Adult Sunday School Lesson

SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2025

JULY 6, 2025

The Boy Jesus in the Temple
Printed Text: Luke 2:41-52
Devotional Reading: Psalm 27
Background: Luke 2:41-52

JULY 13, 2025

Lord of the Sabbath
Printed Text: Matthew 12:1-8
Devotional Reading: Luke 13:10-17
Background: Matthew 12:1-14 (see Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-11)

JULY 20, 2025

Cleansing the Temple
Printed Text: John 2:13-25
Devotional Reading: Jeremiah 7:1-15
Background: John 2:13-25 (see Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48)

JULY 27, 2025

Jesus Predicts the Temple’s Destruction
Printed Text: Matthew 24:1-14
Devotional Reading: Genesis 26:12-23
Bible Background: Matthew 23:37-24:35 (see Mark 13:1-23; Luke 21:5-24)

Zoom Sunday School Classes – 6 July 2025, 09:00 AM EST

Meeting ID: 848-9423-0612
Pass Code: 669872
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84894230612?pwd=Zk1ESitzbGZwTlJyV21UZXY5aTVPZz09

The Boy Jesus in the Temple
Printed Text: Luke 2:41-52
Devotional Reading: Psalm 27
Background: Luke 2:41-52

LESSON AIM:

EXAMINE the story of Jesus' time spent in the temple;
UNDERSTAND the relationship between inquiry and spiritual growth; and
COMMIT to lifelong learning in the community of faith.

KEEP IN MIND

"He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49, NRSV).

BACKGROUND:

Luke's gospel emphasizes the uniqueness of Jesus in numerous ways. One notable way is the contrast between Jesus and John the Baptist.

Today's text also reveals that Jesus' development was uniquely superior as seen through His activity in the temple and His response to His parents. John and Jesus have important roles to play, but Luke's gospel helps us see the extraordinary person that Jesus is by showing us an episode where He is no ordinary inquirer in matters of God's Word. While Jesus is unique, His eagerness to inquire of the teachers in the temple should stimulate us to be those who hunger after wisdom and long to grow as God's people.

LESSON COMMENTARY:

The Passover Journey (Luke 2:41-44, NRSV)

⁴¹Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.
⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival.
⁴³When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it.
⁴⁴Assuming that he was in the group of travelers, they went a day's journey. Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.

As in the previous lesson, today's passage begins by indicating the faithfulness and obedience of Joseph and Mary.  Typical of observant Jewish people, they made an annual trip to Jerusalem for the Passover, where they would recall God's miraculous deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  This observance was required by the law (Exodus 23:14-17).

Luke 2:40 states that Jesus grew in wisdom and with God's grace upon Him, and indicates the 12 years that have passed leading up to this particular Passover journey.  Some scholars suggest that this may have been the first time Jesus made the trip with His family, but there are no clear indications as to whether this was His first time or not.

After completing the Feast of Passover, Joseph and Mary made the return trip, only to find after a day's travel that Jesus was not with them.  The reason they may not have noticed initially is that they were traveling with a large caravan that included other relatives.  In the midst of such a large group it would have been easy for Jesus to go unnoticed as they made the trip back to Jerusalem.

Large caravans were typical for such trips, as the road to Jerusalem would have been dangerous for a small family traveling alone.  As it turns out, Jesus did not really get lost on the journey but instead stayed in Jerusalem to be with the teachers in the temple.

The Encounter in the Temple (Luke 2:45-50, NRSV)

⁴⁵When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.
⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.
⁴⁷And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
⁴⁸When his parents saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety."
⁴⁹He said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"
⁵⁰But they did not understand what he said to them.

After discovering that Jesus was not with any of their relatives, Joseph and Mary went back to Jerusalem in search of their son.  Three days later, they found Him in the temple, listening attentively to the teachers of the Law and asking them questions.  In His interactions with the teachers of the Law, Jesus demonstrated that He is not a typical 12-year-old inquiring about the Law.  His questions and answers showed Him to be someone of such remarkable insight that He amazed everyone.

While there is a clear difference between Jesus and the rest of us, His eagerness for and pursuit of knowledge about God's revelation serves as an important example.  How many of us who regard ourselves as followers of Christ actively seek to understand the revelation that God has given us with the kind of passion Jesus exhibited as a 12-year-old?  Are we people who truly seek understanding, or are we perhaps too content with the level of knowledge we already have?

Upon finding Jesus in the temple, His parents expressed their concern about His absence on the return trip home.  In reply, Jesus gave an answer that revealed His ultimate priorities and allegiance.  When Mary told Him, "Thy father and I have sought thee," Jesus responded that they should not have been surprised that He has been in His true Father's house.  This answer should not be seen as if Jesus was being disrespectful to Mary and Joseph, but rather as an indicator of the kind of piety that Jesus possesses as well as a reminder of His mission.  While the trip to Jerusalem indicates the faithfulness of Joseph and Mary, Jesus' decision to remain in the temple and to inquire in the temple shows that His dedication is of a greater kind than that of His parents.  Remaining in Jerusalem demonstrates a commitment to God's purpose that goes beyond familial loyalty.  Later in His ministry, Jesus will express this commitment with statements such as "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" (Matthew 10:37, NIV).  Faithfulness to God requires a commitment that trumps all other loyalties.

Joseph and Mary did not understand the meaning of what had been said.  Although they had been told about Jesus in angelic visitations, they did not fully grasp who Jesus was.  In a manner similar to the disciples who walked with Jesus but were often surprised by events or sayings that indicated the fullness of Jesus' identity, Mary and Joseph were as perplexed by the words of Jesus as the teachers in the temple were by His questions and insightful answers.  The fact that it took time for those who lived among Jesus to understand who He was should prompt us to inquire as to how much we really know our Saviour.  Are we really as familiar with Jesus as we might assume?

1. What is significant about Jesus being found in the temple?  Would it have made any difference if Joseph and Mary found Him in a marketplace?  Why or why not?

2. When Jesus sits among the teachers, He is not content to merely listen.  What kind of example does the young Jesus provide for us by His behavior in the temple?

Jesus Returns Home and Grows Up (Luke 2:51-52)

⁵⁰But they did not understand what he said to them.
⁵¹Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.
⁵²And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favor.

Jesus did not make the temple His new residence but returned to Nazareth with Mary and Joseph and lived as an obedient son.  The text goes on to tell us that Mary treasured the things she learned about Jesus in her heart, just as she did when He was born and visitors came from afar to worship Him (Matthew 2:1-12).  While Mary may not have completely understood everything about Jesus, her act of treasuring the truth she learned about Him indicates a mind-set that serves as an example for us.  Mary reminds us that the things we learn about Jesus should be regarded as treasures we hold in the depths of our hearts.  Even if we do not completely understand everything about Jesus, we should reflect deeply on the magnificent things we learn about Him, as well as the rest of God's revelation to us in the Bible.

The final verse tells us that Jesus increased in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and others.  For some it may seem perplexing to think that Jesus needed to acquire wisdom, since He is both fully divine as well as fully human.  In the Gospels we see that Jesus operates in submission to the Father—as One who has come to do the Father's will, and who will only do what He is told to do.

In the book of Luke, it will also become clear that Jesus operates as One guided by the Holy Spirit.  As a person under submission to God, Jesus only expresses His divinity when directed to do so.  Since Jesus took on this limitation, it should be no surprise that He learns about the Law like other Jewish people, though neither should we be surprised that He has greater insight than others.

DISCUSS THE MEANING:

1. Today's text ends by telling us that Jesus' parents didn't understand what He said and that He eventually grew up and increased in wisdom.  What does this seem to say about Joseph and Mary?

2. Jesus was serious about doing His heavenly Father's work.  What does this tell us about working in God's kingdom?

3. Mary and Joseph looked frantically for Jesus.  How do you think they felt when they couldn't find Him?  What is this passage of Scripture telling us about seeking God?

4. When Jesus returned with His parents to Nazareth, He submitted to their authority.  What powerful message is demonstrated in this passage regarding submission, family, and church?

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY:

Our society is a communications and technological giant.  Consumers can purchase products and services a lot quicker today than we could in the past.  All we need is a personal computer, Internet access, and the touch of a button, and within minutes we can order just about anything we want.  This ease and convenience has created a quick-fix mentality in the minds of many people.  Unfortunately, this mind-set has also infiltrated the lives of many Christians who have not learned the value of delayed gratification.  God desires to meet our needs while developing a personal and intimate relationship with us.

In light of this, what kind of relationship do you have with God?  How big or small is your perception of Him?  Do you see Him as someone who provides a quick-fix solution to your problems?  Are you always looking for Him to provide you with an easy way out?  Who is God to you?

NEXT WEEK LESSON: 13 July 2025

Lord of the Sabbath
Printed Text: Matthew 12:1-8
Devotional Reading: Luke 13:10-17
Background: Matthew 12:1-14 (see Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-11)

Zoom Sunday School Classes – 13 July 2025, 09:00 AM EST
Meeting ID: 848-9423-0612
Pass Code: 669872
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84894230612?pwd=Zk1ESitzbGZwTlJyV21UZXY5aTVPZz09

Lord of the Sabbath
Printed Text: Matthew 12:1-8
Devotional Reading: Luke 13:10-17
Background: Matthew 12:1-14 (see Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-11)

KEEP IN MIND:

“I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.” (Matthew 12:6, NRSV)

LESSON AIM:

EXPLORE Jesus’ approach to questions of how properly to observe the Sabbath;

AFFIRM the importance of responding to human needs; and

IDENTIFY ways believers can prioritize compassionate service over external religious obligations.

BACKGROUND:

In the chapters prior to this passage, Jesus has instructed the twelve disciples about preaching the kingdom to the Jews.  After outlining their method and message, John’s disciples approached Jesus on whether He is the expected Messiah.  Jesus responds and lets them know that His works speak for themselves.  He is the Messiah and John was His forerunner.  Furthermore, Jesus announces that those who do not believe in Him will face a worse judgment than the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah or Tyre and Sidon.  Jesus then says a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s grace in revealing Himself to the disciples who are not wise and clever.  Next comes an invitation to come to Jesus, and those who do will find rest for their souls.

This is significant because in the story that begins the next chapter, Jesus shows us His yoke is easy and His burden is light.  This is true especially in relation to the traditions of the Pharisees.  Their many religious traditions were burdensome, especially in regard to the Sabbath.  Many ordinary things were considered violations of the Sabbath, including such things as lighting a lamp.  Unfortunately, many of these extra laws often got in the way of obeying the law of God and showing love to others.  Jesus shows how backwards this wat of thinking and living really is.

LESSON COMMENTARY:

Law and Temple (Matthew 12:1-4, NRSV)

Matthew 12:1-4 (NRSV)
¹At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.
²When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath."
³He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?
⁴He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests.

The scene is set as Jesus . . . and his disciples pass through a field of grain.  The Law of Moses allows a hungry traveler to take a modest amount of grain from a farmer’s field to eat immediately (Deuteronomy 23:24, 25), and that is what the disciples are doing. God gave Israel such laws so that His people would be generous in response to God’s generosity (15:12-14). So the plucking of grain is not a controversial matter in and of itself. (Mark 2:23 and Luke 6:1 begin parallel accounts.)

The problem with the disciples’ action is that it is being done upon the sabbath day. According to the interpretation of the Pharisees, what the disciples are doing amounts to three kinds of work: reaping (plucking the grain), threshing (rubbing the grain to separate kernel from husk), and winnowing (blowing the husks away from the grain). It does not matter that their actions are simple and easy, expending little energy. They have transgressed the “fence” around the Sabbath law.

These Pharisees have no official position from which to stop the disciples’ actions. They do not occupy any governmental or religious office, but they do have powerful influence. They do not confront Jesus’ disciples, but Jesus himself. They hold Him, as the teacher, responsible for His followers’ actions. They perceive Jesus as a rival, so they seek to discredit Him for not correcting His disciples’ mistake.

1. How do you respond when the law of man conflicts with the Law of God?  How should you respond?

Priests in the Temple ((Matthew 12:5, NRSV)

⁵Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless?

Jesus then appeals to another part of Israel’s Scriptures.  The Law of Moses explicitly requires priests to offer sacrifices on the Sabbath, first in the tabernacle and then in the temple that superseded it (Numbers 28:9, 10).  Jesus sarcastically uses the deliberately harsh expression profane to describe their action.  By the Pharisees’ definition, this work would reduce the holy Sabbath to an ordinary day.  Yet the Law of Moses commands sacrifice on the Sabbath, and so the priests who perform the sacrifice must be without guilt.

1. Where do you draw the line regarding what you will and won’t do on a day of rest? Why?  (In terms of physical activity; In terms of mental activity; Considering Proverbs 6:10, 11; Matthew 11:28; 26:45; Mark 6:31; John 9:4; Hebrews 4:9, 10; 6:11, 12; 10:25)

Sabbath and Messiah (Matthew 12:6-7, NRSV)

⁶I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.
⁷But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.

As Jesus’ authority is greater than that of David, so He is greater than the temple.  This statement, like many others that Jesus makes, no doubt shocks the religious leaders and others.  To be allowed to have a temple is a gift from God.  The temple was built according to His design for sacrifices and rituals instituted by God.  To claim standing greater than the temple’s standing is to claim the authority of God himself.

The regulations that allow plucking grain in order to satisfy hunger are expressions of God’s mercy (see comments on verse 1, above).  This practice is an expression of God’s loving generosity. His people live in the land He has given them because of that generosity.  So, they are obliged to be similarly generous to one another.

Jesus quotes from Hosea 6:6 to make this point.  The prophet Hosea had warned God’s people centuries before that their love for God was weak and erratic.  They relied on sacrifice in the temple to express their devotion to God, but they practiced violence and theft day by day.  True devotion to God must be expressed with His degree of mercy.  These Pharisees, however, are using the Sabbath to enforce a devotion to God that has no place for mercy.

The Pharisees may not acknowledge it, but Jesus stands before them as the ultimate expression of God’s mercy.  He is God as a human being, living among sinful humans, eventually to die as the innocent one in place of the guilty.  When the Pharisees ignore Him while enforcing their view of the Law of Moses, they are ignoring the mercy of God in its greatest demonstration.

1. How can you help your church improve its extensions of mercy?  (In physical, material terms; In spiritual terms; As the material needs interrelate with the spiritual)

Greater Authority (Matthew 12:8, NRSV)

⁸ For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

Jesus’ divine authority is summed up in this statement.  The phrase Son of man echoes Daniel 7:1-14.  In the prophet’s vision, “beasts” representing kingdoms opposed to God’s people are overcome by “one like the Son of man.”  To Him God gives authority to rule forever. Jesus claims to be that very figure, having come into the world with authority that belongs only to God.  (By contrast, the dozens of references to the prophet Ezekiel as “Son of man” highlight his mortality.)

The Sabbath was a gift of God’s mercy for people who needed rest. Jesus declares himself Lord of that gift.  As God’s divine Son, He exercises full authority over God’s Sabbath.  The rest that He gives accomplishes what Sabbath promises.

DISCUSS THE MEANING:

1. Jesus placed more of a priority on meeting human needs than on satisfying rules.  Have you ever challenged a human rule to help someone in need?

2. What are the hotly debated issues in the church today?

3. What religious traditions can be burdensome for us in the 21^st century?

4. Why would God put meeting human needs above keeping rules?

5. How have you seen something that was designed to liberate people twisted to oppress people?

6. In this lesson we are confronted with the fact that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.  How do we make Him Lord of the Sabbath and every other aspect of our lives?

7. How can we meet human needs in our daily lives?  Are there any rules that keep us from loving others and showing mercy?

8. In what way have you seen a church corporately display God’s love and compassion?

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY:

Many times, in the Black church, we can get caught up in going from church activity to church activity and forget the purpose behind what we’re doing.  In the quick pace of a church calendar, we must remember the reason why we were created: to love God and to love people.  This is a higher priority than Bile studies, choir practices, or church anniversaries.  If our church activities keep us from seeking justice for the oppressed and loving our fellow man, then we have lost sight of God’s higher purpose.

Jesus’ words in this passage highlight the attitude we should have toward any of our religious traditions.  The concern for human life is more important that the external trappings of religion.  While the various aspects of worship are important, they are negated if we do not love our neighbor as ourselves.  God desires relentless love and abounding compassion more that religious sacrifice.

NEXT WEEK’S LESSON: JULY 20, 2025

Cleansing the Temple
Printed Text: John 2:13-25
Devotional Reading: Jeremiah 7:1-15
Background: John 2:13-25 (see Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48)

Zoom Sunday School Classes – 20 July 2025, 09:00 AM EST
Meeting ID: 848-9423-0612
Pass Code: 669872
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84894230612?pwd=Zk1ESitzbGZwTlJyV21UZXY5aTVPZz09
Cleansing the Temple
Printed Text: John 2:13-25
Devotional Reading: Psalm 122
Background: John 2:13-25
(see Matthew 21:12-17; Mark 11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48)

KEEP IN MIND:

“He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!’” (John 2:16, NRSV).

LESSON AIM:

DESCRIBE how Jesus’ cleansing the Temple represents restoration in our lives;

DESIRE a fresh revelation of God in the church; and

CREATE a list of ways that we see God’s power in our daily lives.

BACKGROUND:

The apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James, is the author of the Gospel of John.  He and his brother were called “Sons of Thunder.”  John wrote to prove that Jesus Christ is not just a man but is indeed the eternal Son of the Living God, and all who believe on Him will have everlasting life (reign with Him forever and ever in His kingdom).  In other words, Jesus is fully God and fully man.  In addition, because Jesus offers the gift of eternal life to all who believe on Him, He is also the Light of the world.  He is the Word—the long-awaited Messiah.  John not only reveals Jesus to us in both power and magnificence, he also shows us Jesus’ power over everything created as well as His love for all humanity.

LESSON COMMENTARY:

Jesus Shows That the Temple Is Sacred (John 2:13-18)

¹³The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
¹⁴In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.
¹⁵Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.
¹⁶He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!"
¹⁷His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."
¹⁸The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?"

Today’s lesson deals with Jesus cleansing the Temple of everything that was not of God— everything that hindered true worship of the Living God.  Like with the Temple, sometimes God has to help us clean up our lives as He brings restoration.

In the outer courts of the Temple— the Court of the Gentiles—the animal merchants and moneychangers were allowed to set up booths to do business.  Since there were thousands of out-of-town visitors who came to celebrate the Passover, business was booming.  The religious leaders gave these merchants and moneychangers permission to carry out their trades so that the leaders could make money for the Temple’s upkeep.  However, they did not consider the fact that because there were so many people doing business, it interfered with the worship of the true and living God—the main purpose for visiting the Temple.  This is one of the reasons that Jesus was angry.

In addition, because the Temple’s tax had to be paid in the local currency, many of the foreigners who came to the Passover celebration had to have their money converted.  The moneychangers, however, cheated or exploited the people by charging exorbitant exchange rates.  Therefore, their business interfered with worship, and they were cheating the people at the place of worship.  Adding to these infractions was the fact that after the cattle, sheep, oxen, and doves that foreigners brought for the sacrifices were rejected for imperfections, the animal merchants sold new ones at inflated prices. 

This was also big business.  Thus, Jesus was angry at the exploitation and greedy practices of these merchants and moneychangers.  When He saw their blatant disrespect for the Temple and for those worshiping there, Jesus drove out the sheep and oxen, and “scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor and turned over their tables” (verse 1).  He even told the people selling the doves to get their merchandise out of the Temple and admonished them not to turn His “Father’s house into a marketplace!” (verse 16). 

Jesus knew that turning the area into a marketplace was misusing God’s Temple; they had insulted Almighty God—His Father.  When the disciples saw how Jesus responded to such disrespect, they remembered the prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house burns within me (Jesus)” (verse 17, NLT).  Of course, the Jewish leaders’ beliefs were in fundamental conflict with Jesus, and they demanded to know by what authority He carried out these acts.  They insisted that Jesus show them a miraculous sign to prove that His authority was from God (verse 18).

1. Why was Jesus so angry with the merchants and moneychangers (John 2:15-16)? 

Jesus Reveals Another Meaning of the Temple (John2:19-22, NRSV)

¹⁹Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
²⁰The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?"
²¹But he was speaking of the temple of his body.
²²After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Again, the religious leaders were not on the same page as Jesus.  Here, Jesus speaks of His body as a temple, and the leaders thought He was still talking about the Temple where He had disrupted business— where He had driven out the merchants and moneychangers.  They thought He was speaking of the Temple that Zerubbabel had built over 500 years earlier and Herod the Great had begun enlarging and enhancing.  Herod’s efforts with the Temple were still under way, even though the remodeling project had started 46 years prior.  Therefore, the religious leaders thought that Jesus was telling them this earthly temple could be torn down and rebuilt in three days.

Knowing how long it took to build the Temple, they were startled.  However, Jesus was telling them that His body, God’s temple, would be crucified and resurrected in three days.  Jesus’ words would, of course, mean more to the disciples after Jesus’ resurrection.  These words would prove that indeed He is the Messiah—the Son of the Living God!

1. What did Jesus mean when He said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (verse 19)?

Superficial Faith (John 2:23-25, NRSV)

²³When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing.
²⁴But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people
²⁵and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.

A superficial faith in Christ is based on the spectacular or on what He can do to relieve your problems, not on Jesus as Savior and Lord.  These “believers” (in 2:23) were impressed with Jesus.  They had seen Him clear out the merchants and money-changers from the temple.  During the visit to Jerusalem, He had performed some other signs that John doesn’t specify.  Maybe some of them had been healed or knew those who had been healed.  They were ready to sign on with Jesus.

But they really didn’t understand the truth about who Jesus is and what He came to do.  Like Nicodemus, they probably thought, “We’re good Jews.  We’re God’s chosen people.  We keep the Law of Moses.  We just observed Passover.”  They didn’t understand that they were sinners who needed a Savior.  They didn’t know that Jesus is the Lord and that He commands His followers to take up their cross and follow Him.  They were amazed at His signs, but they weren’t committing themselves to Him as Savior and Lord, so He didn’t commit Himself to them.

DISCUSS THE MEANING:

1. Does Jesus wielding a whip fit your image of Him?  Why is it crucial to know Jesus as the Bible reveals Him, not necessarily as we might want Him to be?

2. Does Jesus’ knowledge of what is in your heart make you uncomfortable? How can you change your feelings on this?

3. Some people have interpreted John 2:13-22 to mean that there is to be no selling of any kind in the church. Is this the principle that you drew from the text? Why? Why not?

4. Did you originally come to Christ because of “a sign” (something spectacular that He could do for you)? What helped your faith to mature and grow?

5. Have you ever thought about Jesus trusting in you?  Why is trust at the heart of all relationships?

6. Discuss: Since genuine faith must be tested, is it wise to try to give assurance of salvation to someone who has just believed?

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY:

God’s House is for worshiping the true and living God.  It is never to be taken for anything other than that.  It is a sacred place where congregants assemble to praise, lift up the name of Jesus, and hear from His unerring Word.  However, sometimes congregants do not respect the sanctuary and forget that they are entering the Holy God’s presence.  Some may even throw paper on the floor and leave their bulletins on the seats after the service.  You take the lead in respecting God’s House!

NEXT WEEK’S LESSON: JULY 27, 2025

Jesus Predicts the Temple’s Destruction
Printed Text: Matthew 24:1-14
Devotional Reading: Genesis 26:12-23
Bible Background: Matthew 23:37-24:35
(see Mark 13:1-23; Luke 21:5-24)

Zoom Sunday School Classes – 27 July 2025, 09:00 AM EST
Meeting ID: 848-9423-0612
Pass Code: 669872
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84894230612?pwd=Zk1ESitzbGZwTlJyV21UZXY5aTVPZz09
Jesus Predicts the Temple’s Destruction
Printed Text: Matthew 24:1-14
Devotional Reading: Genesis 26:12-23
Bible Background: Matthew 23:37-24:35
(Mark 13:1-23; Luke 21:5-24)

KEEP IN MIND:

“Then he asked them, "You see all these, do you not?  Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."’” (Matthew 24: 2, NRSV).

LESSON AIM:

DESCRIBE how Jesus’ cleansing the Temple represents restoration in our lives;

DESIRE a fresh revelation of God in the church; and

REVIEW what spiritual habits help you endure in the faith and recommitment to practicing them.

BACKGROUND:

Jesus' message in Matthew 24-25 is commonly known as the Olivet discourse, so named because it was delivered to the disciples on the Mount of Olives.

The discourse on the Mount of Olives contains Christ’s teaching on the end of the age, the period leading up to the second coming of Christ to set up His kingdom on earth.  The Olivet discourse was delivered after Christ’s scathing denunciation, in Matthew 23, of the hypocrisy and false religion which characterized the scribes and Pharisees, closing with His lament over Jerusalem, where the prophets of God through the centuries had been rejected and martyred.

The message was prompted by the disciples' question in 24:3, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"  The answer Jesus gave is the longest answer given to any question asked in the New Testament, and its truths are absolutely essential for understanding His return and the amazing events associated with it.  It is the revelation of our Lord, directly from His own lips, about His return to earth in glory and power.

LESSON COMMENTARY:

Prediction of Destruction of the Temple ( Matthew 24:1-2, NRSV)

¹As Jesus came out of the temple and was going away, his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple.
²Then he asked them, "You see all these, do you not? Truly I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."

After delivering the denunciation of the scribes and the Pharisees, Christ left the temple and as He left, His disciples pointed out the magnificence of the temple buildings.  The temple had been under construction since 20 B.C., and, though not actually completed until A.D. 64, its main buildings apparently were largely finished.  To the disciples, the temple seemed impressive evidence of the solidarity of Israel’s religious life and of God’s blessing upon Jerusalem.

When the disciples pointed out the temple, according to verse 2, Jesus said, “See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”  The disciples apparently received these solemn words in silence, but their thoughts were sobering.  The temple was made of huge stones, some of them many tons in size, carved out in the stone quarries underneath the city of Jerusalem.  Such large stones could be dislodged only through deliberate force.  The sad fulfillment was to come in A.D. 70, only six years after the temple was completed, when the Roman soldiers deliberately destroyed the temple, prying off stones one by one and casting them into the valley below.

Seeking Christ’s Guidance (Matthew 24:3, NRSV)

³When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

As they walked from the temple area through the Kidron Valley and up the slope of the Mount of Olives, the disciples, no doubt, were pondering these solemn words of Christ.

Matthew 24:3 records that when Christ sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples then came with their questions.  According to Mark 13:3, questions were asked by Peter, James, John, and Andrew.  Matthew 24:3 records the disciples asked three questions.  , “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”  

Matthew’s account of the Olivet discourse records that portion of Christ’s answer that relates to His future kingdom and how it will be brought in, which is one of the major purposes of the gospel.

The Signs of Christ's Coming--The Birth Pains (Matthew 24:4-14, NRSV)

³When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
⁴Jesus answered them, "Beware that no one leads you astray.
⁵For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Messiah!' and they will lead many astray.
⁶And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
⁷For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places:
⁸all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
⁹"Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name.
¹⁰Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another.
¹¹And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
¹²And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold.
¹³But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
¹⁴And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come.

In Matthew 24:4-14, at least nine major characteristics of this general period are described. These characteristics may be itemized as follows:

(1) false Christs, 24:4-5;

(2) wars and rumors of wars, 24:6-7;

(3) famines, 24:7;

(4) pestilence, 24:7;

(5) earthquakes, 24:7;

(6) many martyrs, 24:8-10;

(7) false prophets, 24:11;

(8) increasing evil and loss of fervent love, 24:12; and

(9) worldwide preaching of the gospel of the kingdom, 24:13-14.

In general, these signs have been at least partially fulfilled in the present age and have characterized the period between the first and second coming of Christ. They should be understood as general signs rather than specific signs that the end is near. As stated in verse 8, these are the beginning rather than the end of the sorrows which characterize the close of the age.

Accordingly, through the centuries, there have been many false religious leaders or false Christs.  War, famine, and pestilence are still with us.  There is some evidence that there is an increase in earthquakes, and, of course, Scriptures record that the greatest earthquake of all time will occur just before the second coming of Christ (Rev 16:18-20).  There have been many martyrs through the centuries and probably more in the twentieth century than even in the first century.  False prophets and false teachings have plagued the church and the world.  The increase in iniquity and loss of fervent love are all too evident in the world, and are detailed, for instance, in Christ’s message to the churches of the first century in Revelation 2-3.  Throughout the age also there is the announcement of the coming kingdom when Christ will reign on earth, which, of course, will be preached in intensified form as the end approaches.  The age in general, climaxing with the second coming of Christ, has the promise that those that endure to the end (Mt 24:13), that is, survive the tribulation and are still alive, will be saved, or delivered, by Christ at His second coming.  This is not a reference to salvation from sin, but rather the deliverance of survivors at the end of the age as stated, for instance, in Romans 11:26, where the Deliverer will save the nation Israel from its persecutors.  Many, of course, will not endure to the end, in the sense that they will be martyred, even though they are saved by faith in Christ, and the multitude of martyrs is mentioned in Revelation 7:9-17.

Taken as a whole, the opening section, ending with Matthew 24:14, itemizes general signs, events, and situations which mark the progress of the age, and, with growing intensity, indicate that the end of the age is approaching.  These signs, however, by their very characteristics and because they have occurred throughout the present age, do not constitute a direct answer to the question of “the sign” of the coming of the Lord.

DISCUSS THE MEANING:

1.  What fears and concerns do you have when you hear of wars and rumors of wars?

2.  What steps should believers take to ensure we are not misled by deception?  What scripture text comes to mind regarding the effort?

3.  How can someone be deceived by someone claiming to be Christ or sent by Christ?

4.  How can you use your time, talents, or resources to help people suffering as a result of wars or natural disasters? 

LESSON IN OUR SOCIETY:

Despite the deception of false christs and false teachers, despite the unparalleled warfare and pestilence and disaster, despite the fierce persecution of the saints, and despite the defection of false believers, the gospel of Christ's kingdom will continue to be proclaimed.  Despite the Antichrist's tyrannical rule and hell's belching out its demons to wreak havoc on earth, the Lord Jesus Christ will not be without witness.

Just before the howl judgments are poured out and the final great holocaust begins, and just before the increasingly rapid birth pains issue in the kingdom, God will supernaturally present the gospel to every person on earth.  He will send an angel with "an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people," saying, "Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters" (Revelation 14:6-7).

That will be the final and total evangelization of the world, miraculously proclaimed from heaven. After that proclamation mar's day will be finished, his rebellion will be over, and his opportunity for salvation will be over, because then the end shall come.

NEXT WEEK LESSON: 3 August 2025

Christians As God’s Temple
Printed Text: 1 Corinthians 3:10-23
Devotional Reading: 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
Bible Background: 1 Corinthians 3:1-23

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