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THE APOSTOLIC CHURCH NIGERIA.
LAWNA TERRITORY,
2016 SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL
KNOWING
JESUS CHRIST,
A STUDY OF
PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER THREE(LESSONS SUITABLE FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL OR BIBLE STUDY)
(TEACHER’S MANUAL)
LAWNA Sunday School Office,
LAWNA Secretariat, Olorunda, Ketu
P. O Box 32, Ebute Metta, Lagos,Tel: +(234) 802 300 9882
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FOREWORD
In 2014, we began the study of the Epistle to the Philippians,
drawing vital lessons about the Principle of Life of the Christian
from Chapter 1. In 2015 we studied Chapter 2, whose message wastitled 'Jesus Christ, The Example Of Humility.'
This year, 2016, we are continuing our study of the Epistle,
focussing on Chapter 3. We title the study "KNOWING JESUS
CHRIST," drawing the inspiration from Paul's earnest desire as
expressed in verse 10 of the chapter. The verse says, "That I may
know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship ofhis sufferings, being made conformable unto his death."
We acknowledge the useful materials gained from commentaries ofMatthew Henry, Albert Barnes, Adam Clarke, John Gill and some
others, as well as many reference Bibles. This write-up has also
benefited from the study of this epistle by A. L. Greenway who was,
at the time of documenting the study, the Principal of The ApostolicChurch Bible School, Pennygroes, South Wales.
We also acknowledge the incisive review of:Pastor S O Ajibola, P/A to LAWNA Chairman
Pastor J. O. Oladipo, Ikeja District Apostle, Agege Area,
Pastor P. K. O. Oyelaran, LAWNA Missionary Secretary,Pastor J O Akingbade, LAWNA Admin. OfficerElder Isaac Ameobi, CEU Dept. LAWNA Headquarters
Elder Tunde Adebisi, Editor of the LAWNA NEWS.
Elder Dr AyoOlu Banji, Lecturer, Bowen University. Iwo
We commend you to the grace of God as you use this book.
Pastor J. B. Coker,
LAWNA Sunday School Superintendent,
November 2015
Tel: +(234) 802 300 9882; e-mail: [email protected]
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SUMMARY OF PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER THREE
Less
on
No
Verses Topic Parts No of
Parts
38 1-3 Warning against false teachers A-D 4
39 4-6 Paul's Impressive list of
Human Achievements
A-B 2
40 7 Futility of Human
Achievement to earn salvation
A-C 3
41 8 Following Jesus Christ as HisDisciple
A-C 3
42 9 Righteousness is only by Faithin Christ
A-D 4
43 10- 11 Earnest Desire to grow in
grace
A-E 5
44 12 Pressing Forward in perfection A-C 3
45 13-14 Progress in perfection A-D 4
46 15-16 A Plea for Tolerance among
Members
A-C 3
47 17- 19 Warning against Enemies ofthe Cross
A-D 4
48 20-21 Citizens of Heaven A-D 4
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LE SSON 38: BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS
Text: Philippians 3: 1- 3
Php 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the
same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for
you it is safe.
Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the
concision.
Php 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in
the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no
confidence in the flesh.
Memory verse:Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after therudiments of the world, and not after Christ. (Col 2:8)
Lesson objective
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:1. describe the real source of the joy of the Christian,
2. discuss the benefit of repeating gospel truths,
3.
explain what Christians should be careful about,4. describe who are the true Christians.
Relevant Hymns: Redemption Hymnal 425. 429, App 71
IntroductionThe Philippian church, a faithful and flourishing church, was being
disturbed by those Paul referred to as “evil workers” who were
Jewish Christians that wrongly believed it was essential forgentiles to follow their laws, especially those which had to do with
circumcision, in order to have salvation. Paul begins this chapter
with warnings against these seducers clearly, stating that true
worshippers of God rejoice and glory in the Lord Jesus Christ, whois sufficient for them, rather than putting any confidence in the
flesh.
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iii. Taught according to the perfect manner of thelaws of the fathers (Acts 22:3),
iv. He was a Pharisee , the son of a Pharisee
(Acts 23:6), and after the most strict sect ofhis religion lived a Pharisee, (Acts 26:5).
e. He had a blameless character.
i. Touching the righteousness which is of the
law, blameless: as far as the Pharisees'
exposition of the law went,
ii. And, as to the mere letter of the law and
outward observance of it, he could acquit
himself from the breach of it and could not be
accused by any.
f. He was sincere.
i. Paul said that he lived in a good conscience
before God ( Acts 23;1).
ii. He had a zeal without knowledge to directand govern the exercise of it: "Who was
before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and
injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I didit ignorantly in unbelief." (1Tim. 1:13).
g. He had been active in the defence of his religion.
i. As he made a strict profession of it, under the
title and character of a Pharisee, so he persecuted those whom he looked upon as
enemies to his religion. Concerning zeal,
persecuting the church. ii. He showed that he was in good earnest: I was
zealous towards God, as you all are this day,
and I persecuted this way unto the death, (Acts 22:3-4).
h. Paul profited from the Jewish religion as Gal 1:13-14
says, "For ye have heard of my conversation in time
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past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: And
profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals
in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealousof the traditions of my fathers."
i.
Paul's conclusion: These credentials were not
sufficient to earn him salvation.
Evaluation
1. Give five reasons why the issue of confidence in the flesh
came for discussion
2. State Paul's impressive list of credentials which he had
thought could earn him salvation.
Personal Assessment Questions
1. What human achievements have you acquired and can you
list them like Paul?
2. Did you acquire each one truthfully and lawfully as Paulacquired his own?
3. How do you view falsification of credentials which appears
common today?
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2. Describe why each of the credentials he had trusted in wasactually worthless in securing salvation.
3. Give five reasons why Christians should not despise human
achievement.4.
State four reasons why the believer has no reason to glory
in human achievements.
Personal Assessment Questions
1. Do you have the experience of human achievement
enhancing your spiritual life now that you are converted?
2. Are you improving sufficiently on the talents andendowments that God has given you?
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Lesson 41 FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST AS HIS
DISCIPLE
Text: Philippians 3: 8
Php 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the
excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: forwhom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count
them but dung, that I may win Christ,...
Memory verse: So likewise, whosoever he be of you that
forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my
disciple. (Luke 14:33)
Lesson objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:
1. list the five groups of things Paul forsook to be a disciple ofChrist,
2. explain the implication of these things being considered as
dung,3. discuss the great gain of discipleship in this passage,
4.
compare what a disciple forsakes with what he or she gainsin following Jesus Christ.
Relevant hymns Redemption Hymnal 564, 569
Introduction
In the last passage, we noted that Paul acknowledged that his
human achievements could not earn him salvation before God.
Here, in this passage he found what was far superior in Christ, inthe light of which his credentials became abhorrent to him. Thus
he would forsake all to follow Christ and learn about Him. The
passage is a lesson on Discipleship.
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he had found one pearl of great price, went and soldall that he had, and bought it."
Evaluation
1.
Mention the five groups of things Paul forsook to be a
disciple of Christ.2. What are the implication of these things being considered
as dung.3. List ten and discuss the great gain of discipleship in this
passage
4. compare what a disciple forsakes with what he or she gainsin following Jesus Christ.
Personal Assessment Questions
1. Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ? If so, have you
forsaken all for Him?
2. How much of Him do you know?
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LESSON 42 RIGHTEOUSNESS IS ONLY THROUGH
FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.
Text: Philippians 3: 9
Php 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith:
Memory verse: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and
that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”
Ephesians 2: 8
Lesson objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:1. explain the two possible meaning of "be found in Him"
2. define what the unacceptable righteousness is.
3. define what the acceptable righteousness is, and4. list the four objectives of the law.
Relevant hymns Redemption Hymnal 377, 378
Introduction
In Romans chapter 7, Paul explained the battle of the man trying tokeep the law, which he acknowledged was good and spiritual
(verse 12), and he declared that it was futile to get right with God
by self-effort (verse 24). However, in the last verse (verse 25), he
declared, in triumph, his joy at finding the righteousness that hadeluded him being given him freely through faith in Jesus Christ.
This is what this passage of study is putting across to the
Philippians; that by discarding his own legal righteousness, hewould find the righteousness of God by faith in Christ Jesus. The
purpose of the law therefore becomes clear, a schoolmaster leading
man unto Christ.
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SUBJECT MATTER
Part A
1. The ultimate goal: And be found in him,....a.
This is another end or goal, which the apostle had in
view in counting all things loss and dung, andsuffering the loss of all for Christ.
b. Two renderings of the expression have been given asfollows:
i. "be found in Him"
1. It means constantly abiding in Him, protected and shielded by Him,
nourished by Him, guided by Him;
trusting Him not just for justification but also for sanctification (Ps 91:1).
2. It means being joined to Him as the
branch is joined to the tree for
sustenance and fruit-bearing. (John15:1-7).
3. It implies not just being in Christ
nominally, or being in Him by profession, but by practice and
experience.
4. Paul here talks about a clearer andmore evident manifestation of his
being in Christ.5. His desire is that he might be seen to
be in Him, in life whether private or
public and at death; and on the day of judgment.
ii. "may find in Him"
1. Calvin read the words differently as
"and may find in Him"; the sense hereis that the apostle renounced all things
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for Christ, that he might recover all inHim.
2. This must be true; that for the loss of
carnal privileges, Paul found in Christspiritual blessings.
3.
For the loss of his own righteousness,he got another, indeed a better one,
even the righteousness of God.4. In lieu of external goods, or worldly
substance that he was stripped of, he
received true and lasting riches.5. In place of outward credit, he found
peace and plenty, true honour, real
peace, and spiritual pasture.6. Instead of the comforts of life, and
life itself, he was bestowed with
spiritual and eternal life.
Part B The Unprofitable Righteousness:
2. It is self-righteousness: not having mine own
righteousness, a.
By "my own righteousness," Paul meant his
obedience to the moral, as well as the ceremonial
law. b. He calls it his "own", because it was performed by
him, and worked out in his own strength.c. He had such a high opinion of this performance, as if
it was perfect and blameless; and he had put his trust
and confidence in it.d. This also distinguishes it from the other
righteousness, i.e. that which he later had in Christ.
3. It is legal righteousness: righteousness, which is of the law;
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Part D The Law was the Schoolmaster leading us unto
Christ
7. The purpose of the law
a. The law was added to.i.
define sin: "for where no law is, there is no
transgression" (Rom. 4:15). "that sin by thecommandment might become exceeding
sinful." (Rom. 7:13). "What shall we saythen? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had
not known sin, but by the law: for I had not
known lust, except the law had said, Thoushalt not covet" (Rom 7:7).
ii. act as restraining influence on man, (Ps.
119:11).iii. define and justify the penalty for sin. "The
sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is
the law." (1Co 15:56). "Moreover the law
entered, that the offence might abound."(Rom 5:20).
iv. and make man appreciate the futility of
seeking to be justified by way of keeping thelaw. "for by the works of the law shall no
flesh be justified." (Gal. 2:16).
b. In the light of this, man's only way to God is throughthe sacrifice of Jesus Christ. (Gal. 3:22)
c. This is the reason that the Bible refers to the law asthe schoolmaster leading us to Christ (Gal. 3:24).
8. Paul's rejection of legal righteousness
a.
With the revelation of this fact to Paul, his own legalrighteousness became abhorrent to him and he did
not desire to "have" it, and be found in it any more.
b. He now knew such righteousness was imperfect,
filthy and unprofitable, and that by it, he could not be justified and saved, therefore he desired to have
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another righteousness which would be acceptable toGod..
Evaluation
1.
What are the two possible meanings of "be found in Him"?
2.
What is the unacceptable righteousness?3. What is the acceptable righteousness?
4. list the four objectives of the law.
Personal Assessment Question
1. Is your goal in life the same as that of Paul, i.e. to be foundin Christ wearing the righteousness of God?
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Evaluation
1. List five things concerning Christ that Paul desired to know moreabout and four facts to show that the process is progressive.
2. mention ten things that the appreciation of the resurrection ofChrist will do for the Christian,
3.
Give ten things that the fellowship of Christ's suffering means toa Christian and four points to show that the position of the
church today is deplorable. 4. Discuss what being made conformable unto His death implies
comparing it with the way man would want to die and what the
plan of God could be for His saints. 5. Explain what "attaining to the resurrection of the dead" means
and what Paul meant by the expression "if by any means."
Personal Assessment Questions 1. Are you satisfied with your knowledge of Christ, His word
and His way?2. How real is the power of the resurrection of Christ in your
life?3. Are you ready to die for the gospel?
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LESSON 44 PRESSING FORWARD IN PERFECTION
Text: Philippians 3: 12
Php 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were
already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may
apprehend that for which also I am apprehended ofChrist Jesus.
Memory verse: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:48)
Lesson objectives
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:
1.
list nine experiences in the life of Paul after conversion toconfirm his conversion,
2. explain the three stages of salvation,
3. list four things that Paul followed after,4. explain what Paul meant by apprehend that for which he
was apprehended by Christ,
5. list two implications for the Christian from this desire of
Paul here.
Relevant hymns R edemption Hymnal 393.399
Introduction
In this passage, we have a fundamental doctrine of the Bible in
focus. That is the issue of Christian perfection. In ordinary life, athing is either perfect or not perfect. But Christian perfection is
not so; it is a continuum and not a point or a mark. Consequently,the Bible, in one breath, says that the believer is perfect and, inanother, it says that the believer is not perfect and must strive
towards perfection. The topic is well dealt with in this lesson
while explaining Paul's statement in the text of our study here.
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understand that (the purpose) for which also I was
arrested by Christ Jesus." b. Paul was apprehended (or arrested) of Christ, when
He met Paul on his way to Damascus, stopped himin his journey, laid him prostrate on the ground, and
laid hold on him as His own, challenged andclaimed His interest in him (Acts 9:3-6).
c. Christ wanted Paul to know Him himself, and makeHim known to others; that he might be made like
unto Him, have communion with Him, and
everlastingly enjoy Him.d. These things the apostle must understand and
pursue after with great vehemence, that he might
grasp them, and be in full possession of them.e. We may learn, from this:
i. that Christians are seized, (or laid hold on,
when they are converted), by the power of
Christ, to be employed in the service ofChrist,
ii. that there is an objective or purpose which
Christ has in view and has designs that theyshall understand this objective so that theycan serve well and obtain a glorious prize.
Evaluation
1. List nine evidences to show the life of Paul after conversion
to confirm his conversion.2. Explain the three stages of salvation.
3.
List four things that Paul followed after.4. Explain what Paul meant by apprehending that for which
he was apprehended by Christ.
5. List two implications for the Christian from this desire of
Paul.
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Personal Assessment Questions1. How does the fact that perfection is a continuum affect
you?2.
Do you, as a Christian, have much desire for knowing thedoctrine of the church?
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vi. This love for earthly things is mentioned asone of the characteristics of enmity to the
7. Give reasons why the end of these enemies of the cross isdestruction
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one of the characteristics of enmity to the
cross of Christ.
b. The prevalence of these enemies in the churchi.
How many are there in the church now who
are the real enemies of the cross!ii. How many professing Christians are there
who regard little else than worldly things!iii. How many who live only to acquire wealth.
to gain honour, or to enjoy the pleasures of
the world!iv. How many are there who have no interest in
a prayer meeting, in a Sunday school, in
religious conversation, and in theadvancement of true religion on the earth!
c. These are the real enemies of the cross. It is not
only those who deny the doctrines of the cross, but
also those who oppose its influence on their hearts;not only those who live to scoff and deride religion,
but also those who “mind earthly things,” that injure
this holy cause of the Christian faith in the world.
Evaluation
1. Explain the necessity of a faithful Christian to be a goodexample to other people.
2. List five reasons why we must mark those in the fellowshipwhose example we may follow.
3. Describe those who do not walk according to the true
principle of Christ.4. Give reason why true believers should weep for such
deviants.
5. Give reasons why these deviants are enemies of the cross.6. List the evils they perpetrate in the church.
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destruction.
Personal Assessment Questions
1. Are you living a life which other members of the church
can imitate?
2. If you truly love the Lord and His gospel, how ready are
you to speak out against any evil practice in the church?
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e. And He that has this power can change our humbledand debased bodies, so that they shall put on the
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, y p
glorious appearance and form of that of the Son of
God Himself.f.
What a contrast between our bodies here - frail,
feeble, subject to sickness, decay, and corruption -and the body as it will be in heaven! And what a
glorious prospect awaits the weak and dying believer, in the future world!
Evaluation
1. Explain what it means to say our conversation is in heaven.
2. Mention the role of the doctrine of the second coming of
Christ on the believer.3. Mention ten facts about the glorious body the Christians
shall have in heaven.
4. Describe the power of Christ which makes the
transformation of the believer's body.
Personal Assessment Questions
1. How ready are you for the coming back of Christ?
2.
Are you working hard to see that many are ready for thatsecond coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?
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