God's Message to His Children

Sunday School: Terry Beasley
Thursday, May 1, 2008

Why is Bible study important? Have you ever asked that question? I have and I would guess that you have too. I also believe that the people on our Sunday School class rolls have asked that question. For some, they haven't found a suitable answer and so they fail to study God's Word, both individually and collectively with other believers.

You may ask - "Does a person have to come to church to study their Bible? Isn't it possible that many on our class membership rolls, whom we haven't seen for quite some time, could be growing, mature believers who just don't want the 'church experience'? My response - lets look at the Bible. What example do we have of the importance and result of Bible study? Looking at Acts 2:42 and 47 we read "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship of breaking bread and to prayer...and the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." The early church had their priorities right. They studied and prayed together; they sacrificed for the needs of others; they remembered the broken body and spilt blood of Jesus. The result - the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Now, it hadn't always been that way! The children of Israel in the Old Testament had a hard time giving God the time and devotion He desired and commanded. In fact, two continuous struggles they faced were idolatry and the keeping of the Sabbath day. God reminded the prophet Ezekiel of the importance of the Sabbath when He said "...I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between us, so they would know that I made them holy." What was to be holy - the people or the Sabbath day? Both! Israel's observance of the Sabbath was to serve as a testimony that she was the Lord's holy people. Even at this time in history, there was a connection between the Sabbath day and the indication that how God's people observed that day was a reflection of their dedication to Him.

As teachers and leaders of Sunday School, it should be our desire to echo the words of Paul as written in Colossians 1:28 "We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ." The reality is that one day Christ will return for His church. When He does, will she be presented to Him as a perfect bride, kept holy and pure? Or, will we be embarrassed at how we have allowed the culture to pollute and dilute both our message and our methods? May the Lord find us faithful as we attempt to invite, connect, and discover the truths of God's Word with those in our class, church, and community.