Nigerian Baptist Convention Sunday School Lesson For Your Preparation June 29, 2025 : Title - Jacob Marks God's Faithfulness
NBC SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTLINE
Theme for the Month: "THE GENESIS OF ALTARS AND SACRIFICES."
DATE: SUNDAY, 29TH JUNE, 2025.
TOPIC: JACOB MARKS GOD'S FAITHFULNESS.
*Devotional Reading:*
John 15:1-8.
Background Scripture:*
Genesis 28:1-22; 33:17-20; 35:1-7.
Lesson Scripture:
Genesis 28:10-22.
GOLDEN TEXT:
_"Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel." *Genesis 28:18-19a.
Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, class members should be able to:
● Recognise the various ways by which God confirms His promises to His people.
● Develop a heart of worship and commitment to God in response to His faithfulness.
● Make a list of God's promises fulfilled in their lives.
INTRODUCTION
A pastor visited an old man who was suffering from rheumatism. The pastor ☐ noticed an open Bible on the table of the man and decided to flip through it. The pastor noticed that "proved" was written at the margin of certain pages of the Bible. Some of the pages so marked include John 1:12; "Yet to all who did receive him to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God"; Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble". The old man explained that the Scriptures marked "proved" are the ones for which he has proven the faithfulness of God. In our lesson today, we will learn from Jacob, a man who experienced the faithfulness of God and used something as a mark to prove it.
THE LESSON EXPLAINED
A. GOD'S PROMISE TO JACOB
[Genesis 28:10-15]
The Encarta Dictionary defines a dream as a sequence of images that appear involuntarily to the mind of somebody who is sleeping, often a mixture of real and imaginary characters, places, and events. Dreams in the Bible are often a communication from God to humans. (Genesis 20:6; 1 Kings 3:5; Matthew 1:20; 2:12-13, 19, 22). Jacob left his home in Beersheba for Haran, a journey that was initiated by his mother, Rebecca, first to help him escape from the wrath of his brother Esau and second to marry from among their kinsmen. (Genesis 27:42-46).
As he proceeded on his journey, he stopped for the night so he could rest and then continue his journey the next day. He laid down to sleep, using a stone as a pillow. In his sleep, he had a dream. When he woke up from the dream, even without a prophet to interpret his dream, he knew God's presence was with him on his journey. God assured Jacob of His presence and renewed the covenant he made with his fathers. God said, "I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying". The promise to Jacob was first made to his grandfather, Abraham. It was a promise of multiplication and enlargement (Genesis 15:5; 28:13-14). The dream was a clear reminder of God's faithfulness in keeping His promises.
God has us in mind every time and is set to establish His covenant with all those who believe in Him. Believers can depend on God and trust His promises because He is ever faithful.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Discuss other means through which God speaks, apart from dreams.
2. Why do some believers still find it difficult to hear from God?
*B. JACOB'S RESPONSE TO GOD'S FAITHFULNESS*
[Genesis 28:16-19]
Jacob was filled with awe and reverence at the revelation He received from God. In response, Jacob set up a stone, as a pillar to mark the encounter and poured oil on top of it as a sign of his devotion and dedication to God. The act of setting up a pillar and pouring oil on it is a form of worship. Jacob expressed his gratitude and commitment to God. God is not an unfriendly and speculative being but a living and active force in Jacob's life. The encounter was a turning point in Jacob's life. He moved from being a man who is unaware of the presence of God to one who is deeply attuned to it and devoted to serving Him.
No one who has genuinely encountered God remains the same. God's presence often brings a turnaround in the lives of those who encounter Him. A continual encounter with God will dispel fear in believers' lives and energise them to worship God passionately and acceptably.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. How did Jacob respond to God's faithfulness and blessings in his life?
2. How should believers respond to God's faithfulness in their lives?
*C. JACOB'S PROMISES TO GOD*
[Genesis 28:20-22]
Jacob made a vow to God that he would worship Him if He would be with him, watch over him on his journey, provide food and clothing for him and bring him back safely to his father's house. He also promised to make God His personal God, make the stone he has set God's house and give God a tenth of all that he would bless him with.
To make a vow is to make a promise. Jacob's vow shows his commitment and dedication to God. He recognised that God was able to provide for him and protect him on his journey, and he was willing to offer a tithe of all that God would give him. The stone pillar was meant to mark the spot where he had the dream. He promised to worship on that spot when he returned. Promises made must be redeemed. As believers, we must learn to honour our commitments and prioritise fulfilling our vows both to God and humans. We must be careful about making vows; once we have made one, we must make sure we redeem it.
DISCUSSION TIME:
1. Should today's Christians give God conditions for which they would serve Him?
2. What are the dangers of failing to honour pledges?
*Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity:*
● Lead class members to share testimonies of times they had experienced God's faithfulness in their lives and how they responded to it.
*Prayer:*
● Pray that the Lord will help you to fulfil all your pledges.
● Pray for a divine encounter with God.
*Take Home:*
Write down three lessons (3) you are taking home from today's lesson:
● ____________________________
● ____________________________
● ____________________________
*Commitment Based on Today's Lesson:*
● Commit to handle revelations carefully.
*REVIEW FOR THE MONTH*
To God be the glory for seeing us through the first six months of the year. In these past months, we have learnt significantly. For the month of June, we have been able to look the theme: "The Genesis of Altars and Sacrifices." Let us, therefore, examine a few questions:
● What could be the implication of giving offering with the wrong motive?
● What can you use today to mark God's faithfulness in your life?
● How will you describe Abraham's willingness to offer Isaac?
● Is there anything that is too big to offer to God?
*Happy Sunday in Advance.*
Remain Inspired & Be Lifted!*
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