SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON - NOVEMBER 9TH

Focal Verses- Romans 12:1-21

One of the great miracles of nature is the birth of a Monarch Butterfly. A single Monarch caterpillar begins its transformation by hanging in the form of the letter “J.” Next, it becomes a chrysalis, or pupa, as it begins to drop its head downward and split its skin. Afterwards, the skin is pushed up by a wiggling movement of the emerging chrysalis until it compacts its body as much as possible. Eight days to two weeks later, the butterfly is fully developed and ready to escape its casing. In minutes, the once plain caterpillar emerges as a lovely Monarch Butterfly. More interesting is what occurs next. The butterfly is unable to take flight immediately, but must first pump up its wings to full size and allow them to dry for about an hour. Only then can it gracefully float in the air, delighting little children and captivating adults by its beauty.

Just as the caterpillar forever changes into a butterfly, humans as sinful creatures miraculously become children of God when they receive Jesus Christ. But many of us stop short of God’s plan for our lives. We are like a butterfly that never dries its wings and takes flight when we fail to realize and act on all the gospel’s implications. Many adults don’t connect the gospel’s implications to their daily lives. They live differently at the workplace than at church. For them the rules change when Sundays turn to Mondays. The disconnect is real, lasting, and harmful. We may live more like the world than people forgiven of sin and given eternal life. The gospel calls us to lay aside conformity to the world’s lifestyle and to live consecrated lives marked by humility and love. The apostle Paul understood this and urged believers to be fully transformed into the people God intended them to become - consecrated, humble followers of Christ who do good to all people, both friends and enemies.