Nigeria Baptist Convention Weekly Sunday School Manual For January 26, 2025 : Topic - My God, The King

Nigeria Baptist Convention Weekly Sunday School Manual For January 26, 2025 : Topic - My God, The King

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SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON FOR YOUR PREPARATION

NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE

Theme for the Month: "OUR GOD REIGNS"

DATE: SUNDAY, 26TH JANUARY, 2025.

TOPIC: MY GOD, THE KING.

Devotional Reading: Hebrews 12:18-29.

Background Scripture:  Psalm 145.

Lesson Scripture: Psalm 145:1, 10-21.

GOLDEN TEXT:

"Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations." Psalm 145:13.

Objectives: 

By the end of the lesson, class members should be able to:

● Explain what God does to uphold His kingdom; 

● Express the decision to always be faithful to God in response to His faithfulness; 

● State two primary reasons God is to be praised.

INTRODUCTION 

Psalm 145, written with an acrostic pattern crossword answers the questions of who will praise God; why should He be honoured and how will He be praised. The psalmist and all creation will glorify God by telling of the greatness of His kingdom - power and His character. God revealed Himself to Israel's patriarchs. He is the Creator and the One who sustains heaven and earth. The vastness of God's creation is enough to attract humankind to worship Him. God is glorified as a dear King who is approachable. Although God shall be praised forever in heaven, now is the time to prepare for His praises daily. No matter how dark and difficult things may seem, there is always a reason to praise the Lord each day.

THE LESSON EXPLAINED

A. OUR GOD IS TO BE EXTOLLED

[Psalm 145:1, 10-12]

Psalm 145, a hymn from a heart entirely given to praise, is an individual's praise to God. God is addressed in the manner one would address a king. Praising the name of the Lord is to honour and exalt Him- appreciating His character and exalting His name. The name of a person is the embodiment of his/her being. A hymn writer affirms that all creations, particularly the saints, will praise God. God is the King over all generations of humankind and other creatures. To indicate the inclusiveness of the praise, the psalmist praises God in each verse of the psalm, which is arranged in an acrostic way from A to Z of the Hebrew alphabets.

Believers are to live a lifestyle of praise to God. Instead of complaining about unmet needs and other challenges of life, we should inspire others to thank God by sharing the testimony of the good things He has done in the past. We must recognise that the name of God represents God Himself. As the crown of God's creation, we should influence people around us to praise God.

DISCUSSION TIME:

1. How can our understanding of God as the reigning King improve our relationship with Him? 

2. Discuss one or two extraordinary acts of God in recent times and how they have renewed your zeal for Him.

B. GOD'S KINGDOM ENDURES FOREVER

[Psalm 145:13-16]

The psalmist's meditation on God's nature and His throne made him understand that God's kingdom is eternal. God's kingdom is not about territory and borders or jurisdiction. God's kingdom means His rule over all the whole universe. His kingdom does not have a beginning point, neither does it have an end. He will not step down from His throne and has never called anyone to help Him oversee His affairs. No one can dethrone Him. From age to age, He is in charge. Earthly kings come and go either by death or dethronement, but God's kingdom is from everlasting to everlasting. His dominion endures through all generations.

God's rule and reign is incomparable. He can always be trusted concerning all He promises and most faithful in all He does. Even though He reigns in glorious majesty, He pays attention to the needs of His people. Verses 13-16 list four things that God always does. He reigns forever, keeps His covenant, cares for the poor and downtrodden, and provides food and other needs for all His children. As the righteous King, He would not fail in all His promises to us. The poor, needy, and less privileged can look up to Him for their survival and sustenance. The psalmist did not hoard the message of God's goodness and redeeming love. He declared God's goodness to all people in various ways.

DISCUSSION TIME:

1. Discuss the responsibilities of kings and political leaders in paying attention to the welfare of their subjects. 

2. Share your experience of how God had helped or saved you when you called on His name.

C. GOD IS EVER RELIABLE

[Psalm 145:17-21]

The psalmist declared that the Lord is righteous and faithful. The Lord watches over those who love Him and fights the wicked. He is righteous and can be trusted at all times. He is near to hear those who worship Him in spirit and in truth, to fulfil the desires of those who fear Him and call on Him in truth. He is excellent in character and always dependable. Therefore, He deserves to be praised by all creatures. He does not treat anyone unjustly. He is just, fair and righteous.

God saves His people from trouble, calamity, and challenges of life. He shows them His unfailing love, and they will enjoy His protection and live in peace wherever they are. Thus, they are invited to praise the King, God, who rules and reigns forever and ever. A reflection on how God has been faithful to the Israelites, in particular, and many contemporary testimonies of His faithfulness should give everyone confidence in challenging situations. A familiar Christian song says, "When I think of the goodness of Jesus and all He has done for me, my very soul shall shout Hallelujah, praise God for saving me." This should be our song always.

DISCUSSION TIME:

1. Discuss your understanding of God's faithfulness in the context of Psalm 145. 

2. How does God sustain His righteous rule in the lives of believers?

Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity:

Lead class members to prayerfully suggest better ways to worship God.

Prayer:

● Pray for the manifestation of God's power in the church.

● Pray that you will have a renewed experience of God's glory in your life. 

● Pray that God will give you reasons to praise His name at all times.

Take Home: 

Write down three lessons you are taking home from today's lesson?

● __________ 

● __________ 

● __________ 

Commitment: 

● Based on today's lesson, make a personal commitment that you will worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

REVIEW FOR THE MONTH OF JANUARY

The Lord has taken us through the study of His Word in this first month of the year. I believe that through our weekly interactions, God has spoken to you to trust in Him, as He gives you the courage to face the challenges of this year, to understand that His glory is enough to calm down all the tempests of your life, and not to forget to give Him praise not only because He is the great King who reigns forever, but also because He is faithful and trustworthy. As a follow-up: 

● How has this lesson helped your faith after learning that God answers prayers and strengthens the weak?

● Are you encouraged to learn that the King is seated on His glorious throne, and in His royal regalia to calm down all this year's storms on your behalf?

● What insight did you gain from the understanding that God is a God of justice and a defender of the oppressed? 

Happy Sunday in Advance.

🌨 Remain Inspired & Be Lifted!