RCCG Sunday School Teacher’s Manual 3rd July 2022 (Lesson 44) – Apologising Correctly
TOPIC:
OPENING PRAYER: Almighty Father, please help us to be humble enough to accept our faults whenever we offend and tender apology as appropriate.
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE:
Teacher should allow students to review the previous week’s lesson.
MEMORY VERSE: “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” – Romans 14:19 (KJV)
BIBLE PASSAGE: 1 Samuel 15:12-26 (King James Version)
12 And when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel, saying, Saul came to Carmel, and, behold, he set him up a place, and is gone about, and passed on, and gone down to Gilgal.
13 And Samuel came to Saul: and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord: I have performed the commandment of the Lord.
14 And Samuel said, What meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?
15 And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
16 Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.
17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?
18 And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.
RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT’S MANUAL FOR 3RD JULY 2022
19 Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord?
20 And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.
21 But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal.
22 And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
24 And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
25 Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.
26 And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.
LESSON INTRODUCTION: Originally, the word ‘apology’ (apologia in Greek) means a defence, excuse, or justification in speech or writing, as for a cause or doctrine. However, towards the end of the 16th century there was a twist in the use of the word ‘apology’ to mean a written or spoken expression of one’s regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another.
As Christians, we know we are meant to be kind, loving, humble and respectful (Eph.4:32). One true test of this is how we handle situations when we have been wronged or wrong others. A lot of people find it hard to admit when confronted with the wrongs they have committed. Some may even find it harder to ask someone for forgiveness especially when they feel the other person shares in the blame.
TEXT REVIEW: 1 Samuel 15:12-26.
From this passage, the following points could be deduced with regards to the lesson topic, apology.
I. King Saul offended God by disobeying His instruction.
ii. Prophet Samuel confronted him with his mistake.
iii. King Saul pretended that he had done no wrong. V13.
iv. Prophet Samuel proved his point with evidence of the “bleating of the sheen’. V.14.
v. King Saul shifted the blame on his soldiers who he referred to as “the people”. Vs. 15,21.
vi. Even when the judgement was pronounced on him in Verse 23, he still transferred his error on the people. He said, “I feared the people…V.24.
ACTION REQUIRED: In addition to King Saul’s stubborn attitude according to Verse 23, teacher should mention any other wrong attitude of King’s Saul according to the Bible passages for the lesson.
LESSON OUTLINES:
LESSON OUTLINE 1: WHY “I AM SORRY” IS NOT ENOUGH
i. Some people find it difficult to say “sorry to spouse, friends, colleagues, family and God’s servants. (1 Sam.15:15; 1 Sam.15:21).
ii. Some people find it difficult to even say am “sorry” to the Almighty God – It is the Lord, let Him do what seemeth Him good”. (1 Sam. 3:18; 1Sam.2:31-36).
iii. Some people however only say “sorry” to ease tension without accepting their wrongs or mistakes. This is called fauxpology” i.e false apology. (Gen.50:15-18).
iv. False apology is unacceptable to God because it is wrong. (1 Sam.15:24- 26).
v. Saying ‘sorry” in most of the times is like following protocol, a Band-Aid to cover the pain inflicted on others without actually making things right.
v. It is wrong to shift or dismiss responsibility with “I am sorry”
vi. Saying “sorry” may only temporarily cover pains which may soon exhume if such ”sorry” is a mere lip decoration. (Isa.29:13-14).
RCCG SUNDAY SCHOOL STUDENT’S MANUAL FOR 3RD JULY 2022
CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Why do you think that people pay lip service with ”sorry?”
LESSON OUTLINE 2: CORRECT APPROACH
A. Wrong Approaches:
The following statements are wrong approaches to apologising:
i. “I was wrong, but you were wrong too.” This is incorrect because you are not taking full responsibility for your offence.
ii. “If I have been wrong, please forgive me”. To use “if” before your apology means that you are saying, that you were not really convinced that you were wrong.” therefore, it is not a real apology.
iii. “I am sorry I lost my temper, but you made me do it”. This is wrong because you are not taking responsibility for your wrong-doing but putting the blame on the other person.
iv. “I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me”? This apology is not correct because the tone is aggressive, not remorseful and may not give the offended enough time to heal.
B. Correct Approaches
i. Apologise with full responsibility. (Luke 15:18-19).
ii. Ask for forgiveness and reconcile. (Matt.5:23-24).
iii. Make restitution where necessary.
C. Significance Of Correct Approach To Apologising
i. It is a symbol of humility. (James 4:10).
ii. It should be accorded priority. (Matt.5:23-24).
D. Biblical Example Of Right Apology
i. The prodigal son’s apology to his father. (Luke 15:17-20),.
ii. Jacob’s apology to Esau. (Gen.32; Gen.33).
E. Example to correct statement of apology “I was wrong in losing my temper and for talking to you the way I did”.
NOTE: You do not owe anybody apology for accepting the Lord Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour or for living a holy life. (1 John 3:21).
CLASS ACTIVITY 2: Students to give hypothetical examples of wrong and right statements of apology.
SUMMARY: Apologise correctly and genuinely to the offenders.
CONCLUSION: We should learn to say a “responsible sorry” to those we offend,
EVALUATION: What are the differences between wrong and right apology?
CLOSING PRAYER: Father, help us to do what we have learned according to Your words in the name of Jesus.
ASSIGNMENT: Find five (5) similarities between apology and restitution.
RCCG Sunday School manual is used in Sunday School Classes in the RCCG.
The RCCG Sunday school manual is written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye and is available online for easy access. See the previous RCCG Sunday school Manual for 2022 here
