Sunday School

I recently spoke at my grandmother’s Sunday school class after she came down with the flu and pretty much laid in bed the entire time that she was sick. Needless to say, she wasn't up to teaching, so she asked me if I would. How many people remember Sunday school? Maybe you didn't grow up in church, but I did. I remember it being fun in some aspects; I used to tell the teacher an alternate name when she would ask me what my name was. Mostly, it was long and boring though. The teachers would give me those wretched books with really cheesy pictures of Bible characters that were “supposed” to help you learn about God. Know wonder I would aggravate the teacher when I would enter the classroom. When I used to go to church with my grandmother, she would hand me a torn, weathered dollar bill to put into the manila envelope the treasurer of her class would pass around each week to teach us to tithe, but I also think it was so they could buy those blasted books. Side note: I really think those books have some good material and do help a lot of people, I just really don't like academics and the thought of workbooks frightened me, key word WORK.

So, when she asked me to speak for her class I knew that I was going to have to speak out of one of those rancid books, the books I dread the most. I would rather read Leviticus (which is funny just reading) than to teach out of that book. But, after hearing my grandmother in her weakened tone ask if I would teach for her, I couldn't help but to think of all those times she made me cinnamon butter toast, so I agreed. I took the book home and looked over the lesson. It finally came time to teach the class and I was nervous! I was about to enter a classroom that held the honor of hosting a group of thirty-nine year old ladies that had turned thirty-nine several, several years ago (I say that just in case they read this). These ladies had experience, knowledge, maturity, and blue hair. I felt as though I couldn't possibly teach them anymore about God, Jesus to these well honored ladies. I mean they had the class named after one of the sweet souls that used to grace the teaching duties until she went on to the great Bingo game in the sky. Also, I didn't know what to wear. I hadn't been to this church in quite sometime and I didn't know if your Sunday best was still in mandate. So, I opted for the nice, but casual approach; sports coat and polo shirt with dress pants and the nicest shoes I owned. I figured if they were going to stone me I was at least going to look good while they did it. I arrived way early because I figured if I was going to play the role of my grandmother, Joan, I better go all the way.

As the sweet ladies slowly entered the room they talked at loud levels of volume and expressed time and time again that I was Joan's grandson and her son, Doug's boy. Now when you speak to older ladies and you are a man, you must remember one thing. Ask for permission before you act. For example, if I wanted to remove my sports coat, since I'm the hottest natured person and the thermostat was set for Hades in the classroom, I would need to ask before doing so. In the same respect, I asked before beginning the Sunday school lesson, "God moves hearts to action." The lesson scripture was out of Ezra, which I previously knew nothing about. I'm just being honest. I mean the last time I heard Ezra was when they played that song "Good" by Better than Ezra on the radio four years ago. So, I opted to do the unthinkable and see what happened. I strayed from the lesson book. Gasp if you need to right now. I chose, on the other hand, to speak about another time that God moved someone's heart for action, Elijah on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18. You talk about tent revival. This was one that would go down in the Bible, not just the record books. So, Elijah is the only prophet of the LORD left, and God commands him to go to the prophet of Baal's, basically a prayer meeting for prophets of false gods and idols. Obviously there was a little dispute about who’s god was real, so the 450 prophets of Baal got a bull and prepared it for sacrifice by cutting it into pieces and putting it on wood. Elijah did the same to his, but neither lit them on fire. The deal was that the prophets of Baal would call on the name of their god for fire to fall from heaven and Elijah would call on the LORD. The god that was to answer by fire - he was God. It says in verse 26, “The prophets of Baal prayed and shouted, ‘O Baal, answer us!’ But there was no response; no one answered”. Elijah, which you have to love this, began to taunt the prophets of Baal saying that maybe their god was busy, or quite possibly on the toilet. Can you imagine taunting someone about their god going to the bathroom; el baños? I love it. Finally, Elijah told the prophets to come to him. “He took twelve stones, one for each tribe descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come to, saying, ‘Your name shall be Israel.’ With the stones he built the alter in the name of the LORD” (18:31-32). Elijah then asked the prophets of Baal to fill jars of water and pour it over the alter not once, but three times, and they did so. Then “Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again" (18: 36b-37). Then, the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the bull, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD - he is God! The LORD - he is God" (18:30)!

When I was done telling Elijah’s story, I could feel and sense the presence of God in that room, moving in those older, mature, and wiser ladies, and even in myself. Elijah obeyed, made himself a servant of God, and it was amazing what happened as a result. The LORD can work through you to bring glory to Himself in the most unlikely of situations. With the ladies staring at me in front of the marker board, I said, "May we begin to be obedient when we hear His voice in our prayers and may we live a life that would bring glory and honor to God." They looked moved and seemed filled with the Spirit and truth and I began to pray.

You see I noticed a couple of things that morning in that Sunday school experience that I had never noticed before. One, no matter how old or young, you genuinely want truth and love. And second, we all want to feel like we are making a difference; that we have left some sort of impression on another individual’s heart. After all was said and done with the lesson, one lady complimented another on her teaching skills demonstrated within the class. The first lady responded softly, but questioned herself saying, "I sometimes wonder if I'm really doing anything." How many times do you ask yourself a similar question? I know that I do. I was encouraged by the lady’s honesty and her humbleness. I know that as human beings, we are meant for something meaningful and purposeful, just like Elijah. First, we should start by asking ourselves if we are really listening to the voice of God or listening to ourselves. We must be obedient to Him and get under His authority so that we can get over what God has placed under us. By getting under His authority we will always receive God’s blessings, protection, and an authority to accomplish great things in the name of El Shaddai (God Almighty). You may cause God’s Holy fire to penetrate hardened hearts through the power of prayer, or completely change the face of history by an awesome God movement. Regardless, it shall be known The LORD - he is God! The LORD - he is God!