RADIANT LIFE (TEACHERS GUIDE)
TEENS SUNDAY SCHOOL RESOURCE
SEASON 14
JANUARY – JUNE, 2023.
SUNDAY, 14TH MAY, 2023.
Study 3: STAY CONFIDENT IN GOD
Text: John 11:1-6,21-27,38
Key Verse: John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (NIV).
>>Focus
God answers prayer, but not always - or even often - in the ways we expect.
At times we pray for sick people and they are instantly healed. Others receive healing over a period of time. But some aren't healed in this life.
They either live with their conditions or die. Why every prayer for a physical need isn’t answered with healing has been a question asked by God's people throughout the ages. Job wrestled with this issue, yet he still declared, "Though he slay me, yet will l trust in him" (Job 13:15. KIM)
Being a Christian doesn't guarantee a pain-free life of luxury. Rather, Christianity takes tough faith: a commitment to hang on and believe that God knows and will accomplish what's best - even when it doesn't seem that way. It's the kind of faith we see in the verses covered in today's study. In spite of her brother's death, Martha expressed faith in Jesus as the Son of God.
Share with your students a personal testimony of a time you faced a bad situation but still trusted God to help you get through it. Teens need to see that kind of faith demonstrated in the lives of leaders and mentors like you: it helps to reference such possibility easily. Give them an example to follow. Then, in the years to come, they’ll be ready to face the toughest of times.
READ ALSO>>>Children's Sunday School Lesson 20: Sunday, 14th May, 2023.
>>The Basic Message: Explain to students...
•WHAT'STHE BIG IDEA?
God can bring good results from even the worst situations.
•WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Believing that God doesn't care about us or our problems can cause us to lose faith in Him.
•HOW DO I LIVE IT?
Maintain your confidence in God by trusting His promises during difficult circumstances.
>>Activity Option: Discuss the following questions scenarios, asking students how they might answer each question: (i). Why does God allow a child to be killed by a drunken driver? (ii). Where is God when an honest Christian loses his job and a dishonest unbeliever is promoted?
>>Guide: Explain that life is full of harsh realities and injustices. Some people think that when they become Christians, they shouldn't have to endure such problems or disappointments
>»Study Overview: Explain that today's study will consider:
•How God honours our faith by bringing good from even the worst situations.
•The spiritual problems that can occur when we doubt God's care for us.
•How relying on God's promises can help us maintain trust during trying circumstances.
>>lnform and Discuss
a). Bad things happen to good people.
1. Read or have a volunteer read John 11:1-3. Why do you think God allows Us to experience problems? [Guide: Allow discussion, then explain that God is more intent on maturing us than making sure we have everything we want. Jesus didn't promise to always remove or spare us from difficulties. But He did promise to always be with us if we follow Him, even during the bad times. He invites us to share our problems with Him and discover His plans for our lives.]
>>Note: Mary and Martha sent messenger to tell Jesus that Lazarus was sick, making a wise choice to look to Jesus for help. However, they needed to learn and accept that Jesus' response would be His choice, not theirs.
2. Read or have volunteers read 2 Cor 12:9-10; Heb 13:5-6. How can these verses help us maintain and express trust in Christ during faith-challengi
>>Hint: Such scriptures reminds us that Jesus promised to be with us and help us in times of need. They teach us that when God says "no" to taking us out of trying situations, He gives us strength to enable us go through them.
b). God doesn't always do what we expect.
1 Read or have a volunteer read John 11:4-6. Discuss how Martha and Mary may have reacted when they realized Jesus wasn't coming right away. [Hint: Maybe they remembered how Jesus had healed people from a distance (Luke 7:1-10). They probably hoped that if Jesus didn't come, at least He could speak words of healing when their message reached Him.]
2. What are some of the expectations most people have when they become Christians? Which of these expectations are reasonable and accurate and which ones are unreasonable and inaccurate? [Guide: Explain that we should help new believers gain correct expectations of what it means to become a Christian.]
3. Read or have a volunteer read James 1:2-4. Why are we instructed to count it all joy" when we found ourselves in trying circumstances? [Guide: Explain that: Some people turn away from God when He doesn't do what they expect Him to do or respond to their satisfaction. If they experience pain or unpleasant circumstances, they feel that He has abandoned them or wants to punish them. Rather, God is working to fulfill what's best for their lives. Because we can't see the future or fully understand His plans for us, we must trust His choices.]
c). God can bring good out of any bad situation.
>>Guide: Read or have a volunteer read John 11:21-27. Explain that Jesus assured Martha that her brother would rise again. Martha agreed, knowing he would rise in the final resurrection. But Jesus mean something more, and asked Martha if she believed His claim. She replied by declaring her faith in Him as the Son of God. Though Martha was grieving and didn’t know why Jesus had not arrived earlier or what He was planning to do, she held her faith and trusted Him.
1. What can we learn from Martha's example when we face hard or confusing times? [Hint: We won't always understand God's motives and actions, but we must remember that He loves us. While God will never do wrong to us, He does allow hardships to affect our lives. It's part of His plan to transform us, making us more like Jesus – Romans 8:28-29.]
2. Read or have a volunteer read John 11:38-40. Discuss Martha's reaction in these verses.
>>Note: It's easy to identify with Martha. We have moments when we deeply sense God's presence, and our faith grows. Then we come face-to-face with our problems again and lose sight of God's power. The great truth is that God doesn't desert us because our faith wavers. He simply reminds us to keep believing and promises that we will see Him do great things.
3. Read or have a volunteer read John 11:41-44. How did Jesus turn the grief of Martha and Mary into joy? [Guide: Explain that Jesus prayed a short prayer and called Lazarus out of the tomb. Can you imagine the excitement, amazement, and shock when Lazarus made his way out of the burial chamber? Mary and Martha surely were thrilled that their brother had been restored to life. Jesus had performed a greater miracle than they expected.]
>>Note: When bad things happen to us and it seems that Jesus doesn't respond to our cries for help, it's difficult to keep believing that God will bring about good in the midst of such terrible events. Like Martha, we must focus on Jesus, the Son of God. She maintained her belief in His identity and concern for her-as well as His ability to take care other concern.
>>Involve Them: Read 2 Cor 1:20. Have students use the concordances in their Bibles or ones you have provided to come up with a list of God's promises that they can rely on to maintain and express their trust in Him during faith-challengi
>>Inspire Them: Remind students THE BASIC MESSAGE of this study (pg.), explaining WHAT the Big Idea behind the study is; WHY it matters; and HOVW /we can live the lesson captured in this study.
>>Ministry Activity: Divide the class into pairs, where they will describe a difficult situation they are facing. Ask the pairs to pray for each other, challenging the partners to pray for these requests throughout the week. If your students are unaccustomed to this type of activity, coach them on ways to pray for others. Remind students to ask their partners how the situations are progressing over the next several weeks.
>>Invitation Option: Remind students that Jesus' power is still at work today, assuring us of eternal life. In order for us to experience this power, we must ask God to forgive our sins and becomes the Lord and Leader of our lives. Encourage who haven't already done so to start a relationship with Jesus today. Emphasize that he wants to be at the centre of their lives, even during the most difficult times.
>>Teacher Hint: Ask yourself...
1. Do students realize that although God doesn't always work in the ways we expect, He does honour our faith by bringing good results from even the worst situations?
2. Are they convinced that God cares about them and their problems?
3. Can they identify promises from God's Word that they can rely on during circumstances that challenges their faith already?
READ ALSO>>>Children's Sunday School Lesson 20: Sunday, 14th May, 2023.
>>Daily Dew Drops
Mon: There's Time for everything - Eccl 3:1-15
Tues: A Worthy Cause - Heb 10:4-10
Wed: An Awesome Offer - Rom 5:6-11
Thurs: Brought to God - 1 Pet 3:18
Fri: Redeemed from the Law - Gal 2:16; 3:13
Sat: Given Access to Grace - Rom 5:1-2
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