STANDING ON SOLID GROUND

"Preception is Everything"
  1. Building on a Solid Foundation
    1. Understanding the Role of Scripture
      1. -"The Lighthouse"
      2. Matthew 7:24-27 - Jesus' Words are Solid, Trustworthy & True
      3. The Church grows & thrives from being grounded in the fundamental truths of the Bible
        1. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 God's Word is relevant and practical.
        2. Hosea 4:6; Hebrews 5:12 -Moral deterioration takes place w/out Spiritual Knowledge
        3. Deuteronomy 6:1-9 -Moses commands Israelites to instruct their children about God in everyday circumstances, with the purpose of raising children who will follow God's way and continue to tell others about Him.
    2. Bible Classes are a golden opportunity to teach & share this Spiritual Knowledge
      1. Titus 2:11-14

  2. DO YOU KNOW THE LANGUAGE OF A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER?
    If you were asked to teach the Primaries for a quarter, would you know how to respond?
    Can you use a quarterly? Are you qualified to be a coordinator?
    Are you confused? Then this short vocabulary quiz is for you!

    Mark the response you think best defines the meaning of each word.

    1. A quarter is
      1. 25 cents
      2. one-fourth of something
      3. thirteen class sessions
    2. The Primary class
      1. is very important
      2. has to do with elections and politics
      3. is a group of children in grades one to three
    3. A quarterly is
      1. something that happens four times a year
      2. someone who works in a hospital
      3. a teaching guide with instructions for thirteen sessions
    4. A Middler is
      1. the one in the middle
      2. someone who interferes in another's business
      3. a child in grades four to six
    5. A volunteer is
      1. a person with not enough to do
      2. a guinea pig
      3. someone who gives time and honor to God by ministering to others
    6. A coordinator is
      1. an aerobics instructor
      2. one who directs traffic
      3. a leader of teachers
    7. A teacher is
      1. someone who shares Good News from the Scripture
      2. an influence for eternity
      3. a person who has made a lifetime commitment to Jesus and helps others understand what that means
      4. YOU!

      SCORING: If you answered questions 1-6 with an A, you are right, but wrong. If you chose B, you need to have your sense of humor checked. If you selected C, you got it! Question 7 needs all four to be correct.

      UNDERSTANDING YOUR SCORE: If you got 6-7 questions correct, you are either a genius, already teaching or both. If you got 2-5 correct, you're well on your way. But whatever your score, would you consider taking an active role in our Education Ministry at West-Ark?

      FOR ALL QUIZ TAKERS: In order to share in the joys of teaching, you need to have a personal commitment to Jesus and His Word, and have a few hours a week to give.

  3. God's Generation Chain
    1. The Example - Granny Mathews taught Sunday School and touched lives for God for 90 years before she recently died at the age of 101. She taught Phil in children's church and gave him his first Bible. As a minister of education, Phil now teaches teachers. Among them is Pat, who shares Jesus with a group of children every week in Bible Classes.
      1. Granny Mathews, Phil and Pat are part of a Generation Chain that helps us understand the significance of the teaching that takes place in weekly Bible Classes.
      2. This is an example of God's plan for teaching described in Psalm 78.
    2. Psalms 78:1-7 - This Psalm comes to life every week here at West-Ark
      1. As you look back, what teachers do you remember?
      2. What made them memorable?
    3. The real question is "Are you actively participating in 'God's Generation Chain'?"
      1. Think of the eternal impact that YOU can make if you're a part of one generation telling the next generation, telling the next, telling the next, and so on.
      2. No matter what your age, you can begin right now telling the next generation.
    4. 2 Timothy 2:1-2 - Are you a Generational Christian or a Terminal Christian?
      Are you an Apple Christian or a Banana Christian?
      God >>> Paul >>> Timothy >>> Reliable Men >>> Others

  4. Look To Jesus
    1. Hebrews 12:1-3 - "So what action should we take?"
      1. Get rid of the sin in your life that is hindering you.
      2. Run the race with perseverance.
      3. Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Ted Edwards

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Evening Sermon, 13 September 1998

 Link to Ted Edwards Home Page