Know: Comprehend that God’s Word provides wisdom that, when followed, promotes harmony among God’s people.
Feel: Sense the need for a personal understanding of God’s will as outlined in His Word.
Do: Resolve to follow God’s Word rather than follow personal inclinations of what is right.
Learning Outline:
Know: Obedience Promotes Unity
How does the book of Proverbs define wisdom in chapters 4 and 9?
The list of blessings in Deuteronomy 28:1–14 specifically does not include unity. What aspects of this passage imply that obedience to God’s Word promotes unity?
How does following God’s Word result in harmony? How might Paul’s advice to the Corinthians help you to answer this question?
Feel: The Need for Understanding God’s Will
Why did the advice of Rehoboam’s young friends seem right to him?
Have you ever been so attached to an idea that you have decided it was God’s will for you? What was the outcome of your decision?
What factors in the church today make a personal understanding of God’s will necessary?
Do: Follow God’s Will
How can we tell the difference between our own inclinations and God’s will?
What steps might you take if you are unsure of God’s will?
Summary: The examples of Scripture reveal that faithful obedience to God’s will promotes unity and harmony among God’s people. However, disobedience and the tendency to follow personal inclinations create conditions that foster disunity.
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Proverbs 9:10
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The human tendency to do what seems right based on personal judgment frequently leads to problems that create disharmony and disunity. Christians can avoid this pitfall by seeking the wisdom found in God’s Word, particularly focusing on Christ, the center of the gospel.
Just for Teachers: Personal judgment can easily get in the way of doing what is right. As you open the class, help students see how easy it is to create problems by following personal inclinations rather than sound advice.
Opening Discussion: In May 2015, torrential rain led to significant flooding north of Brisbane, Australia. Although emergency services warned drivers not to attempt to drive through flooded waters, many people ignored the warnings. Some individuals based their decisions to drive through high water on the memory that floodwaters had never been too deep on the roads they used regularly. Others argued that they knew the area well enough to cross the flooded road. But perception of risk tends to be poor during emergencies. As a direct result of following their own flawed judgment, five people died when floodwaters swept their cars away. Many other people found themselves needing rescue from the swift currents of the floodwaters.
Question for Discussion: The story we just read provided two reasons for ignoring sound advice. What other reasons might lead someone to ignore sound advice in this kind of situation? How would you categorize reasons that people generally use to ignore what is true?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The Bible provides a number of examples of people who made wrong choices, but it also provides the basis for better choices. Help your class to recognize the importance of seeking God’s wisdom in their decision making and the consequences that arise from making the wrong choices.
Bible Commentary
I. Human Judgment of Right and Wrong (Review Judges 17:6 and 1 Kings 12:1–16.)
The book of Joshua is filled with celebration and hope as the descendants of Abraham, who had wandered in the desert for 40 years, finally settled in the Promised Land. Filled with the wonder of God’s mighty acts, the Israelites vowed to serve God forever, and they renewed their covenant vows. But the mood changes abruptly in the opening pages of the book of Judges. Judges portrays Israel as a nation simply trying to survive as it experienced repeated invasions and even civil war. The spiritual high experienced on arrival in the Promised Land had long since vanished, replaced by spiritual apathy and outright apostasy. While Israel served God under the leadership of Joshua and while those who had observed God’s mighty acts had survived, the new generation did not know God or understand what He had done for Israel (Josh. 24:31, Judg. 2:7–10). In the absence of this knowledge, they refused to be governed by God’s laws, choosing instead to base their choices on what was right in their own judgment. As a consequence, the discipline and cohesion of God’s people broke down, and lawlessness and rebellion resulted. The sad story of Judges is a repeated cycle of apostasy, resulting in oppression by the surrounding nations, cries for God’s intervention, deliverance by God, and then apostasy once more. It seemed that after God delivered Israel, His role was promptly forgotten, and Israel once again lost sight of His role.
Some one hundred or so years later, King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, took the throne of the nation. Even though David and Solomon had followed God, the people were still prone to want things their own way. Rehoboam immediately was faced with a decision about whether to continue his father’s policies or create his own. During the three days of deliberation that he allocated for making this decision, Rehoboam consulted with his father’s counselors and his peers; but he did not consult God at all. His final decision to make life harder for the nation was the final catalyst for a division among God’s people.
Consider This: What led Israel to do what was right in their own judgment? How could they have avoided this error? As you reflect on Judges 21:25, do you think that the author of Judges believed that a human king was the solution to Israel’s problem? What is the basis of your answer? How does the reign of Rehoboam demonstrate that a human king was not the answer to Israel’s problem?
II. The True Source of Wisdom (Review Psalm 9:10 and James 1:5 with your class.)
In contrast to the self-centered actions described in Judges and 1 Kings, Scripture suggests that true wisdom comes from another source. Both the book of Proverbs and the book of James clearly identify wisdom with God. Proverbs emphasizes the relational aspect of wisdom, urging its hearers to recognize that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7, NASB, NKJV). Likewise, Proverbs 9 claims that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov. 9:10, NASB, NKJV). Wisdom is here understood as lived and found in one’s encounter with the mighty God. The relationship itself is identified as an indispensable part of wisdom. James, however, emphasizes God as the Giver of wisdom (James 1:5). James highlights the generosity and graciousness of God, who willingly gives wisdom to all those who seek it. Here God is the Provider of wisdom to make the decisions required of a lived experience.
Consider This: Do you think there is any conflict between the understanding of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, compared to that outlined in James? Why, or why not? How are both ideas related? Why are both important?
III. Ensuring a Correct Focus (Review 1 Corinthians 1:10–17 with 2 Timothy 2:14–19.)
Corinth was a prominent center of commerce, situated on the Isthmus of Greece. Corinth’s proximity to Athens meant that Greco-Roman culture flourished, while its geographical position as a seaport encouraged all sorts of vice. Surprisingly, a church existed here, but letters from Paul and, later, Clement indicate that the church had a great many problems. One of those problems was internal division (1 Cor. 1:10–17). Although we find, throughout 1 Corinthians, a number of reasons for division, chapter 1 describes divisions that had arisen due to members focusing on the personalities and teachings of different leaders. The Corinthians had not abandoned their faith, but they were proudly announcing their allegiance to specific Christian leaders. Paul called for a major refocus. The Corinthians should not have been focusing on human leaders but on Jesus Christ, the center of their faith. Christians are not called to follow human leaders, but rather, they are called to follow Jesus, who, Paul points out, is neither proud nor divided. Unity could occur only when Christians focused on the One who had brought them together and torn down the barriers that divided them. It is His death on the cross that is both the power (1 Cor. 1:18) and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), even though the choice of this symbol of shame might have seemed foolish to a Greco-Roman audience.
Consider This: What kind of unity does Paul expect of the Corinthians? Does he expect them to agree about everything? (Compare 1 Cor. 1:10 with 1 Cor. 8:7–13.) How does focusing on Christ bring about the unity Paul describes?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: It is easy to simply agree that God’s wisdom is best, but not allow this knowledge to change the way we approach life. Help your class think carefully about why this resistance to change happens, and then help them focus on the role of a relationship with God in determining God’s will.
Application Questions:
Why do human beings find that doing what they want is so appealing? How can seeking God’s will become more appealing?
Why do we frequently lose sight of what God has done for us soon after a crisis has passed? How might we prevent this forgetfulness in the future?
Does obedience to God’s will always lead to unity? Why not?
What can we learn about wisdom by simply being in relationship with God? How does this help us when we are seeking for wisdom in regard to specific issues?
How can we continue to focus our attention on Christ in our busy world?
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Paul connects Christ with wisdom and calls the Corinthians to focus on what the world sees as folly—Jesus’ death on the cross. Help your class to connect with the practical application of Paul’s solution to the disunity in the church.
Activities:
Spend time studying the first four chapters of 1 Corinthians. Then create a Bible study or PowerPoint presentation that outlines Paul’s solution to the problem of disunity.
Write a short skit that helps observers to think about what it means to focus on Jesus and His death instead of on the wisdom of the world.
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Key Text: Proverbs 9:10
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Know: Obedience Promotes Unity
Feel: The Need for Understanding God’s Will
Do: Follow God’s Will
Summary: The examples of Scripture reveal that faithful obedience to God’s will promotes unity and harmony among God’s people. However, disobedience and the tendency to follow personal inclinations create conditions that foster disunity.
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: Proverbs 9:10
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The human tendency to do what seems right based on personal judgment frequently leads to problems that create disharmony and disunity. Christians can avoid this pitfall by seeking the wisdom found in God’s Word, particularly focusing on Christ, the center of the gospel.
Just for Teachers: Personal judgment can easily get in the way of doing what is right. As you open the class, help students see how easy it is to create problems by following personal inclinations rather than sound advice.
Opening Discussion: In May 2015, torrential rain led to significant flooding north of Brisbane, Australia. Although emergency services warned drivers not to attempt to drive through flooded waters, many people ignored the warnings. Some individuals based their decisions to drive through high water on the memory that floodwaters had never been too deep on the roads they used regularly. Others argued that they knew the area well enough to cross the flooded road. But perception of risk tends to be poor during emergencies. As a direct result of following their own flawed judgment, five people died when floodwaters swept their cars away. Many other people found themselves needing rescue from the swift currents of the floodwaters.
Question for Discussion: The story we just read provided two reasons for ignoring sound advice. What other reasons might lead someone to ignore sound advice in this kind of situation? How would you categorize reasons that people generally use to ignore what is true?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The Bible provides a number of examples of people who made wrong choices, but it also provides the basis for better choices. Help your class to recognize the importance of seeking God’s wisdom in their decision making and the consequences that arise from making the wrong choices.
Bible Commentary
I. Human Judgment of Right and Wrong (Review Judges 17:6 and 1 Kings 12:1–16.)
The book of Joshua is filled with celebration and hope as the descendants of Abraham, who had wandered in the desert for 40 years, finally settled in the Promised Land. Filled with the wonder of God’s mighty acts, the Israelites vowed to serve God forever, and they renewed their covenant vows. But the mood changes abruptly in the opening pages of the book of Judges. Judges portrays Israel as a nation simply trying to survive as it experienced repeated invasions and even civil war. The spiritual high experienced on arrival in the Promised Land had long since vanished, replaced by spiritual apathy and outright apostasy. While Israel served God under the leadership of Joshua and while those who had observed God’s mighty acts had survived, the new generation did not know God or understand what He had done for Israel (Josh. 24:31, Judg. 2:7–10). In the absence of this knowledge, they refused to be governed by God’s laws, choosing instead to base their choices on what was right in their own judgment. As a consequence, the discipline and cohesion of God’s people broke down, and lawlessness and rebellion resulted. The sad story of Judges is a repeated cycle of apostasy, resulting in oppression by the surrounding nations, cries for God’s intervention, deliverance by God, and then apostasy once more. It seemed that after God delivered Israel, His role was promptly forgotten, and Israel once again lost sight of His role.
Some one hundred or so years later, King Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, took the throne of the nation. Even though David and Solomon had followed God, the people were still prone to want things their own way. Rehoboam immediately was faced with a decision about whether to continue his father’s policies or create his own. During the three days of deliberation that he allocated for making this decision, Rehoboam consulted with his father’s counselors and his peers; but he did not consult God at all. His final decision to make life harder for the nation was the final catalyst for a division among God’s people.
Consider This: What led Israel to do what was right in their own judgment? How could they have avoided this error? As you reflect on Judges 21:25, do you think that the author of Judges believed that a human king was the solution to Israel’s problem? What is the basis of your answer? How does the reign of Rehoboam demonstrate that a human king was not the answer to Israel’s problem?
II. The True Source of Wisdom (Review Psalm 9:10 and James 1:5 with your class.)
In contrast to the self-centered actions described in Judges and 1 Kings, Scripture suggests that true wisdom comes from another source. Both the book of Proverbs and the book of James clearly identify wisdom with God. Proverbs emphasizes the relational aspect of wisdom, urging its hearers to recognize that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7, NASB, NKJV). Likewise, Proverbs 9 claims that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Prov. 9:10, NASB, NKJV). Wisdom is here understood as lived and found in one’s encounter with the mighty God. The relationship itself is identified as an indispensable part of wisdom. James, however, emphasizes God as the Giver of wisdom (James 1:5). James highlights the generosity and graciousness of God, who willingly gives wisdom to all those who seek it. Here God is the Provider of wisdom to make the decisions required of a lived experience.
Consider This: Do you think there is any conflict between the understanding of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, compared to that outlined in James? Why, or why not? How are both ideas related? Why are both important?
III. Ensuring a Correct Focus (Review 1 Corinthians 1:10–17 with 2 Timothy 2:14–19.)
Corinth was a prominent center of commerce, situated on the Isthmus of Greece. Corinth’s proximity to Athens meant that Greco-Roman culture flourished, while its geographical position as a seaport encouraged all sorts of vice. Surprisingly, a church existed here, but letters from Paul and, later, Clement indicate that the church had a great many problems. One of those problems was internal division (1 Cor. 1:10–17). Although we find, throughout 1 Corinthians, a number of reasons for division, chapter 1 describes divisions that had arisen due to members focusing on the personalities and teachings of different leaders. The Corinthians had not abandoned their faith, but they were proudly announcing their allegiance to specific Christian leaders. Paul called for a major refocus. The Corinthians should not have been focusing on human leaders but on Jesus Christ, the center of their faith. Christians are not called to follow human leaders, but rather, they are called to follow Jesus, who, Paul points out, is neither proud nor divided. Unity could occur only when Christians focused on the One who had brought them together and torn down the barriers that divided them. It is His death on the cross that is both the power (1 Cor. 1:18) and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:24), even though the choice of this symbol of shame might have seemed foolish to a Greco-Roman audience.
Consider This: What kind of unity does Paul expect of the Corinthians? Does he expect them to agree about everything? (Compare 1 Cor. 1:10 with 1 Cor. 8:7–13.) How does focusing on Christ bring about the unity Paul describes?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: It is easy to simply agree that God’s wisdom is best, but not allow this knowledge to change the way we approach life. Help your class think carefully about why this resistance to change happens, and then help them focus on the role of a relationship with God in determining God’s will.
Application Questions:
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: Paul connects Christ with wisdom and calls the Corinthians to focus on what the world sees as folly—Jesus’ death on the cross. Help your class to connect with the practical application of Paul’s solution to the disunity in the church.
Activities: