Key Thought : The new commandment of love that Jesus taught was in full accordance with the intent and purpose of the law of God given in the Ten Commandments.

[Lesson plan for The Law of God and the Law of Christ May 19, 2014]

1. Have a volunteer read Matthew 19:16-22.

a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. How does this story show the spiritual nature of the law and its application to our lives?
c. Personal Application: How do we keep from forgetting or losing our focus on the spiritual nature of the law and how we have continually broken it and need forgiveness and grace? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “Jesus hadn’t died on the cross yet, so He was telling the rich, young ruler that to enter life, he must be obedient to the old covenant law of works. But after Jesus’ death, we are under grace.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read I Corinthians 9:19-23.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. What does Paul mean when he says he is under the law to some, and not under the law to others? What is he saying here?
c. Personal Application: Have you ever “become like” someone in order to win them to Christ? How do you become like someone without being phony? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “Isn’t Paul saying that he is compromising his faith to reach people? Can we compromise our doctrines and differences with others in order to reach them?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

3. Have a volunteer read Galatians 6:1-5.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. Why is it that when someone in the church is overtaken by a fault, most people in the church seem to be more concerned with the fault than with the restoration?
c. Personal Application: How have you handled situations in the past in dealing with trying to restore someone that has fallen or backslidden in some way? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Does this mean that if someone does something wrong, we should forgive and forget in all situations? What is this saying about church discipline? Didn’t Paul say to the Corinthians that they should disfellowship the man who took his father’s wife?” How would you respond to your friend?

4. Have a volunteer read John 13:34,35.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. How do you respond to someone who says we don’t have to worry about the law, or church name, or doctrine; just that we all, as Christians, should love one another?
c. Personal Application: What kind of feelings do you have toward your fellow church members? Is it superficial or does it go deeper than that? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Note : “Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.” MH p. 149.

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