Tag / Sabbath School teacher's aids

by In Light Of The Cross

11: Practicing Supreme Loyalty to Christ-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, September 9, 2023.

Main Theme: Honoring our parents helps us to be well rounded, successful family members and individuals.

Read in Class: Ephesians 6:1-3. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What advice does Paul give to children, and how does he support that counsel from the Old Testament?

Apply: How do these verses reinforce how important family relationships are?

Share: Your friend says he was abused by his parents as a child. Today he appreciates God as his loving heavenly Father, but says there is no way he can ever honor his earthly parents. He says, “Surely God does not expect me to honor my parents.” What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Ephesians 6:4 and Colossians 3:21. Define the main idea of these passages.

Study:  What motivation does Colossians 3:21 provide for avoiding irritating one’s children?

Apply: Though the context of the lesson here deals with parents and children, what principles can be taken from these texts that should impact how we should deal with all other people?

Share: A friend tells you she know she has needlessly provoked her children in the past, but doesn’t think she should say she is sorry, because authoritarians should never have to say they are sorry. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Ephesians 6:5-8. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What does Paul require of Christian slaves in his detailed instructions to them?

Apply: However much we might wish that Scripture had openly condemned this horrible practice, it doesn’t. Nevertheless, what principles can we draw from Paul’s words in this context about how we relate to people we work with in our own context?

Share: Your friend says that the Bible is tone deaf towards slavery and other social issues of the day like how women should be treated or even homosexuals for that matter. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Ephesians 6:9. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: Assuming that you are a Christian slave master who is listening to Ephesians being read out in your house church, how might you react to this counsel, offered in the presence of your slaves? 

Apply: Even though we do not own slaves, how should Ephesians 6:9 help guide us in the way we treat our employees or those under our “command?”

Share: How can you show your appreciation this week for your employees or someone in a servant position?

by In Light Of The Cross

11: Managing in Tough Times-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School Class, March 18, 2023.

Main Theme: Amid trying times, when we need to lean on the Lord more than ever, there are some concrete steps, based on biblical principles, that we should follow.

Read in Class: 1 Chronicles 21:1-14. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study:  Why did David decide to number Israel or count his soldiers? Why did his commander Joab counsel against this? How was David contradicting himself in Psalm 127:1?

Apply: How do we strike the right balance between doing what we can, for instance, to be financially secure, and yet, at the same time, trusting in the Lord for all things?

Share: Your friend asks, “David showed a lack of faith in God’s care by counting his own men. What does that have to so with the our lesson today about managing during tough times? We don’t have an army. What might you and I be counting today that might show our lack of faith in God’s care?” How do you answer your friend?

Read in Class: 2 Peter 3:3-12. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What is Peter telling us with these words?

Apply: If you knew Jesus were coming within ten years, how would you change your life? Or five years? Or three?

Share: Your older friend says, “I have saved up so many things over my life, and now my kids want me to sell it all and move in with them. I’m not sure how I feel about that?” What do you tell your older friend?

Read in Class: Matthew 6:24 and 1 John 2:15-17. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: What has been your own experience with the truth in Matthew 6:24? How are the three things mentioned in 1 John 2:15-17 manifested in our world today? Why is the danger they present sometimes more subtle than we realize?

Apply: Read 2 Peter 3:10-14. How should what he says here impact how we live, including what we do with our resources?

Share: Your friend says, keeping up appearances and keeping up with the Jones’ is what creates all the stress and hard times in our lives? Do you agree with your friend? Why or why not?

Read in Class: Revelation 13:11-17. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: How do financial matters fit in with the end-time persecution?

Apply: If you had to break the Sabbath in order to work and earn money for your family to eat would you? Why or why not? Or if you only had enough money to return tithe or feed your family which would you do and why? See Does God Still Expect us to Give During Tough Times?

Share: Do you know someone going through a tough time right now? How are you going to encourage them this week?

by In Light Of The Cross

6: Struggling With All Energy-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School class Sabbath, August 6, 2022.

Main Theme: The Holy Spirit will not force us to obey against our will. We need to cooperate with the Holy Spirit as far as we are able.

Read in Class: John 16:5-15. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: In this passage, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13, NIV). What does this imply that the Holy Spirit does for us?

Apply: What convictions has the “Spirit of truth” brought to you recently? How well are you listening to His voice? And, most important, what choices are you making with your free will?

Share: Your friend says that if you are led by the Holy Spirit that you will agree with him on every Bible doctrine, because after all, he is led by the Holy Spirit too. Do you agree with your friend? Why or why not? Do we sometimes create unnecessary crucibles by trying to make everyone agree with us? See Do we Have to Agree on Everything?

Read and Compare in Class: Colossians 1:28-29, Deuteronomy 4:4, Luke 13:24, 1 Corinthians 9:25, and Hebrews 12:4.

Study: Though Paul talks about God working in him, in what ways does he show the human effort also involved? 

Apply: What is your own experience with the kind of striving Paul talked about? What things has God laid upon your heart that you are struggling with? How can you learn to surrender to God’s will?

Share: Your friend says, “God understands some of us may be trying very hard to overcome our bad habits, even though it may not look like it to others.” Do you agree with your friend? Consider: “While some are continually harassed, afflicted, and in trouble because of their unhappy traits of character, having to war with internal foes and the corruption of their nature, others have not half so much to battle against. They pass along almost free from the difficulties which their brethren and sisters who are not so favorably organized are laboring under. In very many cases they do not labor half so hard to overcome and live the life of a Christian as do some of those unfortunate ones I have mentioned.” Ellen White, Testimonies Volume 2 page 74 

Read in Class: 1 Peter 1:13-16. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What is Peter concerned about, and what does he want his readers actually to do?

Apply: What important decisions are you facing? Ask yourself honestly, “How can I know if I am basing my choices on feeling, emotion, desire, as opposed to the Word of God?”

Share: Your friend asks, “How can I tell the difference between the Holy Spirit speaking to me and my own feelings and desires?” What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Matthew 5:29-20. What is the main idea of this passage?

Study: Is Jesus suggesting we literally main ourselves physically? What is He actually saying?

Apply: What are some practical ways we can remove temptations?

Share: Think of someone who you have seen grow spiritually over time. Can you affirm them and encourage them this week?