Tag / Teaching adult Sabbath School class

by In Light Of The Cross

1: Paul and the Ephesians-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School class, July 1, 2023.

Main Theme: In the book of Ephesians Paul tells us how God’s grace protects us against the wicked powers in our community.

Read in Class: Acts 19:13-20. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What strange event leads to widespread reverence for “the Lord Jesus” in Ephesus?

Apply: What did the burning of their own books signify, even at such an expense to themselves? What does that say about a total commitment to the Lord?

Share: Your friend asks why the demons were able to overpower the people using the name of Jesus? What clues from the passage itself can you share with your friend? Also see Matthew 7:21-23.

Read in Class: Acts 19:21-Acts 20:1. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What lessons can we draw from this story?

Apply: At the end of his third missionary journey, Paul meets with elders of the Ephesian church. How would you summarize Paul’s concerns? (See Acts 20:17-38)

Share: After reading these warnings, you friend asks, “What do you think Paul would warn our church today about, and why?” What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Ephesians 1:1-2 and Ephesians 6:21-24. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: How does Paul begin and end his letter to the believers in Ephesus? What do we learn about his deepest desires for them? How does Paul worry about the effect his imprisonment will have on believers in Ephesus? See Eph. 3:13.

Apply: How can you use your personal tribulations as a witness to others about the goodness of God?

Share: Your friend says, “I thought the whole point of accepting Jesus as our Savior was so He would bless us and make us prosperous? If we still have tribulations what’s the point of having Jesus in our lives? How has God’s grace protected us from the evil in our community if we still suffer harm?” What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Ephesians 1:9-10. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: How does Paul announce the theme of his letter?

Apply: In the church of which you are a part, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, God is drawing together a transnational, multilingual, multiracial, cross-cultural community (Rev. 14:6, 7) that points the way to the fulfillment of His plan to unite all things in Jesus (Eph. 1:9, 10). How can we work in concert with God’s grand plan?

Share: Can you think of a friend who would enjoy these studies on Ephesians? Can you invite your friend to Sabbath School?

by In Light Of The Cross

12: The Seal of God and the Mark of the Beast Part 2-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School class, June 17,2023.

Main Theme: We all have to make a choice for or against God.

Read in Class: Revelation 13:5, Revelation 12:6,14 and Daniel 7:25. Define the common threads of this passage.

Study: How long was this power to rule through previous centuries?
(Note: 42 months; a time, times, and half a time; and 1,260 days is the same 1,260 years from 538AD with Justinian’s Code to 1798AD with Berthier marching into Rome and putting the pope in prison.)

Apply: Think about how amazing biblical prophecy is and how it reveals to us God’s knowledge of future events. What should this fact teach us about why we can trust the Lord’s promises, even the ones we don’t yet see fulfilled?

Share: Your friend says the 1260 days are still in the future and do not have anything to do with the papacy. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 9-12. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What does Paul predict about the last days? What identifying marks does he give for the beast, the antichrist power?

Apply: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12, NKJV). How must we apply this principle in dealing with the theme of the beast powers in Revelation 13 and 14?

Share: Your friend says, “1 John 2:18 says there are many antichrists. If there are many antichrists who are they? Hint: Could you be an Antichrist?

Read in Class: Revelation 17:12-14. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: How does John describe these final scenes of earth’s history? What powerful contrast is seen here?

Apply: How do make sure we are not unwittingly at war with the Lamb?

Share: Your friend asks, “Why does the Lamb have to conquer all the other powers? Why can’t we just all peacefully coexist? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Revelation 14:9-12. Define the main idead of this passage.

Study: Where is the mark of the beast placed? (See Deut. 6:8, Deut. 11:18). What two characteristics contrast God’s people from those who receive the mark of the beast?

Apply: In what ways has humanity always been divided along the lines of being on either God’s side or on Satan’s? Why can there be no middle ground? How can we know, for sure, just whose side we really are on?

Share: You friend says that she heard someone say that the third angel’s message in Revelation 14:9-12 is all about righteousness by faith. How so? What do you tell your friend?