Master Teacher: 3rd Quarter 2014

MASTER TEACHER

Teaching Companion to College and Career and Adult Christian Life

www.rhboydpublishing.com

R. H. BOYD, D.D., LL.D.

Founder (1896-1922)

H. A. BOYD, D.D.

(1922-1959)

T. B. BOYD, JR., D.D.

(1959-1979)

Dr. T. B. Boyd III

President/CEO

David Groves, D.Min., Ph.D.

Director of Publications

Cloyd Allen

Director of Operations

Tiffany Dobson

Director of Marketing

Lavinia Shearron

Director of Finance

Rich Miles

Financial Advisor

LaDonna Boyd

Special Projects Coordinator

Nika Davis

Writer

EDITORIAL STAFF:

Jennifer Moorman, B.A., B.S.

(Coordinator)

Christina Zimmerman, D.Ed.Min.

(Associate Editor)

Jared Austin, B.A., M.A.

Christopher R. Cotten, B.A., M.A.

Tia Ferrell, B.A.

Jane Ann Kenney, B.A.

Joshua McArthur, B.S., M.Div.

Vanessa Lewis, B.A.

Freida Crawley, B.S.

Carla Davis, B.A.

Frank DiLella

Lesson material is based on the International Uniform Sunday School Lesson Outlines, copyrighted by the Division of Christian Education, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and is used with permission.

Scriptures taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society.

Master Teacher (USPS 535-060) (ISSN 0746-6986) copyright © 2014 by R.H. Boyd Company, 6717 Centennial Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee 37209-1017. Master Teacher is published quarterly by R.H. Boyd Company. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Master Teacher, R.H. Boyd Company, 6717 Centennial Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee 37209-1017.

For Customer Service, call (615) 350-8000 Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Central, or fax (615) 350-9018.

The publisher, R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation, bears no responsibility or liability for any claim, demand, action, or proceeding related to its content, including but not limited to claims of plagiarism, copyright infringement, defamation, obscenity, or the violation of the rights of privacy, publicity, or any other right of any person or party, and makes no warranties regarding the content.

Master Teacher is the teacher’s quarterly to be used with Adult Christian Life and College and Career. Each lesson contains extensive biblical exposition and specific instructions for the teacher. The outline of the lesson is reader-friendly, and includes suggestions for maximizing teacher/student interaction and topics for making the study informative and enriching.

KNOW YOUR WRITER

Dr. Nika Davis is pastor of the Second Missionary Baptist church in Waco, Texas where the church has taken in many new members and implemented numerous ministries that serve the community. Some of Pastor Davis’ appointments include the Waco City Charter Commission, Waco ISD Education Foundation Board, McLennan Community College Foundation Board, Foreign Mission Board of Texas, S.A. Pleasant Institute Lecturer, Dean of the Good Hope Western District Association Congress and Corresponding Secretary, African American Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Month, and member of the Northwest Rotary Club. Pastor Davis has ministered in many settings, including preaching in Belize, Central America. He has a Doctor of Ministry from Houston Graduate School of Theology, Master of Divinity from Southwestern Theological Seminary, Ft. Worth, Texas, and a M.A. in History. He has written a book titled The Beauty of the Christian Faith. And, his sermons are televised each Sunday morning and on the Internet at www.smbcwaco.com.

Third Quarter 2014

A Message from the President/CEO..

Greetings and welcome to this third quarter of study in God’s Word. Although the summer months can be a time of frantic activity for many, we at R.H. Boyd are committed to providing the best materials for Bible study in every season of life. For 118 years, we have striven to fulfill the vision of our founder, Dr. R. H. Boyd, to provide high-quality literature with sound doctrine for teaching in the African-American church.

In this quarter, we will focus on the story of the Church. In the first four weeks, we will look at Living As a Community of Believers with passages from Paul’s letters to Corinth. These four lessons provide insight into what Paul considered important for new Christians to know about being people of God in their communities.

In August, we will turn to Bearing One Another’s Burdens. These five lessons from 2 Corinthians were written by Paul after his relationship with the Corinthian Christians had become increasingly strained and painful for him. What did they need to know about being God’s people? Our lessons focus on the need to pray for and forgive one another, on accepting God’s love, and on working together and sharing resources.

In September, we will begin a study from the book of Jeremiah titled The Days Are Surely Coming. We will look at Jeremiah’s announcement that God will fulfill His promise for restoration and a New Covenant for the Israelites. We will also learn of God’s promise to bless and restore the treasures of Israel after the nation’s return from Babylon.

All glory and honor to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for the blessings of His Word. May your life be empowered and blessed as you study this quarter.

In His Service,

Dr. T. B. Boyd III

President/CEO

Features of Master Teacher

The Master Teacher quarterly has many features that add to its popular appeal among Sunday school teachers of students ages 18 and older. It includes a number of elements to enhance their total teaching/learning experience. This quarterly is designed to help students regard their lessons as more than simply a Sunday morning Bible study experience.

CONTENTS

VOLUME 118 • NUMBER 3

I. LIVING AS A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS

II. BEARING ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS

III. THE DAYS ARE SURELY COMING

THIS QUARTER

The first two units of this quarter center on the Christian community as seen in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. The third unit explores the book of Jeremiah and looks at the promises of God concerning Israel’s restoration after the nation’s return from captivity.

UNIT I—LIVING AS A COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS

Unit I, Living as a Community of Believers, is a four-lesson study that equips Christians on how to interact with each other. Lesson one focuses on how the believer’s body should be used to glorify God, while lesson two considers the role of love in the decision for acceptable behavior for Christians. The third lesson concentrates on the need to overcome temptation. The need to selflessly seek the good of others is the focus of the fourth lesson.

UNIT II—BEARING ONE ANOTHER’S BURDENS

Unit II, Bearing One Another’s Burdens, is a five-lesson study from the book of 2 Corinthians. Paul wrote this letter after having visited Corinth and after having a very poor experience with the Christians who were there. Lesson five focuses on the need to pray for one another, while lesson six calls for the members of the community to actively forgive each other. The seventh lesson emphasizes our need to accept God’s love. The eighth lesson focuses on Paul’s call to the Corinthians to be reconciled to one another. Lesson nine calls Christians to share their resources with each other.

UNIT III—THE DAYS ARE SURELY COMING

Unit III, The Days Are Surely Coming, is a study from the book of Jeremiah. The tenth lesson explores Jeremiah’s announcement of restoration for the Israelites. The eleventh lesson covers the promise of a new covenant. The twelfth lesson parallels Jeremiah’s buying a piece of land to Israel’s returning from captivity. The final lesson describes God’s blessings on Israel after captivity.

SEEKING GOD’S GUIDANCE

Suggested Opening Exercises

1.  Usual Signal for Beginning

2.  Prayer (Closing with the Lord’s Prayer)

3.  Singing (Song to Be Selected)

4.  Scripture Reading:

Haggai 2:6-9 (KJV)

Director: For thus saith the LORD of hosts: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;

School: And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.

Director: The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.

All: The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.

Recitation in Concert:

2 Corinthians 2:5-8, 10-11 (KJV)

5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

Closing Work

1.  Singing

2.  Sentences:

Ephesians 4:1-6 (KJV)

1  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Dismissal with Prayer

LESSON 1 FOR WEEK OF JULY 6, 2014

DO NO