SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON - FEB 27TH

Week of February 27 - Keep Hope Alive


LESSON PASSAGES OUTLINE
1. When Life’s Treasures Disappear (2 Kings 24:12-13)
2. When God’s Patience Ends (2 Kings 24:19-20)
3. When Chaos Overwhelms Everyone (2 Kings 25:8-11)
4. When Hopeful Changes Occur (2 Kings 25:27-30)

LESSON BIBLE TRUTH - The Lord unfailingly works out His plan for His people in the course of human events.

Bible Commentary - John C. Crutchfield, Director of Middle Eastern Studies at Columbia International University (CIU) in Columbia, SC. Dr. Crutchfield and his family worship and serve the Lord at First Baptist Church, Columbia, where he teaches an adult Sunday School class.

What does the term sovereigntymean to you? A dictionary definition of the word might include such explanatory phrases as “supreme rule” or “absolute authority.” Thus a sovereign is someone or some group who holds and exercises supreme rule over a sphere or location.
In the past when many nations and empires were ruled by monarchies, the citizens of those nations and empires no doubt understood the concept of sovereignty better than we do today in the United States. That is, people who actually have lived under the sovereignty of a king or queen aren’t limited to a dictionary definition. They know from experience how the monarch’s attitudes, character, and behavior can affect their daily lives. They know that to stand before the sovereign is to stand before the final and absolute authority over every possible aspect of their lives.
 How do you think your life might be different today under the sovereign rule of a king or queen?
This final lesson in our study of 1, 2 Kings is really about the sovereignty of God. If we as Christians truly believe the Triune God is sovereign, then we are confessing that God is the ultimate Authority and Ruler everywhere in the universe and at all times in history. Consequently, any hope that we possess concerning the future depends totally on God’s attitudes, character, and actions. Moreover, whatever events occur in our lives are under God’s control and are subservient to His purposes.
Most Christian adults affirm that the Lord is a loving Sovereign, and they base their ultimate hope in Him. Sometimes, however, Christians may experience long-lasting, severe circumstances that put their hope to the test. They may begin to wonder whether the Lord hears their prayers and, if He does, why He hasn’t helped them. They may need encouragement from other believers to maintain their hope in the Lord and to see ways He is at work to fulfill His plan in their lives.