TOPIC: ENVY AND JEALOUSY [SUNDAY, 28TH JANUARY 2018]

OPENING PRAYER:

Father, do not let me be pitied this year. Deliver me from envious fellows.

SUNDAY SCHOOL HYMN

1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day, Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

MEMORY VERSE: “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh” – Genesis 37:19

BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 37:3-4, 9-11

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

INTRODUCTION:

Envy comes from the Latin word: “in video” meaning to see against or look with ill mind. Jealousy involves suspicious fear or apprehension. While envy denotes a longing to possess something awarded to or achieved by another (Genesis 26:14; 30:1), jealousy denotes a feeling or resentment that another has gained something one may desire (1Samuel 18:6-9).

Envy and jealousy are works of the flesh. They are traits of the Christian’s former ways of life which need to be completely dealt with (Titus 3:3).

TEXT REVIEW: GENESIS 37:3-4; 9-11

A lot of parents are the source of troubles and travails of their children. The father or the mother or both could show special love for one child, thereby preferring him or her to, other. Gen. 37:3a. Example of this dangerous scenario was seen in the special love of Isaac for Esau because Esau provided a particular food for him the- Gen 25:27. Rebecca on the other hand, demonstrated special love for Jacob by clothing him with the clothing of elder brother make him look like Esau. Gen 27:15. When Esau plotted to kill Jacob for stealing his blessing, it was Rebecca that hatched the plot also. Gen. 27:42. In today’s story, Jacob transferred love to his first child of Rachael for whom she served 14 years to marry and who had to wait for some years before she could conceive… Gen 30:1-2. Therefore, when God gave Rachael conception- Gen. 30:23-24, Jacob loved him more than other brethren and made for him a coat of many colours. This action, among others, gave birth to envy. (Gen37:3-4). The punishment for his special love for one child above other child led him to sorrowful days not far from his action. The coat of many colours was soaked in blood, Gen. 37:31, and Jacob spent many days in sorrow and mourning. Gen. 37:33-35. The moral lesson from this story is not to create war in our families by inactions or in actions before our death.

LESSON OUTLINES:

1. Evil effects of envy and jealousy
2. How to overcome envy and jealousy

EVIL EFFECTS OF ENVY AND JEALOUSY

i. Teacher should ask students to mention their experience with envy and jealousy and the consequences.

ii. Teacher should explain the consequences or effects of envy and jealousy as follows:

a. Envy or jealousy can deny one from inheriting the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

b. It could lead to anger, self-destruction or divine wrath (Genesis 27:41; Proverbs 27:4; Numbers 12:5-10).

c. It could create an avenue of separation from God (1Samuel 18:7-10).

d. It could also bring about personal harm or weaken one’s physical, spiritual and emotional well-being (Job 5:2; Proverbs 14:30).

e. It manifests the deceitfulness of sin and human immorality apart from the intervention of God’s redeeming grace (Romans 1:28-32).

f. It could tear believers apart (Genesis 13:7-8; 1Corinthians 3:3-5).

g. It can degenerate to gang up against others (Daniel 6:3-4).

CLASS ACTIVITY 1:

Class should identify the sources of envy in our modern society.

HOW TO OVERCOME ENVY AND JEALOUSY

1. Teacher should find out from students who have overcome jealousy and envy how they were able to overcome the spirit.

2. Teacher should thereafter explain the points below as ways to overcome envy and jealousy.

i. Be content with what you have (Proverbs 15:16; 1Timothy 6:6).

ii. Deal with the thought of envy or jealousy and do not allow it have foothold in your mind (Romans 12:2; 1Samuel 18:8).

iii. Let the faithful avoid the company of the ungodly people (Psalm 1:1; 2Corinthians 6:14-16).

iv. Allow the power of the Holy Spirit to subdue all forms of carnality by walking in the Spirit (1Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:16; 1Peter 2:1).

v. Make the word of God your guide and the grace of God your support (Psalm 119:11, 105; Colossians 3:16).

CLASS ACTIVITY 2:

Class should identify factors that can keep friendship going on smoothly.

SUMMARY:

No more envy and jealousy in our Sunday school classes and parishes.

CONCLUSION:

Patiently waiting for your turn can help erode the root of envy and jealousy.

CLOSING PRAYER:

Father, deliver me from the spirit of envy and jealousy. Give me grace to love and be patient instead.

ASSIGNMENT:

Mention 5 causes of quarreling, envy and jealousy, bitterness and killing in our society.

TOPIC: Envy And Jealousy [Sunday, 28th January 2018]

MEMORY VERSE: “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.” – Genesis 37:19

BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 37:3-4, 9-11

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

INTRODUCTION:

Envy comes from the Latin word: “in video” meaning to see against or look with ill mind. Jealousy involves suspicious fear or apprehension. While envy denotes a longing to possess something awarded to or achieved by another (Genesis 26:14; 30:1), jealousy denotes a feeling or resentment that another has gained something one may desire (1Samuel 18:6-9).

Envy and jealousy are works of the flesh. They are traits of the Christian’s former ways of life which need to be completely dealt with (Titus 3:3).

LESSON OUTLINES:

1. Evil effects of envy and jealousy
2. How to overcome envy and jealousy

EVIL EFFECTS OF ENVY AND JEALOUSY

1. Envy or jealousy can deny one from inheriting the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

2. It could lead to anger, self-destruction or divine wrath (Genesis 27:41; Proverbs 27:4; Numbers 12:5-10).

3. It could create an avenue of separation from God (1Samuel 18:7-10).

4. It could also bring about personal harm or weaken one’s physical, spiritual and emotional well-being (Job 5:2; Proverbs 14:30).

5. It manifests the deceitfulness of sin and human immorality apart from the intervention of God’s redeeming grace (Romans 1:28-32).

6. It could tear believers apart (Genesis 13:7-8; 1Corinthians 3:3-5).

7. It can degenerate to gang up against others (Daniel 6:3-4).

HOW TO OVERCOME ENVY AND JEALOUSY

1. Be content with what you have (Proverbs 15:16; 1Timothy 6:6).

2. Deal with the thought of envy or jealousy and do not allow it have foothold in your mind (Romans 12:2; 1Samuel 18:8).

3. Let the faithful avoid the company of the ungodly people (Psalm 1:1; 2Corinthians 6:14-16).

4. Allow the power of the Holy Spirit to subdue all forms of carnality by walking in the Spirit (1Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:16; 1Peter 2:1).

5. Make the word of God your guide and the grace of God your support (Psalm 119:11, 105; Colossians 3:16).

CONCLUSION:

Whoever envies or is jealous of another confesses the superiority of that person and we do not need to be blinded by these against our own weaknesses or sins. When we understand where these feelings of discontent come from, we can learn how to deal with same in more healthy and adaptive ways.

QUESTIONS:

1. What are the evil effects of envy or jealousy?
2. Mention five ways of overcoming envy or jealousy.

Sunday School Hymn

1. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day, Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I’ll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord’s day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?

Topic: Don’t Be Busy. Be Fruitful. [Joyce Meyer’s Daily Saturday January 27th, 2018]

For the dream comes through much effort, and the voice of the fool through many words. — Ecclesiastes 5:3

Are you doing “stuff” that isn’t bearing fruit? Is busyness stealing your peace?

I once heard of a guard who watched over a certain plot of ground at Buckingham Palace in England. For 100 years, 24 hours a day, that plot of land had been guarded.

Finally, someone asked, “What are you guarding?” He didn’t know and simply said it had been under guard for 100 years.

It turned out that 100 years ago, the queen had planted some rose bushes there and wanted to make sure they grew. Now, a century later, a guard stood where a rose bush once stood—guarding nothing.

Are there things you’re doing but you don’t know why you’re doing them anymore? God never called us to be busy. He called us to be fruitful. Too much pointless activity doesn’t bear fruit and only stresses us out.

I encourage you to take an inventory of what you do throughout the day. You might be doing something God’s not asking you to do, or something He was asking you to do but isn’t anymore. Let the Holy Spirit show you how to get rid of busyness and bear more fruit.

Prayer Starter: Holy Spirit, help me take an inventory of my life and cut out pointless activity. I don’t want to be too busy. Show me how to live a more fruitful life.

From Joyce Meyer’s Ministries.