Lesson 20: RESTING BEFORE TIME

MEMORY VERSE – “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecclesiastes 3:1.
LESSON TEXT-1 Peter 2: 11-12

INTRODUCTION

Our God is a God of orderliness. He has made everything beautiful in His time, Eccl. 3: 11.As we go through this study may He grant us the wisdom and grace to understand the time and how to act accordingly in our marriage and family life in Jesus’ name.

LESSON OUTLINE

1. WE ARE STRANGERS ON EARTH
2. IT IS NOT YET TIME TO REST

LESSON CONTENT

A. WE ARE STRANGERS ON EARTH
As believers, we must realize that we are aliens and pilgrims here on earth and at the close of age we shall give account of our pilgrimage,1 Chr. 29:15;Ps.39:12;Heb. 11:13-16;1 Pet. 2: 11.Abraham saw life as a pilgrimage, Gen. 47:9.We must seek the new city, Heb. 13:14.We must constantly remember that Jesus Christ has gone to prepare a place for us, Jn. 14: 2-3. As strangers on earth, Ps. 119:19,God expects us to remember that there is time for all things under the earth, Eccl. 3:1-8; 1 Chr. 12: 32. We must work with the time. To do this, we must have a goal and be focused, Hab. 2: 2; John 9:4.

B. NOT YET TIME TO REST
Jesus said “I must work the work of him that send me, while it is day,the night cometh, when no men can work.”-Jn. 9: 4. It is not time to rest yet. The king’s business requires haste-1 Sam.21:8.
Therefore, the hour to work is now- Ps. 119: 60; Eccl. 12:1.We must not rest or give up in praying for our marriage, home, family,
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spouse, parents and children. It is dangerous to rest or give up in the battle front with the enemy around, 1 Pet. 5: 8-9. The Lord has given us power demons and it is not for resting, Lk. 10: 19; Acts 13: 8 12.No matter the situation, God has the solution. However, there is a res that the Lord has reserved for eternal rest, Rev. 6: 11;14:13.Rest comes to the live of a believer when he/she accepts Jesus Christ,Matt. 11-28-30. Rest will be provided after Jesus Christ returns,2Thess.1:7.

CONCLUSION

God, the maker of Heaven and earth worked for six days and rested on the seventh day. As true children and followers of Christ,we must follow suit. However, rest is always pleasant after labor, but dangerous within it Let us continue to work in love and faith until we enter into His rest.

QUESTIONS

1. What do we mean by understanding the time?
2. Why is it not yet time to rest?

ASSIGNMENT

Students should explain the relationship between “Resting before time
and Pro. 13: 4; 15: 19; 19:24; Matt. 25:26