Teen Scene: July- September 2024

By R.H. Boyd Publishing Corp.

Teen Scene is an age-appropriate Christian quarterly lesson guide for young people ages 15-17. In addition to introductory material and biblical exposition, each lesson contains lesson applications along with activities and questions that enhance the students’ understanding of the presentation. Biblical principles are specifically written to reflect the interests and problems of growing teens. It follows the International Uniform Sunday School Lesson Outline from the National Council of Churches.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Boyd Publishing Corporation
• Release date: Jun 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9798886352146

Book preview

Pain and Hope in God’s Steadfast Love

Lamentations 3:16–24

Background Passage: Lamentations 3:16–24; Psalm 30; Jeremiah 52:1–30

HE has made my teeth grind on gravel; he has made me cower in ashes;

17 my soul is bereft of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is;

18 so I say, Gone is my glory and all that I had hoped for from the Lord.

19 The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall!

20 My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me.

21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

24 The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.

Dictionary Term:

Lament — to mourn; a passionate and hopeful display of grief or suffering.

KEY VERSE: This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. (Lamentations 3:21–22, NRSV)

Introduction

In a perfect world, there would be no hunger, no war, no disasters, and no pain. Isn’t that a beautiful thought? Unfortunately, we do not live in a perfect world right now. Despite our best efforts and ambitions, pain and grief are a natural part of life. Even if we do everything right, choose only the best options available, and live a godly, wholesome life, we cannot escape the reality of pain. Every once in a while, we’ll stub our toe, hit our elbow on a table, get a hangnail, or get an eyelash in our eyes. But we are not alone. Everyone experiences these unpleasant and uncomfortable feelings and circumstances. Sadly, many people become lost in the pain and grief of larger tragedies, trapped by their heartache.

As we deal with profound pain and disappointment, we may struggle to keep our heads held high and overcome the urge to linger in despair. How do we triumph over our pain and disappointment when their presence is impossible to ignore and weighs us down in sadness? There is a simple answer: remember who is in control of all things. We faithfully serve the God of Creation who has all power and dominion. And He has demonstrated, time and again, His faithful love and mercy for His people. God’s mercy never fails or ends, and He is sure to be our light in our times of darkness.

In today’s Scripture lesson, the writer of Lamentations reminds us that God’s love and faithfulness are steadfast and can easily triumph over our despair. After the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, the people of Israel suffered greatly and were thrown into the depths of sorrow and despair. Imagine the pain of losing your home and the people you care about to heartbreaking strife. This is what God’s people faced. But the Lord remained by their side, a source of never-ending hope and peace, with promises of a better future. When we face our own struggles and threaten to tip into despair, we can rest our burdens at the feet of the Lord.

How does remembering your hardships affect your feelings and your faith?

Why do you think it’s important to remember your struggles?

The People After the Fall of Jerusalem

While the author of the Book of Lamentations isn’t officially known, many recognize the prophet Jeremiah as the author of the Scripture. The word lament means to mourn, or a passionate display of grief or suffering. The Book of Lamentations is true to its name and is a collection of poetic laments over the destruction of Jerusalem. There is great emphasis on the destruction of the city and the suffering of the people who once lived there. Jerusalem fell to Babylon during the Babylonian conquest around 587–586 bc. The destruction of the city, particularly the temple, was crushing to the Jewish people. They believed God’s glory lived within the temple and trusted that God would protect them from their enemies. But they weren’t respectful of their covenant with God and worshiped idols