Sunday PM Worship Richard Sutton
Teachers
Lesson Summary
During the Sunday PM worship lesson, the teacher examined the etymology of the word “awesome,” showing that it first entered the English language in 1598 and did not become common until the 1980s surf‑culture era. He described how the term’s meaning shifted from a deep sense of reverent awe to a casual exclamation, and he compared this evolution with similar changes in words like “girl,” “boy,” and “place.” The core of the teaching focused on Scriptural usage of “awesome,” especially in the Old Testament where it appears roughly 300 times to describe God’s majesty, character, or deeds. The class reviewed how various translations handle the word—none in the 1611 KJV, one instance in the RSV (Genesis 28:17), many in the NIV and NKJV, and frequent use in the NKJV. Key verses such as Genesis 28:17 and Deuteronomy 10:17 were read aloud to illustrate God’s awe‑inspiring presence. The lesson also explored the idea of reserving “awesome” as a superlative for God alone, prompting thoughtful discussion about language, reverence, and worship.
Key Scriptures
And Jacob said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it."