Intermediate lesson five - book of Laminations

MESSAGE FOR PEOPLE TODAY FROM THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS

Church: Ephesus                                       10 of 39 lessons                                             Theme: Grace

Background Information:

ü  We asked in the book of Judges, “How can the creation know how to accept God’s grace?" 

ü  In 1 Chronicles, we were awakened to learn how the world will try to confuse the message of Jesus’ sacrifice with worldly prosperity which does not bear eternal fruit.

ü  In Psalms, we learned from a psalmist how to remember to be a witness who can understand how to present our body as a living sacrifice by putting on the armor of God.

Statement of Faith to Say Amen to for the Book of Lamentations:

I can be a witness who remembers how to line up my testimony with the Chief Cornerstone (the sacrifice Christ made) by remembering to mourn sin.

Essential Question:

Does the world teach us to mourn sin?

Book of Lamentations:

Have students read pages 24-26 in The Pattern of Sound Teaching.

After students read the information ask them, "What do you want to talk about?"

Remember the Issue:

Realizing that Jesus made a sacrifice for our sin and how He can make an intersession for us is important. The world is not teaching us how Jesus said to mourn sin and love God.

Remember the Truth Jesus Brought:

We cannot stop someone from seeking prosperity, but we can put on the armor of God to be protected, and then turn back to our first love, God.

Remember the Rock God Established:

The book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah. He watched as the nation of Judah left her first love, God, to be protected by false gods. Judah began to work for prosperity with the nations that surrounded her land. Judah was overtaken by the wicked nations that she ran with.

God disciplined (pruned) Judah to get the people to turn back to Him by spreading a net out to catch Judah’s feet. Judah’s feet were running with the wicked. Lesson 1: God’s protection includes feet that go toward peace. God will prune people to teach them how to bear good fruit which is a sacrifice that God accepts. God prunes us so that we may bear more fruit.

Judah had begun to believe that everything she had was a result of her work. Then all of Judah’s “friends” deserted her and became her enemies. We can see in the text that relationships built with people furthering a prosperity agenda will let you down. Judah then begins to wonder why this happened. Then Judah remembered that she did not keep the Lord’s commandments. Lesson 2: God’s protection includes the breastplate of righteousness.

Judah then realized the truth. Lesson 3: God’s protection includes the belt of truth. Judah’s wealth was gone, and the people of Judah were in poverty. Children were begging for food. Judah no longer had a place to praise, inquire, and thank God. There was nothing left to give others in the name of God. People did not have a place to assemble because the sanctuary was destroyed. There was no kindness shown from Judah’s “friends.” Judah realized what the enemy had done, and Judah’s heart called out to the Lord with genuine tears and lamination.

Judah turned back to God for protection with a true heart, and God protected Judah’s heart. Lesson 4: God's protection includes the shield of protection to hide behind.

Judah then decided to wait in silence for the salvation of the Lord. This is how doing nothing is a way of not empowering the enemy. Lesson 5: God’s protection includes the helmet of salvation.

Lesson 6: God’s protection includes the sword of the spirit. Judah called out to the Lord to defend her. Judah then brought it to God’s attention how Edom had treated her inhumanely. Judah was looking forward to Edom being judged.

Like the people of Judah, when we sin, we have a chance to mourn sin and repent and turn back to our first love, God, or we can blame God for not giving us an easy life. We are to look at the sacrifice that Christ made and mourn sin. Today we are living among people and not separating away from people who are refusing to repent from sin. When a “friend” leads us down the wrong path and turns on us, we are to look at the sacrifice Jesus made by putting on the armor of God and waiting for the return of Jesus. People can turn back to their first love, God, by being still and waiting for the return of Jesus for salvation.

A promise is that Jesus saves all those who stop trying to save themselves and fully trust in His sacrifice alone as their payment for sin. A way to stop trying to save yourself is to put on the armor of God and trust that Jesus can fight the battle for you. This needs to be done with a heart that mourns sin.

In Matthew 5:4 Jesus said, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”

In the next lesson, Obadiah teaches us what it looks like for someone to deny God’s grace and work for prosperity. God is going to do what He said He will do even if we do not do what we said we would do. We will learn that fake tears did not help. Judah suited up with the armor of God and asked for Edom to be judged. In the book of Obadiah, Edom is judged.

Activity:

The activity directions are located in Appendix 4.

Students will play a game called, “Who will I listen to?”

Conclusion:

Does the world teach us to look to the sacrifice Jesus made to mourn sin?

Next Lesson:

In the next lesson, Obadiah teaches us that fake mourning can include fake tears. Edom built a city and a name for themselves and refused to put on the armor of God when fighting their battles. A sinful behavior that bears lukewarm faith is how Edom denied God’s grace and worked for prosperity.