KNOWING THE TRUTH?

                                                     LESSON ONE

MAIN IDEA:  Christian faith brings the accurate knowledge of the truth, and this truth is what saves the sinner.

STUDY TEXTS: “Psalm 85:11, John 8:32,36,42-44”

LESSON OBJECTIVE:       Having an accurate knowledge of the truth is an important requirement that bring one to Christian faith.

INTRODUCTION:

Truth, in the English Language, means that which is not false or fictitious. So in this respect, one can say that the truth of a thing that has happened or the truth of what one has done, and so on. But in the context of the subject of this write-up, the meaning is spiritual and it bears a connotation that is much wider than the ordinary usage.

In John 1:17, it is written” “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ”. At the time our Lord Jesus Christ was arraigned before Pilate, he made it plain by saying, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from here”. Pilate was rather curious about the claim of Jesus Christ of having a kingdom, and so he asked: “Art thou a king then?” Instantly, Jesus Christ answered: Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end I was born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice”. It was at this juncture that Pilate asked “what is truth?” (John 18:36-38).

Don’t forget that long before the human existence of Jesus Christ, it had been prophetically written in the Psalms that “Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven Psalm 85:11. In a nutshell, the TRUTH, for which Jesus Christ came to this world to bear witness is Himself the WORD OF GOD otherwise known as the “everlasting gospel” or the gospel of peace” as in Romans 10:15 and Ephesians 6:15, Revelations 14:6-7.

SUBJECT MATTERS:

1.                 The word of God is the truth (John 17:17)

2.                 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you (John 15:3)

3.                 Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee (Psalm 119:11)

4.                 When people do evil, they have no prick of conscience because they are destitute of the truth (1^st Tim. 6:3-5)

PRACTICAL LESSONS:

1.     It is abundantly clear that without the knowledge of the truth, no one can practice the righteousness of God or obtain salvation.

2.     It is the truth that purifies as to make one holy

3.     The truth instills the fear of God in the Christian

4.     The truth gives faith, sound knowledge, wisdom and understanding that enable one to distinguish between what is holy and unholy, or right and wrong.

MEMORY VERSE:     “John 8:32”

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

DISCUSSION:

1.     What is truth?

2.     What lesson did you derived from today’s lesson?

USING WISDOM, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING AS TOOL FOR WORKMANSHIP

                                                     LESSON FIVE

MAIN IDEA:  A Christian should know that as a workman it is possible to have these three gifts in operation.

STUDY TEXTS: “Exodus 31:3-5, Prov. 3:19-20”

LESSON OBJECTIVE:       To teach that the gifts of wisdom, knowledge and understanding emanate from God and to emphasize that no workman can be successful in his field of endeavour without the deposition of wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

INTRODUCTION:

This study is to enable the Christian know that as a workman in God vineyard, wisdom, knowledge and understanding are the vital tools for a successful person. In I Kings 3, Solomon asked God for wisdom to lead the children of Israel, and God gave him. That was the reason he was able to lead them. Faith that is not mixed with wisdom, knowledge and understanding will lead to foolishness. When these are in operation in a Christian he/she becomes glorified. It is only God that can give knowledge, wisdom and understanding in any matter. The Bible says wisdom brings strength, (Eccl. 7:19). In Eccl. 7:12 wisdom protects you just like money, knowledge will lead you to life. As you go through this study it is out prayer that in our various vocations of life, that God Almighty blesses us with these tools.

SUBJECT MATTERS:

1.                 Any person that has given his life to Christ has the gift of knowledge, wisdom and understanding, but need to grow in them (Ex. 31:3)

2.                 Christ is the beginning and end of wisdom (1^st Cor. 1:30)

3.                 Every good and perfect gift cometh from God. (Jam. 1:17)

4.                 King Solomon asked for wisdom, and God gave him. (1^st Kings 3:5-12)

5.                 There are Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding gifts that are from God, which is different from the worldly kind. (1^st Cor. 3:18-19)

6.                 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 111:10)

PRACTICAL LESSONS:

1.     The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, what is the fear of God?

2.     Christians are seen with these attributes of God

3.     As a Christian what do you do with God’s knowledge, wisdom and understanding.

MEMORY VERSE:     “James 3:14-15”

But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual devilish.

DISCUSSION:

1.     Mention ways to acquire wisdom, knowledge and understanding

2.     How important are these tools to a Christian

3.     Can a Christian act in faith without knowledge, wisdom and understandings?

KNOWLEDGE -- A TOOL FOR WORKMANSHIP

                                                     LESSON THREE

MAIN IDEA:  For Christians to know that knowledge is the acquisition of information.

STUDY TEXTS: “Exodus 31:1-3; 35:30-31”

LESSON OBJECTIVE:       To encourage all workmen who are Christians to hunger and seek for knowledge in their various calling in Christ Jesus.

INTRODUCTION:

In a standardized definition of knowledge, Knowledge is a general awareness or possession of information, facts, ideas, truths, or principle about something. Our Lord Jesus said in John 8:32 “and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” knowledge can be acquired from various phares of life for the benefit of humanity, but any person that wants to excel in any profession, must seek for knowledge, also know this that all we know now will some day come to an end. (I Cor. 13:8) the giver of knowledge is God (Dan. 1:17). Unfortunately most people do not understand this fact. Elihu also knows this secret and he says in Job 36:3 “I will fetch my knowledge from afar and will ascalbe righteousness to my maker” A man of knoeledge is a man of greatness i.e greatness cannot by-pass a man of knowledge. The greatest disaster that can happen to a man is lack of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord and Salviour.

 

SUBJECT MATTERS:

1.                 Knowledge is empowerment (1 Kings 7:14)

2.                 Knowledge can bring about deliverance to any person that finds it. (Hos. 4:6)

3.                 Lack of knowledge breeds foolishness. (Isa. 5:13)

4.                 Any workman that wants to excel in his/her field must seek for knowledge. (Isa. 1:3, Luk. 19:44, I Tim. 2:4)

MEMORY VERSE:     “Proverbs 8:10”

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.

DISCUSSION:

1.     How important is knowledge to a Christian?

How can a Christian acquire knowledge?

WISDOM AS A TOOL FOR WORKMANSHIP

WISDOM AS A TOOL FOR WORKMANSHIP

                                                     LESSON TWO

MAIN IDEA:  No individual can become great or extra-ordinary in profession, career, academic and vocation without the operation of “wisdom”. But there are differences between God’s wisdom and worldly wisdom.

STUDY TEXTS: “Exodus 31:3-6; 35, Proverbs 3:19-20”

LESSON OBJECTIVE:       To re-assure the believer that one of the greatest tools needed to succeed in whatever one does for a living is “wisdom” as it is the sum total of knowledge and understanding, the right application at any given time.

INTRODUCTION:

As a workman with the Lord, God wants us to progress, dominate and bring glory to His name. there is nothing God did not know from the beginning. We cannot progress unless there is a deposition of wisdom upon us, that is while the Lord say in (James 1:5) “If any man lack wisdom he should ask”. Most persons are being distinguished in their fields of endeavour due to the wisdom of God in operation. God gives Christians wisdom in their fields of endeavour to enable them to be outstanding and extra-ordinary among their folks. It is our prayer as you go through this study as a workman, God will bless you with divine wisdom.

SUBJECT MATTERS:

1.                 A workman can only be successful if he or she has wisdom (Ex. 35:31)

2.                 Wisdom directs, instructs, and controls a workman toward achieving success. (Ex. 36:1-2)

3.                 Glory, honour and praise are upon a workman that has wisdom. (Ecc. 7:11)

4.                 Wisdom increases the faith of a believer (Ecc. 7:12)

5.                 Lack of wisdom can make a workman to fail in his or her field (Ecc. 10:10)

6.                 The secrets of God are revealed in God’s wisdom. (Col. 2:3)

7.                 A man of wisdom is termed a wise man by his folk. (Daniel 1:20)

PRACTICAL LESSON:

1.     Wisdom is the principal tools a workman should ask for from God.

2.     No work can be done perfectly without the wisdom of God.

3.     Christians are encouraged constantly to ask God for wisdom in their various vocations.

4.     Wisdom, because it is a gift from God, this is not something that can be acquired in school i.e you don’t have to be matriculated in some university to gain wisdom.

MEMORY VERSE:     “James 1:5”

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; it shall be given him.

DISCUSSION:

1.     What distinguishes two workmen? 

2.Explain the meaning of wisdom.