1

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER

MAKING MY CHOICESA Life Governed by the Holy Spirit

By David Robinson

Volume 21, No. 4, Fall Quarter, 2021Editor in Chief: Kyle Elkins, kyle.elkins@bogardstore.orgBusiness Manager: Dean Grigsby, dean.grigsby@bogardstore.org© 2021, Bogard Press, 4605 N. State Line Ave. Texarkana, TX 75503-2928www.bogardpress.org; 1-800-264-2482

Lesson 1-September 5, 2021Adam’s Choice

Lesson 2-September 12, 2021Abraham’s Choice

Lesson 3-September 19, 2021Moses’ Choice

Lesson 4-September 26, 2021Joshua’s Choice

Lesson 5-October 3, 2021Vashti’s Choice

Lesson 6-October 10, 2021Jonah’s Choice

Lesson 7-October 17, 2021 Daniel’s Choice

03

08

13

18

23

28

32

37

42

47

52

57

61

Lesson 8-October 24, 2021 Martha’s Choice/Mary’s Choice

Lesson 9-October 31, 2021 Peter’s Choice

Lesson 10-November 7, 2021Jesus’ Choice

Lesson 11-November 14, 2021Barnabas’ Choice

Lesson 12-November 21, 2021Paul’s Choice

Lesson 13-November 28, 2021Your Choice

3

NOTE: This is not a traditional help for the teacher; instead, it is a day-by-day guide to aid the teacher in lesson preparation. Use of this guide will assure that the teacher is prepared and that adequate lesson material is available for the class time allotted. The help for the teacher will be integrated with the student lesson material. The preparation time suggested is ten to fifteen minutes each day for five days. Each section of the lesson material is covered in one of the preparation days. This will allow the teacher, whether a professional or a novice, to be prepared to present each lesson with a minimum of effort. The key to success is the regular and consistent use of the material. It is vital that the teacher devote a small amount of time each day to lesson preparation.

DAILY PLANMONDAY, DAY 1INTRODUCING THE LESSON1. Read the Scripture passage for Lesson 1. Read the Text Commentary section of the teacher’s help. Make a note of any comments that might provoke questions from the class.2. Consider the following questions to use in the introduction of your lesson. A. What ability sets human beings apart from other creatures? B. How are we shaped by the choices we make?3. LookupanyarticlesyoucanfindonAdamandEve.Visityourchurchlibrary or ask your pastor for help.4. Write at least two good declarative sentences you can use to begin your lesson.5. Pray and ask the Lord to guide you in your preparation. TUESDAY, DAY 2–TAKE A CLOSER LOOKEXPLAINING THE SCRIPTURES1. Read again the Bible passage used for the text of the lesson. Refer to

the notes you made on Day 1 concerning any part of the text that is difficulttounderstand.

Scripture: Genesis 3:6; Romans 5:12-14

Aim: By the end of the lesson the student will discuss the consequences of Adam’s choice to sin.

ADAM’S CHOICE

September 5, 2021Lesson 1

4

2. Read the “Take a Closer Look” section of the student quarterly. Consider the following questions for use in presentation of the lesson material.

A. How were Adam and Eve brought into existence?B. Where did they live?C. What was the basic problem behind Adam’s choice to sin?D. Whatisonedefinitionofsin?E. Was Adam deceived? Was Eve deceived?F. Are the consequences of a choice determined by the

circumstances of the choice?G. What is the “blame chain” involved in Adam’s choice?H. What are the two different views of human nature? Which is

correct?I. According to James 1:15, what is the conclusion of sin?J. How can we have spiritual life even though we are sinners by

nature?3. Use any reference materials you have available to answer any questions

you may have discovered from your reading of the text verses.4. Pray about what you have learned and about your preparation for

this lesson.

WEDNESDAY, DAY 3–PERSPECTIVESAPPLYING THE MATERIAL TO THE LIVES OF THE STUDENTS1. Once more read the Bible passage used as the text of the lesson.2. Read the “Perspectives” section of the student quarterly. Consider the

following questions for class discussion.A. Can sin ever be a completely private matter that does not

involve anyone else?B. Can we ever foresee all the consequences of any choice that

we make C. What is the only safe way to make any decisionD. Whatisthefirstbadchoicemostpeoplemakewithregardto

God ?3. Writedownaspecificlessonyouhavelearnedfromyourstudythat

you want to be certain to share with your class.4. Pray about what you have learned and about your preparation to

teach.

THURSDAY, DAY 4–BUILDING BLOCKSMAKING POSITIVE CHANGES IN THE LIVES OF MY STUDENTS1. Read again the Bible passage used as the lesson text.2. Read the “Building Blocks” section of the student quarterly.Choose

some of the following questions to challenge your class members to make changes in their lives based on their understanding of the Bible.

A. Will the choice Adam made ever be repeated?B. Are we sinners by nature only?C. How does our personal decision to sin begin?D. How can we make wise choices that will have blessed

consequences?

5

3. At this point be sure to have answers to all the questions suggested here and in the lesson material. If you have any other matters that you want to discuss with your class, note them now so that you can research them before class time.

4. Pray about the lesson material asking God to lead you in your preparation.

FRIDAY, DAY 5–SPRINGBOARDTAKING THE LESSON MATERIAL INTO OUR FUTURE1. Read once more the Bible passage used as the lesson text. Remember

the best way to learn the Bible is to study the Bible.2. Read the “Springboard” section of the student quarterly.3. Are there students in your class who have personal spiritual decisions

to make? Don’t be confrontational, but present an opportunity for open and frank discussion of spiritual problems.

4. Present the plan of salvation. Those who are lost need to hear it, and those who are saved need to be reminded of it.

5. Plan a discussion of the circumstances and consequences of Adam’s choice to sin.

6. Make your own brief outline of how you intend to use your class time. 7. Gather any materials you will need for the class and organize them as

you intend to use them.8. Pray again. Ask God to guide you and prepare your heart to teach His Word.

TEXT COMMENTARY The Bible is always its own best commentary. We have a wonderful example of this in the lesson text. We read in Genesis chapter 3 about the sin of Adam and Eve. Then we read in Romans 5 a divine commentary on this situation. Adam is mentioned twenty-seven times in the Bible, and you would do well to read these verses and learn all you can about Adam and the situation that brought sin into the world.

The lesson here is about the great consequences of what might appear to be a “little” sin. We divide sin into categories. We decide that some sins are minor and other sins are major, but God does not make such distinctions. All sin is wrong and all sin has consequences. We may look at Adam and only see a man who took a bite of the forbidden fruit, but the consequences of that act of disobedience have fallen on every human being who has lived since Adam. One great lesson here is that we cannot see the future. We do not know what consequences our sins will have, so the best thing to do is to avoid sin as much as we are able and then to have our sins forgiven as quickly as possible.

The situation in the Garden of Eden was really simple and uncomplicated. We must stress Eden was a real place and Adam and Eve were real people. Genesis is not some kind of moral allegory. Adam, Eve, Noah and Abraham were real people. Oddly, those who deny Adam was a real person readily accept Abraham was real and that the accounts of his life are literal. All of the book of Genesis is true and the people in it are as real as you and I are real.

God created Adam and Eve and placed them in the sinless paradise known as the Garden of Eden. Every need was supplied there. Adam and

6

Eve were free to do whatever they wanted. There was only one prohibition placed on them. They were not to eat the fruit of one of the trees in this garden. Incidentally, there is no evidence at all to support the idea that this was an apple tree. We do not know what the fruit was, but we do know some of the characteristics of it. The fruit was pretty to look at. It was good for food (that is, it tasted good) and it was desired to make one wise. This is saying the fruit of this tree appealed to all of our human senses.

The penalty for disobedience was clearly spelled out to Adam (Gen. 2: 17). He could eat freely from every other tree, but, if he ate from this tree, he would die. The matter was really simple. Adam and Eve could obey God and leave this tree alone, or they could disobey God and eat its fruit. We should note there was absolutely no penalty for righteousness here. There never is. They would not have missed out on anything if they had chosen to obey God, but they made a different choice.

Eve was deceived by the lies and half-truths of the serpent. She violated the rule God had given. Adam was not deceived. He knew the truth but deliberately chose to disobey and disregard the command of God and eat the fruit anyway.

Immediately, there were consequences to this sin. The life-style of Adam and Eve changed permanently. Now they knew things they had not known before. They had to change their appearance and their thinking. Most importantly, their relationship with God changed. Before they sinned, God had walked with them in this garden at the close of every day. Now they no longer welcomed God into their lives. They tried to hide from Him. Adam was now afraid of the God who had made him.

The immediate consequences of this sin for Adam and Eve seem small when we consider the consequences that have come on all humanity. We read in Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” It was by one man and by one act that sin gained an entrance into the world. Adam’s sin was a gateway for evil to be incorporated into the nature and being of humanity. From Adam’s time on, all men would be sinners by birth as well as sinners by choice. There would be no more neutrality in the matter of sin.

This would be a hopeless case, but another man without sin would enter the world. This is Jesus Christ, and Jesus would make another choice. His choice would not be to disobey God or to violate the rules of God. His choice would be to obey His Father in Heaven, even at the cost of His own life. Sin came into the world by Adam, but righteousness comes through Jesus Christ.

There is an important difference to note. Sin is automatic; righ-teousness is of faith. We do not have to take any action to die. The appointment with death has already been made. We do have to repent and place our faith in Jesus to have life. Jesus came so that we could have life and He offers it abundantly to all who will trust Him.

Challenge your students to understand the power of their choices as they choose to sin or to trust and follow Jesus.

7

ANSWER KEY

Answers given in this section apply to questions in the High School Journal.

1. Various answers2. Only to a limited extent3. Will it get us where we want to go?

Take a Closer LookRomans 5:12-14, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (for until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.”

Perspectives1. This is my business. What I do doesn’t concern you.2. Unforeseen consequences3. As God teaches us4. Disregard the teachings of God

Building BlocksThe two views are given in the “Take a Closer Look” section. These can be discussed in class.

Springboard1. God2. Various answers3. They are standards we should accept.4. Yes