WEEK 1: CALL TO REPENTANCE (1)
Repentance is the act of changing ones attitudes and behaviours from bad to good. This is only completed when you decide to change totally and forsake the evil ways. Everyone who is born on earth with flesh and blood tends to perpetuate evil. This is a result of our Adamic nature in us. Our environment also contributes greatly to this, because of the level of corruption that has eaten deeply into our system. It is a pity that some take evil for good and good for evil.
PAUL’S REPENTANCE
Conversion of Paul from Judaism to Christianity [Acts 9:1-21]
Saul (Paul) got letters from high priests to Synagogue at Damascus to bring bound to Jerusalem those who professed the name of Christ. Approaching Damascus, a sudden light shown, he fell down and heard a voice: “Saul, why do you persecute me?” “Who art thou, Lord” “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Rise and enter the city, you will be told what to do”.
He rose up blind, was led to Damascus, no sight for three days – neither ate nor drank.
Ananias saw a vision; was told to go to a street called straight, ask for the house of Judas for Saul of Tarsus, lay hands on him to regain his sight. Ananias complained of Saul’s murderous intent towards the followers of Christ. Go for he is a chosen instrument of mine. Ananias laid hands on Saul who regained his sight, was filled with the Holy Spirit and baptized.
For several days Saul was with the disciples at Damascus, proclaimed boldly in the Synagogue that Jesus is the son of God. He met with opposition, the governor under Aretas, the king kept the city with a garrison to apprehend paul. Paul had to be smuggled out for safety. At Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples, again, they were afraid of him until Barnabas vouched for his sincerity. There was another plot to kill him in Jerusalem. So he was escorted to the coast and shipped off to Tarsus. This was how the Jews reacted to Saul’s (Paul) conversion from Judaism to Christianity.
DAVID’S REPENTANCE
David committed sin by having affairs with Bethshebah and end up killing Uriah, the husband in the battle field.
Prophet Nathan accused David of his sin, and he repented totally of this. He demonstrated this by fasting for seven days .So by this, he wrote Psalm 51 as a prayer of forgiveness.
WEEK 2: CALL TO REPENTANCE (2)
REPENTANCE OF THE NINEVITES
The people of Nineveh were so sinful and God decided to destroy them. However because God is merciful, he wanted them to repent. Hence, God sent prophet Jonah to preach to them to repent. Jonah was not willing to go, so he planned to board a ship to Tarship instead of Nineveh. God allowed a strong wind to disturb the ship and Jonah was thrown into the sea to prevent the people in the ship from perishing. Jonah was swallowed by a big fish. He repented in the fish to obey God and the fish vomited him at the bank of Nineveh, on the market day. When they saw this, they were eager to listen to his message. They reported to the king of Nineveh who declared fasting and pleaded that the people should repent and God pardoned the people because they all acknowledged their sins and repented of it. Unlike Adam that was giving excuses for sins.
WEEK 3: CALL TO REPENTANCE (3)
JOHN THE BAPTIST
John the Baptist was known to be a messenger of God specifically calling people to repentance for forgiveness of sins. His message was basically on the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John the Baptist told the multitude that came to him to listen to his special message that he baptized them with water for repentance, but someone is coming after him, the one who is mightier than himself who will baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He further told them that Jesus was the one he was talking about and He would gather His wheat from the threshing floor into His granary, but the chaff He would burn with unquenchable fire.
THE PRODIGAL SON (LUKE 15:11-32)
Jesus told a parable of a man who had two sons and the younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of property that falls to me” the father divided his belongings between them. After some days, the younger one gathered all he had and went to a far country where he squandered his wealth in loose living. After spending all he had, he had nothing left. He came back to his senses and decided to go back to his father. As the father saw him afar off, he was so happy and ran towards him and embraced him and made a feast for him. The elder brother was not happy. The father comforted him and asked him to join in welcoming his younger brother, for his brother who was dead had come back to life.
LESSONS TO LEARN
The important point to note in this case is that the father had compassion on the son and welcomed him back with happiness, despite the loose life he had lived and the father’s wealth he had wasted. In the same manner, God is always ready to welcome his children once they confess their sins and forsake them.
The prodigal son decision to return as a servant and not as a son shows a high sense of humility on his part. The Psalmist wrote “A broken and contrite heart, O God thou will not despise” This is the type of Sprit God wants in His children – Christians.
THE DEMAND OF REPENTANCE [LUKE 3;1-14’MATT 3;1-12]
John the Baptist, preached repentance and baptized people at river Jordan. He said that it was the voice of one crying in the wilderness that people should repent of their sins. The following are rewards of genuine repentance.
Acknowledge your sins [Rom 6;23, 3;23]
Accept that you cannot save yourself
Belief that Jesus died for your sins
Repent of your sins and forsake them
WEEK 4-5: CALL TO REPENTANCE (4)
ZACCHEUS COMMENDS JESUS
Zaccheus responded to the call to repentance (Luke 19:1-9)
Zaccheus was a tax collector among the Israelites. He was dishonest in collection of taxes from people. He cheated people by collecting more than expected from them. He was of a little stature. One day,as Jesus was going about calling people to repentance, Zaccheus responded.
He came to see Jesus, but could not
because of the crowd. He then, ran
ahead and climbed up a sycamore
tree to see Jesus as he was passing by. When Jesus came to the place,
he told Zaccheus to come down.
Jesus also promised to be in his
house.
Zaccheus repented and promised to give back those he had cheated. Jesus
granted him salvation and he became happy.
National Call and Responses to Repentance
The call of God to repentance is not
limited to individuals. As sin is a reproach to an individual so it is to a
Sinful nation. God also, sometimes
calls sinful nations to repentance. He
is not willing that any person or nation should perish. In the Bible,
we have example of a nation God
called her people to repentance.
They are the people of Nineveh.
WEEK 6: CALL TO OBEDIENCE (1)
THE CALL OF ABRAHAM (Gen 12:1-9)
God called Abraham when the time came to perform the duties assigned to him on earth.
Abraham responded to God’s call with faith, trust, obedience, and courage.
Abraham’s father was Terah, He was the descendant of those people who were scattered in small languages or groups after the fall of Tower Babel Indent. He grew up in Ur in Mesopotamia, to Haran, In northern Mesopotamia
When Terah died in Haran young man took over the responsibility of his family after the age of seventy-five. The time came for God to appear to him and call him to leave his country and his relations. He was to go to a new Land that God Said.
“Go from your country and your hindered and your father’s house to the Land that I will make you a great nation and I will bless you and him who curses I will curse and by you, all the families of the earth shall blessed.
Abraham’s task was to be a blessing to all the families on earth. The blessing consists in the fact that the knowledge of salvation, which will bring mankind into a new relationship with God so that a good relationship will exist between God and each other will be given to Abraham and his descendants.
Therefore the task of Abraham and his descendants, the Jews was to make known to us the way of salvation.
Abraham responded faithfully to God’s call immediately God called him, he handed over the responsibilities as head family and left for the strange and new land that God would show him. He went with his wife Sarah and his nephew Lot and his wife. They left Haran with all their Servants and as much of their property as they could carry from Haran, Abraham, and his group travelled southwards for months and months; they entered the Land of Canaan and came to the city of Shechem. In the time of Abraham, Canaan was called a Land flowing with milk and honey because it was very beautiful and fertile.
Shechem was an Important Canaanite town that was noted for its religious activities. In the center of the town was a scared three called the promised land. To show his gratitude to God for his special favour. Abraham built an altar in honour of God.
THE IMPORTANT OF ABRAHAM’S RESPONSE TO GOD’S CALL
When Abraham left Haran he did not know where he was going. Yet he was sure that God would guide him and protect him on the way. This showed that Abraham was a man of faith, trust, Obedience, and Courage. These are the qualities expected of Christians to have these good qualities so that they may succeed in their various tasks on earth.
Religious and moral lesson
1. God expects you to respond to His call to perform special duties.
2. Abraham responded to God’s call with faith, trust, obedience, and courage.
3. Abraham built an altar in honour of God, your parents, teachers, and elders for all the benefits you have received and will continue to receive from them.
GOD’S PROMISES TO ABRAHAM
1. To make him a great nation.
2. To bless him and make his name great.
3. To bless them that bless him and curse them that curse him.
4. In his family shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
WEEK 8: CALL TO OBEDIENCE (2)
The Blessing Of Abraham
To encourage him God made the following promises to him:
I will make of you a great nation;
I will bless and make your name great so that you will be a blessing;
I will bless those that bless you;
And will curse those who curse you;
By you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Abraham responded by obeying what God instructed him to do. He was seventy five years old when the call came to him. He took his wife Sarai, Lot his nephew, servants and their possessions and departed. When he came to Shechem in the plain of Oak of Moreh, God appeared to him.
God made a promise to him, “to your descendants will give this land”. Abraham in turn, built an alter unto the Lord. From Shechem, Abraham moved to Bethel (Luz) where he built an alter to the Lord and called the name of the Lord.
The land God promised his descendants was the land of Canaan which the Israelites inherited as the Promised Land. God also blessed Abraham for this single act of obedience to His instruction
Reward of Abraham’s Obedience/Blessing from Obeying God’s Call
(Genesis 21:1-8)
One of the blessings of Abraham’s obedience was that God entered into a covenant relationship with him.
God promised to bless him exceedingly. Among features of the covenant were:
1. God changed his name from Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of many nations or multitude)
2. Sarai’s name was changed to Sarah (mother of many nations). God also promised to bless Abraham and Sarah with a son whom they would call Isaac.
3. God promised to extend the covenant relationship with Isaac and his descendants as an everlasting covenant He gave them the physical sign of the covenant as circumcision of every male born to Abraham and his descendants.
WEEK 9: CALL TO SERVICE (1)
Service means providing something of value that meets the needs of the public and society to satisfy their needs. It also means to work for a person, country, or organization for a reward in the form of wages or salary.
Service is needed in the family, school, community, societies, and nations. People’s services are needed everywhere, even in our churches. Individuals should endeavour to give their best in services whenever they are opportune to do so.
EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO GOD’S CALL IN THE BIBLE:
God needed the service of some people in the bible and he decided to choose those he would like to work with, he called the following and they responded instantaneously.
Abraham was first called to leave his father’s house to the land which God did not tell him about before he left Haran, he obeyed and followed God still.
Moses – Moses was called and chosen by God to deliver the children of Israel from the bondage of the land of Egypt.
Joseph - God called Joseph indirectly using his brothers who sold him out to the Ishmaelite. The Ishmaelite took him to Egypt where he first served in the house of Potiphar. God tested him, and he passed the test. Although he was unjustly imprisoned based on a false accusation, in a matter of time, he was vindicated, and God remembered him. He was released from prison to fulfill God’s mandate in the land of Egypt.
Joshua – Joshua was called by God to continue from where Moses stopped after the death of Moses. Without hesitation, he obeyed all of God’s instructions and led the people of Israel to the promised land.
Isaiah - Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord and he said “Here I am send me Lord”
WEEK 10: CALL TO SERVICE (2): JOSEPH AND RUTH
Joseph
Joseph was one of the sons of Jacob. His father loved him more than his other brothers because Joseph was the child of his old age. Joseph was also a child who did not condone evil. To show his love for Joseph, Jacob made a colorful long sleeve robe also called ‘Coat of many Colors for him. Joseph was hated by his brothers because their father love him more than all of them.
Joseph was also a dreamer. He dreamt two dreams which he told his brothers. The dreams signified that he would be successful above his brothers in future. Again, he always brought to their father the reports of his brothers’ evil deeds. This made them to hate him the more.
The Sale of Joseph to Egypt
(Genesis 37:12-36)
One day, Joseph’s father sent him to Dothan to give food to his brothers who were grazing their cattle. He was to find out about their welfare and report back to his father. Joseph
did not see them at Dothan, and was directed to look for them at Shechem. When his brothers saw him coming, they planned to kill him, but Reuben stopped them from killing him.
Later, they sold him to Midianite traders for 20 shekels of silver. The traders in turn, took him to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh.
The brothers of Joseph killed a goat and dipped Joseph’s robe in the blood. They sent it to their father to Identify whether it was Joseph’s robe of many colors. Jacob identified it as
Joseph’s robe and wept bitterly feeling that wild beasts might nave devoured him.
Joseph’s Service in Egypt
(Genesis 41:3-5)
In Egypt, Joseph served in three places, in the house of Potiphar, in Prison and as a minister in charge of distributions of food. As a servant in the house of Potiphar, he was diligent and faithful to his master. This made Potiphar to hand over all his businesses to Joseph. But the wife of Potiphar wanted Joseph to lie with her, but Joseph refused. He said that he would not commit such evil before God and his master. As a result of his faithfulness, he was falsely accused by Potiphar's wife. He was unjustly thrown into prison without a fair hearing.
In prison house, Joseph was so humble and loyal that he was made a welfare officer for other prisoners. He also used his talent as an interpreter of dreams to help others. He interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s Butler and Chief Baker.
The Baker was killed while the Buter was restored to his office. Joseph also interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh of Egypt. This made Pharaoh to promote him to the position of Prime Minister in Egypt.
In his new position, Joseph was in made second-in-command Egypt after Pharaoh. He was given a new name, Zaphnath-paneah. He was given a wife, Asenath, the daughter of Potiphar, priest of On. God blessed their marriage with two sons.
The first son he named Manasseh meaning, God has made me forget my hardship and all my father’s house’. The second son was called Ephraim meaning God has made me fruitful in the land of affliction.” Joseph served as a minister in charge of distribution of food in Egypt. He worked tirelessly. He constructed store-house which He worked tirelessly. He constructed
store-house which he filled with grains during the year of plenty. He served his master with loyalty accountability as he sold the grains to people. Joseph was so faithful that all the Egyptians came to him for supply of their needs.
He was also good in dealing with people from other countries who came to buy food in Egypt. When his brothers came to buy food too, Joseph recognized them. He treated them kindly and
with compassion. He even forgave them of their maltreatment to him as a young man. His love for his brethren and family which made him to ask them to come down to Egypt to escape starvation during the years of famine
Ruth
The Service of Ruth to Her Mother In-Law (Ruth 1:7-18)
Ruth was a Moabitess married to the family of Elimelech. Elimelech was an Israelite from Bethlehem in Judea. Elimelech left Judea for Moab With his wife, Naomi, and two sons, Chillion and Mahlon, to escape from famine in Judea. There, his two sons married Moabitess women. Chillion married Ruth while Mahlon married Orpha.
Shorty, Elimelech died and later his two sons also died. Naomi was now left with her two daughters in-law. When the famine was over, Naomi decided to go back to Judea. Naomi called her two daughters in-Haw and advised them to return to their parents. Her reasons were, that their husbands were dead, and it was not possible for her to bear other sons for them to get married to. After much consideration, Orpha went back to her people but Ruth cleaved to her mother in-law.
When Naomi persisted, Ruth told her, entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge, I Will lodge, your people shall be my people and your God my God; where you die, i will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if it is not only death parts me from you” With such determination, Naomi left her to her decision. This shows that Ruth was willing to serve her mother in-law at all costs.
Naomi therefore took Ruth and returned to Bethlehem and loved her so much. Ruth labored to take care of her mother in-law. Naomi also made plans for their near kinsman to take care of Ruth. Ruth served with faithfulness and hard work; this made Boaz, Naomi’s kinsman to marry Ruth. Ruth bore to him a son called Obed. Obed means restorer of life and nourisher of old age. Obed became the father of Jesse who was also the father of King David.
Through the lineage of Ruth, Jesus Christ, the expected Messiah was born.
Lessons from the Services of Joseph and Ruth
1. Both of them had excellent qualities in their Services which are worthy of emulation.
2. They were courageous and determined to survive their adverse environments.
3. They were humble and submissive to their master and mistress.
4. Both were hard-working and faithful in service.
5. They were visionary, which made them see a better future amidst dark environment.
6. They were selfless in service and, willing to help others more than themselves.
7. They had love and compassion for the welfare of others.
8. Joseph had the fear of God to avoid sinful practice and forgiving spirit towards all who wronged him.
WEEK 10: WAYS CHRISTIANS ARE CALLED TO SERVICE OF GOD AND HUMILITY
Christians are called to serve God and humanity with humility through selfless acts, obedience, and love, following Jesus' example of being a servant. Key ways include helping the needy, obeying authorities, using talents to serve the church, and treating others with respect.
Ways Christians are Called to Service of God and Humility
1. Selfless Service (Serving Others): Humility is shown by prioritizing others' needs over personal gain, just as Jesus washed his disciples' feet. This includes helping the needy and being kind to others.
2. Obedience to God's Word: Serving God involves obeying His commandments, similar to how Abraham followed God's instructions.
3. Active Participation in Church/Community: Utilizing spiritual gifts and talents to serve in the church and community, rather than seeking personal recognition.
4. Humility in Leadership/Authority: Viewing leadership positions as opportunities to serve, not to rule or exert power.
5. Worship and Reverence: Serving God through sincere worship, prayer, and devotion, rather than just outward appearances.
Examples of Service in the Bible
1. Joseph: Served faithfully in Egypt despite his circumstances, managing grain stores to save lives.
2. Ruth: Showed loyalty and humility by serving her mother-in-law, Naomi.
3. Jesus Christ: The ultimate example of humility, taking the form of a servant to save humanity.
Problems in Serving God
1. Selfishness: Focusing on personal interests rather than service.
2. Lack of Dedication: Serving to receive praise from others rather than out of love for God.
3. Disobedience and Pride: Refusing to submit to authority or follow God’s, leading to ineffective service.
Moral Lessons
1. We must learn to serve God and others with humility and love.
2. True greatness comes from serving others.
3. Obedience to God and authorities brings blessings.
