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RCCG Sunday School Teacher Manual 23 July 2023 TOPIC: Beware Of False Ministers
OPENING PRAYER: Father, please save our generation from the snare of the false teachers and there heresies. (Scroll down for RCCG Sunday School 23 July 2023 HYMN)
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE: The teacher should allow the Assistant Teacher to review the previous week’s lesson.
MEMORY VERSE: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” – 2 Peter 2:1 (KJV)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Matthew 7:15-20 (KJV)
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
LESSON INTRODUCTION: In the bid to make ends meet, falsehood is fast becoming the order of the day Just as there are Internet fraudsters i.e. scammers, quack practitioners. etc., there are some ‘ministers’ whose God is their belly (Philippians 3:18-19). Their false teaching/practices result in false churches which Jesus Himself called ‘the synagogue of Satan’ (Revelation 3:9). Believers must recognise false ministers and avoid becoming victims of their antics.
TEXT REVIEW: Matthew 7:15-20
The teacher should identify any five descriptions of false teachers and prophets as illustrated by the Lord using two types of trees in the passage.
i. ……………….
ii. ………………
iii. ……………..
iv. ……………..
v. ……………….
LESSON OUTLINES
DESCRIPTION OF FALSE MINISTERS
AVOID BEING A VICTIM
1. DESCRIPTION OF FALSE MINISTERS
A. False ministers are servants of sin and the devil who pretend to be servants of rightousness. So, it is difficult to spot them on the surface. (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).
B. The Lord Jesus warned believers of the evil purpose and intentions of false ministers to deceive people especially the elect. (Matthew 24:23-27).
C. Some Biblical Descriptions of False ministers.
i. They deny the divine nature, sacrifice and humanity of Christ (1 John 4:1-3).
ii. They honour the Lord in their lips but their hearts are far away from God (Matthew 15:8).
iii. They corrupt the gospel because of their immoral lifestyles and selfish interest (Philippians 3:19; 2 Corinthians 2:17; Micah 3:11).
iv. They were not called by God. Rather, they call themselves to achieve their own objectives.
v. They deliberately derail into error to deceive and ensnare people. (1 John 2:19).
vi. They do not preach the complete gospel and doctrines of Christ – Galatians 1:6-9, 2 Corinthians 11:4.
vii. They live a life of pretence and falsehood (Matthew 7:15-20).
viii. They replace the truth of the gospel with motivational talks and philosophies of men (Colossians 2:8).
ix. There cause divisions among brethren (Romans 16:17-18)
x. They exploit and extort and milk their followers (Acts 20:29-30).
xi. They trivialise the core issues of eternity and place premium on secular things.
xii. They hardly preach holiness, Heaven, hell, etc. (Isaoah 30:9-11; 2 Timothy 4:3-4).
xiii. They perform false and fake miracles (Matthew 24:24).
CLASS ACTIVITY 1
The class should discuss how the church can halt or repel the activities of false ministers.
2. AVOID BEING A VICTIM
A. The teacher should identify why some people walked into the traps of false members as indicated below:
i. Lack of knowledge (Isaiah 5:13; Hosea 4:6).
ii. Impatience (Psalm 27:14, Hebrews 10:36).
iii. Despite in the bid to get rich quick (1 Timothy 6:9-10
iv. Anxiety about what the future holds.
v. Quest to find answers to certain crucial life questions (1 Kings 22:6-8).
B. Precautions/What to do not to become a victim.
The teacher should state the following precautions:
i. Be prayerful (James 5:16b),
ii. Be watchful (Matthew 26:41),
iii. Be sober (1 Peter 5:8),
iv. Bepatient (Luke 21:19),
v. Study the word of God and be rooted in it (Colossians 3:16),
vi. Be filled with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:6)
vii. Discern the spirits in operation (1 John 4:1, Matthew 24:4-5).
viii. Retrace your steps if you are already sliding away from the truth and ask Christ to help you (Matthew 11:28-30; Psalm 46:1).
CLASS ACTIVITY 2
Mention what should be done not to become a victim.
SUMMARY
False ministers are everywhere around us therefore, they should be identified and avoided at all cost.
CONCLUSION
The best way to guard yourself against falsehood and false ministers is to know the truth (Jn. 8:32). To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing.
CLOSING PRAYER
Almighty Father, please hold me to the end.
ASSIGNMENT
Can a true minister of God become a false ministers? Identify five (5) causes (2×5=10Marks).
RCCG Sunday School HYMN
O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.
O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.
O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.
O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.
O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.
O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?
