Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, October 7, 2023.

Main Theme: God’s plan is to restore our relationship with God that was broken because of sin.

Read in Class: Isaiah 59:1-2, Exodus 25:8, and Exodus 29:42-45. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: What was one of the main purposes of the Old Testament sanctuary?

Apply: What are ways that you experience God’s presence in your life?

Share: Your friend says that she feels separated from God because of her sinful lifestyle and wants to feel His presence again. What can you say to help your friend?

Read in Class: John 1:14-18. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study:  What can you learn from Christ’s incarnation about God’s mission to us?

Apply: Think what it means that God’s love for us is so great that He would come to us in our own humanity. How should we respond to this love, especially in terms of mission to others?

Share: Your friend asks you why God had to become human in order to reconcile us back to Him? What do you tell your friend? See Jesus Died as me as Well as For me.

Read in Class: John 3:16 and Matthew 28:19-20. Define the common idea in these passages?

Study: How do you see God’s love and mission interacting here?  What is the promise we can find in the Great Commission? How does it bring assurance for us as we get involved in God’s mission?

Apply: In what ways have you seen Jesus’ promise to be “with you always” being fulfilled in your own life as you are engaged in mission?

Share: Your friend asks, “If God is always with us why do bad things happen to us?” What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: John 14:1-3. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: In what ways is it connected with the end-time message found in the Scriptures?

Apply: How do Exodus 25:8 and John 14:1-3 compliment each other in helping us to understand the sanctuary message and Jesus’ work in preparing dwelling places so we can be with Him? How could this help explain why it is taking so long for Jesus to create rooms or mansions for us to dwell in? Are you allowing Jesus to make His home right in your heart so that where He is there you can be also?

Share: Can you pray for God to open the hearts of your friends and family to allow you to share God’s mission with them? Will you also pray for God to put someone new in your path who you can share God’s mission with?