RCCG Sunday School Teacher’s Manual 26th January 2025 – Suicide: Not An Option
RCCG Sunday School Teacher’s Manual Is used in Sunday School Classes in the RCCG. The Sunday School manual is designed to provide you with practice lessons and topics of study. It also covers the issues you should be familiar with to be a well-rounded participant in the RCCG Sunday School classes.
How to conduct fellowship meetings, help the members explore their callings and gifts in their current positions and service areas and many more.
In This post, you will see:
- Memory Verse, Bible Passage/Scripture References, Lesson Outlines, Questions RCCG Sunday School Teacher’s Manual 26th January 2025.
- RCCG Sunday school Hymn (click to see lyrics )
- Rccg Open Heavens for Today
Topic: Suicide: Not An Option
Sunday School Teacher’s Manual 2025 Lesson No: 22
Opening Prayer: Father, I reject any suicidal thought in Jesus‘ name.
PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE: The teacher should review the previous week’s lesson.
BIBLE PASSAGE: Jonah 4:1-6 (KJV)
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.
2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.
3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
4 Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?
5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.
6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.
MEMORY VERSE: “If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come.” – Job 14:14 (KJV)
LESSON INTRODUCTION: Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s death or deliberately taking one’s life. Some of the common signs of suicidal thoughts are intense sadness and/or hopelessness; not caring about activities that used to matter; withdrawal from family, friends, sports, and social activities; and substance (drug, alcohol) abuse.
LESSON AIM: To discourage the act of suicide.
TEACHING OBJECTIVES: Through this lesson, students should be able to:
a. See people in the Bible who passed through hard times and how God helped them.
b. Discover the antidotes to suicidal thoughts.
TEACHING PLAN:
To achieve the above-stated objectives, the teacher should:
a. Allow the students to read the Bible passage, recite the memory verse, review the previous week’s lesson, and participate in the class discussion.
b. Allow the Assistant Teacher to conduct the class, mark the attendance and Assignment and take the closing prayer.
c. Teach the lesson outline, summarize, conclude, and evaluate the lesson and give an assignment.
TEXT REVIEW: Jonah 4:1-6.
This is the story of Jonah whom God gave an assignment, but he initially, disobeyed. At one point, he got frustrated and wanted to die but God helped him out. Read and summarise the passage.
i. Jonah was displeased with his assignment V1.
ii. …………………………………………………………… V2
iii. ………………………………………………………….. V3
iv. ………………………………………………………….. V4
v. ……………………………….…………………………… V5
vi. ………………………………………………………….. V6
LESSON OUTLINES:
- THE BIBLICAL VIEW AND INSTANCES
- CAUSES AND ANTIDOTES TO SUICIDAL THOUGHTS/ATTEMPTS
1. THE BIBLICAL VIEW AND INSTANCES
The class should discuss why they think it is evil to commit suicide. Then, the teacher should teach as follows:
A. 1. God is
i. The giver of life (Genesis 2:7).
ii. He gives and He takes away (Job 1:21).
- God is the only one who should decide when a person dies. Therefore,
i. Suicide is ungodly and equal to murder (self-murder):
ii. It rejects God’s gift of life.
- No one should presume to take God’s authority and thus, end his or her own life (Ezekiel 18:4).
B. Some people committed suicide in the Scripture:
i. Saul (1 Samuel 31:4),
ii. Saul’s armour-bearer (1 Samuel 31:4-6),
iii. Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17:23),
iv. Zimri (1 Kings 16:18)
v. Judas Iscariot (Matthew 27:5).
C. Some others felt deep despair in life.
i. Solomon, in his pursuit of pleasure, reached the point where he “hated life” (Ecclesiastes 2:17).
ii. Elijah was fearful and depressed and yearned for death (1 Kings 19:4).
iii. Jonah was so angry at God that he wished to die (Jonah 4:8).
iv. Apostle Paul and his missionary companions at one point were under great pressure that resulted in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8).
D. However, none of these men committed suicide.
i. Solomon learned to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
ii. Elijah was comforted by an angel, allowed to rest, and given a new commission (1 Kings 19:5, 15-16).
iii. Jonah received admonition and rebuke from God (Jonah 4: 8-11).
iv. Paul learned that, although the pressure he faced was beyond his ability to endure, the Lord can help us to bear all things (2 Corinthians 1:9).
CLASS ACTIVITY 1: Have you ever had suicidal thoughts, how did you pull through?
2. CAUSES AND ANTIDOTES TO SUICIDAL THOUGHTS/ATTEMPTS
A. The most common cause of suicide is depression resulting from mental illness. Also:
i. Many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis with a breakdown in the ability to deal with life stresses, such as financial problems, relationship break-ups, or chronic pain and illness.
ii. In addition, experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, verbal, and so on), discrimination or loss, and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behaviour.
B. According to the Bible, suicide is a sin (Exodus 20:13). Therefore, if you or anyone around you expresses suicidal thoughts or exhibits self-harming behaviours, seek pastoral and professional help.
In addition, the following may help to rescue anyone having suicidal thoughts.
- Develop coping strategies to deal with stressors (people and situations) – Proverbs 24:19.
- Seek professional counsel to guide you out of any crisis (debt, loss, etc.) – Proverbs 11:14.
- On problems related to marriage, know that your life should be more valued and protected than material or any other investment that has been put in. Make up your mind not to die before your appointed time (Exodus 23:26b).
- Be hopeful. Always remember that no condition is permanent (Job 14:7).
- Be assured that Jesus identifies with you in your time of rejection and humiliation (Isaiah 53:2-5) and will always come to your rescue, repair your brokenness, and restore your joy if only you call upon Him (Psalms 61:1-2; 50:15).
CLASS ACTIVITY 2: What are you doing to avoid depressing and suicidal thoughts?
CONCLUSION: No matter how bad things are at present, like Job, wait on God till your change comes (Job 14:14).
QUESTIONS:
- What is the biblical view of suicide?
- Mention the antidotes to suicidal thoughts/attempts.
EVALUATION: Is suicide a sin?
CLOSING PRAYER: Father, I pray that I will not kill myself, let me always see the good side of life in Jesus’ name.
ASSIGNMENT: Make this positive confession to yourself every morning: “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.” Psalm 16:8-9. (No Mark).
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