RCCG Sunday School TEACHER’s Manual 24 September 2020 Lesson 4 – Hearing From God
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TOPIC: Hearing From God
OPENING PRAYER: Father, give us the grace to hear from You. (Scroll down for RCCG Sunday School 24 September 2020 HYMN)
MEMORY VERSE: “And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.” – 1 Samuel 3:10
BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 KJV (RCCG Sunday School TEACHER’s Manual 24 September 2020)
1 And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
2 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see;
3 And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep;
4 That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.
5 And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down.
6 And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.
8 And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child.
9 Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place.
10 And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
INTRODUCTION:
You cannot hear, if there is no call from somewhere or someone. Also, you can only answer to a call that you hear. Throughout the days of the bible, God spoke to His people in diverse ways. In contemporary times, God still speaks. The basic questions are “how does God speaks?” and how do we hear?
TEXT REVIEW: 2 Samuel 3:1-10
Samuel began ministering to God before Eli as a child.
In those days:
The Lord kept His word secret from men. There was no frequent vision – vs1a
Eli was also physically blind. -vs 2
……………………………………… vs 3a
While Samuel was sleeping in the temple vs 3b
i. …..…………….…………………… vs4
ii. Samuel ………………….…….. vs 5a
iii. Eli. ……………………………….. vs 5b
iv. Samuel ………………………. vs 5c
v. God called Samuel the second time vs 6a
vi. …………………………….. vs 6a
vii. ……………………………. vs 7
viii. God called Samuel third time – vs 8a
ix. Samuel ……………………………vs 8b
x. Eli …………………………… vs 8c
D Eli taught Samuel what to do when else Samuel hears the voice.
i. …………………………… vs 9
ii. When Samuel heard the voice again, he ………………………….. vs 10.
LESSON OUTLINES:
LESSON OUTLINE 1. HOW DOES GOD SPEAK?
1. Question: How did God speak to people in the past?
Answer: In times past, God spoke directly with people.
2. Question: Are there biblical instances that support this view? If yes, mention the instances.
Answer: Yes, For instance, God conversed directly with:
i. Abraham ( Genesis 13:2, 17:1)
ii. Moses (Exodus 3:4; Number 12:6-8)
iii. Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15)
3. Question: Did God speak to people through other means in the past?
Answer:
i. Jacob heard from God through dreams (Genesis 28:12-13)
ii. Ezekiel saw visions (Ezekiel 1:1)
iii. Before the incarnation of God the Son, God spoke through the prophets ( Hebrews 1:1).
We heard from God through men such as Moses Isaiah, Ezekiel, Micah, Malachi, and the other prophets.
The relayed messages from God, and often their words were written down and so we would always know His promises, His law, and His redemptive plans.
4. Question: How did God speak to men during the ministry of Jesus on earth?
Answer: Through the ministry of Jesus, God spoke directly to us because:
i. Jesus “words are full of the Spirit and life” (John 6:63). Hebrews 1:2 says in these last days God has spoken to us by His Son.
ii. The “last day” is the current dispensation-the church age.
5. Question: How did God speak to men after the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ?
Answer:
i. Under the inspiration of the Holy Sprit, some of the apostles of Christ were authorised by God to speak and record God’s words to the church so that all of the church can truly hear from God.
ii. We now hear from God through His written Word, which is the bible (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
iii. A pastor’s instruction from God’s word is one way we hear from God today (Jeremiah 3:15).
iv. A friend’s advice, tied to Scripture, is another way we can hear from God (2 Corinthians 13:1).
v. A directive issued by a God-ordained authority figure is another way we hear from God (Hebrews 13:17).
6. Question: How can we summarise the ways God speaks to man?
Answer:
i. God can speak to us through audible voice (Acts 9:3-5).
ii. Inner witness (Acts 27:19-12).
iii. Small/still voice (1Kings 19:12; Job 4:16).
iv. Dreams and visions (1 Kings 3:5; Acts 10:2-2).
v. God’s anointed servants (2Kings 20:1,5).
7. Question: What is God’s ultimate means of speaking to His people in the dispensation?
Answer: Through His written word, the Holy Scriptures, and every other means of hearing God should conform to the written word.
CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Students should mention some of the ways God has spoken to them personally, in the past.
LESSON OUTLINE 2: HOW DO I HEAR?
- Question: What are the fundamental required for hearing God voice?
Answer: Whosoever wants to hear God speaks must:
i. Be genuinely born again (John 10:27).
ii. As a believer, he/she must grow steadily into maturity to be able to recognize and adhere to the voice of (2 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 5:14). - Question: How can a believer grow and mature in faith to hear God?
Answer: Growth, as well as, maturity in the faith comes through:
i. Consistent fellowship with God in the place of prayers, studying of Scriptures, service, etc ( Luke 18:1; 2 Timothy 2:15).
ii. Obedience to God’s voice in little matters enhances the ability of a believer to hear more from God. (Genesis 12:1, 13:14).
iii. Ultimately, the voice you hear must be substantiated in the scriptures for confirmation (Acts 17:11).
CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Students should discuss why it seems difficult to hear God speak nowadays.
SUMMARY: It is crucial for every believer to know how God speaks in this dispensation in order to clearly discern His voice.
CONCLUSION: God is still in the business of speaking to His children (Psalms 62:11). We need to learn how to hear from Him and obey His voice (John 10:4-5, 27).
EVALUATION: Teacher should ask the students to highlight the conditions to be fulfilled in order to hear from God.
CLOSING PRAYER: Father, let me hear from you clearly.
ASSIGNMENT: Mention five (5) ways God can speak to you as a believer.
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?