A Sunday School Lesson On Sharing

Here is a Sunday school lesson or Bible study on sharing.

Sharing in Sufferings

First Peter 4:13-14 “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

Now I can imagine that you’re thinking that this is supposed to be a lesson on sharing but it is; it’s the fact that we will be sharing in is the sufferings of Christ. In fact, if you’re insulted on account of His name, you just got blessed! That’s because “the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” when you’re insulted for Jesus Christ’s sake, so to all our adversaries, we should say “Thank you for the blessing and allowing me to share in Christ’s suffering. You meant your insults for bad but God means them for my good” (Gen 50:20). We need to learn to receive the blessing of being despised as Jesus says, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10) and “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:11-12) so it’s actually a good thing to “share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” (2nd Cor 1:5).

Do you share in the sufferings of Christ?

Do you have any persecution, a lot, or none? Why?

Is it hard to visualize “your reward is great in heaven?”

Is it easier to endure knowing the prophets and even Jesus went through it?

No Share with an Unbeliever

Second Corinthians 6:15 “What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?”

The church is to share what they have been blessed with but we have no share with the world. Yes, we have to be in the world but we must not be part of the world (John 17:16) since “friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). Paul warns, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness” (2nd Cor 6:14) for “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2nd Cor 6:16).

What is the risk in walking in the dark?

What does Paul mean that we should “not be unequally yoked with unbelievers?”

What share do we have with unbelievers?

Being Ready to Share

First Timothy 6:18 “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.”

Jesus was highly concerned for the poor, the sick, the destitute, and so he taught that “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise” (Luke 3:11) which basically means, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Heb 13:16). They are to not only to do good and be rich in good works, but part of these “good works” means being generous to the poor and being ready to share.

What does Paul mean “being ready to share?”

Do we have to be rich to do good works?

Are good works the same as sacrifices to God? If so, in what ways?

Sharing in Eternal Life

Revelation 20:6 “Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”

The greatest thing we have to share in is eternal life through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. If anyone believes in Jesus Christ, they can be saved (Acts 4:12) as He says “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this” (John 11:25-26)? I hope you do believe that because Jesus says “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matt 12:30). You can either believe and receive eternal life or reject Him and have the wrath of God abiding on you forever (John 3:36).

What is “the second death” and why does it have no power over the saints?

Have you shared the good news of Jesus Christ with anyone lately?

What does it mean “they will reign with him for a thousand years?”

Isn’t the reign of the saints to be forever (Rev 1:6)?

Conclusion

I urge you in your study to look at all of the Bible verses and read them aloud in the class so that you can get the most out of this lesson on sharing because we who have much, have much to share, and we who have little can share at least something, even if it’s only good works for someone, but we all must share in some way with the Body of Christ. We were made to have a relationship with God but also with one another and in every relationship there is usually sharing.

What have you shared with someone lately?

Is it hard to share?

What has changed in your understanding in this study about sharing?

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.