LESSON
07
Lesson Focus: Proclaim God’s love and hope to the next generations. Lesson Scripture: Psalm 71:12-21
Continual Proclamation Lesson Path
Teacher’s Devotional
Week of July 14
Pass It On
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Life Response: Tell other generations about Christ.
It seems it was just the other day I was 16, getting a car; then 22, getting married. At 26, I had my first child. I turned 30 and thought I was ancient. Then 40, and now—in the blink of an eye, and after my parents have passed—I am the old one at 68. My greatest desire is to pass on a love for Jesus to our family. Both our kids are Christ-followers. My prayer now is for our three grandchildren, for each to trust Jesus, love Him, and seek His will for their lives. I want to pass my hope in Jesus on to others too. I wrote a memoir about raising our adopted, disabled daughter. It makes me so happy that those words will be here long after I’m gone. I see it as part of my legacy—to share my story of experiencing the goodness of God amid suffering and pain. From childhood through old age, God has been an anchor for my life. It’s my prayer that those following me will say the same. Psalm 71:17-18 from today’s Scripture passage says, “Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.” Indeed, we find our hope only in Him. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3).
Link to Last Week
Understanding the Bible
Allow some time for students to share about how they were able to give their thoughts of despair to Jesus this past week.
Psalm 71 was written by an elderly saint who had clearly faced some challenging times. There is no indication in the text of who wrote this psalm. Some commentators speculate that it was written after Judah’s return from captivity. Others, because of its position between a psalm of David (Ps. 70) and a psalm for David’s son Solomon (Ps. 72), believe that David also wrote this psalm. Though the psalmist experienced many bitter hardships, even persecutions, he never gave up hope in the Lord. He knew that he could call out to the Lord and be heard. Furthermore, he knew that even in death, his hope was in his loving Lord. As a result, the psalmist understood the importance of proclaiming God’s love and hope to the next generation. And such should be our hope and purpose today.
Life Connection: Discuss how all generations need to hear the Gospel. Bible Exploration: 2in Psalm Study the hopeful message 71. Suggested Material: N Adult Teacher’s Resource Kit: Poster and reproducible handout—Heartfelt Hope
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Bible Interaction: Explore how to share Jesus with other generations. Suggested Material: N Adult Teacher’s Resource Kit: Reproducible handout—My Psalm
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Lesson 7
Photo: © coffeekai/Getty Images
As Your Students Arrive
Ask students to share any pictures they brought of their children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or other young people they know. Introduce the lesson by letting the class know that this week’s lesson focuses on how these pictures represent the next generation and why we need to share the Gospel with every younger person we know.
Step 1
Discuss how all generations need to hear the Gospel.
Life Connection
Comprehensive Bible Study Student Book Reduction
L E S S O N
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For July 14 • Page 47
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Continual Proclamation
hey come from different backgrounds, but they ended up in the same church. Their ages are across the spectrum, but they meet in the same Bible study group every month. Their mission is the same: To pass the Gospel on not only to their own generation but to subsequent generations as well. The pastor’s wife, who leads the church’s small group ministry, noticed their interest in ministry from conversations with them. She and her husband overlooked the differences among them and pulled them together as a group called “AIM,” an acronym for “Advancing in Ministry.” Josh showed up at church on his own one Sunday and has been active ever since. Single and a recent graduate with a computer science degree, he works with the church’s web stream and other online ministries. Jacob, a biologist, and Sarah, a nurse, are a married couple with a little girl who still find time to host and lead small groups for young families. Mario, a military leadership trainer, and Laura, a teacher, are another married couple who teach a youth Sunday school class as well as participate in other outreach ministries of the church. Pam is a retired chaplain who counsels people of all ages and helps plug new members into ministries according to their spiritual gifts. Six others with the same goals are involved in ministry and the group. They not only want to minister to others, but also to train others who will in turn minister to others as well. 1. Why does God want us to teach generations other than our own about the good news that is in Christ Jesus? 2. In what ways does your church fulfill this calling from God? 3. Do you participate in teaching or outreach ministries? If not, why not? LESSON FOCUS: Proclaim God’s love and hope to the next generations.
LESSON FOCUS: Proclaim God’s love and hope to the next generations.
Form small groups to discuss Questions 1, 2, and 3 in the study book. For Question 1, students might say that their knowledge of how blessed they are as Christians compels them to teach their children about Jesus, or it is a life ministry to which God has called them, or that telling young people about the Lord strengthens their own faith. Answers to Question 2 will perhaps include hiring a dynamic youth minister to guide a vibrant youth group, providing faithful and enthusiastic Sunday school teachers for children of different ages, and offering opportunities for young people to participate in short-term ministries, such as repairing homes during the summer or forming a youth choir to visit nursing homes or prisons. These are but a few examples of how the next generation in a church can learn what it means to be a Christian. Question 3 invites students to reflect on how they have been or are now being active in spiritually influencing young people. It could be as simple as raising their children in the ways of God or as deeply committed as a teacher of youth in a vital operation of the church. This question should help students see that God always provides opportunities in one’s family and the church to be an example and a teacher of how to be a faithful disciple of Christ. Lesson 7 59