Tag / Adult Sabbath School lessons

by In Light Of The Cross

2: God’s Mission to us Part 2-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, October 14, 2023.

Main Theme: The Scriptures reveal what God’s mission is all about.

Read in Class: John 20:21-22. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: How should the understanding that mission finds its origin in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shape our mission?

Apply: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all involved in the work of saving souls. Why should you find this thought so comforting?

Share: Your friend says the word Trinity is nowhere in the Bible so we should not believe in the Trinity. What do you tell your friend? See also How a Proper Understanding of the Heavenly Trio Keeps Churches and Families From Falling Under a Dictatorship.

Read in Class: Matthew 28:16-20. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What elements of discipleship can you identify in this passage?

Apply: The mission is to “make disciples.” How is this mandate of the Master affecting how you live and minister to others? What can you do to be more involved in what you have been called to do?

Share: Your friend says he does not understand why someone has to go through a whole series of Bible studies to be baptized? Didn’t Philip baptize the Ethiopian on the spot? What do you tell your friend? See also What is Worse Than Persecution?

Read in Class: Revelation 14:6-7. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What aspects of God’s mission can you identify in the “eternal gospel” (NRSV) presented by the first angel of the three angels’ messages?

Apply: How is the concept of judgment linked to the “everlasting gospel” in the first angel’s message? Why must the gospel be central to the idea of judgment?

Share: Your friend says she is not in good health and can’t get out of the house anymore. She asks how she can help spread the gospel to all the world while she is in her home? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Revelation 7:9-10. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study:  What does this text suggest about the far-reaching geographical scope of God’s mission?

Apply: Will you pray every day this week for the community where you live. God has placed you there for a reason.

Share: Will you research the demographics of your area (what kind of people live around you)—ethnic and religious background, old, young, poor, wealthy, languages spoken, and so on. Ask God to show you how you may be a channel of His love to them.

by In Light Of The Cross

One Word of Kindly Cheer

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Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29 NLT 

Forgive me (And I know you will because Ephesians 4:32 tells us to)  for tarrying in last week’s Sabbath School lesson a little longer, but I believe Ephesians 4:29 is worth another glance. We live in a world of negativity and discouragement. Insults are considered comedy and are mainstream in the entertainment world. If you are single, how many times have you woken up, knowing you had a challenging, seemingly impossible day ahead of you, and wished there was someone to share an encouraging word with you as you headed to work? If you are married, how many times have you woken up to a challenging seemingly impossible day, and instead of your family encouraging you, only spoke words of discouragement, making you sink even further into hopeless despair? How many times have you heard a friend or coworker say, “This is not what I needed today!” when they were already carrying an unbearable burden, as someone added the straw that broke the camel’s back with a discouraging word? 

Many, many, have fainted and become discouraged in the great struggle of life, when one word of kindly cheer would have strengthened them to overcome. Never should we pass by one suffering soul without seeking to impart to him of the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God.-Ellen White, Desire of Ages, Pages 504-505. 

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold In settings of silver. Proverbs 25:11 NKJV 

With some rare blessed exceptions, I believer we all at one time or another have longed for an encouraging word in a sea of hopeless despair, only to receive none. Still God’s grace carried us through.. Hopefully this has taught us how much others need a word of encouragement. At the same time, while the world is full of negativity and discouragement, God has His wonderful encouragers all over the place. 

Years ago a pastor friend told me about a visit he had with Jamie. Jamie had been ten years nicotine free, and was the lead teacher of her church’s primary Sabbath school class. Things were going well for her and she was so happy that God had turned her life around from an atheist chain smoker to a productive disciple for Jesus. Then one day things became very stressful at work. Her boss’s temper became uncontrollable and he was threatening to fire people right and left. Jamie was surprised and depressed to find herself smoking cigarettes again-something she thought she would never do again. Saddened by her falling back into an old addiction, she went to my pastor friend and confessed that she was smoking and needed to stop teaching Sabbath School. Instead of accepting her resignation and condemning her, the pastor told her she should definitely not stop teaching Sabbath school. Instead she should and could stop smoking. He reminded her that Psalm 51:17 tells us God will never despise a broken and contrite heart, no matter how many times the same sin has already broken that heart. Jamie went ahead and kept teaching even though she had not totally broken away from the cigarettes. The pastor kept her secret, and prayed with her and encouraged her. Jamie ended up losing her job along with several or her coworkers. Jamie found a new job and soon after shared with the pastor that she had totally stopped smoking again. Jamie was in a small church with a small primary class, and it turned out a couple of the parents had begun to smell the smoke on her even though she never confessed to them. However instead of gossiping and condemning, these parents knew Jamie’s character and understood what was going on in her life, so they prayed for her. This story had a beautiful ending because the pastor and parents were encouraging instead of condemning. They followed the example of Jesus.

Others  He [Jesus]met who were fighting a hand-to-hand battle with the adversary of souls. These He encouraged to persevere, assuring them that they would win; for angels of God were on their side, and would give them the victory. Those whom He thus helped were convinced that here was One in whom they could trust with perfect confidence. He would not betray the secrets they poured into His sympathizing ear.-Ellen White, Desire of Ages, Page 92. 

Who can you speak an encouraging word to today? 

PS If you are reading this and struggling with discouragement, and no one in your circle seems to understand how much you need an encouraging word, please know you are not alone. Jesus knows how you feel. All his friends left him in His darkest hour, yet He said “I am not alone for the Father is with me.” God is with you. He loves you. He sees you and cares for you. God loves you! Don’t give up my friend. I may not even know you, but God knows you, and impressed me to write this paragraph just for you. God loves you and He will see you through to victory! 

by In Light Of The Cross

13: The Judging Process-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, Sabbath, December 24, 2022.

Main Theme:  The pre-advent judgment, the millennial judgment, and the executive judgment ends with the vindication of the righteous.

Read in Class: Daniel 7:9-14, Matthew 22:1-14, Revelation 11:1, 18-19, Revelation 14:6-7. What is the common thread of these passages?

Study: How do these passages shed light on the notion of a pre-advent investigative judgment in the heavenly courtroom? What is the significance of such a judgment?

Apply: How should our knowledge of a judgment in heaven impact how we live here on earth?

Share: Your friend says there is no need for God to have an investigative judgment since He already knows everything. What is there for him to investigate? How do you answer your friend? Hint: in Genesis 3:9-11 God is performing an investigation and asking questions He already knows the answers to.

Read in Class: 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 and Revelation 20:4-6, 11-13. What is the common thread of these passages?

Study: Why should the saints participate in the millennial judgment? Is God offering transparency and accountability?

Apply: What does it teach us about the character of God that before any of the sleeping lost are resurrected to face the second death, the saved will be involved in the judging process, and no one will be punished until we, too, see the justice and fairness of God?

Share: Your friend says that everyone will be given a second change during the thousand years. What do you say to your friend? See also The Millennium in Light of the Cross.

Read in Class: 2 Peter 2:4-6 and 2 Peter 3:10-13. What is the common thread of these passages?

Study: How do these texts help us understand the nature of the final executive judgment? How do they imply the idea of the completion of judgment as opposed to its going on forever, which would be a perversion of justice and not an expression of it?

Apply: What does the Cross itself teach us about what God was willing to do in order to save everyone who would be saved?

Share: Your friend asks how we can hasten the coming of Jesus? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Revelation 21:1-8 and Revelation 22:14. Define the main idea of these passages.

Study: What is the hope and reward of the righteous? What is the second death of the wicked?

Apply: What is your only hope in the judgment? How do you know you will be saved? See Salvation in Light of the Cross.

Share: What hope you gained from the lessons this quarter? What is your main takeaway?

by In Light Of The Cross

9: Contrary Passages?-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School Class, Sabbath, November 26, 2022.

Main Theme: When properly understood, seemingly contrary passages are not so contrary after all.

Read in Class: Luke 16:19-31. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: How do we know this story is not a literal description of the afterlife? For hints click here.

Apply: “But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead’” (Luke 16:31, NKJV). What message from Jesus’ powerful words should we take for ourselves regarding the authority of the Bible and how we respond to it?

Read in Class: Luke 23:43, John 20:17, and John 14:1-3. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: How should the promise to the repentant thief on the cross be understood in light of Jesus’ words to Mary Magdalene and His promise to His disciples? For hints click here.

Apply: Read the story of the repentant thief (Luke 23:39-43), who, despite his sin, despite the fact that he had nothing to offer God, was promised eternal life by Christ. How does this story powerfully reveal the great truth of salvation by faith alone? In what ways are we just like that thief? In what ways do we differ?

Read in Class: Philippians 1:21-24 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: When did Paul expect to be “with Christ” (Phil. 1:23) and “with the Lord” (1 Thess. 4:17)? For hints click here.

Apply: Particularly in hard times, who hasn’t thought about how nice it would be to close your eyes in death and, the next thing you know, “be with Christ”? How does this thought help us understand what Paul was saying in Philippians?

Read in Class: 1 Peter 3:13-20. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: How did Christ preach “to the spirits in prison … in the days of Noah”? (See also Gen. 4:10.) For hints click here.

Apply: The flood was present truth in Noah’s day, what Bible truths especially apply to us today?

Read in Class: Revelation 6:9-11. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: How can the “souls” of the dead martyrs cry “under the altar”?

From Difficult Texts Made Simple:

This is obviously a symbolic verse. In order to be taken literally not only would the souls be in heaven but they all would be under an altar. Also they would be pleading for vengeance for being in heaven. This simply is not realistic. We know from our reading of the entire scriptures that the dead are just that-dead. Even this passage says that they must rest a while yet, implying they are not literally in heaven now, but their cause has come before the altar and before God. This was the case when Abel was killed by Cain. God said, “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” Genesis 4:10 

Abel’s blood did not literally grow lips and cry, but his cause came before God. So in the fifth seal of Revelation we see that God has not forgotten His faithful martyrs but has heard their cause even as He did Abel’s. After all, why would they be crying for God to avenge the ones who killed them and put them in the presence of God? What an insult to God this would be.

Apply: Who (especially of those who have been victims of injustice) hasn’t cried out for justice, which has not yet come? Why must we, by faith, trust that ultimately the justice so lacking in this world will nevertheless come? What comfort can you draw from this wonderful promise?

Share: Can you think of someone who could benefit from a proper understanding of the passages we studied this week? How can you share your understanding of these passages with someone in a way that will give them encouragement?

by In Light Of The Cross

Try a Little Love and Tenderness

Monday’s section of this week’s lesson, reveals the relentless love of God. For me, here is the key verse.

But then I will win her back once again.
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her there. Hosea 2:14 NLT 

I am so thankful for parents who understand this. I wish all parents understood this is the way to win their children’s loyalty to God and to themselves

.Several years ago I was preaching for Father’s Day, and I had a few people, young and old, tell us what they liked about their fathers. One young man, about 12 years old, gave a powerful, heartfelt tribute to his dad, even saying “nobody reminds me of Jesus more than my father.”

That same Sabbath morning, the son was offered some cookies in his Sabbath School class which he gladly took. His father saw him eating the cookie and starting publicly berating him and telling him how sinful it is to eat in church! (News to me!) The son could not hide his hurt and humiliation. The son definitely was not trying to be a hard-hearted rebel by taking a cookie just like everyone else. I know the father meant well too, but you don’t have to be a parent to know that publicly embarrassing and humiliating your child is not a good thing to do. Remember, Jesus worked His first miracle, turning water into wine for no other reason than to save the host from public embarrassment. It would not have killed them to just drink water, but Jesus is a Savior from public humiliation and embarrassment. It is not one of His tools.

Not long after this, the father called me up and wanted me to lecture his son because he was becoming defiant. I came to their home as requested, but the talk did not actually go the way the father expected. The father was accusing the son of being disrespectful. With father and son both present, I asked the son about the beautiful tribute he gave to his father. Both agreed that was very nice and respectful. I then asked the son how he felt when later, his father publicly berated him for eating a cookie just like everyone else. He said it was very hurtful and you could see the hurt in his eyes as he said that. I shared Hosea 2:14 with them both and asked the father if he thought he could be a little more tender when correcting his son. I was not asking him to change his standards, just his approach. But I did share with the father that I was unaware of any Bible teaching against eating a cookie in church. Being a father is a very sacred calling, and I did not want to distract from that or appear to try to trump him. However I did encourage him to follow 2 Timothy 3:16 and be sure to correct his son according to Scripture.

Tears were in the son’s eyes by now as I explained to the father how much his son loved him, and how hurt he was, when publicly humiliated for doing something he thought was totally innocent, with no rebellious intentions. I assured the father that his son would not have written such a loving tribute if he did not deeply love and respect him. His son nodded in agreement with tears still in his eyes.

I thought the father was going to turn on me now for not ganging up with him on his side, but, instead, he actually thanked me! I know the father had a good heart and really cared about his children. Why else would his son write that no one reminded him more of Jesus than His father?

Parents, please be tender with your children. You may not think they love, appreciate and respect you, but at school and church I hear them say things you may never hear. I always tell kids, “Your parents love you more than you think they do,” and I say the same to parents. “Your children love you more than you think they do.” As a third party observer, I know this for a fact.

If you don’t want to take it from me, take it from God,

But then I will win her back once again.
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her there. Hosea 2:14 NLT