Nigerian Baptist Convention For September 7, 2025 : Title - Here I am Send Me

 Nigerian Baptist Convention For September 7, 2025 : Title - Here I am Send Me

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON (NBC)

PREVIEW FOR SEPTEMBER

Welcome to the month of September. We pray that God leads us through it safely. The theme for this month is "Isaiah and Renewal of the Temple". The Bible texts shall be taken from the books of Isaiah, 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles. Some of the key points we shall be discussing are:

Here I am! Send me. How Isaiah received cleansing and his call into the full ministry. Celebrating the Past - Restoration of the temple and the celebration of the Passover. What Hilkiah found in the temple was the lost book of the law and the repentance of the people of Judah.

The suffering servant of the Lord. The prophecy of the rejected Saviour.

Below are the suggested teaching methods to prepare and teach the lessons. They can be used during the general opening or in the class.

September 7: Discussion: Let three class members discuss the sub-headings. There should be room for questions, suggestions, observations, and contributions.

September 14: Symposium Organise a symposium for the class. Give the prepared topic to the one you invited ahead of time.

September 21: Questions and Answers: The class teacher should carefully select one question under each sub-heading for discussion. There should be room for contributions.

September 28: Recitation: Let class members recite the Golden Text repeatedly until they memorise it.

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON (NBC)

September 7, 2025

HERE I AM! SEND ME

Devotional Reading: Isaiah 2:1-5

*Background Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-13, 7:1-7) 20:1-6, 38:1-22*

Lesson Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8;38:1-5

*GOLDEN TEXT:* Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying. Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, 'Here am I, send me! Isaiah 6:8

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

I. Explain Isaiah's initial reactions to what he saw and heard about his call.

II. Make a personal commitment to be faithful in worship and service after today's lesson;

III. List reasons for Isaiah's confession of his and the people's uncleanness.

INTRODUCTION

A chef in a restaurant is expected to have personal cooking experience to be able to cook. They must know the basics of food preparation and follow recipes. Similarly, a medical practitioner must have attended medical school before their practice. Both the chef and the medical practitioner must be conscious of a high standard of cleanliness and professionalism because they are dealing with human health and lives.

From this illustration above, a job requires a person to be qualified in a specific field so as to deliver well. Therefore, what qualifies a person to be a prophet of God or to do the work of God will be our focus as we learn from the call of the prophet Isalah. Cleanliness is very important; there is a standard of cleanliness required to prepare physical food and also expected to deliver spiritual food.

THE LESSON EXPLAINED

A. Isaiah Saw the Lord. Isaiah 6:1-4

Isaiah's primary ministry as a prophet in Israel was to the southern kingdom, Judah. He served the Lord during the reign of Kings Ahaz and Hezekiah (Isaiah 1:1). Isaiah, like other prophets in ancient Israel, spoke on behalf of Yahweh on political, religious, and social issues of their lives. These prophets helped the Israelites to be faithful to their promises to God. Isaiah's counsel guided Hezekiah during an Assyrian invasion that threatened the southern kingdom (Isaiah 37:14-20). King Uzziah, sometimes called Azariah (2 Kings 14:21, 15:1), was one of Judah's godly kings but did not finish well because he defiantly offered incense in the temple. That was an act reserved only for the priests. He reacted angrily to the priests who confronted him. He was stricken with leprosy and had to be quarantined for the rest of his life; immediately, Jotham, his son, succeeded him as king at age twenty-five (2 Chronicles 26:16-21).In the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw God and was overwhelmed with divine glory and He became aware of God's need for a messenger to the people of Israel. As believer, be holiness. determined to hear God during every opportunity to worship. Do not be overly concerned when God punishes any leader because of his sin. Despite Isaiah's sense of inadequacy, he offered himself for God's service. Isaiah's experience of the Lord by vision in the temple in Jerusalem shows him that the Lord has not departed from the temple. God is still in need of people He wants to use today, and perhaps you are the one.

DISCUSSION TIME

1. Explain your responses at one occasion when God spoke to you.

2. Define the role of the prophet in ancient Israel.

B. Isaiah's Sin Cleansed.Isaiah 6:5-7

Isaiah declared that his lips were unclean and that he dwells among people of unclean lips. He was unable to join the seraphim to praise God since an unholy person could not speak holy words. It is not unusual for prophetic visions to appeal to the senses for the recipient to understand that the experience is real. In the case of the prophet Isaiah, four out of his five senses have informed his experience: By sight (v. 1), by hearing (v. 3), by sight and smell (v. 4), and by touch (v. 7). Isaiah experienced the fire of cleansing and was purged as fire removes impurities from metal (1 Peter 1:7). He feared that he would die (v. 5), but did not die because God showed him mercy.

Like Isaiah, Christians should not think they are saved or called to the ministry as a result of merit. Christians should no longer be comfortable with sin, ungodliness and self-righteousness when they come to church for worship. Christians should admit their state of unholiness and allow God to correct them through the cleansing action by His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.

DISCUSSION TIME

1. Why do people fear that they would die when confronted with their sins? 

2. What should Christians do to receive mercy and pardon for their unrighteousness?

*C. Isaiah Accepted to Serve. Isaiah 6:8; 38:1-5*

Isaiah heard the two questions posed by the Lord. His response followed immediately. The questions have to do with a trusting relationship. Isaiah was willing to be sent without knowing what the assignment would be. Knowing the One that sent him was enough for Isaiah and should be enough for us. He was prepared and ready to go wherever the Lord might send him. He was sent to King Hezekiah with a message that could be life-threatening, yet he was not frightened to deliver the message. He was sent the second time to go and reverse the same message, yet he was strong in heart to go and reverse the same message.

Isaiah did not hide his sins or argue with several reasons why it is difficult to go back the second time. He was only ready to go wherever he was sent. Our faith should challenge us to confront our world. Those whom God calls should not be afraid to deliver the message even when it could be life. threatening.

DISCUSSION TIME

When we are sent with messages that could be life-threatening. what should be our response? List calibres of people who could be difficult to confront with the gospel message.

*Fellowship and Ministry Building Activity*

Let class members share their experience of someone they know that struggled with God's call and how it was resolved.

Prayer:

▪︎ Pray for total cleansing of your sins and your nation.

▪︎ Ask for grace and boldness to deliver God's timely message.

▪︎ Pray for the unreached and difficult people that they will encounter the gospel of Christ.

Take Home:

Write down three lessons you are taking home, based on today's lesson.

*Commitment:* Based on today's lesson, call/send a text message of appreciation and encouragement to one missionary or pastor of the Nigerian Baptist Convention for answering the God's call.