CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL SUNDAY 21st APRIL 2024 | TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
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CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL
CENTRAL THOUGHT:
A consecrated life is one set apart for God’s service and will
SUNDAY 21st APRIL 2024.
HYMN: S.S & S 616 “Take My Life And Let It Be”
TOPIC: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
TEXT: Rom 12:1-2; 2Corin 8:5; Lk 9:23; Matt 16:24; Jn 12:25; Gal 2:20
INTRODUCTION:
The words of the above hymn invites us to consecrate our entire lives to God, offering everything we are and we have to His service. The hymn is a prayer of surrender, a plea for God to take control of our lives and use us for His purposes. As we study the lyrics of this hymn, we will explore what it means to offer our lives to God, what it looks like to live a life of surrender and the blessings that come from trusting God with everything. We will also look at the Biblical foundations of this hymn and the messages of scripture that inspired it’s creation.
May our hearts be opened to God’s leading as we seek to live lives that are fully consecrated to Him.
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this study are to:
- Understand the meaning and significance of the phrase “Take My Life And Let It Be”
- Examine the scriptural references that provide the foundation for the message of the hymn
- Examine the implications of the hymn’s message for daily living and personal spiritual growth.
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CONSECRATE ONE’S LIFE TO GOD ? HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO THE MESSAGE OF THE HYMN “TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE” ?
To consecrate one’s life to God means to set it apart for His service and will. It means to give oneself fully to God and allow Him to control every aspect of one’s life. This is the central message of the hymn “Take My Life And Let It Be.”
This is a decision to put God’s desires and plans above our own and to live a life that is fully committed to Him.
The hymn expresses a desire for complete surrender and devotion to God, expressing the desire to give oneself fully to God’s service and will.
It is an act of humility, trust and faith, recognizing that God’s ways and plans are superior to our own, acknowledging that we are not capable of running out own lives and that we need God to guide us.
QUESTION 2. WHAT SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FOR THE MESSAGE OF THE HYMN ?
The hymn “Take My Life And Let It Be” is rooted in several scriptural references that provide the foundation for it’s message of consecration. One of the key references is Rom 12:1-2, which says “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”(ESV). This verses call on believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice to God, which is an act of consecration, giving oneself fully to God’s service and will. Another scriptural reference that relates to the message of the hymn is 2Corin 8:5 which says “And this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”(ESV). This verses speaks of the willingness to give all that one has to God, just has the hymn encourages the listener to give oneself fully to God.
The theme of surrendering oneself to God is also present in Matt 16:24 “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” This verses emphasizes the idea of self denial, which is crucial for the fact of consecration. John 12:25 says “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”(NKJV). This verses speaks about the importance of putting God’s plan above our own and the idea of loosing oneself for the sake of God’s plan.
Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”(ESV). This implies the idea of dying to self and allowing Christ to live through us, which aligns with the message of the hymn ” Take My Life And Let It Be”
These scriptural references provide the foundation for the message of the hymn, which encourages individuals to give themselves fully to God, to allow Him guide and direct every aspect of their lives
QUESTION 3. HOW CAN THE MESSAGE OF THE HYMN “TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE” BE APPLIED TO DAILY LIVING AND PERSONAL SPIRIRUAL GROWTH ?
The message of the hymn “Take My Life And Let It Be” can be applied to daily living and personal spiritual growth in several ways. Firstly, the hymn encourages individuals to make a decision to give themselves fully to God and make Him the centre of their lives. This can be applied in daily living by making a conscious effort to put God first in all things. This can involve setting aside regular time for prayer, Bible study and worship, as well as taking decisions that align with God’s will.
Secondly, the hymn encourages individuals to allow God to guide and direct every aspect of their lives. This can be applied in daily living by being open and receptive to God’s guidance and direction. This can involve being attentive to the promoting of the Holy Spirit and being willing to make changes in one’s life when prompted by God.
Thirdly, the hymn encourages individuals to give themselves fully to God’s service and will. This can be applied in daily living by using one’s talents and abilities to serve God and others, and being willing to take on new opportunities to serve when they arise.
Fourthly, the hymn encourages the individuals to die to self and allow Christ to live through them. This can be applied in daily living by putting other’s needs before our own, being willing to forgive and to be forgiven, and bt trying to be more like Christ in our thoughts, words and actions.
Lastly, the hymn encourages the individuals to be transformed by the renewing of the mind, which can be applied in daily living by cultivating a mindset of positivity, gratitude and perspective. This can be done by reading uplifting literatures, surrounding oneself with positive influences, and by focusing on the blessings we have rather than dwelling on what we lack.
QUESTION 4. HOW DOES THE ACT OF SURRENDERING ONE’S LIFE TO GOD ALIGN WITH THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE BIBLE ?
There are many ways in which giving up your life to God is in line with what Jesus taught in the Bible.
Mark 12:30 Jesus says the most important commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and body. Giving up your life for God is an act of this love because it means putting His plans and goals ahead of your own and living a life that is complete for Him.
Second, the Lord says that if someone wants to be His follower, he needs to give up his cross and follow Him (Matt 16:24). When we give our lives over to God, we choose to die to ourselves, to let go of our own wants and needs and follow God’s will and instructions.
Third, the Messiah says that to find real life, oneust lose his life for His sake (Matt 10:39). Similarly, the hymn “Take My Life And Let Be” tells people to give their whole lives to God, to make Him the centre of their lives and to let Him guide and direct every parts of their lives.
Fourth, the Lord says that He is the only way to reach the Father (Jn 14:6). Giving up your life for God is how you can connect with Him and get to know and feel Him.
Lastly, the saviour says that those who follow Him will bear much fruits (Jn 15:8) and that those who lose their lives for His sake will find it again (Matt 10:39). If you give your life over to God and follow the Lord, you can enjoy the fullness of life and the gifts God has planned for those who do.
In short, giving up your life to God is in line with what Jesus taught in the Bible because it means putting God first, dying to yourself, following Jesus and bearing fruits. This is how one can find real happiness and life
QUESTION 5. HOW DOES THE MESSAGE OF THE HYMN “TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE” RELATE TO THE CONCEPT OF BEING A LIVING SACRIFICE AS DESCRIBED IN ROMANS 12:1-2 ?
In more than one way, the meaning of the hymn “Take My Life And Let It Be” is similar to what Romans 12:1-2 says about being a living sacrifice.
To begin, the hymn tells people to give their whole selves to God, which fits with the idea of being a living sacrifice. Here Paul tells christians to give their bodies as a living sacrifice to God. This means to give their whole selves to God and serve Him. Giving your life over to God, as the hymn suggests, is a way to connect with this biblical idea.
The hymn also tells people to let God guide and lead every part of their lives, which is similar to the idea of being a living sacrifice. In Romans 12:2, Paul says that people can change their minds and think in a way that is in line with God’s will by being a living sacrifice. By following God’s lead and instructions, as the hymn suggests, a people set themselves up to have their thoughts renewed and changed.
The hymn tells people to put God first in their lives, which fits with the idea of being a living sacrifice. Here again Paul says that a good way to serve God is to be a living sacrifice. This hymn tells people to make God the centre of their lives. By doing this, they show that they know serving God is the most responsible thing to do. Along the same line as the idea of being a living sacrifice, the hymn tells people to die to themselves and let Christ live through them. Paul encourages Christians that they should not follow the ways of this world but should be changed by having their minds renewed. As the hymn says, “dying to self” makes it possible for the renewing of the mind to change a person and allow him to live in line with God’s will. To sum up, the hymn “Take My Life And Let It Be” support the idea of being a living sacrifice, which is explained in Romans 12:1-2. It tells people to give their whole lives to God, let Him guide and direct them in every way, make God the centre of their lives, die to themselves and let Christ live through them.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
The hymn “Take My Life And Let It Be” encourages us to live a life fully surrendered to God, seeking His will in decision making, allowing Him to guide our actions and being open to His leadership. This involves focusing on God’s glory and purposes in our daily interactions and activities. On a personal spiritual growth level, it involves letting go of our desires and plans
MEMORY VERSE:
Luke 9:23
“And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me”
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