teacher's manual 2016.pdf

8/17/2019 TEACHER'S MANUAL 2016.pdf

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THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH NIGERIA.

LAWNA TERRITORY,

2016 SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL

KNOWING

JESUS CHRIST,

A STUDY OF

PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER THREE(LESSONS SUITABLE FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL OR BIBLE STUDY)

(TEACHER’S MANUAL)

LAWNA Sunday School Office,

LAWNA Secretariat, Olorunda, Ketu

P. O Box 32, Ebute Metta, Lagos,Tel: +(234) 802 300 9882

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FOREWORD

In 2014, we began the study of the Epistle to the Philippians,

drawing vital lessons about the Principle of Life of the Christian

from Chapter 1. In 2015 we studied Chapter 2, whose message wastitled 'Jesus Christ, The Example Of Humility.'

This year, 2016, we are continuing our study of the Epistle,

focussing on Chapter 3. We title the study "KNOWING JESUS

CHRIST," drawing the inspiration from Paul's earnest desire as

expressed in verse 10 of the chapter. The verse says, "That I may

know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship ofhis sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."

We acknowledge the useful materials gained from commentaries ofMatthew Henry, Albert Barnes, Adam Clarke, John Gill and some

others, as well as many reference Bibles. This write-up has also

benefited from the study of this epistle by A. L. Greenway who was,

at the time of documenting the study, the Principal of The ApostolicChurch Bible School, Pennygroes, South Wales.

We also acknowledge the incisive review of:Pastor S O Ajibola, P/A to LAWNA Chairman

Pastor J. O. Oladipo, Ikeja District Apostle, Agege Area,

Pastor P. K. O. Oyelaran, LAWNA Missionary Secretary,Pastor J O Akingbade, LAWNA Admin. OfficerElder Isaac Ameobi, CEU Dept. LAWNA Headquarters

Elder Tunde Adebisi, Editor of the LAWNA NEWS.

Elder Dr AyoOlu Banji, Lecturer, Bowen University. Iwo

We commend you to the grace of God as you use this book.

Pastor J. B. Coker,

LAWNA Sunday School Superintendent,

November 2015

Tel: +(234) 802 300 9882; e-mail: [email protected]


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SUMMARY OF PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER THREE

Less

on

No

Verses Topic Parts No of

Parts

38 1-3 Warning against false teachers A-D 4

39 4-6 Paul's Impressive list of

Human Achievements

A-B 2

40 7 Futility of Human

Achievement to earn salvation

A-C 3

41 8 Following Jesus Christ as HisDisciple

A-C 3

42 9 Righteousness is only by Faithin Christ

A-D 4

43 10- 11 Earnest Desire to grow in

grace

A-E 5

44 12 Pressing Forward in perfection A-C 3

45 13-14 Progress in perfection A-D 4

46 15-16 A Plea for Tolerance among

Members

A-C 3

47 17- 19 Warning against Enemies ofthe Cross

A-D 4

48 20-21 Citizens of Heaven A-D 4

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LE SSON 38: BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS

Text: Philippians 3: 1- 3

Php 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the

same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for

you it is safe.

Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the

concision.

Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in

the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no

confidence in the flesh.

Memory verse:Beware lest any man spoil you through

philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after therudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:8)

Lesson objective

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:1. describe the real source of the joy of the Christian,

2. discuss the benefit of repeating gospel truths,

3.

explain what Christians should be careful about,4. describe who are the true Christians.

Relevant Hymns: Redemption Hymnal 425. 429, App 71

IntroductionThe Philippian church, a faithful and flourishing church, was being

disturbed by those Paul referred to as “evil workers” who were

Jewish Christians that wrongly believed it was essential forgentiles to follow their laws, especially those which had to do with

circumcision, in order to have salvation. Paul begins this chapter

with warnings against these seducers clearly, stating that true

worshippers of God rejoice and glory in the Lord Jesus Christ, whois sufficient for them, rather than putting any confidence in the

flesh.


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iii. Taught according to the perfect manner of thelaws of the fathers (Acts 22:3),

iv. He was a Pharisee , the son of a Pharisee

(Acts 23:6), and after the most strict sect ofhis religion lived a Pharisee, (Acts 26:5).

e. He had a blameless character.

i. Touching the righteousness which is of the

law, blameless: as far as the Pharisees'

exposition of the law went,

ii. And, as to the mere letter of the law and

outward observance of it, he could acquit

himself from the breach of it and could not be

accused by any.

f. He was sincere.

i. Paul said that he lived in a good conscience

before God ( Acts 23;1).

ii. He had a zeal without knowledge to directand govern the exercise of it: "Who was

before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and

injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I didit ignorantly in unbelief." (1Tim. 1:13).

g. He had been active in the defence of his religion.

i. As he made a strict profession of it, under the

title and character of a Pharisee, so he persecuted those whom he looked upon as

enemies to his religion. Concerning zeal,

persecuting the church. ii. He showed that he was in good earnest: I was

zealous towards God, as you all are this day,

and I persecuted this way unto the death, (Acts 22:3-4).

h. Paul profited from the Jewish religion as Gal 1:13-14

says, "For ye have heard of my conversation in time

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past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And

profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals

in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealousof the traditions of my fathers."

i.

Paul's conclusion: These credentials were not

sufficient to earn him salvation.

Evaluation

1. Give five reasons why the issue of confidence in the flesh

came for discussion

2. State Paul's impressive list of credentials which he had

thought could earn him salvation.

Personal Assessment Questions

1. What human achievements have you acquired and can you

list them like Paul?

2. Did you acquire each one truthfully and lawfully as Paulacquired his own?

3. How do you view falsification of credentials which appears

common today?


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2. Describe why each of the credentials he had trusted in wasactually worthless in securing salvation.

3. Give five reasons why Christians should not despise human

achievement.4.

State four reasons why the believer has no reason to glory

in human achievements.


1. Do you have the experience of human achievement

enhancing your spiritual life now that you are converted?

2. Are you improving sufficiently on the talents andendowments that God has given you?

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Lesson 41 FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST AS HIS

DISCIPLE

Text: Philippians 3: 8

Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the

excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: forwhom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count

them but dung, that I may win Christ,...

Memory verse: So likewise, whosoever he be of you that

forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my

disciple. (Luke 14:33)

Lesson objectives

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:

1. list the five groups of things Paul forsook to be a disciple ofChrist,

2. explain the implication of these things being considered as

dung,3. discuss the great gain of discipleship in this passage,

4.

compare what a disciple forsakes with what he or she gainsin following Jesus Christ.

Relevant hymns Redemption Hymnal 564, 569

Introduction

In the last passage, we noted that Paul acknowledged that his

human achievements could not earn him salvation before God.

Here, in this passage he found what was far superior in Christ, inthe light of which his credentials became abhorrent to him. Thus

he would forsake all to follow Christ and learn about Him. The

passage is a lesson on Discipleship.


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he had found one pearl of great price, went and soldall that he had, and bought it."

Evaluation

1.

Mention the five groups of things Paul forsook to be a

disciple of Christ.2. What are the implication of these things being considered

as dung.3. List ten and discuss the great gain of discipleship in this

passage

4. compare what a disciple forsakes with what he or she gainsin following Jesus Christ.


1. Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? If so, have you

forsaken all for Him?

2. How much of Him do you know?

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LESSON 42 RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ONLY THROUGH

FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.


Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own

righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is

through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of

God by faith:

Memory verse: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and

that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”

Ephesians 2: 8

Lesson objectives

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:1. explain the two possible meaning of "be found in Him"

2. define what the unacceptable righteousness is.

3. define what the acceptable righteousness is, and4. list the four objectives of the law.

Relevant hymns Redemption Hymnal 377, 378

Introduction

In Romans chapter 7, Paul explained the battle of the man trying tokeep the law, which he acknowledged was good and spiritual

(verse 12), and he declared that it was futile to get right with God

by self-effort (verse 24). However, in the last verse (verse 25), he

declared, in triumph, his joy at finding the righteousness that hadeluded him being given him freely through faith in Jesus Christ.

This is what this passage of study is putting across to the

Philippians; that by discarding his own legal righteousness, hewould find the righteousness of God by faith in Christ Jesus. The

purpose of the law therefore becomes clear, a schoolmaster leading

man unto Christ.


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SUBJECT MATTER

Part A

1. The ultimate goal: And be found in him,....a.

This is another end or goal, which the apostle had in

view in counting all things loss and dung, andsuffering the loss of all for Christ.

b. Two renderings of the expression have been given asfollows:

i. "be found in Him"

1. It means constantly abiding in Him, protected and shielded by Him,

nourished by Him, guided by Him;

trusting Him not just for justification but also for sanctification (Ps 91:1).

2. It means being joined to Him as the

branch is joined to the tree for

sustenance and fruit-bearing. (John15:1-7).

3. It implies not just being in Christ

nominally, or being in Him by profession, but by practice and

experience.

4. Paul here talks about a clearer andmore evident manifestation of his

being in Christ.5. His desire is that he might be seen to

be in Him, in life whether private or

public and at death; and on the day of judgment.

ii. "may find in Him"

1. Calvin read the words differently as

"and may find in Him"; the sense hereis that the apostle renounced all things

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for Christ, that he might recover all inHim.

2. This must be true; that for the loss of

carnal privileges, Paul found in Christspiritual blessings.

3.

For the loss of his own righteousness,he got another, indeed a better one,

even the righteousness of God.4. In lieu of external goods, or worldly

substance that he was stripped of, he

received true and lasting riches.5. In place of outward credit, he found

peace and plenty, true honour, real

peace, and spiritual pasture.6. Instead of the comforts of life, and

life itself, he was bestowed with

spiritual and eternal life.

Part B The Unprofitable Righteousness:

2. It is self-righteousness: not having mine own

righteousness, a.

By "my own righteousness," Paul meant his

obedience to the moral, as well as the ceremonial

law. b. He calls it his "own", because it was performed by

him, and worked out in his own strength.c. He had such a high opinion of this performance, as if

it was perfect and blameless; and he had put his trust

and confidence in it.d. This also distinguishes it from the other

righteousness, i.e. that which he later had in Christ.

3. It is legal righteousness: righteousness, which is of the law;


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Part D The Law was the Schoolmaster leading us unto

Christ

7. The purpose of the law

a. The law was added to.i.

define sin: "for where no law is, there is no

transgression" (Rom. 4:15). "that sin by thecommandment might become exceeding

sinful." (Rom. 7:13). "What shall we saythen? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had

not known sin, but by the law: for I had not

known lust, except the law had said, Thoushalt not covet" (Rom 7:7).

ii. act as restraining influence on man, (Ps.

119:11).iii. define and justify the penalty for sin. "The

sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is

the law." (1Co 15:56). "Moreover the law

entered, that the offence might abound."(Rom 5:20).

iv. and make man appreciate the futility of

seeking to be justified by way of keeping thelaw. "for by the works of the law shall no

flesh be justified." (Gal. 2:16).

b. In the light of this, man's only way to God is throughthe sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 3:22)

c. This is the reason that the Bible refers to the law asthe schoolmaster leading us to Christ (Gal. 3:24).

8. Paul's rejection of legal righteousness

a.

With the revelation of this fact to Paul, his own legalrighteousness became abhorrent to him and he did

not desire to "have" it, and be found in it any more.

b. He now knew such righteousness was imperfect,

filthy and unprofitable, and that by it, he could not be justified and saved, therefore he desired to have

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another righteousness which would be acceptable toGod..

Evaluation

1.

What are the two possible meanings of "be found in Him"?

2.

What is the unacceptable righteousness?3. What is the acceptable righteousness?

4. list the four objectives of the law.

Personal Assessment Question

1. Is your goal in life the same as that of Paul, i.e. to be foundin Christ wearing the righteousness of God?


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Evaluation

1. List five things concerning Christ that Paul desired to know moreabout and four facts to show that the process is progressive.

2. mention ten things that the appreciation of the resurrection ofChrist will do for the Christian,

3.

Give ten things that the fellowship of Christ's suffering means toa Christian and four points to show that the position of the

church today is deplorable. 4. Discuss what being made conformable unto His death implies

comparing it with the way man would want to die and what the

plan of God could be for His saints. 5. Explain what "attaining to the resurrection of the dead" means

and what Paul meant by the expression "if by any means."

Personal Assessment Questions 1. Are you satisfied with your knowledge of Christ, His word

and His way?2. How real is the power of the resurrection of Christ in your

life?3. Are you ready to die for the gospel?

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LESSON 44 PRESSING FORWARD IN PERFECTION


Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were

already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may

apprehend that for which also I am apprehended ofChrist Jesus.

Memory verse: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:48)

Lesson objectives

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:

1.

list nine experiences in the life of Paul after conversion toconfirm his conversion,

2. explain the three stages of salvation,

3. list four things that Paul followed after,4. explain what Paul meant by apprehend that for which he

was apprehended by Christ,

5. list two implications for the Christian from this desire of

Paul here.

Relevant hymns R edemption Hymnal 393.399

Introduction

In this passage, we have a fundamental doctrine of the Bible in

focus. That is the issue of Christian perfection. In ordinary life, athing is either perfect or not perfect. But Christian perfection is

not so; it is a continuum and not a point or a mark. Consequently,the Bible, in one breath, says that the believer is perfect and, inanother, it says that the believer is not perfect and must strive

towards perfection. The topic is well dealt with in this lesson

while explaining Paul's statement in the text of our study here.


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understand that (the purpose) for which also I was

arrested by Christ Jesus." b. Paul was apprehended (or arrested) of Christ, when

He met Paul on his way to Damascus, stopped himin his journey, laid him prostrate on the ground, and

laid hold on him as His own, challenged andclaimed His interest in him (Acts 9:3-6).

c. Christ wanted Paul to know Him himself, and makeHim known to others; that he might be made like

unto Him, have communion with Him, and

everlastingly enjoy Him.d. These things the apostle must understand and

pursue after with great vehemence, that he might

grasp them, and be in full possession of them.e. We may learn, from this:

i. that Christians are seized, (or laid hold on,

when they are converted), by the power of

Christ, to be employed in the service ofChrist,

ii. that there is an objective or purpose which

Christ has in view and has designs that theyshall understand this objective so that theycan serve well and obtain a glorious prize.

Evaluation

1. List nine evidences to show the life of Paul after conversion

to confirm his conversion.2. Explain the three stages of salvation.

3.

List four things that Paul followed after.4. Explain what Paul meant by apprehending that for which

he was apprehended by Christ.

5. List two implications for the Christian from this desire of

Paul.

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Personal Assessment Questions1. How does the fact that perfection is a continuum affect

you?2.

Do you, as a Christian, have much desire for knowing thedoctrine of the church?


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vi. This love for earthly things is mentioned asone of the characteristics of enmity to the

7. Give reasons why the end of these enemies of the cross isdestruction


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one of the characteristics of enmity to the

cross of Christ.

b. The prevalence of these enemies in the churchi.

How many are there in the church now who

are the real enemies of the cross!ii. How many professing Christians are there

who regard little else than worldly things!iii. How many who live only to acquire wealth.

to gain honour, or to enjoy the pleasures of

the world!iv. How many are there who have no interest in

a prayer meeting, in a Sunday school, in

religious conversation, and in theadvancement of true religion on the earth!

c. These are the real enemies of the cross. It is not

only those who deny the doctrines of the cross, but

also those who oppose its influence on their hearts;not only those who live to scoff and deride religion,

but also those who “mind earthly things,” that injure

this holy cause of the Christian faith in the world.

Evaluation

1. Explain the necessity of a faithful Christian to be a goodexample to other people.

2. List five reasons why we must mark those in the fellowshipwhose example we may follow.

3. Describe those who do not walk according to the true

principle of Christ.4. Give reason why true believers should weep for such

deviants.

5. Give reasons why these deviants are enemies of the cross.6. List the evils they perpetrate in the church.

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destruction.


1. Are you living a life which other members of the church

can imitate?

2. If you truly love the Lord and His gospel, how ready are

you to speak out against any evil practice in the church?


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e. And He that has this power can change our humbledand debased bodies, so that they shall put on the


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, y p

glorious appearance and form of that of the Son of

God Himself.f.

What a contrast between our bodies here - frail,

feeble, subject to sickness, decay, and corruption -and the body as it will be in heaven! And what a

glorious prospect awaits the weak and dying believer, in the future world!

Evaluation

1. Explain what it means to say our conversation is in heaven.

2. Mention the role of the doctrine of the second coming of

Christ on the believer.3. Mention ten facts about the glorious body the Christians

shall have in heaven.

4. Describe the power of Christ which makes the

transformation of the believer's body.


1. How ready are you for the coming back of Christ?

2.

Are you working hard to see that many are ready for thatsecond coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?

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