
SUPPLEMENTAL SCRIPTURES
- Exodus 35:29
- Isaiah 1:19
- 2 Corinthians 8:12
In the first portion of our text we see the willingness of Elisha to follow the man of God, Elijah. Elisha burned his plow, made a sacrifice of his oxen, said goodbye to the family, and was on his way. Let’s take a look at how important it is to have a willing and uncomplaining spirit in the service of God.
QUESTIONS
- What did Elijah do when he passed by Elisha? What was the significance of this?
- How did Elijah respond when Elisha followed after him? What would the natural human reaction be to the response Elijah gave?
- Elisha proved his willingness by his actions. What were these actions? What do they tell us about how we should respond to God’s call for service?
- Paraphrase Matthew 10:38-40.
- What was Moses willing to give up and what was he willing to do? For what reason? See Hebrews 11:24-26.
- What was Ruth willing to do to serve the Lord? See Ruth 1:15-17.
- What do you think is most important in our service to the Lord?
- We not only need to be willing in our service but also uncomplaining in our attitude. The Children of Israel often complained in the wilderness. What does it mean to be uncomplaining, and why is it so necessary?
- There are rewards connected with service for the Lord. What does Isaiah 1:19 tell us about this?
- How do our attitudes toward God’s service affect those around us? See Colossians 3:23.
THEME THOUGHTS
What makes a hero? Everyone, no matter what his age, seems to have a hero—someone he looks up to and admires. A great deal of a person’s behavior can be traced to the figure he or she has chosen as a role model. Are you in a period of transition? Are you facing the challenge of growing as a Christian. These lessons have been structured with the thought of helping you face this challenge head-on by giving you examples of people in the Bible who exemplified characteristics that would be good to pattern after. We will be studying about heroes found in the Old Testament and in the New Testament, including our greatest Hero—Jesus. These lessons will cover some of the women in the Bible as well as the men. Elisabeth’s faith, Deborah’s confidence, the self-denial of the widow of Zarephath, and the perseverance of the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment are wonderful examples of feminine heroes we will be learning about. The other lessons will cover Zacharias’ faith, the obedience of Joseph (Jesus’ earthly father), John the Baptist’s fearless witnessing, Gideon’s example of courage, Caleb’s determination to wholly follow the Lord, the persecution of Stephen, Ananias’ determination to serve God, and Elisha’s willing service. Our aim is that with the concluding lesson, which summarizes this quarter on choosing the right kind of heroes, you will have learned which character qualities make someone a real hero. We pray that you yourself will want to become a good example for someone else to follow.