RCCG Sunday School Students Manual January 28th, 2018 Lesson 22 — Envy And Jealousy

TOPIC: Envy And Jealousy [Sunday, 28th January 2018]

MEMORY VERSE: “And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.” - Genesis 37:19

BIBLE PASSAGE: Genesis 37:3-4, 9-11

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

9 And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me.

10 And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?

11 And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

INTRODUCTION:

Envy comes from the Latin word: "in video" meaning to see against or look with ill mind. Jealousy involves suspicious fear or apprehension. While envy denotes a longing to possess something awarded to or achieved by another (Genesis 26:14; 30:1), jealousy denotes a feeling or resentment that another has gained something one may desire (1Samuel 18:6-9).

Envy and jealousy are works of the flesh. They are traits of the Christian's former ways of life which need to be completely dealt with (Titus 3:3).

LESSON OUTLINES:

1. Evil effects of envy and jealousy
2. How to overcome envy and jealousy

EVIL EFFECTS OF ENVY AND JEALOUSY

1. Envy or jealousy can deny one from inheriting the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

2. It could lead to anger, self-destruction or divine wrath (Genesis 27:41; Proverbs 27:4; Numbers 12:5-10).

3. It could create an avenue of separation from God (1Samuel 18:7-10).

4. It could also bring about personal harm or weaken one's physical, spiritual and emotional well-being (Job 5:2; Proverbs 14:30).

5. It manifests the deceitfulness of sin and human immorality apart from the intervention of God's redeeming grace (Romans 1:28-32).

6. It could tear believers apart (Genesis 13:7-8; 1Corinthians 3:3-5).

7. It can degenerate to gang up against others (Daniel 6:3-4).

HOW TO OVERCOME ENVY AND JEALOUSY

1. Be content with what you have (Proverbs 15:16; 1Timothy 6:6).

2. Deal with the thought of envy or jealousy and do not allow it have foothold in your mind (Romans 12:2; 1Samuel 18:8).

3. Let the faithful avoid the company of the ungodly people (Psalm 1:1; 2Corinthians 6:14-16).

4. Allow the power of the Holy Spirit to subdue all forms of carnality by walking in the Spirit (1Corinthians 3:3; Galatians 5:16; 1Peter 2:1).

5. Make the word of God your guide and the grace of God your support (Psalm 119:11, 105; Colossians 3:16).

CONCLUSION:

Whoever envies or is jealous of another confesses the superiority of that person and we do not need to be blinded by these against our own weaknesses or sins. When we understand where these feelings of discontent come from, we can learn how to deal with same in more healthy and adaptive ways.

QUESTIONS:

1. What are the evil effects of envy or jealousy?
2. Mention five ways of overcoming envy or jealousy.

Sunday School Hymn

1. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
O how I love Thee well,
I am happy, it makes me glad
To rejoice at Thy birth.

2. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day, Thy friendship suits me well,
Both young and old will sing Thy song,
We long for Sunday School.

3. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Christ was Thy first teacher,
The Holy Spirit, great teacher,
Does manifest in thee.

4. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
This testimony is sure,
That God, the Father Almighty,
Poured His blessing on Thee.

5. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
Though the sun be so bright,
Or if the clouds black with rain,
I'll be in Sunday School.

6. O Sunday School, on the Lord's day,
I rejoice to see Thee,
Will thou pass over me today?
Without my being blest?