Follow In His Steps - Lesson 13

By Stafford North

LESSON 13

We Sacrifice—2 

Background Information for the Teacher

Objectives:

  1. The student can share how he/she will do more to serve, tell, exemplify, pray, and sacrifice.
  2. The student will write on a card to keep as a reminder what he/she has agreed to do.
  3. The student can repeat from memory the five steps we are to take to be like Jesus.
  4. The student can repeat from memory 1 Peter 2:21b and Phil. 2:5.

Preparation:

  1. Have the footprints across the front of the room.
  2. Have cards ready for all.
  3. Have the words and music ready for “Footsteps of Jesus.”
  4. Have copies of the sacrifice sheet.
  5. Put the footprints on the floor.  You will ask people to walk in them as they leave the room.

Theme:  To be the Christian that Christ wants me to be and that I want to be for Him, I will follow in His steps as I serve, tell, exemplify, pray, and sacrifice.

Lesson Plan for the Teacher

Introduction:  (10 minutes)

  1. Call the roll and welcome visitors.
  2. Prayer—about class needs and ask God to help us to be like Jesus.
  3. Recite five ways to follow in His steps.
  4. Recite 1 Peter 2:21b and Phil. 2:5.

Learning Experiences:  (25 minutes)

  1. Q:  What examples have you found of people today who are sacrificing for Jesus?

(Teacher—if you have to help start this discussion, do that but try to get the class to make suggestions.)

  1. Let’s read a few other verses about our using Jesus as our example, to follow in His steps.  Read Eph. 4:13.  Q:  How do we become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ?  A:  Through knowledge of the Son of God.  And note that we are to work toward maturity in the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.  We will never reach this goal but we keep working toward it.  That is what we have sought in this series of lessons to do—to know more about Him so we can be more like Him. 
  2. Read 1 Peter 1:14-15.  Q:  If we are holy as Christ is holy, how will we be different from our old lives?  A:  We will not conform to the evil desires we had when we lived in ignorance.  As Christians, we know Christ and want to be like Him in moral living.  That means we will exemplify him with holiness.  Read Col. 3:5-10. Q: What are we to put to death?  A:  Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, and lying.  Q:  What are we to put on?  A:  The new self.  Q:  How do we know what the new self is like?  A:  By knowledge of the image of the Creator.
  3. Read 2 Cor. 5:17-20.  Q:  What is meant by being “in Christ?”  A:  We are a new creation.  The old has gone, the new has come.  We are reconciled and have the ministry of helping others to be reconciled.  Let’s consider what it means that we are Christ’s ambassadors through.  Q:  In what way does an ambassador serve?  A:  He does things to help the country in which he serves.  Notes their needs and seeks to find ways the country he represents can be of help.  Q:  In what way does an ambassador tell?  A:  He speaks for his government by receiving directions from his president or king and then tells that to others.  Q:  In what way does an ambassador exemplify?  A:  He seeks to live a life that is an honor to his country.  He attends official functions where he acts well and he travels through the country where he seeks to present a good image for his country.  Q:  In what way does an ambassador pray?  A:  He often speaks with the president or king who sent him and stays in close touch. Q:  In what way does an ambassador sacrifice?  A:  He lives away from home.  He seeks to put his country’s good will above his own desires.  So—we are ambassadors and seek to serve, tell, exemplify, pray, and sacrifice.
  4. Now, let’s focus on sacrifice.  Q:  What sacrifices have you made or seen others make this past week?  A:  People who have given up time, money, and talent for the Lord. 
  5. Here is a list of possible sacrifices we might make.  Mark with X any you are now doing and with a checkmark any which you would be willing to start.

Application:  (10 minutes)

  1. This entire series of lessons has been about “follow in His steps.”  We have studied about it and sought to learn about five ways we can be like Him.  We have thought about specific ways we could do each of these.
  2. Now comes the most important part.  What can we do on a permanent basis to serve, tell, exemplify, pray, and sacrifice?  Here is a fresh card.  On it write each of our five words and beside each of the words write what you will seek to do to be more like Jesus in each of these five ways.   Then keep that card where you will see it often.  Put it in your Bible, purse, or wallet.
  3. Let’s close by singing “Footprints of Jesus” and with a prayer for God’s help in being more like Him.

 

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