SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON, NOVEMBER 5, 2017, TOPIC:The Messiah: Dying Saviour

SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON, NOVEMBER 5, 2017

Topic: The Messiah: Dying Saviour
Memory Verse: Acts 2:23.  Him (Jesus), being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain (KJV)

Lesson Text: Psalm 22:1-24; Math 27:39-43; Mark 15:34; Luke 23:46; John 19:23-28; Hebrews 2:10-18.

CENTRAL TRUTH: Jesus’ death on the cross was the atonement for sins.
FOCUS: To reflect on the death of Christ portrayed in Scripture and receive the benefits of His sacrifice.

   OUTLINE:
1. Trusting God in Death
A. Tested Faith
B. Victorious Saviour
2. Dying on the Cross
A. Agony Prophesied
B. God’s Plan Fulfilled
3. Praying for Deliverance
A. Praying with Assurance
B. Answers

               Learning  Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Recognise God as worthy of our full trust.
2. Identify Psalm 22 as evidence of God’s commitment to bring about His divine purposes.
3. Rely on God for His deliverance regardless of circumstances

                   INTRODUCING THE LESSON
QUESTION: Have you ever felt completely alone during a time of crisis?
     There are times when even the strongest, most mature Christian struggles with hard questions. He or she might even be tempted to wonder if God still cares.
    Followers of Christ facing life’s darkest days can rest in the assurance that the savior identifies completely with their painful experiences, is always present during those situations, and has already provided, through His death and resurrection, the means to eventual and eternal victory.

                            COMMENTARY AND APPLICATION
1. Trusting God in Death.
A. Tested Faith. Psalm 22:1-10
     Many sermons and Bible studies dealing with Jesus’ words from the cross pay close attention to His loud cry to God recorded in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34:” My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (KJV). If this statement is studied in isolation, one might conclude that even Jesus asked the Father questions in the midst of His pains.
    Yet this question of Jesus from the cross was not as a demonstration of struggling faith. Instead, those few words affirmed His separation from the Father as the substitute for us, to redeem us of our sins. Jesus’ question is also found verbatim in Psalm 22:1
QUESTION: What questions can you identify in Psalm 22:1-2, and what kinds of struggles do you think are at the root of the Psalmist’s questions?
      In writing this prophetic poetry, David, the Psalmist, expressed painful questions to God and also spoke of his own unanswered and anguished prayers ( verse 1-2). In the midst of suffering he pondered the question so common during the darkest moments of life: “why?”
    But the tone of the psalm shifts powerfully to affirm God’s unchanging nature. The Lord is eternally enthroned as the Holy One ( verse 3), an acknowledgement of God’s sovereignty and supreme rule. Yet He demonstrated His compassion toward humanity through the example of His chosen people, Israel. On One hand, the Psalmist lamented his perception that his prayers were unanswered; on the other hand, he reminded himself that God has faithfully answered the prayers of His people through the ages( verse 4-5).
    In contrast with the Psalmist’s confirmed connection with God, people around him belittled that relationship and taunted him in his pain ( verses 6-8).  But scorn of others did not change the facts for the Psalmist-he insisted that throughout his life God has faithfully nurtured him ( verses 9-10). This abiding sense of God’s faithfulness brought a sense of resolution to His questions.

B. Victorious Saviour. Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:39-43; Luke 23:46.
    The prophetic content in Psalm 22 comes to life when the Psalmist’s phrases are placed alongside those of the Gospel writers.
     The Psalmist’s enemies did not seek to crucify him, but he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to put into writing specific expressions that perfectly captured the environment in which Jesus gave His Life. Those who had called for Jesus’ death stood near the cross and mocked Jesus’ faith in His Father. Just as the Psalmist was ridiculed for trusting God, Jesus was ridiculed for His trust and mockingly challenged to await God’s rescue.
     Taken together, the different Gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion offer another key revelation about the Saviou’s cry from the cross. Mark 15:34 quotes Psalm 22:1, graphically highlighting the anguish experienced by the Son of God as He took upon himself the sins of humanity. Luke 23:46 views the scene from another aspect, focusing upon Christ’s surrender to the Father. The term “commend” (KJV) or “comment” (NIV) demonstrates how Christ entrusted these events to the will of the Father.
     The moments of death during a Roman crucifixion were often marked by rage, despair, and cursing. Yet Christ exhibited a demeanour of submission that compelled even the centurion and his forces to recognize Christ was and is indeed the son of God ( see Matthew 27:54).

2. Dying on the Cross.
A. Agony Prophesied. Psalm 22:11-18.
         QUESTION: What did the Psalmist tell us about God in Psalm 22:11?
God was his only source of help. God had been near him in the past ( verses 9-10), and the Psalmist knew that only God was worthy of his trust.
      The people who surrounded the Psalmist during his time of anguish were so uncaring and vicious he compared them to animals. Like bulls, they were much stronger than he was ( verse 12). Like lions, they would have been happy to see him killed ( verse 13). Like a pack of dogs that surrounds a victim, they looked to do him harm (verse 16).
      The Psalmist’s weakness and desperate need for God come through in descriptions that clearly prophesy what Jesus endured during His crucifixion. Being poured out like water and having his bones out of joint ( verse 14) parallels the gruesome beating and torture Jesus experienced prior to His crucifixion. Hanging from the cross in utter exhaustion, Jesus’ own weight would have pressed His ribs against his skin for all to see.
    The Psalmist described terrible thirst ( verse 15), piecing wounds in His hands and feet ( verse 16) and even the division of His clothing among His enemies ( verse 18)-all specific details the Gospel writers would bring out in their narratives of Jesus’ crucifixion.
    The Psalmist’s confidence in God was reaffirmed as he contemplated God’s faithfulness to His people (see verses 4-5). Similarly, fulfilled prophecy throughout Scripture can increase the Christian’s faith in God to bring about His ultimate plan of salvation for those who trust in Him.

B. God’s Plan Fulfilled. John 19:23-24,28.
  Scripture identifies John as an eyewitness to Jesus’ crucifixion. His observations of the manner in which the Saviour died point to multiple fulfilled prophecies from the Old Testament. In particular, John identified the division of Jesus’ garments among the Roman soldiers ( John 19:23-24) and Jesus’ statement of His thirst as a fulfillment of Scripture ( verse 28).
      The details of God’s plan fulfilled through Jesus can be both reassuring and a source of questions, leading us back to Psalm 22:1. We will never fully grasp God’s sovereighty and how He works through our circumstances to bring about His good purposes. God’s people are wise to follow Jesus’ example. The fulfillment of David’s words in Psalm 22 demonstrate Christ’s perfect obedience. In being obedient, Christ provided the way of salvation for humanity.

3. Praying for Deliverance
A. Praying with Assurance- Psalm 22:19-24
      QUESTION: How does Psalm 22:19-24 capture both the trauma and    victory of the Cross?
       Where Psalm 22:1 voices a deep sense of abandonment, the psalm as a whole interweaves both the agony of the Psalmist and the victory brought about by faith in God. As God’s perfect sacrifice for humanity’s sin, Jesus embodied both elements while hanging on the cross.
   Some might read verses 19-21 and describe this prayer as futile when seen in light of Jesus’ death. God did not rescue His Son from the pain and death of crucifixion. While this passage points to enemies who are like ferocious animal, the passage never loses sight of God’s ultimate plan. Jesus, far more than the Psalmist or any other person, embodied God’s ultimate victory over evil while surrounded by enemies.
    If Jesus’ crucifixion had progressed like any other of the thousands carried out by Rome, Jesus would have hung on the cross slowly suffocating, perhaps over a period of several days. Instead, Jesus called out to His Father in complete faith and victory after several hours (see Luke 23:44-46), committing His life into the Father’s hands.
    Psalm 22:22-24 looks beyond the agony of the Psalmist and prophetically sees beyond the Crucifixion to describe a living servant of God who proclaimed God’s goodness to multitudes and gave a testimony of God’s preserving power. Jesus’ resurrection brought the wider  meaning of these verses to light. His Great Commission to all believers has brought about the declaration of God’s goodness through the ages.

B. Answer- Hebrews 2: 10-18
  QUESTION: How does Hebrews 2:10-18 help us better understand the purpose of the Incarnation?
      These verses reveal a series of blessings Jesus has brought to all believers thought His sacrifice. Instead of being alienated from God through their sin, the redeemed are truly the family of God, described as sons and daughters as well as brothers and sisters (verses 10-13).
QUESTION: What do you think Hebrews 2:10 means in saying that God made “the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings” (KJV)?
    This does not mean Jesus needed to be made morally or spiritually perfect; He is the sinless, divine Son of God. Rather, one aspect of being the perfect Saviour was enduring pain and death as a human. His obedience was part of what was necessary to represent humanity and bear the penalty of our sins. This allowed us to become children of God ( verse 13).
     Because Jesus became completely human while retaining His divinity, He can identify with our life experiences (verse 14-18). The miracle of the Incarnation allowed Jesus to go to the cross as our perfect substitute, suffering in those hours in order to free us from eternal pain.
    Because of the Incarnation, when we approach the Saviour with our needs He understands what we are facing. Thanks to His sacrifice, He has defeated the power of sin over our lives. There is no one who stands outside the reach of God’s grace and love, so powerfully exemplified through the death and resurrection of His Son.

                   DISCIPLESHIP IN ACTION
The opening theme of Psalm 22-a sense of abandonment by God during times of trail-will certainly resonate with many Christians who have endured or who are enduring deep emotional and physical pain. At such times, one powerful resource for comfort and recovery is the compassion of other followers of Christ. Their prayers and acts of loving ministry can remind you that you are not alone in your circumstances, no matter how difficult they might be.
   Christ’s death and resurrection offer complete restoration in your relationship with God, as well as eternal fellowship with God when this life comes to a close. However, that gift comes with a great responsibility. Just as Jesus’ incarnation allowed Him to identify with and minister to you, so you are called as a new creation in Christ to identify with and minister to the needs of those around you who are hurting.
               MINISTRY IN ACTION
    Ask students to share needs they would like to entrust to their Saviour and to the faithful prayers of the family of God represented within your class. Take time in closing to pray for one another’s needs.