Topic: UNDERSTANDING THE CALL-FOCUS ON CHRIST 1 – Church of God Mission International – Above Only Daily Devotional 7 January 2024
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CGMI ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL
CENTRAL THOUGHT:
Focusing on Christ to the end, guarantees final entrance into His rest
DATE: SUNDAY 7th, JANUARY 2024.
HYMN: S.S & S 235 “My Faith Looks Up To Thee”
TOPIC:
UNDERSTANDING THE CALL-FOCUS ON CHRIST 1
TEXT: Matt 17:1-6; Heb 12:1-2
INTRODUCTION:
For several years now, the central theme and direction God has been giving us through the ArchBishop is ‘Focus on Christ’. Though the calls kept coming with specific point for focus every year, they are always hinged on the main direction of focusing on none other but Jesus Christ. It is evident from scriptures that this renewed call in the mission is the same call God made, and is still making to His prized possession- the redeemed, since the time He bought them with the blood of His Beloved Son. In this study, we shall dig a little deeper to understand the call and it’s implication for the believer now and for eternity.
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
The objective of this study are to:
- Explain in practical terms the meaning of “Focus on Christ”
- Identify the relationship between the term “Focus on Christ” and God’s statement in Matt 17:5
- Categorize the call “Focus on Christ” between instruction and advice, with reference to Matt 17:5; Heb 12:2
- Examine how and to what degree the believer is expected to respond to the call “Focus on Christ”
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 1a. USING PRACTICAL EXAMPLES, EXPLAIN THE TERM “FOCUS”
With reference to our topic, ‘focus’ can be defined as ‘pay attention to, look up to something or someone for a purpose, concentrate on an activity or a pattern of operation with a view to achieving a desired result’.
Let us take for example, in a Bible study class, the moderator quotes a statement of Jesus Christ, and promises that any student that find its first will be given a prize, and goes ahead to say that it can only be found in the book of Mark. It is obvious that the attention of all the students will focus on the book of Mark, and not on any other book of the Bible, to search out the statement.
QUESTION 1b. WHAT DOES UT MEAN TO “FOCUS ON CHRIST” ?
To focus on Christ means:
I. Look unto Christ with the belief that He is able to meet your purpose
II. Concentrate on His ability to lead you to your journey’s end
III. Emulate His lifestyle, listen to Him and obey His instructions and teachings
IV. Make Christ your example in all areas in the service of God, in obedience, love, followers hip, faithfulness, relationship etc.
V. Follow Him as the light of the world so you will not walk in darkness
VI. As the way, follow Him so you will not miss your way to the kingdom of God and Christ which is your destination
VII. As the life, hold on to Him with the hope of eternity
QUESTION 2. READ MATT 17:5. ANY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOCUS ON CHRIST ?
QUESTION 3. LOOKING AGAIN AT MATT 17:5 & HEB 12:2, WOULD TOU CATEGORIZE THE CALL “FOCUS IN CHRIST” AS AN INSTRUCTION OR AN ADVICE ? EXPLAIN.
A careful analysis of the two statements of our reference-“Hear ye Him” (Jesus) and “Looking unto Jesus…” makes it clear that they are more of instructions than advice or counsel. Another thing unique about the two statements, is that a closer examination reveals that the two statements are one, made by different persons in different ways, at different occasions which is interposed, could be stated as ” Look unto Him and hear Him”
QUESTION 4. FROM QUESTION 3 ABOVE, ANY ARGUMENT ABOUT WHOM TO FOCUS ON ? DISCUSS.
There is no argument or whatsoever as to whom to focus on. The incident on the mountain where the call originated made it clear when the voice from the cloud (voice of God) identified the person He was referring to when He said “this is my beloved Son”. It was cleared to the disciples that He referred to no other person than Christ whom they recognized as the only begotten Son of God. In Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, he clearly stated that Christ is the one they should look unto and further explained why they should focus on Him.
QUESTION 5. HOW, AND TO WHAT DEGREE IS THE BELIEVER EXPECTED TO RESPOND TO THE CALL “FOCUS ON CHRIST” ? Jn 14:15; 15:10; 1Cor 11:1
The believer is expected to respond to the call ” Focus on Christ” just the way Christ responded to the call of His Father and willingly accepted to sacrifice His own life for the redemption of man. Christ is the perfect example of the believer. It is therefore mandatory for every believer to emulate Him in all aspects of His lifestyle. Christ is love itself, He showed love to His enemies, even to those who killed Him. He demonstrated absolute obedience to His Father’s work and dedicated Himself to total completion and regarded it as His meat. He is empathetic to His followers and cares for the less privileged and the needy. There is no limit to the extent the believer should respond to the call to focus on Christ. We may not necessarily die for others as He did to show His love for us, but in obedience to His command, there are many things we can do to demonstrate our love for others. We can sacrifice our pleasure, our time, our food, our privileges etc, to meet the needs of others.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
The Lord in His mercy and desire to reposition His church has repeatedly reminded us, this time through the ArchBishop to focus on Christ. It is therefore important for us to pay attention to the simplicity of what this call means. The core value of the Christian faith can only be seen through ‘the lens’ of Jesus Christ. It is only by focussing on Christ alone that we can pursue our everyday endeavours as christians according to God’s precepts. May the Lord help us so our portion shall not be condemnation but commendation
MEMORY VERSE:
Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith……..
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