C.A.C Sunday School Manual For March 9, 2025 Lesson 8 : Topic - The Death of Leadership (II)

C.A.C Sunday School Manual For March 9, 2025 Lesson 8 : Topic - The Death of Leadership (II)

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CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH Nigeria And Overseas*

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

Theme *PREPARING GOD'S PEOPLE for LEADERSHIP*

JANUARY TO DECEMBER, 2025

MARCH 9, 2025.

LESSON 8

TOPIC: THE DEARTH OF LEADERSHIP (II)

Memory Scripture

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38).

When we experience shortage of godly leaders, mentoring and empowering new leaders is crucial for a better future.

BRIEF COMMENT

Our Memory Scripture underscores the critical need for leadership addressed in our topic, "The Dearth Of Leadership." Jesus' acknowledgment of the abundant spiritual harvest contrasted with the scarcity of labourers parallels today's challenge of lacking effective leaders in churches and communities. Just as Jesus identified the shortage of gospel spreaders, modern churches face dearth of capable leaders. Leadership entails more than titles; it involves active shepherding and disciple-making. Without such leaders, spiritual growth stagnates, hindering the Kingdom's expansion. This passage urges the cultivation of committed and visionary leaders who answer God's call, equip others, and advance His agenda. It emphasises the imperative of empowering leaders to labour in God's vineyard, meeting spiritual needs and proclaiming the gospel globally.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS

Mon. 3: Wanted: Dedicated And Reliable Believers (2 Tim. 2:1-2)

Tue. 4: Wanted: Valiant Soldiers Of Christ (2 Tim. 2:3-4)

Wed. 5: Wanted: First Partakers Of The Fruits (2 Tim. 2:5-8)

Thur. 6: Wanted: Resilient Leaders (2 Tim. 2:9-14)

Fri. 7: Wanted: Skilled Interpreters Of The Truth (2 Tim. 2:15-18)

*Sat. 8:* Wanted: Vessels For Noble Purposes (2 Tim. 2:19-26)

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

i. God will not hesitate to hold accountable a leader who jeopardises His investment in the kingdom.

ii. God makes sure leaders do their job and punishes them, if they don't. He protects His interests and makes sure the kingdom's work goes well.

BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE:* Isaiah 56:10-12

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

AIM: To show God's disappointment in leaders who misuse His grace once bestowed upon them.

*OBJECTIVES:* By the end of this lesson, learners should be able to show that:

i. God desires leaders who are readily available to guide His children according to His ways; and

ii. God's Word helps us discern our thoughts accurately and guides us on whether to act on them, or not.

INTRODUCTION

TEXTUAL SOURCE: 1 Samuel 8:1-10; 14:1-14; 18:1-4

Thanks be to God for another week of learning at the feet of Christ, where His Word nurtures and brings us delight. Last week, we explored the dearth of leadership in Israel, which led to the loss of God's blessings. Samson's failure, in contrast, overshadowed their deliverance from the Philistines. May we not follow such a path in Jesus' name. Amen.

This week's lesson, "The Dearth Leadership (II)," builds upon last week's teachings with additional characters to enrich our understanding. We will examine Samuel and his sons' attitudes, which prompted the Israelites to demand a king, and Saul's subsequent failure to govern effectively. Israel's history reveals a pattern of deteriorating leadership, leading to chaos and ultimately enslavement by their enemies.

May we be able to grasp everything the Lord God has for us in this lesson. Amen.

LESSON OUTLINE

I. SAMUEL'S SONS' IRRESPONSIBILITY-' GIVE US A KING'

II. SAUL'S TERRIBLE FAILURE

LESSON EXPOSITION

I. SAMUEL'S SONS' IRRESPONSIBILITY-'GIVE US A KING' (1 Samuel 8:1-10)

But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice (v. 3).

a) Before the demand for a king, Israel was led by YAHWEH-Theocracy (Exod. 3:2-10; 23:20-27; Num. 27:5ff).

b) vv. 1-3: Samuel entrusted leadership to his sons, thinking they would maintain spiritual integrity (cf. Psa. 22:30; Isa. 8:18), but they succumbed to corruption, violating the trust reposed in them (cf. Deut. 13:13; 1 Sam. 2:12ff).

c) vv. 4-5: We aren't certain what went wrong about Samuel and his home (cf. 1 Tim. 3:4,5). But his children disregarded his spiritual legacy and dishonoured his name (cf. Gal. 5:13).

d) v. 5: Result of failed leadership. Israel demanded a king, somehow shifting their trust from God to human authority. May our leadership lifestyles not lead people away from Christ.

e) Samuel's sons almost rubbished his godly legacy. That is what happens when we fail to develop upcoming leaders aright (cf. Jdg. 2:10).

f) Honour can lead men astray, often for the worse. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. When future leaders aren't well groomed in the Lord, disaster looms. Samuel's sons grew to become terribly corrupt judges, swayed by greed and the pursuit of unjust gains.

II. SAUL'S TERRIBLE FAILURE (I Samuel 14:1ff)

And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath... (14:24a).

a) Providentially, Saul was directed to Samuel to be anointed as Israel's first king (9:1-2,17,26-27; 10:1).

b) Saul, mentored by Samuel and empowered by God's Spirit (10:2-8; 11:6), tragically deviated from God's will and became a tyrannical king who rejected divine guidance. He became paranoid and sought to control, or kill those around him (14:28-29).

c) Saul had the opportunity to positively influence David but botched it out of envy, anger and resentment. But for God's intervention, David could have inherited wickedness from him.

d) 14:1-23: Every sign points to a serious father-son bond between Saul and Jonathan. Saul's monumental failure, both at home and as king ended Jonathan's promising life (20:31; 23:17).

e) vv. 27-29,39: The resentment that triggered Saul's words revealed a mix of love and contempt for Jonathan. He didn't prepare Jonathan to be a great leader (cf. 20:30-31).

f) Jonathan did not succumb to his father's greed, arrogance and lack of faith. He stood up to his father, even under the threat of death, but he ensured that he stood with God rather than the king.

LESSONS DERIVED

1. Check your attitudes before the upcoming generation, and examine if you are influencing them positively or otherwise.

2. Don't take with levity the development of people around you today. You won't know where they will get to tomorrow.

QUESTIONS

1. Was Samuel's sons' waywardness enough reason for Israel to ask for a king to rule over them?

2. King Saul didn't influence the upcoming ones around him positively. Discuss

SUGGESTED ANSWER TO QUESTIONS

ANSWER TO QUESTION 1

* Samuel's sons' waywardness contributed to the dissatisfaction among the Israelites regarding leadership.

* The misconduct of Samuel's sons highlighted a deficiency in leadership and governance within Israel.

* While the actions of Samuel's sons were a factor, they may not have been the sole reason for Israel's desire for a king.

* The Israelites may have viewed the appointment of a king as a solution to the perceived lack of effective leadership and governance.

* The request for a king reflected a broader sentiment of discontentm... with the existing leadership structure and a desire for change.

ANSWER TO QUESTION 2

King Saul failed to positively influence those around him, including the younger generation, like Jonathan and David, who looked up to him for leadership.

* Instead of mentoring and guiding the younger leaders, Saul's actions and behaviour set a negative example, contributing to a dearth of effective leadership.

* His inability to nurture and empower potential leaders around him led to lack of capable successors and contributed to the dearth of leadership in Israel.

* His rejection of God's will and his own self-serving pursuits hindered the development of a strong leadership legacy.

* His failure to groom and mentor future leaders created a void in leadership succession, worsening the dearth of capable leaders in Israel.

* His preoccupation with his own selfish desires and insecurities prevented him from positively influencing the next generation of leaders, further perpetuating the dearth of leadership.

LIFE APPLICATION

Two men were walking on a hot summer day and sought shade under a large plane tree. One remarked that the tree seemed useless since it bore no fruit or nuts and its wood was of no use. In response, the tree rustled and replied, "Don't be ungrateful. I am shielding you from the hot sun, which is quite useful to you at this moment." Similarly, Israel often forgot and belittled their God, despite His continuous provision and protection. May we not be accused of such foolishness. Amen.

CONCLUSION

Here we come to the end of this enriching lesson. The stories of Samuel's sons and Saul's failures emphasise the importance of spiritual integrity and strong leadership. Samuel's sons strayed from righteousness. Neglecting the development of future leaders is too risky and catastrophic. Similarly, Saul, once mentored by Samuel, veered from God's will, leading to tyranny. He also failed to mentor Jonathan aright, hence their tragic ends. These stories remind us to uphold spiritual values, nurture emerging leaders and stay committed to God to avoid repeating past mistakes.

*NOTE*