Introduction
Notes:
1. The duration of the devotional sessions is 20-30 minutes.
2. This leader’s guide is suitable for both online and physical discussions.
3. This leader’s guide is suitable for officers and leaders who lead a group or individuals who are not joining any of the discussion groups.
For officers or leaders who conduct the sessions in a group, keep in mind the following:
1. Have a non-judgmental attitude.
a. In the course of the discussion, some members may give answers that you, as the leader, know are wrong.
b. Don’t pounce on the answer or reprimand them – they will not want to continue participating.
c. Value the insight you are gaining into their true thoughts, so that they are able to share what they think openly rather than parroting “right answers” to you.
d. Accept the answer by saying something like, “That’s an interesting point of view. What do the rest of you think?”
2. Encourage participation.
a. Some members are chatty and assertive. Welcome their contribution but remind them to give others a chance to speak.
b. Other members are shy and quiet. Encourage them to share, but if they really don’t want to, don’t force them.
c. Try to give every member a chance to say something.
3. When summarising or concluding, highlight good answers that have been contributed and add insights from the leaders’ guide that the members may have missed.
Day 31: Breath of Life
Lesson/Learning Objective: To appreciate the breath of life that God gives us as an act of reverence to Him.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Genesis 2:4-8.
❖ Context: Today’s reading is about the Creation of Adam. When God created Adam, He did it differently from how He created the land animals. In 1:24, we read that God created them by the power of His Word. He said, “Let the land produce living creatures…” and it was so. When it comes to Adam, though, in order to make a creature which bears His own image, God does not just speak His Word. Instead, He takes direct personal action, coming down to our planet earth and forming Adam out of the dust of the ground. He then breathes the breath of life into Adam, and Adam becomes alive. God then puts him in the Garden of Eden.
Now, you may have members asking about Darwin’s theory of evolution. Personally, I see no direct contradiction between science and Genesis; we do not have to choose to believe one over the other. To me, it seems that God created Adam specially but created the rest of humanity through evolution. In any case, do assure your members that the Bible reveals God’s truth to us, and science is the process by which we discover truths about the world that God created. For further reading, you may explore ODBM’s Discovery Series “The Genesis Account of Creation: Defusing the Controversy.”
❖ Materials: Internet connection and a projector (if you have them).
Activity:
❖ Let’s try to create a cloud in our mouths!
❖ Step 1: Click your tongue with your mouth closed for 30 seconds.
❖ Step 2: Increase the pressure in your mouth (blow hard like you want to exhale, but keep your mouth closed and don’t let the air out).
❖ Step 3: Release the air and (hopefully) see a cloud!
❖ This will probably be easier to do if your meeting-place has air-conditioning, as the colder air outside your mouth will produce condensation.
❖ Let your members watch a video of how it works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68A_Azsqqg4
❖ Debrief: In this activity, we get to see our breath come out of our mouths as a cloud. In today’s reading, we will read about how we human beings first received the breath of life.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: Before this, there has already been an account of how God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh day (1:1-2:3). In your opinion, why are we given another account of creation here (2:4)?
A: This second account flashes back to the sixth day of creation and zooms in to give us more details about how God created human beings in His image (1:26-27).
2. Q: How did God create Adam (2:7)? Was there anything unique about what He did, compared with how He made the land animals (1:24)?
A: God personally came down to the earth and formed Adam out of the dust of the ground. It was a practical, hands-on process which was direct and intimate. By contrast, God made the land animals by simply speaking them into existence (1:24).
God also breathed the breath of life into Adam’s nostrils, and Adam became a living being. This breathing process was not done for the land animals. God’s breath, filled will power and life, is what sets us humans apart from the animals – having an eternal spirit and being able to know and revere God, for God is a spirit. Animals act out of instinct; they do not have the intellectual or rational capacity to grasp who God is or what He has done, and neither can their actions be categorised as morally right or wrong. But human beings, having God’s breath of life and bearing God’s image, have all these capabilities which animals don’t have.
[Note: It may be a great idea to bring up the theory of evolution here, as it’s better for their faith to be challenged in a safe environment like your BB devotional group than for them to be blindsided by atheistic arguments or other anti-Christian content online.]
3. Q: What does 2:7 teach us about ourselves? Knowing this, how should we respond to God?
A: 2:7 teaches us that God intentionally formed Adam, and by extension each one of us, with love and purposefulness. Sometimes when we look in the mirror, we don’t like what we see. We feel that we are too short, too tall, too fat, too thin, nose too big, eyes too small, face full of pimples, etc. But 2:7 tells us that we are God’s masterpiece, the apex of His creation, created in His image to rule over it. He Himself moulded and shaped the dust of the ground with His own hands, to make it into a form that could bear His image, that could reflect His glory and goodness. As Psalm 139:14 says, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.” So let us appreciate the body, face, and life that God has given us and thank Him for them rather than nitpicking at perceived flaws and complaining that we are not handsome or pretty enough.
[Note: Your members may ask about deformed babies and children born with health issues like hole in the heart, cleft lip, Down syndrome, autism etc. The answer is that even though we are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” because of the fall, sin in general has brought corruption and imperfection into this good and beautiful world that God created.]
2:7 also teaches us that God breathed His breath of life into Adam. By extension, He breathes His breath of life into each of us and is sustaining our every breath. Let us take the time daily to pause, to remember God our Creator and Sustainer, and to thank Him for His gift of life with reverence and awe.
Conclusion:
❖ Today’s devotion may be intellectually heavy, but briefly recap that there aren’t direct contradictions between science and faith. Encourage your members not to let different theories shake their beliefs, but take them as motivation to grow stronger in faith.
❖ Ask if they have any burning questions about evolution. Create a safe space for any question to be asked. If you can’t answer, tell them you’ll search it up and make sure to follow-up in the next session.
❖ Remind them that following Jesus is not just about head knowledge. Today’s devotion should lead to:
➢ A deeper, truer sense of reverence for God and His Word;
➢ A desire to continue reading God’s Word, with the belief that the Bible is true, trustworthy, clear, understandable, and is God’s way of communicating and revealing Himself to us;
➢ Thankfulness for how He has created us and the amazing design of our bodies;
➢ Confidence, self-esteem, body positivity and how we look because we are masterpieces, “fearfully and wonderfully made” in His image;
➢ Gratitude for the sustaining breath of life that God breathes into us; and
➢ Desire to live out the good plans and purposes He has created us for.
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 32: Respect
Lesson/Learning Objective: To respect and honour ourselves and others as God’s image-bearers out of reverence and love for Him.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Esther 1:1-5, 9-12.
❖ Context: The story of Esther occurred during the time of Judah’s restoration from exile, about 100 years after being first taken to Babylon. The ruler at the time was Xerxes or Ahasuerus, a king of the Persian empire. A number of Jews had returned to Judah but the story of Esther is about the Jews who remained in Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire, and who did not return to Judah.
Today’s reading sets the stage for Esther to enter the scene. It begins by describing two lavish parties thrown by the king. At the end of it, he calls for Queen Vashti to be brought out and paraded before his guests. However, she refuses to obey his summons, making him angry. The king banishes her and strips her of her royal position. Then, he begins the search for a new queen, and this is where Esther’s story begins.
❖ Materials: Food, drinks.
Activity:
❖ Throw a party for your members! Order some pizza or fast food, soft drinks, get some party hats and party horns.
❖ Today is Day 32 - just eight days more to go! Let’s celebrate!
❖ After everyone has enjoyed the food and drinks, ask them (if you are meeting online, buy food for and enjoy together in front of the screen. If doing this individually, you are encouraged to treat yourself with some nice food, too ):
➢ “How long was this party? Very short only, right?” (Considering that you still have the actual devotion to go through, the “party” shouldn’t take too long - maybe 15 to 30 minutes.)
➢ Think back to the last party you attended. What kind of party was it? How long did it take? (Probably a friend’s birthday party, a class party, or some celebration in church or school. Parties normally last two or three hours.)
❖ In today’s reading, we are going to read about some parties… But they lasted much longer than the parties we have attended before.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: How many parties are mentioned here, and how long did each one last (1:4-5, 9)?
A: There are three parties mentioned here. The first one was thrown by the King to show off his power and wealth to all the nobles, officials, princes, and military leaders of his vast empire. This one was 180 days! Can you imagine just sitting around, eating, drinking, talking, laughing and partying for six whole months? That’s half a year!
The second party was smaller and more exclusive, only for the inhabitants of the King’s citadel. This one was shorter and went on for seven days.
The third party was even smaller and yet more exclusive. This one was held by Queen Vashti, and it was only for the women in the royal palace. The length is not stated, but since it was running concurrently with the second party, it’s reasonable to suggest it also ran for seven days.
2. Q: Why did the King summon Queen Vashti, and why did she refuse to appear before him (1:11-12)?
A: The King had thrown these massive parties to show off his great power and wealth. Now he wanted to show off his beautiful queen, to display her like an object, treating her like a piece of property and a thing which he owned instead of a fellow human being and a queen, with her own royal dignity and honour which was equal to his.
The text does not state exactly why Vashti refused to obey the king, so listen to your members’ answers and accept any that make sense. However, traditional Jewish sources, such as the Haggadah and the Talmud, suggest that she was ordered to display herself nude before them, wearing only her crown (1:11). This is possible, but it is not stated in the text, so we shouldn’t take it as a definite truth. What is certain is that she was very likely to suffer some form of degradation and disrespect. In fact, the summons itself treated Queen Vashti as some sort of performing animal or dancing girl rather than a respected and honoured queen.
3. Q: Is there any inner attitude or outer action that you have to change in order to treat others, not as objects or tools for you to use or benefit from (like how the King treated Queen Vashti), but instead as fellow human beings with dignity, honour, and respect?
A: This is a reflective question for your members to evaluate how they have been treating others. You may give some examples like helping someone for a reward. The “scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours” attitude is insincere and manipulative. Instead, we should help others out of the kindness of our hearts, and in obedience to Jesus’ command to love one another; not with ulterior motives.
Another example is the struggle with lust and pornography. Generally, porn depicts women as less than men – as sexual objects for the pleasure of men. So to turn away from the tendency to objectify and dehumanise women, we need to understand that God created men and women to be equals, both bearing His image (Genesis 1:26-27). We also need to remember that porn actresses are human beings. They are someone’s daughter, mother, sister or wife. Would they like other people to look at their daughter, mother, sister, or wife like that? (I hope the answer is no!) Then they should not look at them like that either.
Conclusion:
❖ Encourage your members to memorise Genesis 1:27 – “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
❖ This will help them to have a high view of human worth, value, dignity, and honour, and out of reverence to God, to treat others as God’s image-bearers and not objects.
❖ Inform your members that the Assyrian empire (which took Israel into exile) lasted 2,000 years, the Babylonian empire (which took Judah into exile) lasted 1,500 years and the Persian empire (during Esther’s time) lasted only 200+ years.
❖ Yet if what the Bible tells us is true, that we are eternal spirits created in God’s image, each one of us will live longer than any of these vast, powerful empires!
❖ Share this quote from C.S. Lewis:
➢ “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploitimmortal horrors or everlasting splendours.”
❖ Close in prayer, asking God to help us understand that we are created in His image, and to treat one another with respect out of reverence for Him.
Day 33: Honouring God
Lesson/Learning Objective: To honour and revere Jesus by acknowledging that when we bear fruit that lasts, it is all because of Christ who enables us.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read John 15:1-5.
❖ Context: See “Context” section of Day 4.
❖ Materials: None.
Activity:
❖ Divide your members into 2 or 3 groups. Appoint an officer for each group.
❖ Appoint a leader for each group. Stay connected to the leader by holding onto their shirt sleeve, go outside and pluck one blade of grass.
❖ The first group to bring their blade of grass is the winner!
❖ Officers are to watch over the groups and make sure they don’t lose contact (touch) with their leader. If they do, they have to reset, come back and start again.
❖ If you’re doing the devotional alone, you can hold any object in your dominant hand and never let it go while you go outside and pluck just one blade of grass.
❖ In today’s reading, there is someone that you have to stick to even closer than how you stuck to your leader or your dominant hand just now.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: What will happen to branches which do not bear fruit (15:2)? What does this metaphor mean (15:5)?
A: Unfruitful branches will be cut off. In this metaphor, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. It means that if we don’t bear fruit, we will be separated from Jesus. As long as we are alive, there is always the hope that an unfruitful person in this state will repent, turn back to Jesus, and become connected to Him again. Unfruitful branches not connected to the vine will wither, be thrown into the fire, and burned.
Take a look at the blade of grass which you plucked. Can it still live and grow? What is going to happen to it? (Answer: It will turn brown, dry up, and die.) The blade of grass has been separated from the stem, its source of life, and so it will surely die.
This is a serious warning to us: if we choose to continue down the road of unfruitfulness, we will end up separated from Jesus, our source of life, forever. To avoid this very bad end, we must stay connected to Jesus.
And if we ever fail, let’s ask for His forgiveness immediately. Don’t let anything keep you from coming back to Jesus again.
2. Q: What will happen to branches that bear fruit (15:2)? What does this metaphor mean?
A: Fruitful branches will be pruned to make them even more fruitful, as sometimes branches may have dead or diseased parts. As we stay connected to Jesus and bear fruit, there may be things in our lives which are not good. They need to be discarded so that we can continue growing deeper and stronger in knowing, loving, and serving Him. These are sins, addictions, bad habits and so on. Hebrews 12:1 describes them as, “the sin that so easily entangles,” which we must throw off in order to run the race of faith well to the end.
At other times, branches may grow too many twigs or leaves, and although these are not bad in themselves, they need to be pruned to stimulate growth. There may be things in our lives which are not bad in themselves, but are distracting us from doing the things He calls us to. These may be wholesome hobbies which have taken up too much of our time, romantic relationships which do not have Jesus at the centre, things which are important but have been given greater priority than they deserve, and so on. Hebrews 12:1 says of such things, “let us throw off everything that hinders”.
3. Q: What does it mean to bear fruit, and what do we have to do in order to bear fruit (15:2,4-5)?
A: In order to bear fruit, we must remain in Jesus. This means “staying connected” like how you stayed in contact with your leader during the activity; it means spending time with Him, reading His Word and praying every day – or according to research, at least four times a week to make any discernible difference. In the words of John Denver, “make it part of you to be a part of me.”
For example, friends who spend all their time together become more alike. They start to speak with the same slang, understand the same inside jokes, have similar goals or attitudes in life, sometimes even dress alike or start styling their hair in similar ways. Because of the time spent together and the closeness of their friendship, it becomes a part of them to be a part of one another. With Jesus, the more time you spend with Him, reading His Word, talking with Him and worshipping Him, the more you will become like Him.
Jesus also said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” This means if we choose to pursue our own goals independently of Jesus, then although we may achieve things that look great in the eyes of the world, they will amount to nothing in terms of eternal value. When the time comes for us to stand before God and give an account of our lives, all that we have done without Jesus, as shiny and impressive as it might be, will have zero meaning and value. How sad! As
today’s devotion points out, in all our accomplishments, we must acknowledge Jesus as the one who has helped us and enabled us to do those things.
In order to bear fruit, we must allow God, the Gardener, to prune us. Is there anything in your life that is sinful, that you need to let Him cut off from you? Is there anything that’s not exactly sinful, but has become a distraction or a misplaced priority, and needs to be cut back if not totally cut off? Will you work with Him to prune those things away so that you can keep bearing more good, lasting fruits?
Conclusion:
❖ To grow a tree and harvest its fruit, time and patience is needed. If you examine your life and find that you have not borne much fruit, don’t be afraid that God is going to cut you off. You are still young; perhaps you have not yet matured enough.
❖ Persevere in abiding in Jesus; spend time with Him, pray and read His Word. Each day, ask for your heart to be one with His heart.
❖ Tree branches don’t “try hard” to bear fruit. They just stay connected to the trunk, and as they mature, they will naturally bear flowers and fruit. Abide in Jesus, and the fruits of Christian character and conduct will naturally develop in your life.
❖ At the same time, don’t underestimate yourself and say “I can’t bear fruit yet because I'm young.” 1 Tim 4:12 says, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
❖ As young as you are, God can definitely do great things in and through you. Walk with Jesus, obey and revere Him, and see the good fruits that He will develop in you!
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 34: Facing the Future
Lesson/Learning Objective: To reverently trust in God and face the unknown future with confidence in Him.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read James 4:13-17.
❖ Context: The book of James was written by James, the half-brother of Jesus. He did not believe in Jesus when he was alive, but became a Christian after meeting the risen Jesus. After that, he became a key leader of the Church in Jerusalem. In today’s reading, he calls out the arrogance of rich people who make big plans to expand their business and rake in the profits. He gives them a good dose of humility, pointing out their ignorance of the future and the fleeting, temporary nature of their lives. He convicts them of sin on two counts – it is evil for them to boast of their arrogant schemes, and sinful when they know they should submit their plans to God’s will, but refuse to do so.
❖ Materials: A dice, a table, two soft toys or pool noodles, and a piece of paper.
Activity:
❖ Divide your members into two or three groups. Each group appoints a dice-thrower.
❖ Dice-throwers sit at the table whilst their groups stand around behind them.
❖ Choose the youngest or oldest dice-thrower to start. The other dice-thrower(s) get to hold the pool noodle or soft toys.
❖ The dice-thrower starts by throwing the dice.
➢ The group gets 100 points for each dot on the dice; so three dots = 300 points.
➢ After Round 1, the group can decide to end their turn or continue. If they end, their score (300 points) is written on the paper and it is safe.
➢ If they continue, they can play Round 2 and their score will be added to the earlier one. So if the dice-thrower then gets a four, that’s 400 points and the group now has 700 points.
➢ However, if they throw a six, then their turn ends. They lose their accumulated score for that turn, and the other dice-throwers get to hit them with the pool noodle or soft toy.
➢ The goal is to reach 3,000 points.
❖ How did your group decide whether to end the turn or continue playing? What did they disagree about, and what made it difficult?
❖ Did any group collect lots of points before losing them all when they rolled a six?
❖ If you’re doing the devotional alone, continue rolling the dice until you hit a six. Then restart the game. The game ends when you achieve 1,000 points.
❖ The game restarts because the dice is unpredictable, and you couldn’t see the future to know what number would turn up. Today’s reading has something to say to people who confidently make plans for the future despite its unpredictability.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: What are two reasons why we should not be overconfident or arrogant in making future plans (4:14)?
A: The first is that we cannot predict the future. Just like we couldn’t predict when a six would turn up in the game, any number of things could happen to change our plans or cause them to fail. Therefore, we are to hold future plans loosely and be prepared to adapt according to the situation.
The second is that our life is like a mist. It means that we only live for a short while. Mists are like clouds that appear in the early morning when the air is cold. Once the sun comes up, it disappears. In life, we do not know when the metaphorical sun will come up and dissipate us i e. when we will die. We could have great plans for success, then suddenly have a heart attack and die. Therefore, while we do need to prepare for the future, we should not be overconfident in our plans.
2. Q: How should we plan for the future instead? What are two things we should do in this regard (4:15-16)?
A: Firstly, we are to submit our plans to God’s will. Before we start making plans, we are to first consult with God and lay our lives before Him (Romans 12:1). Then, ask Him for wisdom and direction for our future. Sometimes He will speak clearly to tell us what to do; other times, He gives us the freedom to think for ourselves and choose the best option we can with the information that we have. Throughout the whole process, our primary motivation should be to glorify God and be in the centre of His will. Our prayer should echo that of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane: “yet not my will, but yours be done”
Secondly, we should not speak boastfully, pridefully, or arrogantly about our plans. There is nothing wrong with sharing your hopes for the future to get valuable advice or invite others to be part of your vision. But the attitude behind that should be humility and submission, not pride or arrogance. Ask, why do I want to talk about my future plans? What is my goal in talking about this to others? Am I promoting myself, trying to show off how wise and forward-thinking I am? Do I have healthy pride in the good plans I have made in partnership with God, or is it an unhealthy, self-centred kind of pride?
3. Q: What are some of your cherished hopes, ambitions, and plans for the future? Where is God in the midst of all this? Will you submit your future plans to Him?
A: Some of your members may want to score straight A’s for SPM, win a sports medal, be a club leader, get into a good uni, migrate to a certain country, find a suitable spouse, raise a family etc. Encourage them to share their hopes,
ambitions, and plans with the group, and to submit these things to God.
We do not know what the future holds, but He knows all things and our times are in His hands (Psalm 31:14-15). Assure them that even if things do not turn out exactly as they envision, God has a good purpose and plan for them (Jeremiah 29:11). They can offer their unknown future to Him and trust Him to guide them. God can even turn mistakes, missteps, and mishaps for the best (Genesis 50:20, Romans 8:28).
Conclusion:
❖ Lead your members to sing, “Lord, I Offer My Life” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwDsSdP_wvQ). Emphasise or sing the second verse again:
“Things in the past, things yet unseen; Wishes and dreams that are yet to come true; All of my hopes and all of my plans, My heart and my hands are lifted to you.”
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 35: Wind and Fire
Lesson/Learning Objective: To live as God’s chosen people by showing others respect as a form of reverence.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read 1 Peter 2:9-17.
❖ Context: 1 Peter was written to encourage Christians facing persecution. In today’s reading, Peter sets out the conditions of those who have accepted Jesus, the living Stone. We now belong to God, and we’re set apart for His purposes: to reign with Him (to be “royal”), to intercede before Him for those who are still in darkness (the function of a “priesthood”), and to declare His praises for all He has done for us. In view of our new identity in Jesus, Peter exhorts us to abstain from sinful desires, do good as a witness to unbelievers and a rebuttal to their false accusations, submit to the authorities, live with joyful freedom within the good boundaries and limitations set by God, and show proper respect to everyone.
❖ Materials: A list of identities.
Activity:
❖ Do this charade activity as one or two groups, and make it a competition.
❖ Everyone takes turns volunteering to act.
❖ Show the volunteer an identity, and their group has 2 minutes to guess.
❖ Keep time and don’t expose the answer; write it on a small piece of paper.
❖ The identities could be “doctor,” “lawyer,” “teacher,” or even celebrities or fictional characters Superman, Donald Duck, Harry Potter etc. No talking is allowed.
❖ Go as many rounds as time allows.
❖ Debrief:
➢ How many of you couldn’t get the group to guess your identity?
➢ How many of you managed to? How did you do it?
❖ If you're doing this devotional individually, go to https://www.drawize.com/ and guess what others draw. When it's your turn, draw and let others guess what you drew. Count the number of drawings you could guess and how you let others guess yours.
❖ In today’s reading, Peter has something to tell us about our identity – who we are as people who believe in Jesus and follow Him – and how we should live and act accordingly.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: How does Peter describe our identity as Christians (2:9-11)? Choose three descriptions that sound interesting to you or resonate with you and explain what they mean to you.
A: Peter describes us as:
i. A chosen people – A plural, communal identity that doesn’t mean “I am a chosen person,” but we, together, are God’s chosen people. The emphasis here is on God’s action in choosing us. Why did He choose me? Why did He choose you? Not because we are smarter, more righteous, or better than others, but simply out of His goodness and grace.
ii. A royal priesthood – We’re described as royalty because when we believe in Jesus, we’re adopted as sons and daughters of God (Romans 8:14-17). We’re also described as priests, to stand between God and humanity and to intercede on behalf of our family members, friends, Company, school, church, nation and the world. Our job is to speak God’s truth, give encouragement to our Christian friends, and testify about God to non-Christian friends.
iii. A holy nation – The word “holy” means “set apart.” As Christians, we’re called to be different from those around us who do not know Jesus. It’s not out of rebellion, a desire to stand out, or just for the sake of being different, but because of our faith in God.
iv. God’s special possession – We belong to God, and we’re precious to Him! We’re special, unique and set apart for His purposes.
v. Ones who’ve been called out of darkness into light – We live in a world at war spiritually, between good and evil, darkness and light. God gives us the opportunity to live, learn, and choose which side we want to be on. If you are a Christian, you have chosen your side, stepping out of the darkness and into the light.
vi. The people of God – See (i) and (iv) above.
vii. Ones who’ve received mercy – Because of our sin, we deserve the punishment of being separated from God forever. But instead, God sent Jesus to take the punishment on our behalf. Therefore, all who believe in Jesus have received mercy, and have been spared the negative consequence that we deserve.
viii. Foreigners – As people “set apart” and belonging to God, we don’t belong to the world. We’re foreigners, with a different perspective on life, different values and different ways of living. Our mindset and actions should align with God’s, not the world’s.
ix. Exiles – An exile is a person who is far from home. However, he or she has not been assimilated, become a citizen nor made it their new home. Instead, exiles maintain their identity, and long to go back to their true home again. We are exiles because “this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.” (Hebrews 13:14, NLT).
2. Q: Knowing our identity, who we are as Christians, how then should we live? Briefly list down the things that Peter exhorts us to do (2:11-17).
A: Peter exhorts us to:
1. Abstain from sinful desires (v11).
2. Do good as a witness to unbelievers and a rebuttal to their false accusations (v12, 15).
3. Submit to the authorities (v13-14).
4. Live with joyful freedom within the good boundaries and limitations set by God (v16).
5. Show proper respect to everyone (v17).
3. Q: From the list above, focus on “show[ing] proper respect to everyone” and one other item of your choice. How can you apply these two things practically and live them out in the coming week?
A: Here are some ideas of how we can apply the above 5 exhortations:
i. Abstain from sinful desires – We can start by determining whether our desires are sinful or legitimate. There are often rationalising voices like, “It’s not wrong, everyone is doing it,” “It’s not hurting anyone,” “It’s only natural,” etc. Ask the Holy Spirit for help. If we know we’re weak at a particular time or place, avoid those contexts or add something into our routine (get a drink of water, say a short prayer, etc.). We can also share our struggles with a trusted friend and ask them to keep us accountable. Sometimes what makes it hard for us to abstain is that we are halfhearted – there is a part of our hearts which wants to do what is right, but there is another part that is still attracted to sin, and they are at war with each other. Ask God to give you an undivided heart (Psalm 86:11) that is 100% for Him and against sin.
ii. Do good – There are many ways ie. be a listening ear for a friend’s problems, help a friend with their homework, give some money to charity, do your share of chores without waiting for parents to nag you, say something encouraging to a friend etc.
iii. Submit to authorities – Generally we are to obey school rules, follow teachers’ instructions, obey our parents etc. Some rules don’t make sense and are inconvenient and inefficient. If possible, we can bring this up to a higher authority in hopes that the rule may be changed. But if the authority insists that we must do it, and if there is no moral principle involved, we should still submit.
iv. Live with freedom within God’s boundaries – God has given us good and perfect gifts to enjoy (James 1:17), so whatever you enjoy doing –reading, playing sports, watching videos, listening to music, playing computer games, eating delicious food – you can go on enjoying it freely. But the limit is that these things do not become idols, cross the line into obsession or addiction, nor take up all our time and energy. We are “slaves of God”, and at the centre of our lives is not our own joy and pleasure, but His joy and pleasure. So it’s wise to put limits ie. time, budget and filtering out violent, sexual content that do not glorify God.
v. Show proper respect – Wish elders, “Good morning, Sir,” or “Good afternoon, Ma’am.” Don’t use vulgar and foul language. Abstain from gossipping and talking bad about people. Thank someone for their
service, like janitors, security guards, gardeners, whose work is often behind-the-scenes and unappreciated.
Conclusion:
❖ Commend your members for their great ideas on how to practically live out Peter’s exhortations to us as followers of Jesus.
❖ Encourage them to really do it; to live out their collective identity as “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession”.
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 36: Reconciling Relationships
Lesson/Learning Objective: To reconcile relationships by putting off the old self and putting on the new self, as a form of reverence for people.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Ephesians 4:22-32.
❖ Context: Paul wrote the book of Ephesians around 60 AD, about six years after establishing the church in Ephesus. His letter, written whilst in prison in Rome, serves to strengthen the faith of Christians in Ephesus and the surrounding region. In today’s reading, Paul exhorts them to discard their old selves made up of lies, holding grudges, stealing, unwholesome talk, stubborn rebellion against the Holy Spirit, bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and malice. Instead, they are to integrate their new selves, to be righteous and holy like God. This includes truth-telling, timely emotional regulation, honest work, generosity, encouraging words, kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.
❖ Materials: Newspapers, white A4 papers, staplers, cellophane tape.
Activity:
❖ Divide your members into two groups to compete with each other.
❖ In Group 1, divide again into subgroups A and B. Do the same for Group 2.
❖ Each group chooses a model to be dressed up.
❖ Subgroups A dress up the model with newspapers; just something to cover the upper and lower body.
❖ While they do that, Subgroups B use the A4 papers to design “new” clothes, just something to cover the upper and lower body, and make sure the model can put it on without assistance.
❖ Once A have finished, take a picture.
❖ Then, take off the newspaper clothes and put on B’s new clothes. Take a picture.
❖ Give the groups five minutes to strategise before the competition starts. Only when you say, “Go!” can they start cutting, sticking and dressing.
❖ First group to have their model dressed, photographed, re-dressed, and photographed again, wins.
❖ If the group is not big enough, have them compete against time ie. 5 minutes.
❖ If you are doing this devotional individually, see how long you take to get “dressed” and “redressed” in 5 minutes.
❖ In today’s reading, Paul tells the Ephesians to “put off” some things and “put on” other things. Let’s read it together.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: What are the things we should “put off” (4:22-31)? List four of them below.
A: Paul tells us to put off:
i. Our old self. Who we used to be and the things we used to do before we knew Jesus.
ii. Falsehood. No more telling lies.
iii. The nursing of grudges and anger. One of the Enemy’s favourite tactics, he will take advantage of any negative emotion, amplify it and use it to hold us in bondage and block or destroy our relationships with God and one another.
iv. Stealing. No more taking things that do not belong to us.
v. Unwholesome talk.
vi. Stubborn rebellion and wrongdoing. Note that the Spirit is not an impersonal power or force. He is a person; He has feelings and He can be grieved. When we repeatedly refuse to listen to His still, small voice and go our own way, we cause Him sorrow and grief.
vii. Bitterness. When anger and dislike are nurtured and kept festering instead of being dealt with, it turns our whole personality bitter. This causes emotional pain and suffering to us and can also push us to mistrust and hurt others. We need to choose to forgive in order to begin the process of healing.
viii. Rage and anger. Rage is anger out of control, which in fact, controls us.
ix. Brawling and slander. Physical and verbal violence.
x. Malice. Ill-will, the desire and intention to hurt and harm others.
2. Q: What are the things we should “put on” (4:24-32)? List four of them below.
A: Paul tells us to put on:
i. Our new self. Our new identity in Christ.
ii. Truth-telling.
iii. Self-control in the midst of negative emotions. “In your anger do not sin”, this is a big topic on emotional regulation. Depending on our personalities, our natural tendency is to lash out or suppress our anger, the latter which may lead to depression. Proper emotional regulation involves recognising and naming our negative emotions; understanding why we feel the way we do; validating our own emotions; asking God to shepherd our hearts and figuring out, with His help, the best way to move forward. It could be communicating our feelings clearly to others, seeking healing for past trauma, or releasing our anger to God and choosing to forgive.
iv. Honest work and generosity
v. Speaking good words to build up others and benefit them.
vi. Kindness
vii. Compassion. Another word is “tenderhearted”. It means having a heart that cares and feels for others, which is sympathetic (understanding others’ suffering) and empathetic (feeling what others feel).
viii. Forgiving others as we have been forgiven
3. Q: Today’s devotional article focuses on reconciling relationships as a form of reverence for people, specifically applying 4:32 to our lives. Prayerfully look over the two lists above, and considering your relationships with others, choose one thing that God is calling you to “put off” and one thing that He is calling you to “put on” today. Write down one or two practical and actionable steps you can take in reverent obedience to Him.
A: Give your members some time to reflect, pray, and write down their answers. Encourage them to share with the group. Help make their answers specific and concrete, so that it’s something they can actually do, not just a nice idea to think about.
Conclusion:
❖ Remind your members that this isn’t a Pendidikan Moral lesson, with a list of do’s and don’ts
❖ This list flows out of our new identity in Christ because He has saved us and given us a new life. We’re only able to do them because God’s Spirit dwells in us, giving us His power, wisdom and strength.
❖ Encourage them to continue abiding in Jesus and work with Him. Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 37: Loving like Jesus
Lesson/Learning Objective: To let go of hatred, and love others with the self-sacrificial love of Jesus as a form of reverence for God’s people.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read 1 John 3:11-18
❖ Context: See Day’s 2 “Context” about 1 John in general. But in today’s reading, John expands on what it means to love one another. He uses Cain as a negative example, and takes love for one another as a sign of having eternal life; whereas hatred, equivalent to murder, is a sign of lacking eternal life. John uses Jesus as a positive example of love that, instead of taking away another’s life, gives his own life for another. Such love must be real and practical, not just theoretical and verbal.
❖ Materials: Small pieces of paper with an identity written on them.
Activity:
❖ This is the “Mafia” game which we will call “Murderer”. There should be more than 5 people for this game.
❖ Cut small pieces of paper for every member. Prepare the identities; 1 Policeman, 1 Doctor, 3 Murderers and 5 Civilians. Adjust the ratio according to the group numbers.
❖ Ask members to sit in a circle. Each one takes a paper without showing anyone.
❖ As the game master, you’re the narrator and will start off with: “Night has fallen on [your BB Company name]. Everyone in the Company goes to sleep.” Everyone in the circle closes their eyes.
❖ After that, say, “Murderers, wake up,” and the murderers open their eyes. Ask them who they want to kill. Without making any sound, they have to point out their target. Once you know the target, tell them to go back to sleep.
❖ Next, ask the policeman to wake up. Ask them who they want to investigate. If the person they point at is one of the murderers, nod your head; if the person is not, then shake your head. Once that is done, tell the policeman to go back to sleep.
❖ Next, ask the doctor to wake up. Ask them who they want to heal. Once you know their target, tell them to go back to sleep.
❖ Ask everyone in the Company to wake up. If the murderers have successfully killed someone, it is up to you to dramatise it. For example, “It’s been a bloody night. Residents of Taman ________ were shocked to find the dead body of [name the “murdered” person] lying on the driveway of their house. Who is the murderer?”
❖ If the doctor has healed the person killed, you can say, “[Name] had a close shave. He was stabbed 77 times, but the heroic actions of the doctor saved his life. Who made this attempt to murder him?”
❖ Give everyone 2-3 minutes to discuss who they think the murderer is – and vote on who to execute. It is up to them to come up with theories etc. If the policeman has discovered the murderers, it’s up to him to convince the others to vote out the murderers.
❖ Once they have made a decision, reveal if the person was or wasn’t the murderer.
❖ The game continues as night falls again. Those who have “died” open their eyes and stay out of the game without interfering.
❖ The game continues until all murderers are executed. If the number of civilians and murderers are equal, then the murderers win.
❖ Debrief them:
➢ In this game, the murderers had to trick everyone into thinking they were civilians and try to kill as many people as they could.
➢ Bible trivia: Who was the first murderer in the Bible? (Cain!)
➢ In today’s reading, the apostle John uses Cain, the first murderer, as an example. An example of what? Let’s read to find out!
➢ If you’re doing this devotional alone, you could write down on a piece of paper the things you don’t like and can’t forgive someone about. Today, we will learn to let go of hatred, and learn to love others as Jesus did.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: In what ways should we not be like Cain, and why (3:12-15)?
A: Cain belonged to the devil, and we should not be like him because we belong to Jesus. He murdered his brother Abel and obviously, we should not murder people, except maybe in games! Murder is wrong in God’s eyes and according to the laws of our country.
Cain murdered Abel because he was jealous that God rejected him and his offering but accepted Abel’s. Cain gave God a sacrifice which was not his best (Genesis 4:3-5) and in contrast, his brother’s actions were righteous; he gave God his best ie. the fat portions of the firstborn (Genesis 4:4). When others are more righteous than us, we should be encouraged and inspired to do better, rather than eaten up with anger.
Cain hated his brother and was a murderer; he did not have eternal life. We should not be like him because we are called to love one another and we have eternal life as Christians. Note that hatred and murder are similar as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:21-22.
2. Q: We should not follow Cain’s negative example. Instead, whose positive example should we follow (3:16)? How should we follow that person’s example (3:16-18)?
A: We should follow Jesus’ example! We should love others so much that we are willing to sacrifice our own wants and needs for their sake, laying down our lives. Note the contrast between Cain, who took his brother’s life, and Jesus, who gave His own life for us.
We should help those who are in need, as far as we are able to within our means and resources. We should also not give lip service about loving others but express it in concrete, practical ways.
3. Q: Think of someone you hate. What is one thing you can do in order to not be hateful and murderous like Cain (3:11-15)? Think of someone in need. What is one thing you can do in order to love them like Jesus, as a form of reverence towards His people (3:16-18)?
A: If we hate someone, we must forgive them. What they did to us might be terrible and we may have legitimate reasons to hate them. Nevertheless, holding on to their wrongdoing and refusing to forgive only hurts ourselves, putting us in a prison of bitterness, anger, and hatred. It will stunt our spiritual lives and ultimately lead us to eternal death and separation from God (Matthew 18:34-35).
Forgiveness does not mean that what they did is ok, or that they don’t need to face the consequences, or that they should be allowed to hurt you again. Matthew 18:15-17 tells us to confront and expose wrongdoing step by step ie. one-on-one, before bringing to a witness and then to a higher authority. Despite these, we are to personally forgive the offender.
Forgiveness means we do it in our hearts (Matthew 18:35). We choose to personally release this person and their wrongdoing, leave the judgement and punishment to God, and no longer demand personal justice for ourselves. We are to let go of all anger, bitterness, rage, and hatred against them, giving all these negative emotions to God.
As for loving someone in need, there are many practical ways to do this. Help your members think of a specific person and action. Encourage them to do it in the coming week, and share with the group next time.
Conclusion:
❖ Forgiving someone who hurt us deeply is a very difficult thing to do. Our natural inclination is to insist that they pay for what they’ve done.
❖ It’s also difficult to love others sacrificially. Our natural tendency is to look out for ourselves. When we help others, our motives may not be pure and we expect a return.
❖ Encourage your members that if we believe in Jesus, His Holy Spirit dwells in us, giving “incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead…” (Ephesians 1:19-20).
❖ On our own strength, we cannot forgive and truly love others. But God can do it through us in His power!
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 38: It’s All About the Heart
Lesson/Learning Objective: To watch what we say by bringing our hearts to Jesus, asking Him to dwell in our hearts and transform us from within.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Matthew 15:7-20
❖ Context: Today’s reading happened during the later part of Jesus’ earthly ministry, when He was beginning to encounter rejection. The increasing hostility includes the Pharisees challenging Jesus about His disciples not following the hand-washing tradition before eating a meal. In today’s passage, He calls them hypocrites and quotes Isaiah 29:13. Jesus then explains to the crowd that it is what comes out of our mouths that makes us unclean, not what goes into our mouths. The disciples later inform Jesus that His words have offended the Pharisees, but Jesus does not apologise. Jesus explains that whatever we eat is digested, the waste is excreted and it doesn’t affect our hearts, the emotional centre of who we are. By contrast, the things that we say come from our hearts, and such evil thoughts etc, are the things that make us sinful and unclean.
❖ Materials: Chairs, pieces of A4 paper, four blindfolds
Activity:
❖ Before devotion begins, re-arrange the chairs in the room to form an obstacle course.
❖ Put a few pieces of A4 paper on the floor as “pits” to avoid.
❖ Ask 5 members to play the game.
❖ The 1st player is blindfolded. They are only allowed to hold onto the chairs. If they move a chair or step on a “pit,” they’re out. Time them to see how long they last.
❖ The 2nd player is blindfolded, but a 3rd player (with no blindfold) follows and guides them around the obstacles. See how long they take to succeed.
❖ The 4th player is blindfolded, and a 5th player (with blindfold) follows and guides them around the obstacles. See how long they take to succeed.
❖ Debrief:
➢ Which was the best and most successful at going through the obstacle course?
➢ Why couldn’t the others succeed? (They couldn’t see!)
➢ In today’s reading, Jesus describes the Pharisees and the teachers of the law as “blind guides” who will lead people to fall into pits – the blind leading the blind.
➢ If you’re doing this devotional alone, draw a difficult object like a human face with your eyes closed, then look at the outcome.
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: How did Jesus describe the Pharisees and teachers of the law (15:7-9, 13-14)? List down four of the descriptions below.
A: (i) Jesus described them as hypocrites. See Day 17 Question 1. The original Greek word refers to an actor – someone playing a role and pretending to be someone they’re not. The Pharisees and teachers of the law appeared very holy and devout; but it was all fake, and Jesus saw right through their pretence.
(ii) Jesus described them as people who honoured God with their lips but not their hearts
(iii) Jesus described them as people who worshipped God in vain, with no point and no purpose, just going through the motions.
(iv) Jesus described them as teaching merely human rules (See Day 17, Question 2 and 3), prioritising human traditions above God’s eternal commandments.
(v) Jesus described them as weeds, not wanted and not planted by the Father.
(vi) Jesus described them as blind guides, leading people to destruction.
2. Q: What are some dietary restrictions that other religions have? What about Christians, do we have any dietary restrictions? Why or why not (15:11, 17-20)?
A: Some Buddhists are strict vegetarians or abstain from eating meat on certain days. Hindus do not eat beef, and Muslims and Jews do not eat pork. As Christians, we can eat all kinds of food, within reasonable limits. There are no dietary restrictions for us because Jesus’ words declared all foods clean, and this is also explicitly stated in Mark 7:19.
3. Q: How can we avoid being like the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, and keep ourselves pure? What is the key point that we must not miss in these 14 verses (15:7-20) to keep ourselves reverent to God and people?
A: (i) The key point is in the saying “the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.” Instead of being a hypocrite, pretending to be someone you’re not, let Jesus into your heart and ask Him to make it His home (Ephesians 3:17). Give Him the keys to every door, access to all the hidden parts of your heart; to renovate it and make it into a fit dwellingplace for the King of Kings, so that the changes will not be externally imposed but a genuine transformation from within.
(ii) Honour and worship Jesus, not just with your lips but with your heart and with the innermost core of who you are.
(iii) Don’t just give external compliance to human rules although it is Good. But Divine rule is better. Instead, hide God’s word in your heart and let His character and His truth revealed therein guide you in living a pure and righteous life (Psalm 119:9, 11).
(iv) What differentiates the fruitless weeds that will be pulled up from the fruitful crops planted by God? Having a heart that abides in Jesus and has Jesus abiding within.
(v) As for being blind guides, spiritual blindness is tied to hardness of heart (John 12:40). To avoid that, let’s cultivate a heart that’s open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, soft to His nudges and receptive to His promptings. Then we can be guided by Him and learn to guide others.
(vi) Lastly, keeping ourselves pure is not a matter of controlling our diet, but instead examining the contents of our heart. Since Jesus said that it is the evil thoughts, actions, and words that come out of our heart which defile us, let us ask the Holy Spirit to search us (Psalm 139:23-24).
Sometimes we are not even aware of the evil hidden within. As the Holy Spirit brings such things to light, let us deal with them together with Him. Repent, turn away, turn to God, confess and receive His forgiveness and purification (1 John 1:9).
Conclusion:
❖ Lead worship with the song, “Heart of Worship” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXcaHf3I2_Y).
❖ Focus on the pre-chorus: “I’ll bring You more than a song, for a song in itself / Is not what You have required / You search much deeper within, from the way things appear / You’re looking into my heart”
❖ Encourage them to bring their whole heart to Jesus in worship.
❖ Gently call non-Christian members to invite Jesus into their hearts to be their Lord and Saviour, and Christian members to re-commit their hearts and lives to Jesus again.
❖ Repeat the 2nd verse and chorus as the Spirit leads.
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 39: All for Jesus
Lesson/Learning Objective: To do everything in Jesus’ name and for His glory as a form of reverence to God.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read Colossians 3:15-24
❖ Context: See Day 14 for the general context of Colossians. In Chapter 3, Paul lists the virtues that Christians should have in our new identity as God’s chosen people: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love. In today’s reading, he adds peace and thankfulness (“charis”, mentioned three times). Paul also encourages us to integrate Jesus’ message into our lives, and to build up one another with teaching and admonishment through singing. Everything we say and do should be done in Jesus’ authority and according to His will. After that, Paul gives specific instructions for every member of the Colossian household: wives, husbands, children, fathers, and slaves (For the issue of slavery, see Day 14’s Context).
❖ Materials: A list of songs.
Activity:
❖ Prepare a list of 10 songs that are familiar to your members. They may be Christian songs or popular Disney songs from Frozen or Moana.
❖ Ask for a volunteer to come forward and show them the title of the first song.
❖ Their job is to hum the melody (no singing, no lyrics) and the group guesses the title.
❖ If you’re doing this as one big group, give them three guesses. If the group is big, break into two and make it a competition. They have one guess each, and if they get it wrong, the other group has a go.
❖ Debrief:
➢ Most of us enjoy music and singing, right?
➢ In today’s reading, Paul talks about the gifts of music and singing. Let’s read it together!
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: What are the general instructions Paul gives to the Colossians (3:15-17)? Which instruction do you feel is most relevant to you, and why?
A: Paul instructs the Colossians, and us, to let the peace of Christ reign in our hearts because we have been called to peace. If your members struggle with worry, anxiety, or anger, they can pray this scripture in their own hearts. Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and He gives us true and lasting peace (John 14:27).
He instructs us to be thankful, sing to God with gratitude, and give thanks to God for everything. Most of us tend to take things for granted and if your members are middle or upper-middle-class, they may even feel entitled to have their usual luxuries. Remind them that a loving family, a comfortable home, delicious food to eat, and educational opportunities are all good gifts of God’s grace to us.
Paul also instructs us to let the message of Christ dwell in us. We must hear it, read it, study it, memorise it, and meditate on the Bible (see Day 13 Question 3). As we near the end of this 40-day devotional, your members will hopefully commit to continue reading God’s Word regularly and allowing it to renew their minds (Romans 12:2).
Paul instructs us to teach and admonish one another with wisdom, but not on our own authority or wisdom, but with the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), standing on the authority of His Word.
Paul also instructs us to do the above through music and singing, not just in corporate worship. Paul says to sing to one another, because songs have the potential to minister, teach and admonish one another if we have sinned against God. Members who play musical instruments or serve in worship teams may find this particularly relevant.
Lastly, Paul instructs us to do and say all things in Jesus’ name. What does this mean? Imagine if Student A tells Student B that the headmaster wants to see him. Won’t Student B’s teacher let him go? Of course, because Student A is representative, has authority and is doing the will of the headmaster. Here on earth, we function as representatives of Jesus and we are to do “all things” in His name – not just “Christian” things, but “normal” things like finishing our homework, revising for exams, or going out with friends.
2. Q: What are the specific instructions Paul gives to each member of the Colossian household (3:18-25)? Which of these do you feel is most relevant to you, and why?
A: Most members would choose verse 20 “Children, obey your parents...” as they are still minors. The only exception is if the parent’s instruction is morally wrong or goes against Jesus’ teaching, the child can and should respectfully refuse to obey.
The instructions to wives, husbands, and fathers may not be relevant, but they can start to think about these for the future. In our age of gender confusion and militant feminism, some may ask why wives need to submit to their husbands. If this question arises, explain to them that God’s heart for marriage is that it should be a life-long commitment (Malachi 2:16, Matthew 19:8-9). In such a long-term partnership, what happens if there is a disagreement which
cannot be resolved?
Ephesians 5:21 makes clear that marriage should be one of mutual submission. It is not that the wife should always give in to her husband like a doormat; the husband is also supposed to submit to his wife. More than that, he is to love her as Christ loves the Church (Ephesians 5:25-30). But what if there is a disagreement where neither one wants to submit? Those who do not believe in Jesus call this an “irreconcilable difference” and consider it valid grounds for divorce.
But for Christians who want to follow God’s design for marriage, rather than having husband and wife torn apart, it falls to the wife to submit to the husband. Is this difficult? Does it seem unfair? Perhaps yes, but if the marriage is to be kept and preserved, it must be so.
3. Q: Look at the general instruction and the specific instruction that you have chosen as most relevant to yourself in Question 1 and Question 2. What will you do in the coming week in order to live out these instructions with reverent obedience?
A: Challenge your members to think of concrete, practical ways of applying God’s Word to their lives in the coming week. Encourage them to share what they’ve done and the outcome in the next meeting, and keep each other accountable.
Conclusion:
❖ Remind your members to go forth ready to put Scripture into practice.
❖ End with Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
❖ Close in prayer.
Day 40: The Journey Begins
Lesson/Learning Objective: To continue the journey of growing in Christlikeness and following Jesus beyond these 40 days of devotions together.
Preparation:
❖ Bible verse: Read 2 Peter 1:5-11
❖ Context: For the Book of Peter’s general context, see Day 23. Unlike Paul, Peter writes to Christians in general without specifying their geographical location. In today’s reading, Peter lists out Christlike qualities that we should do our best to develop. By doing so, we will keep ourselves from being ineffective and unproductive Christians, and avoid being spiritually shortsighted and blind. Peter motivates us to grow in those qualities so that we can be 100% confident of our salvation and place in Christ’s Kingdom.
❖ Materials: A4 papers or mahjong paper, marker pens, a whiteboard.
Activity:
❖ Divide your members into groups of 5 or 6.
❖ Based on their knowledge of the Boys’ Brigade motto, logos etc., ask them to make a list of top 7 qualities or characteristics of a good BB member.
❖ Give them 5 minutes to write down on an A4 or mahjong paper.
❖ When done, ask them to take turns sharing the qualities, explaining one at a time.
❖ As they share, record their answers. Ask the other groups if they have the same one; if yes, write down the number of repetitions next to it. This is to speed up time and prevent repeat presentation.
❖ Debrief: Here is our agreed list of top 7 qualities of a Boys’ Brigade member. Let’s read about Peter's list of 7 qualities we should have as followers of Jesus!
Discussions:
❖ Read the Bible passage and the devotional article with the participants.
❖ Discuss the three questions:
1. Q: What are the seven qualities listed down by Peter that we should grow in as followers of Jesus (1:5-7)?
A: Peter lists down faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love.
2. Q: You chose one of these qualities to grow in on Day 23. How have you grown in it? Which one would you like to develop more of, moving forward?
A: This question is personal to your members. Give them some time to think evaluate themselves and share their answers. For the second part, encourage them to choose another quality to focus on, and to think of specific ways to practise it.
3. Q: What benefits will we reap from developing these Christlike qualities (1:8-11)?
A: i. We will be effective and productive in our relationship with Jesus. Our lives will be transformed and we will draw others to Jesus.
ii. We will not be spiritually short-sighted or blind. If we don’t grow, we’ll regress and dishonour Jesus, who died that we might be free of sin. Instead of looking forward to the perfect purpose of being with Him and like Him, we’ll forget that we’ve been set free and return to our sins again. In our spiritual life, there is no sitting on the fence. There is no staying still – we either go forward and upward, or backward and downward.
iii. We will be 100% sure of our salvation and place in Christ’s kingdom. As long as we are developing these Christlike qualities, maturing and bearing spiritual fruits, we need not worry about whether we are saved and whether we really belong to Jesus.
Conclusion:
❖ Congratulations on making it to the last day of our 40-day devotional journey together!
❖ Today’s article title is “The Journey Begins”, so it is only the beginning of your journey.
❖ Growing in Christlikeness, bearing lasting fruits and running the race of faith are things that do not just take 40 days, 40 weeks, 40 months, or even 40 years. This is a journey that will take a lifetime, until we make it to heaven.
❖ 40 days is just a sprint. Now, welcome to the marathon. May we focus on Jesus and run the race of faith with perseverance all the way to the end (Hebrews 12:1-3).
❖ Lead your members in singing “We’ll Be Faithful” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIu1fZEvR6o
❖ During the song, consider doing an altar call, inviting non-Christian members in one last opportunity to commit their lives to Jesus. Also invite Christian members to recommit wholly to Him. Remember to follow-up with those who respond to that call.
❖ Close in prayer.
