Lesson 391 - Junior

Memory Verse

"We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God" (II Corinthians 5:20).

Notes

Learning of Jesus

Before Jesus went into Heaven, He gave His disciples the commandment to preach and to spread the Gospel into all the world. Some of His followers had been with Jesus for three and a half years. Jesus was an example to them. Jesus went about doing good [ACT:10:38]). He "healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils" [MAK:1:34]). When a multitude gathered around Jesus in Capernaum, "he preached the word unto them" [MAK:2:2]). He taught His disciples and gave them the Sermon on the Mount.

As He went about "preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God" [LUK:8:1]) the twelve were with him. The followers of Jesus learned of Him. After Jesus had given the parable of the sower, the disciples asked Him to explain it to them. Often Jesus kept the choice teachings for His disciples because it was for them "to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" [MAT:13:11]). Jesus told His disciples that many prophets and righteous men desired to know the things that He had taught His followers. He said, "Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear" [MAT:13:16]).

A Command

When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples, He gave them instructions as to what to do. Jesus said, "As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand" [MAT:10:7]). Not only did Jesus tell the disciples what to do but He also gave them power to do it (Mathew 10:1).

Later on, Jesus appointed 70 others to preach the Gospel. Jesus said: "The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are new: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest" [LUK:10:2]). These 70 went out to work for the Lord. When they returned, they told that, in the name of the Lord, they had cast devils out of the sick and unsaved. But Jesus told them: "In this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven" [LUK:10:20]).

To Witness

In all these ways Jesus had prepared His followers to spread the Gospel, to teach, and to preach. Jesus told them that He was going away. He said: "He that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" [JHN:14:12]). One of the last commandments that Jesus gave His followers was "that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father" [ACT:1:4]). He went on to explain that they should be baptised with the Holy Ghost and that that would give them power to be "witnesses" for Jesus in all the earth.

Jesus promised to be with His people "always, even unto the end of the world" [MAT:28:20]). The people who heard Jesus speak those words have not lived unto the "end of the world." Jesus meant that He would be with all His people, in the years and generations to come, and not just the ones who we alive when Jesus was on earth. As His promises are for us today, so are His commandments. If God's people do not spread the Gospel, some people will not hear of salvation. God has no other plan for spreading the good news of salvation.

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ" [2CO:5:20]). That means that we who are saved represent Jesus, the King of kings. A part of our work as ambassadors is to plead with the unsaved to be "reconciled to God." We pray for them and encourage them to turn to the Lord.

Compelled by Love

When one is saved it is put into his heart to tell others what the Lord has done for him. The love of God in the heart seems to compel a person to tell others. Everyone may not be able to preach but one who is saved will want to testify and to invite others to the meetings.

When one is saved his life is changed. "Behold, all things are become new." Perhaps before he was saved he was selfish, and cared not for others. But the "old things are passed away" and now he wants to shares with others what God has done for him. He has been saved to serve the Lord and to be helpful to others.

The Lord called Paul to be a preacher. Paul felt that it was necessary for him to do the things that God asked him to do. Paul knew that there would be a reward if he did it willingly. He was very careful that he was obedient to God lest he "should be a castaway." Paul won many souls for the Lord but he did not boast in himself. He said, "I have nothing to glory of: . . . yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"

A Steward

Sometimes we are called "stewards" because God has entrusted us with the things, which belong to Him. What we have, God has permitted us to have. He has put into our care our lives, our time, our talents, and our possessions. Jesus taught a parable about stewards. It was a parable of the Kingdom of Heaven, in which His servants wee required to give an account of what they had received [MAT:25:14-30]).

We learn from this parable and other portions of Scripture that someday each one of us will give an account unto God [ROM:14:12]). Perhaps you will be asked: Has your life been lived for the Lord? Have you given your talents for the glory of God? Have you lived in obedience to God and the Bible?

To Be Faithful

Along with the privilege of serving God and receiving His many blessings comes the responsibility to shares them with others. Those who work willingly for the Lord will receive a great reward. Working for the Lord is sometimes compared with running a race in which each can win the "price." "So run, that ye may obtain" the price, which God will give His faithful followers.

God does not require more than we can do or more than we can give. But He does ask His people to be faithful to Him [1CO:4:2]). Even though to you your talents seem very small, God expects you to use them for Him and to gain more.

Workers Together

God's people can witness for the Lord by their lives and by their testimonies but they cannot save others. The Lord is the only One who can save a soul. God's people pray for others and encourage them to be saved, but the Spirit of God draws them to Him [JHN:6:44]).

When Paul stood before Felix, he reasoned with the governor "of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come" [ACT:24:25]). As Paul talked, God sent conviction upon Felix so that he "trembled." Paul was faithful to witness, and God did His part by sending conviction. Paul said that we are "workers together" with God [2CO:6:1]).

"He knows how I am longing some weary soul to win,

And so He bids me go and speak a loving word for Him;

He bids me tell His wondrous love, and why He came to die;

And so we work together, my Lord and I."

We must also be "workers together" with one another. Paul started a church in Corinth before he left there. Then another minister by the name of Apollos preached thee to help the people. Paul explains that they must all work together as one. Paul said: "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. . . . Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour" [1CO:3:6], [1CO:3:8]).

God's people have also been likened to members of one body [1CO:12:12]). One part or member of the body cannot do the work of all. Each member has his part to do. When one part fails, the whole body is affected. As each one is faithful to do his part, the work of the Lord will go on. Are you doing your part?

Questions

1. What is a steward?

2. What does God expect of His stewards?

3. In what way are God's people ambassadors for Christ?

4. What does it mean to be reconciled to God?

5. What is changed in a person's life when he is saved?

6. How can one witness for the Lord?

7. Who will give an account of himself to God?

8. How can we be workers together with God?

9. If God's people are members of one body, who is the head?

10. How can we use our talents for the Lord?