April 2, 2023 – Psalms 8; 78; 91; 118

Lesson Date: April 2, 2023

Focal Scripture Passage: Psalm 8:2; 78:2; 91:11-12; 118:22-26

AIM: To lead students to discover five specific prophecies that were perfectly fulfilled during Jesus Christ’s life, and to encourage (a) any who have never trusted Christ for salvation to do so, and (b) those who know Jesus to thank Him for proving Himself to be Lord through fulfilled prophecies.

Before class: Read the notes on Psalms 78; 91; and 118  found in the Sunday School Teacher Book (Psalm 8 is not included in the current teacher book).  Write or print the following scripture references on small pieces of paper: Matthew 4:6; Matthew 13:34-35; Matthew 21:9, 15-16, 42; Matthew 23:39.  Give those out to volunteers before class begins.  Bring a weather forecast to class that includes predictions of today’s weather as well as a five- or ten-day-forecast (you can find this in the newspaper or print it from www.weather.com).  Write the word “Predictions” on the marker board or chalkboard.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Ask: “Do you ever check the weather forecast?  Why do you do that?” (probably everyone does; we check it to find out how to dress for the day, whether we need a coat, whether we need to carry an umbrella, etc.).  Ask: “Do you ever check the five- or ten-day-forecast?” (probably most do, perhaps when going on a trip).

Ask: “Which is most likely to be accurate, today’s forecast or the one for ten days from now?” (today’s).  Point out that even we who are not trained as meteorologists can make a pretty good guess about today’s weather by observing the sky and feeling the wind, but a long-range guess of what the weather will be ten days from now is not likely to be exactly accurate.  Meteorologists make their predictions based on past weather patterns, recognizing that the weather in April of this year will probably be similar to the weather in April for the last 100 years.

Ask: “Which is least likely to be accurate, a weather forecast for ten days from now or a prediction of exactly what some specific people will say 1,000 years from now?” (the prediction of what someone will say).  Ask the class if they agree we have no way of knowing what someone will say in a certain situation 1,000 years from now.

Direct the students’ attention to the word “Predictions” written on the board.  Tell them weather forecasts are predictions.  Explain that “predictions” in the Bible are usually called prophecies.  Tell them this and the next two lessons from the book of Psalms focus on some of the predictions (prophecies) of things that took place during the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ – up to 1,000 years after they were written.  The title of today’s lesson is Christ’s Life and Ministry.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind the students that we have spent the last three weeks studying Psalm 119.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Love God’s Word).
   • Ask if any volunteers would recite last week’s memory verses (Psalm 119:105 and 128).
   • Explain that today’s lesson will pull selected verses from several different Psalms.
2. The Children Greeted Jesus as Messiah.
   • Read Psalm 8:2.
   • Ask: “Do you remember a time in Jesus’ ministry when He quoted this verse?” (they probably do).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Matthew 21:15-16.
   • Explain the following:
     • By saying “Hosanna to the son of David,” the children were greeting Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah.
     • The chief priests and scribes rebuked Jesus for accepting the praise and worship of the children.
     • Jesus corrected them by quoting Psalm 8:2.
   • Tell the class that God inspired David to write those words around 1,000 c. so Jesus could quote them in that specific situation 1,000 years later. That’s an impressive prediction!
   • Summarize: God, through the psalmist David, prophesied that children would greet Jesus as the Messiah – a thousand years before it occurred.
3. Jesus Taught in Parables.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Psalm 78.
   • Tell them Psalm 78 recounts the history of Israel, noting Israel’s repeated sin in contrast to God’s longsuffering and mercy.
   • Read Psalm 78:2.
   • Ask: “How do you think this prophecy relates to Jesus’ ministry?” (they will probably say that Jesus often taught in parables).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Matthew 13:34-35.
   • Note that verse 35 is quoted from Psalm 78:2.
   • Ask the volunteer to read the first phrase of verse 35 again (“That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet”).
   • Explain the following:
     • On more than 30 occasions the Gospels tell us that Christ’s actions were in direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
     • Psalm 78 was written by Asaph, who was one of King David’s chief musicians and lived 1,000 years before Christ.
   • Tell the class that God inspired Asaph to write Psalm 78 around 1,000 c. so Jesus could quote verse 2 in that specific situation 1,000 years later. That’s an impressive prediction!
   • Summarize: God, through the psalmist Asaph, prophesied that Jesus would teach in parables – a thousand years before His earthly ministry.
4. The Devil Tempted Jesus to Put God to the Test.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Psalm 91.
   • Tell them Psalm 91 is about the safety and security enjoyed by those who place their trust in the Lord; it is a comforting psalm to read when we are afraid or under attack.
   • Read Psalm 91:11-12.
   • Ask: “Do those verses sound familiar?” (they may or may not recognize them).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Matthew 4:6.
   • Explain the following:
     • The devil quoted Psalm 91:11-12 when he challenged Jesus to prove He was the Son of God by throwing Himself off the pinnacle of the Temple.
     • Read Deuteronomy 6:16.
     • Jesus resisted the devil’s temptation by quoting that verse.
     • Explain that if we take a biblical promise out of context and challenge the Lord to do what we want, we are putting God to the test.
   • Ask: “Did you realize that the devil can quote scripture?” (they may or may not).
   • Explain the following:
     • Since the devil is an angelic being with super-human brain power, he knows the Bible better that we do.
     • When he quotes scripture, however, he always takes it out of context, leaves out something important, or twists its meaning.
     • Just because a person quotes scripture, that does not mean they are a genuine believer or will give trustworthy advice.
     • God inspired an unknown psalmist to write Psalm 91 hundreds of years before Christ, knowing that the devil would use its promises to tempt the Lord.
     • The Lord also inspired Moses to write the book of Deuteronomy around 1,400 c., so Jesus could use its words to rebuke the devil.
   • Summarize: God, through an unknown psalmist and through Moses, wrote words the devil and Jesus would later quote many centuries later.
5. The Rejected Corner Stone.
   • Ask everyone to turn to Psalm 118.
   • Tell them Psalm 118 is a wonderful expression of praise and thanksgiving for God’s mercy and help.
   • Read Psalm 118:22-25.
   • Ask: “Do you know what a cornerstone is and why it was significant in ancient buildings?”
   • Explain the following:
     • Ancient buildings, especially important ones, were built out of large cut stones.
     • The most important stone was the cornerstone. If its placement, level, or alignment were off the slightest amount then the entire building would be crooked, misshapen, and unstable.  It was vital to have a perfect corner stone.
     • When the cornerstone arrived at the construction site, the master builders would examine it to make sure it was perfect. If it was not, the builders would reject it and cut a new corner stone.
   • Ask: “Do you recall a time in Jesus’ ministry when this verse was quoted?” (they probably will).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Matthew 21:42.
   • Tell the students Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22-23.
   • Ask: “Who is the cornerstone?” (Jesus Christ).
   • Ask: “Who do you think the builders were?” (the Jewish religious leaders who were supposed to build on the firm foundation of Christ, but rejected Him instead).
   • Stress the fact that God made Jesus Christ – the one Jewish religious leaders rejected – the very foundation of His kingdom and of our faith.
   • Tell the class that Psalm 118:24 is a popular memory verse.
   • Ask: “Did you realize it is included in a passage talking about the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to bring us salvation?” (they probably didn’t).
   • Explain that the prophecy of Christ as the cornerstone is repeated five more times in the New Testament, even though it was written hundreds of years before Christ came. That’s an impressive prediction!
   • Summarize: God, through an unknown psalmist, prophesied that Jesus would be the chief cornerstone but rejected by the Jews – hundreds of years before His earthly ministry.
6. The People Welcomed Jesus as Messiah.
   • Tell the students we will examine one more prophecy today.
   • Read Psalm 118:26.
   • Ask: “Does that sound familiar? If so, when was it quoted?” (they will probably recognize it as being shouted by the crowds when Jesus entered Jerusalem).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Matthew 21:9.
   • Explain the following:
     • The Jews of Jesus’ day clearly understood Psalm 118:26 to be a prophecy of the coming Messiah.
     • By shouting this scripture verse as Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowd was proclaiming Him to be the Messiah.
     • Jesus did not, however, meet their expectations of a militaristic Messiah who would free them from Roman domination, so they quickly rejected Him.
     • Today is the Sunday before Easter, traditionally known as Palm Sunday, when Christians commemorate Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem.
   • Ask: “Do you recall another time in Jesus’ ministry when the words of Psalm 118:26 were quoted?” (they may not).
   • Ask the previously enlisted volunteer to read Matthew 23:39.
   • Explain that Jesus quoted this verse about Himself when He was lamenting over Jerusalem’s rejection of Him as Lord.
   • Tell the class that hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth, God inspired an unnamed psalmist to write the words “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,” knowing that the crowds in Jerusalem would quote those words during Christ’s “Triumphal Entry,” and that Jesus would quote them speaking of His future coming when all Israel will truly welcome Him as their Messiah and Lord. That’s an impressive prediction!
   • Summarize: God, through an unknown psalmist, prophesied that many centuries later crowds in Jerusalem would hail Jesus as the promised Messiah and that Jesus would speak of his coming Kingdom.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Tell the students that we have studied five very specific Old Testament prophecies that were perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  Tell them there are dozens of other prophecies about Jesus, many of which are found in the book of Psalms.

Explain that mathematicians have studied the possibility of all these prophecies being fulfilled in any one person and determined that it is mathematically impossible; in other words, throughout all of human history there simply have not been enough people born on planet earth to make it possible for any one of them to fulfill all the prophecies.

In spite of that mathematical impossibility, however, Jesus Christ fulfilled them ALL!

Ask: “How is that possible?” (because God inspired the prophecies and He supernaturally made sure they were all fulfilled).  Tell the students that only God could do that, and He did it to prove that Jesus was in fact the long-awaited Messiah, the one and only Savior and Lord of the universe.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Tell them that in spite of the many fulfilled prophecies, people still reject Jesus.  Ask: “Have you ever trusted Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord?  If not, what is stopping you?  Would you turn from your sins and place your faith in Jesus right now?  If you already know Jesus, why don’t you thank Him for proving Himself to be Lord by fulfilling all the Old Testament prophecies?”  Voice a closing prayer.

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Psalm 118:14.  Tell them to rejoice in the fact that Jesus is their Savior, and to look for opportunities to tell others about Him this week.