Life applications put Sunday school lessons into practice. They are activities that address the important educational goal of becoming “doers who act and are blessed in the doing”. If this goal is not deliberately addressed, students may remain “hearers only” (James 1:25).
(1) “After fasting and praying they sent them off” (Acts 13:3).
Praying for the Bible Mission
- Bring copies of The Bible Missionary magazine and/or The Tidings magazine (Bible Mission News section) to class. Have students read or listen to an article on the preaching and pastoral work that is currently going on in some part of the world. This can be of special interest if the students are familiar with some of the people or places involved. Pay close attention if an article asks for prayers. After reading the article, have your students generate a list of things to pray for and then lead them in a prayer for the missionary work.
- Provide your students with reprints of missionary articles from the magazines. Ask them to read these with their families during the coming week and have a family prayer at home for the work being done. Make sure parents know about this so they can give it their full support.
(2) “They had John to assist them” (Acts 13:5). Supporting the Bible Mission
- Write letters or cards to encourage someone in the mission field. Look through our preaching magazines with your students. Identify mission workers and families to write to.
- Plan a stamp cutting party. Collect envelopes from as many places as possible. Cut off the used postage stamps for the CBM. Be sure to leave a margin of envelope (about a quarter-inch / half-centimeter) around each stamp. Send the stamps to Jean Pearson, 1 Brook Vale, Bewdley, Worcs. DY12 1BQ, U.K. Write to Sis. Pearson and find out how this service has helped the Christadelphian Bible Mission over the years.
- Find out if a nearby Bible School conducts a “sale of goods” to raise funds for the Bible Mission. If so, have students plan and prepare something to contribute to the sale.
(3) “Barnabas and Paul” (Acts 13:7); “Paul and his companions” (Acts 13:13).
Cooperating in Service
Paul emerged as the missionary leader. Barnabas accepted a supporting role.
- Create a list of things you can do to support others (at home, in Sunday school, in the ecclesia, at school, at work) without demanding your own way. Ask each student to select one thing from the list to put into practice during the coming week. Share the results of these efforts the next time you meet.
- Ask your Sunday school families to talk about the roles and responsibilities that each member of the family contributes to the functioning of the home. Afterward, talk about the different family roles in class.
- Give your students a list of the serving positions in your ecclesia (Recording Brother, Finance Brother, Table Sisters, etc.). Discuss how each position contributes to the life of the ecclesia.
- Tell your students who holds these positions if they do not already know. Have them each talk with a brother or sister who holds one of the positions. Find out how the brother or sister perceives their duties? How do they see their role contributing to the overall operation of the ecclesia? Have students discuss their findings in class afterward.
- Alternatively, invite one or two serving brothers and sisters to come to your Sunday school class and talk with your students about the roles they play in the operation of the ecclesia.
(4) “Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, sought to hear the word of God” (Acts 13:7).
Seeking to understand the Bible
- Encourage the families of your students to do the daily Bible readings together every day during the coming week if they do no already do so.
- Have the students write down one thing that interests them in each day’s readings.
- Have them bring their lists to class next week and take a few minutes to talk about their findings.
- Share your own highlights from the week’s readings.
- Sergius Paulus called for Barnabas and Saul to hear the word of God. Follow his example. “Call for” a knowledgeable brother or sister in the ecclesia to come to your class and tell you about a favorite Bible story or Bible subject. Find out why it is a favorite.
- Generate a list of Bible questions that your students would like to find out more about. “Call for” a knowledgeable brother or sister to come to your class and address one or two of the questions.
(5) “Elymas the magician opposed them” (Acts 13:8-11).
Dealing with right and wrong
- Ask your students and their families to take time during the coming week to identify things in the world around them that “pervert the right ways of the Lord.” Evaluate such things as advertisements, magazines, television, movies, websites, different kinds of entertainment, toys, games, stores, businesses, common teachings, accepted behaviors, etc. Create a log of things that promote unbelief and ungodliness.
- Discuss student logs in class next week. What is the standard by which a disciple evaluates these things? What action should a faithful disciple take in relation to these things? The Lord struck Elymas blind. How can we “blind” these things as far as their ability to influence us is concerned?1
- Pray together for God’s help when it comes to making right choices in life.
(6) “Men of Israel and you who fear God, listen” (Acts 13:16). Preaching the word
- Look at the book of Acts and identify ways that the gospel was preached in New Testament times. Then generate a class list of ways the gospel is being preached today. For example, look at the Ecclesial News entries in our magazines to see what different ecclesias are doing to preach the gospel.
- Also look at our preaching magazines, explore the This Is Your Bible website together (com), look at ecclesial websites and Christadelphian postings on YouTube, etc.
- Talk about the ways that preaching in our times is the same as it was in New Testament times and how it is different. What will you do with the list of preaching methods you have generated?
- See Praying for the Bible Mission Carry out the same learning activities for preaching efforts being made by your ecclesia or by other ecclesias in your area. Ecclesial news entries in our magazines often tell what individual ecclesias are doing to preach the gospel. Pray for them.
Please tell me about a life application activity you have done in your Sunday school or CYC. I’d like to share it with other Tidings readers.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One