Looking for digital teaching plans and helps? Check out Lifeway’s Church Assistance Package.
Date: June 27, 2021
Strong in Purity
The Point: Purity in all things impacts your service for Christ.
Get Into the Study
Use the following to introduce today’s session.
We don’t usually look to rodents for advice. But Magawa, a heroic rat, has proven himself a trustworthy source when it comes to detecting landmines. Magawa was trained by the nonprofit organization APOPO to sniff out explosives in countries where dangerous remnants of war remain buried in their land. Magawa has found 71 landmines and 38 items of unexploded ordinance, earning him a medal for life-saving bravery. But after a five-year career, Magawa is retiring with honor. The “hero rat” is considered so trustworthy, that his handlers will often play soccer on the fields he has cleared. Ignoring Magawa’s warnings about a landmine would be foolish and life-threatening.
Of course, rats can make mistakes. Jesus on the other hand is completely trustworthy all the time. He issued a warning to the church in Thyatira to avoid the spiritual landmines of sexual immorality and idolatry. In this session, we will see how foolish it would be to ignore these warnings today.
Get Into the Study (Option for the Daily Discipleship Guide)
Use the following teaching idea before launching into Discussion Question #1 and the Bible Meets Life. Introduce the concept of a warning by playing an audio clip of a warning sound. Click here for an audio clip. Ask, “What does a sound like this tell us?” Allow time for discussion. Follow up by asking Question #1: When has ignoring a warning been a mistake?
Get Into the Study (Option from Adult Leader Guide)
In advance, play a video showing a warning sign being ignored. Then ask Question #1.
Live It Out
Use the following to conclude today’s session. This linked article includes video and photos you may want to share.
The New York Times recently ran a feature on highway wildlife crossings. In states like Wyoming and Utah, the Department of Transportation has partnered with state wildlife agencies and nonprofits to build wildlife overpasses where highways have disrupted the animals’ migration paths. These wildlife bridges allow the animals to reach their destination without having to cross a large roadway.
But the animals aren’t the only ones at risk. Wildlife crossings across the country are estimated to cause between one and two million vehicle collisions per year, resulting in over 26,000 human injuries and approximately 200 human deaths. Having a clear and safe path protects the animals and the drivers.
Life can be tricky to navigate. Sometimes you may feel like a deer trying to make it across a busy highway. Thankfully, there is a better path. God has promised to guide us. Call on volunteers to read the following verses: Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 16:11, Psalm 119:105, Psalm 32:8.
Veering off God’s designated course into idolatry and sexual immorality puts us in danger and puts others in danger as well. Trust God to lead you on His path and commit to following His way.
Nikki Wilbanks wrote these Leader Extras. She grew up in Tennessee before heading to California to study literature at Pepperdine University. After graduation, she enjoyed a decade-long career as a commercial real estate appraiser and investor. Having returned to Tennessee with her husband, she is now thrilled to be a stay-at-home mom and writer.
Additional Questions
Icebreaker
- When is purity especially important?
- What is something that may look good but tastes awful?
- What’s something you’ve seen that hasn’t lived up to the hype surrounding it?
Revelation 2:18-19
- What do we learn about Jesus from this passage?
- What are some ways we measure a church’s spiritual growth?
- What are some ways we can increase our love and service for Christ?
Revelation 2:20-23
- How should believers respond to immorality by others in the church?
- In what ways are churches currently being urged to compromise?
- How can we increase in our love of others without becoming tolerant of immorality?
Revelation 2:24-29
- “Holding on” to what we know is true from God’s Word can seem simple; why is it difficult?
- What are some things that may lead us away from Christ?
- What are some things that we can do to strengthen our faith and live a pure life, so we are not led astray by deception?
For Those in Your Group
Send the following link to your group members as either a teaser before the group meets or as a follow-up thought:
Is Church Discipline a Thing of the Past?
Podcast
Click here for a 20-minute podcast for both the group member and the leader.
Tips for Leading Bible Study Groups
Podcast (adultsleadertraining): Play in new window | Download
Thank You for the podcasts every week. They help me every week. It is one of the finishing touches to my lessons, May God Bless You As You Do His Work!