MEMORY VERSE: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” – 2 Timothy 2:2 (KJV)
BIBLE PASSAGE: 2 Kings 2:9-14 (KJV) (RCCG Sunday School Student Manual 13 July 2025)
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over.
INTRODUCTION: To pass on the torch means to teach others unique skills, businesses, faith, etc. that we know so that, whether we are around or not, others will continue the good work.
Apostle Paul knew the importance of this; thus, he charged Timothy to groom other faithful men in the faith and the doctrines (2 Timothy 2:2). The torch of faith and expertise has to pass from one person to the other for the light to continue to burn.
LESSON OUTLINES:
- INHIBITING FACTORS
- THE BLESSINGS
1. INHIBITING FACTORS
Many factors hinder people from passing on the torch but we shall examine a few of them. Ignorance of the enormous benefits that can be derived from duplicating oneself or skill in others prevents some people who are skilful in a particular field from teaching others the same thing they know (Exodus 18:13-18).
The fear of the ‘student’ being better or greater than the ‘teacher’ prevents some people from passing the torch of what they know or believe to others (Proverbs 29:25). Pride; the self-glory of wanting to be the ‘only one’ skilful or knowledgeable in a given field restricts some individuals from impacting others (Philippians 2:3). The desire to be known and called the ‘only pro’ in a field prevents them from influencing other people.
The insecurity of being relegated to the background makes some people hold on to what they know (1John 4:18). A myopic view of “the bigger the better” is a constraint from accommodating others and sharing the required knowledge.
CLASS ACTIVITY 1: What are the other factors that hinder people from ‘passing on the torch.’
2. THE BLESSINGS
Knowledge and skill transfer or passing on our faith has so many blessings. Some of these are:
- Generational Blessings: The transfer of skill or our faith to another generation brings outstanding blessings to the family and makes them stand out (2 Timothy 1:5).
- Awareness: Information goes far when it is shared and with this, comes a great level of enlightenment and education (Daniel 12:4; Hebrews 13:16).
- Experience Transfer: It enables an expert to transfer his/her wealth of experience to others who can use the skill for more inventions (Proverbs 31:1).
- Joy: There is an unexplainable excitement that comes when we share what we know with others (John 4:28-29).
- You Become A Guru: Teaching others what you know makes you a source and reference point because those who glean from your wealth of knowledge will likely refer to you and respect your authority in that field of specialization (Acts 22:3).
- It Attracts Favour: Being open-minded to let others know what we know results in goodwill (1 Kings 10:3, 10).
- Multiplication: Knowledge grows rapidly when it is shared (2 Timothy 2:2).
- Sustainability: Great skills and expertise are sustained when effectively passed on to others (Titus 1:9).
CLASS ACTIVITY 2: The class should discuss the consequences of refusing to ‘pass on the torch’
CONCLUSION: Pass on the torch and die empty (Job 1:21a; John 17:4b, 8a).
QUESTIONS:
- Identify four factors inhibiting the passing of the torch to others.
- Identify four factors inhibiting the passing of the torch to others.
ASSIGNMENT: Identify five Bible characters who passed on their knowledge to others with biblical references (2×5=10 Marks).
Action Point
PS: I know you might agree with some of the points raised in this article or disagree with some of the issues raised.
Please share your thoughts on the topic discussed. We would appreciate it if you could drop your comment. Thanks in anticipation.
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