5:8 NKJV Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

D5 God wants to gather and bless

E1 Matthew 9:36 NKJV But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

E2 Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

E3 Luke 13:34 NKJV "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

E4 He sought Adam: Genesis 3:9 NKJV Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"

C2 Why does God want fellowship with us?

D1 He does not NEED fellowship with us.

D2 He wants fellowship with us; it is His character.

D3 Before conversion:

E1 Luke 19:9-10 NKJV And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; 10 for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

E2 John 10:10 NKJV The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

D4 God is a missionary. It is seen in the Old and New Testaments.

D5 John 16:8 HCSB When He comes, He will convict the world about sin, righteousness, and judgment.

E1 The He is the Holy Spirit.

E2 He initiates salvation.

E3 After opening our hearts and minds, then he commands us, invites us to believe: Matthew 11:28 NKJV Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

C3 What role does God’s love have in regards to fellowship?

C4 Mateen Elass notes: One of the colossal differences between Christianity and Islam has to do with the “knowability” of God. Islam asserts that Allah is so transcendent and lofty that human beings cannot know him personally — indeed, that Allah is not interested in being personally known. And The biblical God, on the other hand, is one who from start to finish desires personal relationship with His human creatures. From the time of Eden, He is pictured as walking with Adam and Eve in the cool of the garden. Even after the rupture of relationship through the Fall, God is at work planning the restoration of harmony between heaven and earth. He reveals Himself to Abraham and promises to work for the blessing of all the earth through Abraham’s descendents (SIC).

B3 Two important concepts to discipling anyone.

C1 Truth

D1 Correspondence theory, that is, reality.

D2 God deals with reality, not necessarily with philosophy.

C2 Interpreting the Bible in its plain, normal sense.

D1 Don’t use systems of interpretation.

D2 Don’t interpret by doctrinal beliefs.

D3 Understand the passage in context and the grammatico-historical background.

B4 Titus 2,

C1 Outline

D1 Titus 2:1-2 Older men

D2 Titus 2:3-5 Older women

D3 Titus 2:6-8 Young men

D4 Titus 2:9-10 Slaves and masters

D5 Titus 2:11 God wants all to be saved

D6 Titus 2:12-15 Preach godliness

C2 Titus is instructed to teach all Christians some principles of Christian living. Why would Titus need to do this?

C3 Titus is instructed to teach that we are to live a godly lifestyle. How are people to know what a godly lifestyle is?

C4 Titus is to teach to look forward to the return of the Lord Jesus. Jesus is our Great God and Savior. Rejoice!

B5 1 Samuel 3:1-12,

C1 Why did God give His message to Samuel? Shouldn’t it have been given to Eli?

C2 What trait is Samuel showing at his young age in 1 Samuel 3:4-5?

C3 How would you interpret 1 Samuel 3:7?

C4 Why did Eli receive God’s judgment?

B6 2 Timothy 2:2,

C1 2 Timothy 2:2 WEB The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.

C2 Paul was taught and passed the information on. Timothy was taught and was encouraged to pass the information on. So it has come to us, and we must pass it on. Why is this important? How do we know it is the same information?

C3 What are the best ways to teach children this information?

C4 Is the method different for different age groups? If so, how?

B7 Acts 8:26-40,

C1 What is the importance of Scripture in conviction and acceptance of Jesus as our personal Messiah?

C2 Deacon Philip knew the Scriptures and doctrine. What would have been the result of his interaction with the Ethiopian Eunuch if he did not?

C3 Acts 8:38 NKJV So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. Should a new convert be baptized quickly after conversion or later?

B8 Acts 18:24-28,

C1 Acts 18:25 NKJV This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.

D1 Note the importance of the words had been instructed. If it was important to be instructed, why do some people today say it is not important anymore.

D2 He taught accurately. Paul, the Apostle, would know the true way and approved of Apollos’ teaching.

D3 What part of the gospel was Apollos lacking?

C2 Acts 18:26 NKJV So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. How does this show the importance of knowing the Scripture and doctrine?

B9 Next week:

C1 There can only be one

C2 The true gospel

C3 Scriptures

D1 Galatians 1:1-12

D2 Galatians 2:15-21

Pass It On

Pass it on

Theme: Generational Discipleship

Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Ephesians 4:11-13, and Galatians 5:22-23

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: Parents are to disciple their children. They can draw help and support for this from their own parents, and from their church family.

Think: One of my greatest priorities is living out God’s Word and teaching it to my children, and the next generation.

Do: Love God, obey His Word, and teach my children and others to do the same.

Notes and questions:

B1 Bonding

C1 In bonding with our children, eye contact is one of the most important. This includes the child with the parent and the parent with the child.

C2 Response to the child vocalizing needs.

C3 Vocalization between parent and child.

C4 Both enjoying contact (the physical contact between infant and parent, especially the mother, is vitally important.

C5 Initiating and maintaining affection and comfort.

C6 Bilateral empathy.

C7 Parent sets age appropriate limits.

C8 Age appropriate response to separation.

C9 A general joyfulness when together.

C10 Parents respond appropriately to child’s fears.

C11 Can listen.

C12 Eye contact with family and others (especially school age).

C13 Further information here and here.

C14 Some people worry about spoiling the child with too much time together. Life should be in moderation, but in general, parents need to spend more time with their children until the children leave home. At that point, a new type of balance needs to be achieved. Child independence should increase as they get older.

C15 Without adequate bonding, a child grows up with many difficulties. Some of these are addressed in the second link above.

C16 Not necessarily with Christian principles, these articles may be helpful.

B2 Love (review)

C1 Is a choice.

C2 It is seen and experienced by the following characteristics:

D1 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 Love is very patient and kind; love is not envious; love doesn't brag about itself, is not haughty, Doesn't behave improperly, is not self-seeking; love isn't easily aggravated, doesn’t keep a list of wrongs, Doesn't rejoice in injustice, but rejoices with the truth, Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends...

D2 Patience

D3 Kindness

D4 Not envious

D5 Not boastful

D6 Not conceited

D7 Not rude

D8 Not selfish

D9 Not easily provoked

D10 Not keeping a list of wrongs (also understood as not assuming someone in an evil way)

D11 No happiness with unrighteousness

D12 Rejoices in truth

D13 Forbearing

D14 Believes (always keep just a little skepticism)

D15 Hopes

D16 Endures

D17 Does not end

B3 Guidelines for raising children

C1 One author summarizes 

D1 Message (Begin with the Gospel)

D2 Mission (Matthew 28:18-20 & Acts 1:6-11)

D3 Motive (Mark 12:28-34 & 1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

D4 Knowledge (Proverbs 2:1-6 & Philippians 3:8-14 together)

D5 Character (Galatians 5:6-26 & Philippians 4:4-9)

D6 Conduct (Mark 4:1-20 & Mark 9:33-41)

C2 Love them

D1 Love is not showering them with gifts and activities.

D2 Love is not letting them do what they want without guidance.

D3 Love is setting limits. God does this with us. We do not have unlimited, sovereign freedom. If possible, it is good to teach them how to sit still at 2 years old. This mom tells us how she did (I can’t vouch for the website, as I haven’t checked it out. I only read the article). The pasture illustration.

D4 Love is spending time with them.

D5 Love is consistency.

D6 Love is steadfastness.

D7 Love is letting them have some freedom. Don’t be a helicopter parent. Some information can be found here—Let Grow. A program followed by a school is here.

C3 Listen to them

C4 Practice what you preach. This is showing a good example.

C5 Give them ideals.

C6 Let them fail. Let them try things. Support them, not oppress them.

C7 Live and enjoy life as a family unit, not as separate individuals just living in the same house.

C8 Be a Christian.

D1 Teach them what a Christian is and why.

D2 Show them there are answers to hard questions.

D3 Tell them the gospel.

D4 Live the gospel.

D5 Pray with them.

D6 Confess and ask forgiveness.

D7 Love your spouse openly with kindness, respect, compassion, helpfulness, etc.

D8 Let them see you reading and studying the Bible.

D9 Live by the Bible’s concepts.

D10 Defend the faith.

D11 Show them the greatest fulfillment is loving God, and that the only way to love God is obey Him, and that the New Testament teachings are the voice of God.

D12 Show them by thoughts, desires, words, and deeds that being a Bible believing Christian is very important.

D13 Go to church.

D14 Make it a point to have your close friends be Christians.

D15 Serve and help others as much as possible.

C9 Emphasize empathy.

C10 Praise them for traits and attitudes. Do not praise them for natural talents or beauty.

C11 How does this passage apply or not apply to the above? Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NKJV And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

D1 How do we keep God’s words in our heart?

D2 Is it enough to have God’s words in our heart or do we have to live them?

D3 What is the best way to teach children?

D4 Why is talking about God’s word instructive to children?

D5 How do we know the meaning of these words?

D6 How much time every day are we to teach our children?

D7 How can the church help the family teach the children?

D8 Is it only the Pastor’s job?

B4 How do we keep our children in the faith? We and they need:

C1 Knowledge

D1 Bible knowledge

D2 Doctrine

D3 Life issues

E1 Temptation

E2 Sin

E3 Forgiveness

E4 Assurance

E5 God’s standards

E6 Prophecy

D4 How to grow in the faith

E1 Bible reading

E2 Bible study

E3 Fellowship

E4 Prayer

E5 Suffering

C2 Character

D1 In thoughts, desires, words, and deeds

D2 Time to grow (need experience)

D3 Truth

D4 Confession of sin

D5 Trust

C3 Apologetics

D1 Bible reliability

D2 Jesus

D3 Hard questions

E1 Problem of evil

E2 Creation

E3 Noah’s flood

D4 Issues of society

B5 Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  23  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

C1 How does God teach us the fruit of the Spirit?

C2 How does living the fruits help our family, our children, and our grandchildren?

C3 How can we learn more about these fruits and grow in them?

B6 2 Peter 3:18 NKJV But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

B7 Next week:

C1 Making up the differences

C2 Theme: Adoptive Discipleship

C3 Scriptures: Titus 2, 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 2 Timothy 2:2, Acts 8:26-40, and Acts 18:24-28

When Families Are Not Perfect

When families are not perfect

Theme: Biblical families

Scriptures

• Genesis 17:9
• Genesis 17:15-19
• Esther 2:5-7
• Acts 16:1
• 2 Timothy 1:5
• Titus 1:4

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: God can use adaptive family models to disciple children and less mature believers in the absence of traditional generational discipleship.

Think: I can help disciple extended family or other less mature believers.

Do: Step in to disciple family members, or other less mature believers who need a mentor.

Notes and questions:

B1 Some statistics from the Sunday School Lesson Book. This on current statistics of grandparents in the United States. (This is an aside to inform us of an issue. Please pray for those who are living this ministry to their grandchildren).

• More than 13 million children live with their grandparents.
• 34% of grandparents are raising their grandchildren without the aid of a biological parent in the home.
• 45% of grandparents helping to raise their grandchildren are over 55 years old.
• The average household income of a grandmother alone caring for her grandchildren is less than $20,000. This is over one million households. 29% of all custodial grandparents live below the poverty line.
• Among grandparents who financially support their grandchildren, 49% of grandmothers and 34% of grandfathers are unemployed.

B2 Discipleship

C1 Defined:

D1 Disciple \Dis*ci"ple\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Discipled; p. pr. &
  vb. n. Discipling.]
  1. To teach; to train. [Obs.]
     [1913 Webster]

D2 I was surprised to find out modern dictionaries do not have the verb form. I had to find it in a 1913 Webster.

C2 A disciple whether it is our child, a new Christian, or a Christian who has not grown or been taught in the faith needs these things:

D1 Knowledge

E1 Bible knowledge

E2 Doctrine

E3 Life issues

F1 Temptation

F2 Sin

F3 Forgiveness

F4 Assurance

F5 God’s standards

F6 Prophecy

E4 How to grow in the faith

F1 Bible reading

F2 Bible study

F3 Fellowship

F4 Prayer

F5 Suffering

D2 Character

E1 In thoughts, desires, words, and deeds

E2 Time to grow (need experience)

E3 Truth

E4 Confession of sin

E5 Trust

D3 Apologetics

E1 Bible reliability

E2 Jesus

E3 Hard questions

F1 Problem of evil

F2 Creation

F3 Noah’s flood

E4 Issues of society

C3 The role of

D1 The believer (the individual him/herself)

D2 The church (members)

D3 The pastor and other church staff

C4 Attitude

D1 Of mentor

D2 Of student

D3 Be careful with religious lingo.

C5 Another author summarizes it as

D1 Message (Begin with the Gospel)

D2 Mission (Matthew 28:18-20 & Acts 1:6-11)

D3 Motive (Mark 12:28-34 & 1 Corinthians 13:1-13)

D4 Knowledge (Proverbs 2:1-6 & Philippians 3:8-14 together)

D5 Character (Galatians 5:6-26 & Philippians 4:4-9)

D6 Conduct (Mark 4:1-20 & Mark 9:33-41)

B3 Guidelines for raising children

C1 Love them

D1 Love is not showering them with gifts and activities.

D2 Love is not letting them do what they want without guidance.

D3 Love is setting limits. God does this with us. We do not have unlimited, sovereign freedom. If possible, it is good to teach them how to sit still at 2 years old. This mom tells us how she did (I can’t vouch for the website, as I haven’t checked it out. I only read the article). The pasture illustration.

D4 Love is spending time with them.

D5 Love is consistency.

D6 Love is steadfastness.

D7 Love is letting them have some freedom. Don’t be a helicopter parent. Some information can be found here—Let Grow. A program followed by a school is here.

C2 Listen to them

C3 Practice what you preach. This is showing a good example.

C4 Give them ideals

C5 Let them fail. Let them try things. Support them, not oppress them.

C6 Live and enjoy life as a family unit, not as separate individuals just living in the same house.

C7 Be a Christian.

D1 Teach them what a Christian is and why.

D2 Show them there are answers to hard questions.

D3 Tell them the gospel.

D4 Live the gospel.

D5 Pray with them.

D6 Confess and ask forgiveness.

D7 Love your spouse openly with kindness, respect, compassion, helpfulness, etc.

D8 Let them see you reading and studying the Bible.

D9 Live by the Bible’s concepts.

D10 Defend the faith.

D11 Show them the greatest fulfillment is loving God, and that the only way to love God is obey Him, and that the New Testament teachings are the voice of God.

D12 Show them by thoughts, desires, words, and deeds that being a Bible believing Christian is very important.

D13 Go to church.

D14 Make it a point to have your close friends be Christians.

D15 Serve and help others as much as possible.

C8 Emphasize empathy.

C9 Praise them for traits and attitudes. Do not praise them for natural talents or beauty.

B4 Bible study

C1 Genesis 17:9

D1 Verse

E1 Genesis 17:9 NKJV And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

E2 Genesis 17:9 HCSB God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep My covenant.

D2 What covenant is God speaking of?

E1 Always obey me and be blameless (Genesis 17:1). What does blameless mean, and what is the difference between being blameless and sinless?

E2 Male circumcision (Genesis 17:10).

D3 Why are Abraham’s descendants to keep (obey) God’s covenant with Abraham forever?

C2 Genesis 17:15-19

D1 Verse

E1 Genesis 17:15-19 NKJV Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. “And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!” Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.

E2 Genesis 17:15-19 GNB92 God said to Abraham, “You must no longer call your wife Sarai; from now on her name is Sarah. I will bless her, and I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become the mother of nations, and there will be kings among her descendants.” Abraham bowed down with his face touching the ground, but he began to laugh when he thought, “Can a man have a child when he is a hundred years old? Can Sarah have a child at ninety?” He asked God, “Why not let Ishmael be my heir?” But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will name him Isaac. I will keep my covenant with him and with his descendants forever. It is an everlasting covenant.

D2 What did Abraham have to learn from this conversation with God?

D3 Why did God not accept Ishmael?

D4 How long will this covenant last?

C3 Esther 2:5-7

D1 Verse

E1 Esther 2:5-7 NKJV In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been captured with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman was lovely and beautiful. When her father and mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.

E2 Esther 2:5-7 HCSB In the fortress of Susa, there was a Jewish man named Mordecai son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite. He had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the other captives when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took King Jeconiah of Judah into exile. Mordecai was the legal guardian of his cousin Hadassah (that is, Esther), because she didn’t have a father or mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good-looking. When her father and mother died, Mordecai had adopted her as his own daughter.

D2 What is the importance of this adoption?

D3 What motivated Mordecai to adopt Esther?

C4 Acts 16:1

D1 Verse

E1 Acts 16:1 NKJV Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek.

E2 Acts 16:1 GNB92 Paul traveled on to Derbe and Lystra, where a Christian named Timothy lived. His mother, who was also a Christian, was Jewish, but his father was a Greek.

D2 Timothy was considered a Jew because his mother was a Jewess.

D3 Timothy’s father may not have been a Christian. How can we help the child of a mixed marriage to believe and live a Christian life?

C5 2 Timothy 1:5

D1 Verse

E1 2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

E2 2 Timothy 1:5 HCSB Clearly recalling your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois, then in your mother Eunice, and that I am convinced is in you also.

D2 How do we decide what is genuine faith?

D3 What characteristics would Timothy have shown so Paul would consider him to have genuine faith?

C6 Titus 1:4

D1 Verse

E1 Titus 1:4 NKJV To Titus, a true son in our common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.

E2 Titus 1:4 HCSB To Titus, my true son in our common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

D2 How is Timothy a son of Paul?

D3 Why is it good to pray and bless another?

B5 Next week:

C1 Pass it on

C2 Theme: Generational Discipleship

C3 Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Ephesians 4:11-13, and Galatians 5:22-23