RCCG Sunday School Teacher’s Manual 24th July 2022 (Lesson 47) – The Spotless Bride
TOPIC: The Spotless Bride
OPENING PRAYER: Father, please help me to present myself pure and spotless for Your second coming in the name of Jesus.
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE:
Teacher should allow students to review the previous week’s lesson.
MEMORY VERSE: Ephesians 5:27 (KJV)
“That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
BIBLE PASSAGE: Ephesians 5:17-30 (King James Version)
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
LESSON INTRODUCTION: The Church, that is the congregation of all born again believers, is referred to as the Bride of Jesus Christ in Ephesians 5:25-27. Almost invariably, when a man chooses a bride, he chooses someone who is closest to him in manners, attributes, aspirations, ways of doing things, and the like, because only birds of the same feathers flock together (Amos 3:3). The Lord Jesus Christ is holy, spotless and without blemish; hence His Bride must be without spot or wrinkle too.
TEXT REVIEW:
“Apostle Paul listed ways to be spotless until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the light of the following:
i. Be filled with the Holy Spirit not wine. (Eph. 5:18).
ii. Occupy your heart with melodious spiritual songs. V.19.
iii. Give thanks to God for all things. V.20.
ACTION: Teacher should find five other things which according to the passage can keep a believer spotless.
i. —————————————————–
ii. —————————————————–
iii. —————————————————–
iv. —————————————————–
v. —————————————————–
LESSON OUTLINES:
- THE ESSENCE AND PROCESS OF BEING SPOTLESS
- AREAS OF SPOTLESSNESS
1. THE ESSENCE AND PROCESS OF BEING SPOTLESS
This outline will address two questions:
i. Why should I be spotless? and
ii. How could I be spotless?
A. Why Should I Be Spotless?
i. You are a child of God. (John.1:12).
ii. Your Heavenly Father is spotless. (Matt. 5:48).
iii. You are a bride of Christ therefore you must be spotless. (Eph. 5:29-30).
iv. The bride of Christ will be married to Holy Christ in heaven that is holy. (Isa. 35:8).
v. You are required by the Almighty God to be spotless and be without wrinkle. (Eph. 5:27).
B. How Could I Be Spotless?
i. Purge yourself from all sinful habits and excesses. (Job 11:14-15; 2Tim. 2:21).
ii. Run away from all worldly affairs that can contaminate your holiness. (James 1:27; 1 John 2:15-17).
iii. Live daily for God as if each day is the last day. (Rom.12:1-2; 2Cor.13:5)
iv. Rely on the Lord Jesus Christ to help you attain your determination. (John.15:5; Phil. 4:13).
CLASS ACTIVITY 1:
Explain the role of society in bringing spot to the believer’s purity.
2. AREAS OF SPOTLESSNESS
Believers must be spotless in the following areas:
A. Spotless In Words
How? (James 3:2; Col.4:6; 1 Pet.4:15; Rev.21:27; Mark 7:20).
a. By bridling your tongue.
b. By carefully selecting words before speaking.
c. By avoiding gossip, lying, backbiting, rumour-mongering.
d. By avoiding speeches that defile.
B. Spotless In Thoughts
Believer’s thoughts and speeches must glorify God. (Ps.19:14).
How Can I Attain This?
a. Your heart must be pure at all times. (Matt.12:34-35).
b. Guide your thoughts.
c. Meditate upon the words of God.
d. Think what is true, just, honest, pure, lovely, good report, virtuous and praise worthy. (Phil. 4:8).
C. Spotless In Deeds: Our deeds must glorify our Heavenly Father. (Matt.5:14-16).
How?
a. In our actions.
b. As light.
c. At home/office/market.
d. Everywhere.
e. In everything.
CLASS ACTIVITY 2: How can we guide our thoughts?
SUMMARY: Be pure and holy.
CONCLUSION: It is not enough for the Christians to be holy. They must be spotlessly so. Anyone who hopes to be part of the bride of Christ must stay spotless.
EVALUATION: What are the purposes and areas of spotlessness?
CLOSING PRAYER: Almighty God, please help Your children to stay away from those things that can bring stains to our holy garments.
ASSIGNMENT
Identify five (5) ways through which polluted society can become spotless.
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
