RCCG Sunday School TEACHER’S Manual 18 July 2021 Lesson 46 – Spiritual Awakening
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TOPIC: Spiritual Awakening
OPENING PRAYER: Father, deliver us from the spirit of spiritual sleep and slumber. Give us strength to watch and be sober. (Scroll down for RCCG Sunday School’s 18 July 2021 HYMN)
MEMORY VERSE: “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:6
BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8 KJV (RCCG Sunday School TEACHER’s Manual 18 July 2021)
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
LESSON INTRODUCTION: Spiritually, sleep could either be caused naturally (Proverbs 3:24) or supernaturally (Genesis 2:21). Sleep is also used as a figurative expression of death (John 11:11-13), spiritual weakness or lukewarmness (Ephesians 5:14). Spiritual sleep is considered dangerous for any believers. This calls for spiritual awakening, i.e. waking up from spiritual sleep.
TEXT REVIEW: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8.
The Apostle Paul distinguished between the children of the day and the children of the night in 1Thessalonians 5:1-8 (5).
Teacher should identify any five of such differences from today’s passage. For instance:
i. The children of the day are children of light while the children of the night are children of darkness.
ii. _
iii. _
iv. _
v. __
LESSON OUTLINE 1: SIGNS AND DANGERS OF SPIRITUAL SLEEP
The following are the signs of spiritual sleep.
i. Increased interest in the pursuit of worldly things and materials wealth (1John 2:15; Ecclesiastes 5:10)
ii. Manifesting works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21);
iii. Loss of appetite for spiritual food (The word of God) (Colossians 3:15-16);
iv. No longer impacted by the word of God (Isaiah 6:9-10; Jeremiah 15-16);
v. Loss of interest in prayer (Romans 11:7-8);
vi. Loss of hearing from God
vii. Loss of thirsty for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).
viii. Feeling of knowing it all (master of knowledge). (Proverbs 18:2; Galatians 6:3);
ix. Pursuit of fame or self-glory (Jeremiah 45:5);
x. Unmindful of consequence of action or proximity of danger (Judges 16:16-25; Jonah 1:3-5);
xi. Lack of commitment in relationship with spiritually-minded Christians (Hebrews 10:25).
xii. Loss of discernment of spiritual matters (1 Corinthians 2:11-14; Proverbs 29:18).
xiii. Loss of spiritual sight (Genesis 13:14-18; Jeremiah 17:5-6).
xiv. Exposure to spiritual attack (1 Kings19:1-8; Matthew 13:24-30)
xv. Sudden destruction (Acts 20:9-12; Judges 4:17-21).
xvi. Spiritual weakness (Judges 16:20)
xvii. Experiencing disappointment (2 Timothy 4:10).
xviii. Missing divine appointment (Matthew 25:1-12).
CLASS ACTIVITY 1
Mention signs or danger of spiritual sleep.
LESSON OUTLINE 2: REMEDIES FOR SPIRITUAL SLEEP
REMEDIES:
i. spiritual awakening- waking up out of all forms of spiritual sleep, slumbering, weakness or death (Romans 13:11).
ii. Regular preparation for the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is fast approaching ( Matthew 24:42-44).
iii. Maintaining our position as “light” and avoiding the world of”darkness” (1Thessalonians 5:5).
iv. Conscious effort to wake up and be alive (Ephesians 5:14)
v. Being filled with the knowledge of God and living a life of righteousness (1Corinthians 15:34)
REASONS WHY SLEEPERS MUST WAKE UP
i. To emit light and chase away darkness (Ephesians 5:14).
ii. To be free from the snares of the devil (2Timothy 2:26).
iii. To win more souls to the kingdom of God (Luke 10:2).
iv. To raise a defence against the wars and attack of the enemy, the devil (Matthew 13:25; 1Peter 5:8).
CHECKLIST FOR SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
i. Heed the warning to awake to righteousness and be dead to sin. 1Corinthians 15:34
ii. Ask yourself these questions:
a. Am I asleep or awake? (2Corinthians 13:5; Luke 21:34).
b. Am I watching? (Luke 21:36; Matthew 26:41).
c. Am I praying? (Luke 21:36; Matthew 26:41).
SUMMARY: Awake now if you are sleeping.
CONCLUSION: Learn to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit in order not to sleep spiritually. If you are already sleeping, wake up.
EVALUATION: What do you understand by spiritual awakening?
CLOSING PRAYER: Father, release the power of the Holy Spirit to wake up all your children who are sleeping spiritually now.
ASSIGNMENT: Mention any five things which God can do to wake the believers from their sleep.
NOTE:
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RCCG Sunday School HYMN
- O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School. - O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?