Master Teacher: January- March 2023

Vol. 124 • No. 4

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R. H. BOYD, DD, LLD

Founder (1896–1922)

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(Associate Editor)

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Joseph Tribble, MDiv

Brittany Batson, BA

Freida Crawley, BS

Carla Davis, BA

Writer: Dr. Nika Davis

Master Teacher

FIRST QUARTER 2023 Vol. 127 • No. 1

Teaching Companion to NextGen Leaders and Adult Christian Life

Master Teacher is the teacher’s quarterly to be used with Adult Christian Life and NextGen Leaders. 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.

MISSION STATEMENT

The R.H. Boyd family of companies produces and provides the highest quality of Christian, inspirational, historic, educational, and cultural literature, merchandise, and services by continuing to use high ethical, moral, and biblically sound standards as it has for five generations.

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.

NIV Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Master Teacher (USPS 535-060) (ISSN 0746-6986) copyright © 2023 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.

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MASTER TEACHER

Resources to Enhance Instruction

The Master Teacher quarterly has many features that add to its popular appeal among Christian Education students ages 18 and older. It includes a number of elements to enhance the learning experience. This quarterly is designed to help students in their quest to understand and apply the Bible to their lives.

CONTENTS

VOLUME 127 • NUMBER 1

FIRST QUARTER 2023

MASTER TEACHER

I. GOD’S PROMISES

UNIT I — JANUARY

II. GOD’S CALL AND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES

UNIT II — FEBRUARY

III. CALLED FROM THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY

UNIT III — MARCH

What’s in Store THIS QUARTER

This quarter continues the theme Chosen, Not Choice and the peculiarity of God’s calling, which is rooted in grace rather than in humankind’s merit.

UNIT I—GOD’S PROMISES

Unit I, God’s Promises, contains five lessons from 2 Chronicles, Isaiah, and Joel that remind us that we can trust God to keep God’s Word. In Lesson 1, as Solomon’s Temple is being dedicated in 2 Chronicles, God promises to hear from heaven and forgive the people in response to their prayers of repentance. The next three lessons are from Isaiah. Lesson 2 is the celebrated passage that proclaims God’s people are waterproof and fireproof because of God’s promised protection. Lesson 3 speaks to an obstinate people whose future God knows and declares. The final lesson from Isaiah contrasts ritual performance with true penitence coupled with acts of justice. The unit concludes with Lesson 5 as the prophet Joel declares God’s promise to be present and restore the chosen people after a time of distress.

Unit Points of Emphasis _____________________________________

UNIT II—GOD’S CALL AND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES

Unit II, God’s Call and Its Responsibilities, has four lessons from 1 Corinthians, 2 Timothy, James, and 1 Peter. These lessons teach us that God’s call—and the responsibilities of that call—is without regard to an individual’s past. Lesson 6 reminds us that God’s wisdom is foolishness to people because God chooses those who are neither wise, or powerful, or of noble birth. In Lesson 7, Paul’s final letter brims with emotion as he encourages Timothy to embrace the suffering that accompanies the gospel, which is the responsibility of those who are called with a holy calling. Lesson 8 warns against showing favoritism to those wearing fine clothes because in God’s economy, the poor receive God’s blessing. Finally, Lesson 9 challenges us to check our attitudes and live as chosen, royal, holy people who have been called out of darkness into God’s marvelous light.

Unit Points of Emphasis _____________________________________

UNIT III—CALLED FROM THE MARGINS OF SOCIETY

Unit III, Called from the Margins of Society, highlights accounts where Jesus disregards artificial societal barriers, choosing instead to reach people on the margins. Lesson 10, from Luke examines Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, who was restored to a place of honor in his father’s home despite his indulgence in life’s pleasure that left him destitute. In Lesson 11, drawn from Matthew, Jesus turns society’s preferences upside-down as he declares a child as greatest. Lesson 12, from John’s Gospel, examines Jesus’ encounter with an outcast Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. Lesson 13 explores Jesus’ healing of man possessed by a legion of demons in the Gospel of Mark.

Unit Points of Emphasis _____________________________________

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: Psalm 1, KJV

Director: Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

School: But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night..

Director: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

School: The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Director: Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

All: For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Recitation in Concert:

John 3:1–8 (KJV)

1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no