The Adult Sunday School

Sunday, September 29, 2013

On 10-6-13, Genesis 15:5-21 or 15:7-21 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as The Promise of a Future

The Promise of a Future

Genesis 15:5-21 or 15:7-21

International Sunday School Lesson

October 6, 2013

Commentary

Jed Greenough

Would you believe when I read today’s scripture I thought about Facebook of all things? It’s true.

Of course Abram’s (Abraham’s) age is always considered when you think about him and I got to thinking for some reason about the people who visit this blog. The blog users are quiet and there isn’t any known information about them personally other than mostly numbers.

Because of this I got to thinking about Facebook because users there submit a profile so when you have a page you can see a bit more about the people who “like” your page. A few will fudge but overall the results will be within a range of accuracy I think is acceptable.

I have a Facebook page for the sole reason to help people find the blog to help them in their prep work for that coming week’s Sunday school lesson so I looked to the stats. I think those who visit the blog are fairly similar, I mean, why wouldn’t they be?

Two thirds are women. What does that tell you either about Facebook users or those who are preparing for Sunday School?

There are 50 countries represented but of course the vast majority is from the United States.

Most importantly I think that half are 45 and older which doesn’t surprise consider the subject matter is for Adult Sunday schools. But let’s think about that age issue.

The lion share is between 35 and 64 and then there is a sharp drop off with the younger adults and with the senior ones. Why is that?

I have a theory based on my own experience that says the younger ones; the ones who feel immortal or who have belonged to a weaker church education system don’t see or feel the need. And the older ones are tired, they feel like they have done their time and sometimes that they don’t have a part in the modern church.

If we can learn anything from today’s scripture that might be new from what we have talked about in the past when we look at Abraham is our own roles as Christians with regard to our age. Abram was an old, old man but God chose him.

Abram was a special man and God knowing everything about him that this was the man to start with and so He chose him. He didn’t rule him out because he had been there and done that. Just because Abram had packed up and moved away from everything he knew, built up his flocks and established himself his ability to contribute even late in life wasn’t over.

God likewise chooses each of us from before we were born. Like it or not God did. He knows everything. So if He chooses us, we are just like Abram regardless of our age or the life we have lived thus far.

If we are young we have much to learn but we also have energy and new ideas. We can help not just our own but all ages and we should and not just that but study is crucial to wrapping yourself in what you need to know concerning God and His word.

If we are later in life, we are tired but the young and old alike need us. Are we better than Abraham?

For Discussion:

1. If you have forgotten more than the younger ones will ever know your role is crucial to share

2. Discuss how churches may have separated themselves into groups too much

3. Discuss how Sunday School may be the only place where we can truly share in the fellowship of the spirit

4. Discuss a plan of recruitment for your class

5. Read my blog from 12-11-11 where I did another commentary on basically this scripture

6. Discuss some of the attributes that Abram displayed in today’s scripture

7. Discuss Abram driving off the birds of prey in verse 11. What can be read into that?

8. Discuss being useful at any age to the church and don’t forget to include the homebound.

9. Readership varies on this blog sometimes by almost a thousand people week to week. My efforts are for the Kingdom. Please don’t rely on Google. Bookmark my blog if it helps you.

Upcoming Lessons

10-6-13 The Promise of a Future Genesis 15:5-21 or 15:7-21

10-13-13 A Promise to Sarah Genesis 17:15-17; 18:9-15; 21:1-7

10-20-13 Blessings for Ishmael and Isaac or A Blessing for Ishmael and Isaac Genesis 21:12-14, 17-21; 26-2-5, 12, 13 or 21:13-14, 17-21; 26:2-5, 12-13

10-27-13 The Blessing Passes to Jacob Genesis 28:1a, 10-22

Sunday, September 22, 2013

On 9-29-13, Genesis 11:1-9 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as God Scatters the Nations

God Scatters the Nations

Genesis 11:1-9

International Sunday School Lesson

September 29, 2013

Commentary

Jed Greenough

I will admit that I had difficulty when it came time to prepare for this week’s lesson. I had found that Sunday School lessons from my youth were getting in the way! Really it was the rich imagery that was used then that was the strongest reason for leaving me with certain impressions that I felt were blocking me from seeing a bigger picture.

What I decided to do was of course pray for the best course of action to follow. This is what I normally do but as I said the past images from classes long ago came rushing back to me.

I began to think about God’s purpose for telling us about this event. I know of course that there is scripture that is written with precision so that we understand God’s guidance for us. In other words that type of scripture is literal.

Then there is the stylized figurative language of prophecy. That language is such that the reader should know by terms such as heaven trembling or the earth shaking what was going on here.

Is the scripture for today literal or figurative? I believe in order to understand it you have to think about when the event occurred. This was an early time, coming after the flood. The population of man was again rising but at this time and no doubt for a long time to come the culture was in its infancy. The written word wasn’t a factor but oral tradition was.

People would for generation after generation talk at night about what they knew from before and after the flood. How man once again multiplied. They would have relayed the accounting of how their community came to be and how the neighbors two valleys over came to be. They would even have rumors to share of people further away and perhaps some people only whispered about.

If some believe that today’s scripture is a bit of summation of this oral tradition this belief shouldn’t bother those of us who take all parts of the Bible literally and those of us who take it a little less so when it comes to historical retelling.

In any event, God still gave it to the writer in an inspirational manner just as He did the rest of the Bible. Why is that important? Well, for me that is what I love about the word of God. As we know from the scripture God’s word accomplishes what He desires (Isaiah 55:11). I know that to mean always. Sometimes for one person it is one thing and something else for another. Even exposing false teaching can be accomplished when God’s word is misused!

The idea of God’s word being inspired I firmly believe then is never finished with that original author but continues with us today. I can receive that inspiration all over again just as you can.

For me this scripture and those for the last several weeks have driven home to me that I should stress in my comments how man when in error has turned things to being about themselves and when in the right about God. In today’s scripture God showed this.

We know from our own past experience how we turn things to being about ourselves more often than not during times of plenty and success but when things are bleakest this is when we are willing to give God glory.

The people in sight in today’s scripture had forgotten the flood or put it in the back of their mind. Early on they would have been glorifying God to think that theirs had been spared and appreciated they had come from them.

Now they were saying, “let us make us a name.” Their efforts weren’t to God.

As always we have to examine ourselves and our churches. Where are we along the path? Are we dwindling, hurting and in pain or is their joy, success and growth?

Always we must ask if we are really making a name for ourselves or our churches.

Let’s make sure that we are remembering to give glory to God and not repeating the folly of those on the plain in the land of Shinar.

For Discussion:

1. Discuss the different types of inspiration that people believe created the Bible

2. Find maps that show the possible area being discussed

3. Find images from youth Sunday School to share concerning this scripture

4. Discuss ways that individuals and churches might be saying as it does in verse 4, “…let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name…”

5. Discuss solutions

6. What steps might God take if individuals and churches go forward and build their towers and names?