sabbath school teacher’s guide ages 13, 14 · a sabbath school teacher’s guide for teens, ages...

a| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | |

YEAR

AQTR

1

AGES 13, 14

TEENSABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE

The Acts ofthe Apostles

i| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 |

Seventh-day Adventist Church

A Sabbath School Teacher’s Guide for Teens, ages 13, 14

Year A, First Quarter

A publication of the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists® 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, U.S.A.

Teen Sabbath School Teacher’s Guide, Vol. 1, No. 1, first quarter 2021. Published quarterly by the Review and Herald® Publishing Association, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600 U.S.A. Text copyrighted © 2019 by the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists®, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6600, U.S.A. All rights reserved. No part of the Teen Sabbath School Teacher’s Guide may be edited, altered, modified, adapted, translated, reproduced, or published by any person or entity without prior written authorization from the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists®. The division offices of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® are authorized to arrange for translation of the Teen Sabbath School Teacher’s Guide, under specific guidelines. Copyright of such translations and their publication shall remain with the General Conference Corporation. “Seventh-day Adventist,” “Adventist,” and the flame logo are registered trademarks of the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists® and may not be used without prior authorization from the General Conference Corporation.

Artwork denoted by the symbol “†” is copyrighted © 2014 by the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists®. Stock imagery is licensed through Getty Images.

Unless otherwise noted, Bible texts are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 |ii

Editor Andrea Nagy

Associate Editor Faith A. Hunter

Editorial Assistant Kathleen D. Sowards

World Sabbath School Directors Ramon Canals, Jim Howard

World Sabbath School Assistant Director Jackie O. Smith

General Conference Advisor Ted N. C. Wilson

Biblical Research Institute Advisor Clinton Wahlen

Design Mark Bond, Stephanie Kaping

Illustrators Steve Creitz/Lars Justinen, Justinen Creative Group

www.MyBibleGuides.org

A Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Teens, ages 13, 14

Year A, First Quarter

Mihail BaciuJonathan BurtMerlin BurtEmilie DeVasherKameron DeVasherRachel Fourny

MaryAnn HadleyMichael G. HaselFaith A. HunterDanielle Nagy Tim NagyNeil Nedley

Dawna SawatskyKathleen D. Sowards David SteenCindy Tutsch Callie Williams

The World Sabbath School would like to thank all writers and contributors for their meaningful contributions.

Writers and Contributors

1| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 |

CONTENTS

Scope and Sequence 2

Introduction 3

LESSONS

1. January2 “You Shall Be Witnesses to Me” 10

2. January9 Called to Be Sent 18

3. January16 Go and Make Disciples 26

4. January23 “You Shall Receive Power” 34

5. January30 Something Better 42

6. February6 What Is Mine Is Yours 52

7. February13 Whom Will I Obey? 62

8. February20 The Beauty of Delegation 70

9. February27 Faithful Unto Death 78

10. March6 Disciples Make Disciples 88

11. March13 Saved to Serve 96

12. March20 Knowing God 104

13. March27 God Does Not Play Favorites 112

| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 |2

SCOPE AND SEQUENCET

HE

AC

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OF

TH

E A

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Lesson Title Memory Text

Quarterly Memory

ChallengeBible

Reference

E. G. White Reference From The Acts of the

Apostles

SDA Belief

1 Jan 2

“You Shall Be Witnesses to Me”

Acts 1:8 John 15:5–14

Ezeziel 34:26, 29-31; Isa. 43:10–12; 42:6, 7; 49:8–16; 5:3–7; Acts 1:8; Ephe-sians 3:10

“God’s Purpose for His Church,” chap. 1

No. 12 The Church

2 Jan 9

Called to Be Sent

Isaiah 6:8 John 15:5–14

Mark 3:13, 14

“The Training of the Twelve,” chap. 2

No. 17 Spiritual Gifts and Ministries

3 Jan 16

Go and Make Disciples

Matthew 28:18–20

John 15:5–14

Acts 1:5, 8; Romans 10; 1 Peter 3:15; Matthew 28:18–20

“The Great Commis-sion,” chap. 3

No. 13 The Remnant and Its Mission

4 Jan 23

“You Shall Receive Power”

Joel 2:23 John 15:5–14

Acts 2:1–39 “Pentecost, chap. 4; The Gift of the Spirit,” chap. 5

No. 5 The Holy Spirit

5 Jan 30

Something Better

Acts 4:13 John 15:5–14

Acts 3; 4:1–31

“At the Temple Gate,” chap. 6


6 Feb 6

What Is Mine Is Yours

1 Timothy 6:6–8

John 15:5–14

Acts 4:32–5:11

“A Warning Against Hypocrisy,” chap. 7

No. 21 Stewardship

7 Feb 13

Whom Will I Obey?

Acts 5:29 John 15:5–14

Acts 5:12–42

“Before the Sanhedrin,” chap. 8

No. 22 Christian Behavior

8 Feb 20

The Beauty of Delegation

1 Peter 4:10

John 15:5–14

Acts 6:1–7 “The Seven Dea-cons,” chap. 9


9 Feb 27

Faithful Unto Death

Matthew 10:22

John 15:5–14

Acts 6:5–15; 7

The First Christian Martyr, chap. 10

No. 26 Death and Resurrection

10 Mar 6

Disciples — Make Disciples

Romans 1:16

John 15:5-14

Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:33–39;

The Gospel in Samaria, chap. 11

No. 15 Baptism

11 Mar 13

Saved to Serve

Acts 9:6 John 15:5–14

Acts 9:1–18 “From Persecutor to Disciple,” chap. 12

No. 10 The Experience of Salvation

12 Mar 20

Knowing God Philippi-ans 3:7, 8

John 15:5–14

Acts 9:19–30; 22:12–21

“Days of Prepara-tion,” chap. 13

No. 1 The Holy Scriptures

13 Mar 27

God Does Not Play Favorites

Acts 10:34, 35

John 15:5–14

Acts 9:32–11:18

“A Seeker for Truth,” chap. 14

No. 11 Growing in Christ


INTRODUCTIONRATIONALE AND PHILOSOPHY

The ultimate purpose of the Sabbath School Bibl e study guides is to lead young people to a better un-derstanding of the character of God. Understand-ing God’s character is crucial to accepting His gift of salvation through Jesus and responding to His love through a life of obedience and willing service. While the Sabbath School lessons represent the re-ligious education component of training the chil-dren and young people of our church, they are far broader in scope. Their aim is the transformation of the whole person, “the harmonious development of the physi cal, the mental, and the spiritual pow-ers,” preparing young people “for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come” (Ellen G. White, Education, p. 13). Spiritual growth, like learning in general, engag-es the cognitive, affective, and behavioral domains. “To love Him, the infinite, the omniscient One, with the whole strength, and mind, and heart, means the highest development of every power. It means that in the whole being—the body, the mind, as well as the soul—the image of God is to be restored” (Ellen G. White, Education, p. 16). We believe that truth is centered in a person—Jesus Christ (see John 1:14, 17; John 14:6; John 18:37) and that His Word is truth (John 17:17). To know, love, and serve Jesus, becom-ing like Him in character, is the great purpose of life. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Let that be your aim as you embark on this wonderful journey of helping young minds and hearts connect with the Savior!

GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE MY BIBLE GUIDES CURRICULUM:• Emphasize salvation by grace: Because of

Christ’s sacrifice, we have redemption and the forgiveness of our sins in Jesus Christ alone.

• Emphasize key Bible teachings and Adventist beliefs: Students will gain a clear understanding of the Bible and its values, from which all Adven-tist beliefs are derived.

• Recognize the prophetic gift of Ellen White: Short vignettes from Adventist history, as well as readings from the Spirit of Prophecy offer propheti c insights that are significant for an understanding of the Scriptures and leading active Christian lives.

• Promote daily Bible study at all levels: My Bible Guides engages students in daily study of God’s Word.

• Create learning opportunities for different learning styles: Creative activities that engage students with diverse learning styles to help them better retain what they study each week are used.

• Include teens in the mission of the church: In line with the strategic plan of the world church, we endeavor to help children and young people get involved in the mission of the church. To that end, the GROW initiative can help mobi-lize children, teens, and youth to become effec-tive soul winners and disciple makers by Reach-ing Up—connecting to God in prayer, Reaching In— ongoing nurture, training, and mentorship of church members, and Reaching Out—sharing Bible truth and leading souls to Christ.

[ YOUR CHURCH]

The five goals of the GROW discipleship model include:

Prepare: Prepare the soil of the gospel through community-based ministries (i.e., ADRA, Adventist Community Ser-vices, health ministries).

Plant: Sow the seed through friendship evangelism, active literature ministry, media ministry, and employ other means available to you (i.e., Personal


Ministries, Literature/Publishing Ministries, Media and Communications Ministries, Youth Ministries).

Cultivate: Adopt and participate in a vibrant Bible study ministry (i.e., Bible School Coordinator, Personal Minis-tries, Small Group Ministries, Youth Ministries).

Harvest: Support the regular public evangelism initiatives (i.e., Evange-lism Committee, elders, deacons, Youth Ministries).

Preserve: Implement a systematic dis-cipleship ministry (i.e., Personal Minis-tries, Discipleship Ministries, Youth Ministries, Family Ministries).

Teachers, by following this plan you will need to connect and collaborate with the various depart-ments of the church. By virtue of collaboration you will be able to engage your students in the life of the church—first by attending church functions and events and, eventually, by taking active roles in help-ing in various ways.

Thirteenth Sabbath Programs: We encourage you to prepare your division of young students for a Thirteenth Sabbath program each quarter. Please coordinate with other Sabbath School teachers and the church leadership and decide to make this a re-ality in your church. You may choose a theme from the lessons studied throughout the quarter or one that is more suitable to the local needs or plans of your church. Whatever your decision concerning a specific theme for the program each quarter, you are encouraged to have students memorize and present some or all of the memory verses studied through-out the Sabbath School quarter. Consider incorpo-rating songs and special music numbers to make your program truly meaningful and memorable for your class as well as for the congregation. You may want to have your students advertise the event to their friends or neighbors and make it a special day for visitors as well.

Decision Days: Whenever a lesson provides an opportunity or the discussion in your class tends that way, make special appeals, inviting your stu-dents to accept Christ as their personal Savior and respond to Him in baptism, if they have not yet done so. Coordinate with your local church pastor and plan to prepare those who respond to these calls by opening a small group outside of the Sabbath School time for their nurture and training.

The role of the Sabbath School is vital and its purpose is character development, service, and disciple ship. Decision days should be preceded by a time of prayer and careful preparation. For addi-tional details and recommendations on how to plan and conduct decision days, visit the Sabbath School website: https://www.sabbathschoolpersonalminis tries.org/decision-days.pdf

“The Sabbath School, if rightly conducted, is one of God’s great instrumentalities to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth” (Ellen G. White, Counsels on Sabbath School Work, p. 75).

TOOLS FOR TEACHINGA variety of teaching tools will be used to check

for understanding. These will include, but are not limited to: questioning, quizzes, comparing, classi-fying, matching, summarizing, applying, and com-pletion of activities and projects. Depending on the students, lesson objectives, content, resources, or other considerations, the teacher will choose the best approaches for evaluating and supporting stu-dent learning.

PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARENTSGet to know the parents of your students and pe-

riodically organize activities for the families repre-sented in your classroom outside of Sabbath School time. You may plan social activities, potlucks, and outreach activities for the families, as well as sep-arately with the students. These will help foster the sense of belonging and community within your Sabbath School class which is an essential aspect of member nurture.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR SPECIAL-NEEDS STUDENTS

In Sabbath School class we value and nurture di-versity. As such, strive to create a welcoming envi-ronment that is inclusive of all students regardless of their special needs.

If you find that some of the Sabbath School ac-tivities are difficult for students with special needs, please look for corresponding accommodations. The NAD Reach manual is especially helpful in providing lists of possible accommodations for students with special needs (http://adventisteducation.org/down loads/pdf/REACH_Manual_3rd_Edition.pdf)


TEAM TEACHINGTo safeguard the well-being of the students at all

times, it is recommended that each Sabbath School class for children and youth have teams of two in-structors each Sabbath. It is strongly recommended, and in some places mandated, that any volunteer working with children and youth go through a thor-ough background screening. Occasionally you may invite to class other adults as well—church leaders and lay members who could provide insight and share personal experiences in light of the topic or content of the Sabbath School lessons (i.e., pastor, elder, youth leader, Community Services leader).

CLASSROOM DECORATIONSCreate inviting, warm, and colorful rooms that

follow the quarter’s lesson themes. This is a place where the student’s hands-on projects done during the week for memory verse checks or during the Sabbath School program on Sabbath may be dis-played as part of the classroom decorations.

PREPARING TO TEACHFamiliarize yourself with the student’s lesson.

Read the lesson first from the student’s guide so that you may be able to make connections and review key concepts the students have studied in preparation for Sabbath School. Pray that the Holy Spirit will be with you and your students as you seek truth in God’s Word.

THE STUDENT’S GUIDEHere is an outline of the various components of

the student’s lesson:

1. Study of the Word: In preparation for Sabbath School, students will study the Bible lesson during the week. On Sabbath you will review the lesson, elaborate on it, and facilitate discussion by the students. This process will strengthen in stu-dents a sense of accountability and will facilitate a deepe r spiritual understanding of the content. Each lesson is based on a Bible topic or story. The story or Bible passage under study is summarized on Sabbath, and then each day it is unpacked in detail with a focus on important principles and practical application activities. In addition to a narrative segment of the Bible story or topic, stu-dents are engaged in Bible study through activi-ties, puzzles, and application questions.

2. Memory Verse Checks: In the student daily les-sons, students are given various opportunities to

learn their memory verses. During the Study of the Word segment of the Sabbath School pro-gram, invite students to review and say together the memory verse. Allow a few moments for them to share what they have made, written, or created during the week while doing the memory verse check. Keep this activity short, as you will want to devote most of the classtime to the Bible study. Another idea to encourage students to use their creativity is to make a bulletin board in the class-room or church hallway where the student’s writ-ten work can be displayed.

3. Quarterly Memory Challenge: In addition to the weekly memory verse checks, a quarterly memory challenge is included, as noted at the beginning of each lesson. This provides further opportunity for students to learn longer portions of Scripture and store God’s Word in their hearts. Many of these select passages are mentioned in the writings of Ellen White as recommended to be committed to memory.

4. Old and New Testament Ties: These are Bible study activities that connect Bible passages from the Old Testament with passages from the New Testament on the same topics and make clear the integral unity of the Scriptures.

5. Inspired Insights: Under the Bible references for each week’s lesson, corresponding readings from Ellen White’s books are listed. In the lesson, a paragraph from this reading is included with questions for reflection and application.

6. God’s Book of Nature: Interesting object lessons from nature and everyday life are used to provide illustrations for the Bible lessons to make under-standing of profound truths easy to grasp for the young readers.

7. Archaeology: These components help situate the Bible lesson within the historical, geographical, and cultural context and bring to light discoveries that affirm the accuracy of the Bible narrative.

8. Health Nugget: These articles affirm practices of healthy living aligned with the Bible topics un-der investigation.

9. Time Capsule: Knowing the history of our church can be instrumental in inspiring young people to embrace the sense of mission that was characteristic of the early Adventist pioneers.

10. Community Connections: This component seeks to engage young people in a short service project in their circles of influence. Usually this component is connected with the content of the lesson.


11. Think It Through: Children and young people are surrounded by all kinds of influences. Only by be-ing grounded in the Word of God will they be able to distinguish between truth and error. We need to train them to “be thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other [people’s] thought” (Ellen G. White, Edu-cation, p. 17). Through short scenarios and appli-cation questions, young people are challenged to think of ways they would respond in similar situa-tions, based on the lessons they have studied. This way they are also learning how to connect with in-dividuals of different persuasions and beliefs and to effectively communicate the light of truth from God’s Word.

THE TEACHER’S GUIDEHere is an outline of the various components of

the teacher’s edition of the lesson:

TEACHER PREPARATION• Weekly memory verse

• Quarterly Memory Challenge

These are the quarterly memory challenges for this year:

Quarter 1: John 15:5–14.

“Our growth in grace, our joy, our usefulness—all depend upon our union with Christ. It is by communion with Him, daily, hourly—by abid-ing in Him—that we grow in grace. He is not only the author, but the finisher of our faith” (Ellen G. White, God’s Amazing Grace, p. 293).

Quarter 2: Ephesians 6:10–18.

“We must put on every piece of the armor, and then stand firm” (Ellen G. White, in The Youth’s Instructor, Sept. 12, 1901).

Quarter 3: 1 Corinthians 13:4–8.

“[First Corinthians 12 and 13] should be com-mitted to memory” (The SDA Bible Commen-tary, Ellen G. White Comments, vol. 6, p. 1090).

Quarter 4: Philippians 2:5–11.

“Eternity will be required for us to know all the length and breadth, the depth and height, of the Scriptures. . . . Skill is needed in your ed-ucation in Scriptural lines. Read and study . . . Philippians 2:5-11.” (Ellen G. White, Testimo-nies for the Church, vol. 6, p. 59).

• Lesson study references are included

• Lesson objectives and synopses offer you a

quick overview of the topic and key elements of the lesson.

• Corresponding SDA belief statements are listed.

• For Reflection contains quotes from the Spirit of Prophec y that provide further insight into the themes developed in the lessons.

• In Advance is a section that brings attention to items that are needed in preparation for the week’s lesson.

As part of your preparation for teaching the class, look at all the YOU WILL NEED boxes in the lesson and prepare the materials for the activities.

Emcourage students to bring their Bibles with them each Sabbath. In addition, have Bibles avail-able in the classroom to be distributed to the stu-dents who do not bring their Bibles with them.

• For instruction, the lesson is structured accord-ing to the four pillars of Sabbath School:

1. Fellowship

2. World Mission Emphasis

3. Study of the Word

4. Community Outreach

SABBATH SCHOOL PROGRAMFELLOWSHIP

Teachers, this is the beginning of your time to-gether with your students. For a visitor, this may be his or her very first Sabbath School experience. Make it special. Students take their cues from you. If you are warm and excited, the students will look forward to coming. Conversely, if you are listless and seem only to be going through the motions, the students will feel that and respond in kind.

Welcome—Allow students to report things that they are pleased or troubled about. Take note of their answers so you can pray about your students’ needs. Acknowledge any birthdays, special events, or achievements. Give a special, warm greeting to all visitors and find a way to keep in touch. Early in the following week, send a postcard or e-mail letting the visitors know how much you enjoyed having them in your class and that you would like to see them again. Offer prayer based on the students’ needs. Be sure to welcome the visitors who come later as well.

Praise in Song—Sing a few songs that are favor-ites. As far as possible, choose songs that are related to the lesson as well.


Prayer—Pray for the things noted earlier. Pray also for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit as you begin your study.

The Fellowship Activity—This activity is inter-active and cooperative in nature. It introduces the topic of the lesson in a thought-provoking way. This activity involves students in group or whole-class in-teraction. Discussion questions help channel the stu-dents’ attention towards the message of the lesson.

WORLD MISSION EMPHASISMission Story and Offering

In preparation for this segment of Sabbath School, plan to have in your class a copy of the Mission Quarterly, an offering container, a special Thirteenth Sabbath Offering box, and optionally a world map for locating the world division that the Sabbath School offerings will help support.

Discuss the mission story and make the appeal for offering. If you do not have access to the printe d version of the Mission stories for this quarter, you can download them from the Adventist Mission website: https://am.adventistmission.org/mq-adult. In the of-fering appeal, try to make some direct connections to the Sabbath School lesson.

STUDY OF THE WORDThis is the main segment of the Sabbath School

Bible study hour. Here students are either individu-ally or cooperatively involved in interactive Bible study. Engage them in learning how to participate in and/or conduct a Bible study. Provide a concise exposition of the Bible story or topic in connection with the key Bible teaching for the week and follow that with an invitation for students to apply the les-sons in their daily life. Two or three methods of in-struction are presented, and you may modify these based on the local needs and dynamics of your class. Make calls for decisions whenever the opportunity arises, inviting students to respond to God’s love and accept Christ as their personal Savior.

The components found in the Study of the Word segment include:

• The lesson quiz contains several questions that cover important points from the student’s les-son. This review lesson quiz is to introduce and summarize the main points of the lesson and can be done in a number of different ways. For ex-ample, you can do it by listing the questions on the board, using them as a handout for students to complete in writing, or setting them up as a PowerPoint presentation designed prior to class.

You can also increase the number of questions to be used in the quiz. Visit our website at MyBible Guides.me to download the handout.

• The memory verse practice offers the whole class an opportunity to say the memory verse.

• The quarterly memory challenge gives the stu-dents a chance to review the challenge in class.

• The illustration with discussion question(s) is an engaging way to illustrate and introduce the topi c of the lesson.

• The Bible activities offer multiple options for in-struction and can be adjusted based on the local needs and dynamics of your class.

Make calls for decisions whenever the oppor-tunity arises, inviting students to respond to God’s love and accept Christ as their personal Savior.

COMMUNITY OUTREACHLook ahead at the community outreach service

projects. Plan ahead and be prepared for imple-menting these or other projects that are applicable to your context and local needs.

Community outreach is part of the GROW your church TMI (Total Member Involvement) initiative. It is vital that our young people feel that they are an im-portant part of the church and its evangelistic goals.

The GROW discipleship model teaches the fol-lowing five core phases of community outreach and evangelism:

1. Prepare the soil of the heart through friendship and service.

2. Plant, providing opportunities for the Word by giving truth-filled literature, telling your story, and inviting others to attend church and church programs.

3. Cultivate spiritual interest with Bible studies.

4. Harvest invitations and decisions to follow Jesus.

5. Preserve—train and mentor new members to become disciples.

It is not always possible for you and your students to get together every Sabbath afternoon to do some form of outreach, but in each Sabbath’s lesson there is a suggested activity for your students to carr y out on Sabbath afternoon or sometime during the com-ing week.

In addition to the weekly community service ideas, the major community outreach activities and projects done once or twice quarterly bring the class


together and help the students become more in-volved in service, outreach, and evangelism. These types of projects take time and planning. Check with your pastor, other church leaders, church de-partments, and other local agencies to see what they may be doing for outreach and community service projects. Ask if your Sabbath School group could join and participate with them.

Below are some suggestions for potential class projects following the GROW model for disciple-ship. Each activity may fulfill more than one phase of evangelism. The following project ideas are to in-volve students actively in the preparations and the distribution of any gift item.

1. Prepare

Because the projects for preparing the soil are generic service projects, consisting of acts of kind-ness, we also want to incorporate some message of hope, encouragement, or gratitude rooted in prom-ises and truth of God’s Word. So include a GLOW tract, mission book, and Bible study offer in baskets or “gifts” given to non–church members.

• Shop and prepare a food basket for a neighbor or church member who needs help.

• Prepare a welcome basket for newcomers to the neighborhood or new church members.

• Make up some thank-you/appreciation cards and have the students hand them out to thank some-one that has been helpful.

• Cook a meal and deliver it to a sick neighbor or church member.

• Make sandwiches; add fruit, some cookies, and a bottle of water; and give the “lunches” out to those who are homeless in your area.

• Have your students volunteer and participate in a health expo.

• Make and bake bread to share with neighbors.

• Find outside agencies that would benefit from having student volunteers, such as nursing homes or tutoring centers, and work with your students to get them involved.

• When you or your students learn of someone who has lost a loved one, prepare a meal and de-liver it with a card from the class to them.

• Prepare get-well baskets to take when you visit people who are in the hospital.

• Prepare welcome baskets for new mothers that are in need.

• Learn to crochet or knit baby blankets and give them to your local hospital for newborn babies.

• Visit the nursing home and put on a special program with singing, poems, reading, and conversation— Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving, Veter-ans Day, Christmas, or New Year’s Day—use the special days associated with your division.

• Volunteer at your local homeless shelter or food bank.

• Set up a back-to-school clothes closet at your church and have families donate clothes for needy children.

• Participate in your community clean-up day.

• Collaborate with the Community Services De-partment of your church to collect and distribute hats, scarves, gloves, coats, boots.

• Collect school supplies and backpacks for the needy.

• Pack or deliver gifts at fire or police departments for needy children or families.

2. Plant

• Reach out to any person whom your class has helped in the past (see the “Prepare” phase) and invite them to church programs, seminars, or evangelistic meetings.

• Pass out GLOW tracts.

• Give a mission or devotional book to neighbors and friends.

• Plan to help with Vacation Bible School and in-vite your neighborhood friends.

• Share the things you are learning about in Sab-bath School with a friend or someone who does not have a relationship with God.

3. Cultivate

• Encourage students to find friends or people in-terested to whom they could give Bible studies (with your supervision or the mentorship of a parent, pastor, or elder).

• Prepare students to look for opportunities every day to share Bible truths.

• Have students share their testimonies of how they experienced God’s love and providence, or their conversion experience, and offer to pray with people, inviting them into a living and vi-brant relationship with Jesus.


4. Harvest

• If your church is holding an evangelistic series, see where your students can help—being greet-ers, ushers, assisting in the children’s department (reading stories or setting up play activities), do-ing the special music, giving their testimony, or even preaching part of the sermon.

• Teach students to be prepared, whatever their role or service involvement may be, to invite peo-ple to accept Jesus as their personal Savior and Friend.

5. Preserve

• Prepare “Missed You” cards and send them to members who have been missing from Sabbath School or church.

• Do shopping, laundry, or house/yard work for a sick or elderly neighbor or church member.

• Prepare and send letters or care packages to stu-dents from your church who attend school or are student missionaries away from their home town.

• Mentor a new junior, teen, or youth member.

Involve students in service to their local church family and/or community. Any visits to the com-munity should be done under supervision the of a parent or other adult caregiver or (in the case of old-er teens) in a group. Remind students that to serve others effectivel y we first need to have a strong, per-sona l relationship with Jesus. You may discuss with the students service projects that the class could do together. Encourage students to personalize the message of the lesson and to make a difference for God in their communities.

FINAL THOUGHTS Summarize and conclude with how the lesson

applies to our daily lives. Conclude the lesson by re-minding students of God’s love and inviting them to accept Christ’s saving grace.

COMING UP NEXT WEEKIntroduce briefly the topic of the next lesson

and remind them to study the lesson in prepara-tion for the next week. Remind them to continue learning their memory verses and quarterly memo-r y challenge for Thirteenth Sabbath. Pray with the students.

IMPORTANT EVENTS• Thirteenth Sabbath program

• Global Youth Day: the 3rd Sabbath in March

• Youth Week of Prayer: the 4th week in March

• Homecoming Day (reclamation): the 4th Sab-bath in March

• Pathfinder Day: the 3rd Sabbath in September

For more information on any of these events, visit www.youth.adventist.org.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCESAlso remember to check our website for addi-

tional resources that you can use in your Sabbath School class: www.MyBibleGuides.org.

YOUR INPUTIf in your Sabbath School you have tried an ac-

tivity, method, or tool for instruction that was really effective with the students and engaged them in the lesson, why not share it with us so other teachers can benefit as well. Visit our website and contact us to share your creative ideas at: www.MyBible Guides.org.

Thank you for your dedication in ministering to your students and guiding them to the Savior through your personal example and your instruction!

| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 | LESSON 1 |1010 | TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 | LESSON 1 |

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LESSON

1

TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusa-lem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

QUARTERLY MEMORY CHALLENGE“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:5–14).

REFERENCESBible References: Ezekiel 34:26, 29–31; Isaiah 43:10–12; 42:6, 7; 49:8–16; 5:3–7; Acts 1:8; Ephesians 3:10

Further Study: The Acts of the Apostles, chap. 1, pp. 9–16; or Unlikely Leaders, chap. 1, pp. 7, 8.

OBJECTIVESKNOW the background, purpose, and mission of God’s end-time church.

UNDERSTAND the call to be involved in outreach and mission to fulfill the Great Commission.

RESPOND by making a commitment to being actively involved in their communities.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 12: THE CHURCH“The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In continuity

with the people of God in Old Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word, for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, for service to

“YOU SHALL BE WITNESSES TO ME”

11| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 | LESSON 1 | 11| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 | LESSON 1 |

humanity, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate Word revealed in the Scriptures. The church is God’s family; adopted by Him as chil-dren, its members live on the basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head. The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and without blemish (Gen. 12:1–3; Ex. 19:3–7; Matt. 16:13–20; 18:18; 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38–42; 7:38; 1 Cor. 1:2; Eph. 1:22, 23; 2:19–22; 3:8-11; 5:23–27; Col. 1:17, 18; 1 Peter 2:9.)”

SYNOPSISThroughout history men and women have given their lives for the gospel of Christ. What factors caused

this type of dedication, and where did this movement originate? This week’s lesson covers these questions, while introducing the Acts narrative. Beginning with an overview of the times, authorship, and key ideas, the students will have a solid understanding of the factors at play in the beginning of the Christian religion. Halfway through the week the lesson transitions from the formation and expansion of the church to God’s intended purpose and mission for His end-time church. The students will take a look at how the church, individually and collectively, is fulfilling that purpose, and come up with practical ways to be involved.

FOR REFLECTION“The church is God’s appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mis-

sion is to carry the gospel to the world. From the beginning it has been God’s plan that through His church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 9).

“The members are to find their happiness in the happiness of those whom they help and bless” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 12).

“Everyone in whose heart Christ abides, everyone who will show forth His love to the world, is a worker together with God for the blessing of humanity. As he receives from the Saviour grace to impart to others, from his whole being flows forth the tide of spiritual life” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 13).

LESSON

1

IN ADVANCE• Familiarize yourself with the introductory pages to the teacher’s guide for detailed guidelines and

recommendations for Sabbath School preparation.

• Check the YOU WILL NEED lists located in page margins beside activities to prepare materials for Sabbath School.

• Look for any handouts that need to be copied or prepared for Sabbath School.

• Read the Community Outreach activity and make contact early in the week with church leaders and agencies or institutions in the community, if required for the service projects.

• Begin thinking and planning for your Thirteenth Sabbath program.


SABBATH SCHOOL PROGRAM

FELLOWSHIP (10 MINUTES TOTAL)

Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points with-in the time given. Keep in mind that the greate r portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductor y activities in the FELLOWSHIP segment of the class.

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIESSee the front of this guide for detailed informa-

tion regarding the opening activities:

• Greet students (ask about their week; take inven-tory of missing members)

• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: GIVE THE GOSPEL

Divide students into two even groups (as far from each other as they can be!) and make a “box” (lines on the floor, furniture, etc.). Give each member in one group a bit of paper (or something light that can’t be thrown far) with the word gospel written on it. Tell them they are each to give the “gospel” to the members of the other group without either group leaving their box. Students will quickly find that the task is

practically impossible.

DEBRIEFINGASK: What could be done to take the “gospel” to the other group if there were no limitations? (Leave the box; send someone out of the box.) SAY: The box is like a church building. If we neve r leave our comfort zone, we may never be able to share the gospel.

Have students say the memory verse. Emphasize Jesus’ words that we are to be witnesses “to the end of the earth.”

SAY: What are practical ways you can join in the church’s mission to carry the gospel to people around you? Invite students to answer. You may take notes of the answers on the board.

WORLD MISSION (5 MINUTES TOTAL)

MISSION STORYIntroduce the mission story and summarize its

contents. If possible, make a correlation to the les-son. If you do not have access to the printed version of the Mission stories for this quarter, you can down-load them from the Adventist Mission website: https://am.adventistmission.org/mq-adult.

OFFERINGSAY: Mission and outreach are the purpose and heart of our church. Even though not everyone can be a missionary overseas, we can all give of our wealth so that others can afford Bibles, books, schools, and churches.

PRAYERThank God for Jesus, who came to earth to teach

us by His personal example how to be a blessing to others and to show them the road to salvation.

HOLYBIBLE

STUDY OF THE WORD (40 MINUTES TOTAL)

Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to address in detail with your stu-dents, making sure you cover those points within the time given.

YOU WILL NEED:n whiteboard/

blackboardn markers/chalkn crunched-up

piece of paper

LESSON

1


LESSON QUIZThe lesson quiz is designed for re-

viewing the main points of the lesson. Be creative in how you structure this activity, using either whole-class par-ticipation, or cooperative learning in groups using the handout, or other

means that invite student participation.

A. Circle each correct answer.

1. The Great Commission is

a. Being witnesses for God b. Earning a big bonus c. Through the power of the Holy Spirit taking the good news to all the world

2. The wonders of nature show us

a. Storms b. The power of God c. The Creator

3. What are some examples of the various types of missions within the Seventh-day Adventist Church?

a. Healing b. Teaching c. Preaching d. Helping the oppressed e. Health ministry

4. How is the church like a consulate?

a. It’s place to relax b. It’s a refuge in a for-eign world c. It helps in emergencies d. It is a “taste” of our heavenly home e. There is fellowship with other believers

5. In John 17:20–26, what are the themes found in Jesus’ prayer?

a. Community b. People living in unity c. Reflecting His love to others d. That we would be one with Him

B. Answer the following questions.

6. Where is the Great Commission found in the Bible? ___________________________________ (Matthew 28:18–20)

7. What four types of needs can we as Christians meet when we reach out to others? ____________, ____________, ____________, ____________

8. What is the most important thing we can do for those who live for self and this world? _______________________________

C. Circle the correct word(s).

9. To be an ambassador for God means we are His soldiers / messengers and employees / witnesses.

10. You can be an ambassador for God by being disagreeable / living in unity with one another

and by seeking to have fun / reflecting God’s love to others.

Answer Key: 1-a, c. 2-b, c. 3-all. 4-b, c, d, e. 5-all. 6-Matthew 28:18–20. 7-physical, mental, emo-

tiona l, spiritual. 8-Lead them to Jesus. 9-messen-gers, witnesses, living in unity, reflecting God’s love.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be wit-nesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

QUARTERLY MEMORY CHALLENGE

Review the quarterly memory challenge with your students. As a class, read John 15:5–14 together.

ILLUSTRATIONTell the following story in your own words:

Samantha shifted the bag on her shoulders. She was getting tired. The day was long and hot. Many doors had been slammed in her face. She was in the middle of a summer canvassing program to earn money for school. She glanced at her watch. “Only a few more hours,” she told herself.

She knocked on the door in front of her, and a professional-looking woman answered the door. “What do you want?” she asked impatiently. Saman-tha showed her a book, but the woman was busy and definitely not in a good mood. “I’m not inter-ested,” she retorted as she began to shut the door.

Something in Samantha stirred. “Ma’am, wait a moment. I have something for you.” Samantha reached into her bag and pulled out a copy of The Great Controversy. The book fell open to one of the last page s, where an illustration of the Second Com-ing was portrayed.

The woman’s face became pale, and she opened the door again. “Wait here,” she said as she stepped inside. When she returned, she had money in her hand. “Here. I want you to have this in exchange for that book!” Shocked, Samantha wondered what could have made such a drastic change in the woman’s attitude. The woman began to explain.

“I haven’t been to church in a very long time. In fact, I have been bitter against religion. However,

YOU WILL NEED:n Handout 1n pens/pencils

LESSON

1


last night I had a dream. In that dream I saw Jesus coming again. I was scared and tried to hide—but was unable to. I woke up feeling very troubled and haven’t been at peace all day. When I saw the picture in the back of this book, I knew I had to have it, be-cause it was the exact same scene from my dream.” Tears began to fall down the woman’s face, and Sa-mantha knew that God had led her there.

You see, Samantha did what she was able to do. Because she was willing to engage in outreach and the mission of the church, a life was touched. The same can happen to you!

BIBLE ACTIVITY: BEING A WITNESS FOR JESUS

Have students form groups (three or four peo-ple each). Give each group a Bible, paper, and a pen/pencil. Have them read Acts 1:1–12 and give them five to 10 minutes to discuss and write down answers to the following questions:

After His resurrection, what did Jesus tell His disciples to do? (Wait for the promise of the Father

[i.e., the Holy Spirit—verses 4, 5].)

What would happen to them as a result of receiv-ing the promise? (They would become witnesses to the world—verse 8.)

Have one person from each group share their group’s answers.

SAY: Jesus wanted HIs disciples to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that they could witness to everyone with whom they came in contact.

ASK: How do you think the disciples witnessed and did evangelism?

BIBLE ACTIVITY: SHARING THE LIGHT

SAY: In Monday’s lesson you learned about the Holy Spirit’s role in the purpose of the church. Let’s explore that a bit further.

Divide the class into groups of three or four. Give each student a copy of Handout 2 and have the members of the groups take turns reading Luke 4:18, 19 and Isaiah 61:1-3. Ask the students to list the actions that show the purpose of the church and discuss how the two passages com-pare. Give the students a few minutes to work on

LESSON

1their handouts, then bring the class back together.

Ask each group to share what they have dis-cussed. As the students name the actions, write them on the board where all can see.

Answer Key

Luke 4:18, 19:

a. Preach the gospel to the poor.

b. Heal the brokenhearted.

c. Proclaim liberty to the captives.

d. Preach recovering of sight to the blind.

e. Set at liberty those who are oppressed.

f. Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

Isaiah 61:1–3:

a. Preach good tidings to the poor.

b. Heal the brokenhearted.

c. Proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.

d. Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God.

e. Comfort all who mourn.

f. Console those who mourn in Zion.

g. Give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

ASK: What are some of the things on this list you can do today? Allow students to respond. SAY: We often think of church as a weekly meeting and building, but it is much more than that. As we begin to live our lives as Christ orig-inally intended for Christians to live, we will ex-perience a deeper and happier walk with God.

In The Acts of the Apostles, on page 12, we read, “The members are to find their happiness in the happiness of those whom they help and bless.”

ASK: What do you think this means? How do you feel when you are helping someone else?SAY: God has given us a great gift in being able to help other people. Not only are we able to share Jesus’ gift with every person—we are given a gift of joy and happiness. What a blessing! How can you have these blessings in your lives today?

YOU WILL NEED:

n Bible

n papern pens/pencils

YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Handout 2n pens/pencilsn whiteboard/

blackboardn markers/chalk


COMMUNITY OUTREACH (5 MINUTES TOTAL)SAY: The prophet Ezekiel describes a beautiful picture of the church that fulfills its mission in the community. Let’s read together Ezekiel 47:1–12. Assign students to take turns reading the passage.

DEBRIEFINGASK: What metaphor does Ezekiel use for the church’s mission to bless the world? The river that is surrounded by fruit-bearing trees.

What have you learned about this river? Invite student answers.

How is this a good illustration of the role of the church in the community? This is how the mem-bers of the church need to spread the streams of life and blessings wherever they go.

What can we do to make a difference in our com-munity and circle of influence? Allow students to respond, and write their answers on the board.

Using the list in Community Connections from the student’s guide, facilitate class discussion. Vote on one goal that all the members of the class can participate in.

Alternately, have 10 GLOW tracts (or other pieces of literature) prepared for students. Pass these out at the end of class and give an incentive for giving out all of the literature by next week. Encourage the students to set tangible goals for themselves—for example: two tracts per day. Read Matthew 28:20, focusing espe-ciall y on the promise in the last line. Pray with the stu-dents, thanking God for keeping His promises to us.

LESSON

1FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: This week’s lesson has given us an idea of where early Christianity began and why it has spread so effectively. Our mission today is no different than it was in the book of Acts: our pur-pose is to reach others for Jesus. This week, as we actively reach out to our communities, let’s try to remember the words of Christ Have stu-dents repeat the memory verse out loud and in unison:

MV: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be wit-nesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

COMING UP NEXT WEEK SAY: Our lesson next week is about the call and training of the 12 apostles.

Keep reviewing the memory verses from previ-ous and current lessons so that we may be ready for our presentation on Thirteenth Sabbath.

Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you may grow closer and closer to Jesus. Then others around you will notice that you have been with Him.

Close with prayer.

REFERENCESGeneral Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 28

Fundamental Beliefs (2015), https://www.adventist.org/ fileadmin/adventist.org/files/articles/official-state-ments/28Beliefs-Web.pdf.

Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press, 1911).


blackboardn markers/chalkn literature/tracts


www.MyBibleGuides.org | Text © General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists 2019.

HANDOUT 1: LESSON QUIZA. Circle each correct answer.

1. The Great Commission is

a. Being witnesses for God b. Earning a big bonus

c. Through the power of the Holy Spirit taking the good news to all the world

2. The wonders of nature show us

a. Storms b. The power of God c. The Creator

3. What are some examples of the various types of missions within the Seventh-day Adventist

Church?

a. Healing b. Teaching c. Preaching d. Helping the oppressed

e. Health ministry

4. How is the church like a consulate?

a. It’s place to relax b. It’s a refuge in a foreign world c. It helps in emergencies

d. It is a “taste” of our heavenly home e. There is fellowship with other believers

5. In John 17:20–26, what are the themes found in Jesus’ prayer?

a. Community b. People living in unity c. Reflecting His love to others

d. That we would be one with Him

B. Answer the following questions.

6. Where is the Great Commission found in the Bible? _____________________________________

(Matthew 28:18–20)

7. What four types of needs can we as Christians meet when we reach out to others?

________________________, ________________________, ______________________, ______________________

8. What is the most important thing we can do for those who live for self and this world?

________________________________________________________________________________

C. Circle the correct word(s).

9.To be an ambassador for God means we are His soldiers / messengers and employees / witnesses.

10. You can be an ambassador for God by being disagreeable / living in unity with one another and

by seeking to have fun / reflecting God’s love to others.

LESSON

1



HANDOUT 2: SHARING THE LIGHT Read the following Bible references and list the actions that show the purpose of the church.

LUKE 4:18, 19 ISAIAH 61:1-3

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

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_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

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_________________________________________

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How do these two lists compare? ______________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________

What are things on this list you can do today? Put a check mark next to what you can do.

LESSON

1

| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 | LESSON 2 |1818

TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’ ” (Isaiah 6:8).

QUARTERLY MEMORY CHALLENGE John 15:5–14

REFERENCESBible Reference: Mark 3:13, 14

Further Study: The Acts of the Apostles, chap. 2, pp. 17–24; or Unlikely Leaders, chap. 2, pp. 9–11.

OBJECTIVESKNOW that Jesus gave the 12 disciples spiritual gifts to help them make disciples of others.

UNDERSTAND that we have received spiritual gifts that will help us do the work of sharing the gospel.

RESPOND by using spiritual gifts and ministries to spread the gospel.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 17: SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND MINISTRIES

“God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts that each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church to spiritual

CALLED TO BE SENT

LESSON

2

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19| TEEN | SABBATH SCHOOL TEACHER’S GUIDE | YEAR A | QTR 1 | LESSON 2 | 19

maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God’s varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love (Acts 6:1–7; Rom. 12:4–8; 1 Cor. 12:7–11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11–16; 1 Tim. 3:1–13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)”

SYNOPSISDuring His earthly ministry Jesus called disciples and trained them for the important work of carrying

forward the work He had begun. Although Jesus’ disciples were simple men of trade, Jesus saw in them potential. He saw what they could become if they would open their hearts and minds to the influence and transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Similarly, Jesus is calling each one of us today, regardless of our back-ground or ethnicity or skills. His desire is to equip us to spread the good news about Him.

FOR REFLECTION“In training His disciples, Jesus chose to withdraw from the confusion of the city to the quiet of the fields

and hills, as more in harmony with the lessons of self-abnegation He desired to teach them. And during His ministry He loved to gather the people about Him under the blue heavens, on some grassy hillside, or on the beach beside the lake. Here, surrounded by the works of His own creation, He could turn the thoughts of His hearers from the artificial to the natural” (Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 291).

“True education is missionary training. Every son and daughter of God is called to be a missionary; we are called to the service of God and our fellow men; and to fit us for this service should be the object of our education” (Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 395).

“There is no limit to the usefulness of the one who, putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart and lives a life wholly consecrated to God” (Ellen G. White, Counsels for the Church, p. 99).

“He did not command the disciples to do this or that, but said, ‘Follow Me.’ He took them with Him on His journeys through country and cities. They saw Him in every phase of life” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 18).

LESSON

2







YOU WILL NEED:n three or four

cotton sewing thread spools (different colors are preferred)

LESSON

2 FELLOWSHIP (10 MINUTES TOTAL)

Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points with-in the time given. Keep in mind that the great-er portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductory activities in the FELLOWSHIP segment of the class.




• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: WORKING TOGETHER

Give each student one thread and give them the opportunity to try to break it. This should be easy for them to do. (Be sure your thread is cotton. It will be easier to break.)

Then give each student two threads. Have the students put the threads together and try to break them. (Some students may be able to break them;

others will not.)

Continue to give students additional threads un-til they are not able to break them. Take 10 threads, put them together, and ask a student to try to break them. The student will not be able to break 10 threads that are together all at once.

Finally, separate these 10 threads and give one thread to 10 students and ask them to break it.

ASK: What lesson can we learn from this simple

illustration? What other illustration can we use to demonstrate that there is power in unity?

Have the students give you an example of when they were unable to fulfill a task without the help of others. (For example: carrying a heavy box or a long table; playing a sport for which you need at least a partner or a team, such as tennis, soccer, or baseball.)

Divide the students in groups of two or three. Have them discuss how important, to them, is the love and unity of the members of their family.

ASK: How do you feel when members of your family have good relationships with one anothe r? What emotions do you feel when you argue with a sibling? Does this break your family unity? What does it take for everyone to get along?

Also, it is very important to emphasize that God loves everybody regardless of their cultural back-ground, level of education, gender, skin color, or the clothes or shoes they wear.



contents. If possible, make a correlation to the les-son. If you do not have access to the printed ver-sion of the Mission stories for this quarter, you can download them from the Adventist Mission web-site: https://am.adventistmission.org/mq-adult.

OFFERINGGod offered us the most precious gift in the per-

son of His Son. Giving our offering is a practical demonstration of our love for others and for Jesus.

PRAYERThank God for Jesus, who came to earth to teach

us by His personal example how to be a blessing to others and to show them the road to salvation.



HOLYBIBLE




viewing the main points of the lesson. Be creative in how you structure this activi-ty, using either whole-class participation, or cooperative learning in groups using the handout, or other means that invite

student participation.

A. Answer the following questions.

1. Who equips us to do the work Jesus calls us to do? ___________________________

2. What are the two main activities involved in being a disciple of Jesus? ______________________________ and _____________________________________

B. Circle each correct answer.

3. What truths did Jesus teach about His kingdom?

a. Love God b. Love your neighbor c. Love your enemies d. Forgive others

4. What are ways you use your talents so they be-come spiritual gifts?

a. Never use them b. Use them for God c. Use them to honor Him d. Use your talents to build up the church e. Use them to better the world around you

5. How did Jesus help others?

a. He performed miracles b. He told them how to take care of themselves c. He fed the hungry. d. He healed the sick e. He cast out demons. f. He raised the dead g. He loved His enemies.

C. Circle true or false.

6. We can make a difference by praying and visiting the sick, sharing food and clothing, sharing Bible prom-ises with those who are hurting, and sending a card to encourage someone who is discouraged. T / F

7. Jesus interacted with people from different back-

LESSON

2grounds, cultures, and beliefs. T / F

8. We show God’s love by loving, caring, accepting, and helping everyone in need. T / F

9. Jesus taught us how to live by His personal ex-ample. T / F

D. Circle the correct word(s).

10. We are to be a cover / light to the world / universe.

Answer Key: 1-Holy Spirit. 2-Being filled with the Holy Spirit and sharing the gospel. 3-all. 4-b, c, d, e.

5-a, c, d, e, f, g. 6-T. 7-T. 8-T. 9-T. 10-light, world.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Isaiah 6:8, “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’ ”


Review the quarterly memory challenge with your students. If your students have their Bibles, read John 15:5–14 together.


“Chipper is a nice boy,” he said. Sarah had to laugh, because Chipper was a female German shep-herd. Hobbie had heard Chipper’s name so many times that he had learned to say it.

Hobbie was a Valentine’s gift, and Sarah loved talking to her little parakeet as she went about her work. Many times during the day Sarah would say, “Happy Sabbath!”

And then one Sabbath Hobbie answered, “Happ y Sabbath!” What joy!

Since Sarah’s daughter, Esther, would soon cele-brate her birthday, Sarah went around saying “Happ y Birthday!” And on Esther’s birthday, Hobbie said, “Happy Birthday!”

Hobbie also learned to say “Hobbie’s a nice boy” and “I love you.”

Hobbie had learned to repeat the sayings he heard over and over.

One night the family heard the hamsters’ wheel humming. “Wait!” they said. There was no way they could hear the hamsters’ wheel from the back room.





Sarah suddenly realized it wasn’t the hamsters’ wheel they heard—it was Hobbie! He had learned to make the sound of the wheel turning and spinning from when the hamsters and Hobbie had all been in the living room.

Hobbie was repeating what he had heard Sarah say to him day after day and what he had experienced night after night when the hamsters were most active.

Teaching by example is how the disciples learned from Jesus. They listened and watched Him. They followed Him day by day and observed how He healed the sick, taught the crowds, and served those who came to Him for help. And then, when Jesus sent them with the good news, they were ready to share the gospel with the world. They were ready to be an example of God’s love to those they met.

Just as Hobbie repeated the words that were modeled to him, the disciples reflected Jesus to a world that did not know Him.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: GOD HAS NO FAVORITES

We have many passages in the New Testament that show us Jesus’ interest in training His disci-ples to preach the gospel. The first thing that Jesus did after calling them to discipleship was to show them that there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles before God (see Ellen G. White, The Acts

of the Apostles, p. 19). It was not easy for His disciples to accept this concept, because they believed that they were “God’s favorite people.”

Write some Bible examples on the board to show that God doesn’t have “favorites” (i.e.: the Canaanite woman, Matthew 15:21–28; the centurion and his servant, Matthew 8:5–13; the demon-possessed man from Gadarene, Mark 5:1–20; the Samaritan woman, John 4:1–42; the nobleman’s son, John 4:46–53)

ASK: Was this mother an Israelite woman? (No.) Why did Jesus call her a “dog”? In Jesus’ days, the Jewish people usually referred to Gentiles as “dogs,” meaning “heathen, unacceptable to God.”

However, Jesus used an affectionate form of the word, which can be translated “household pet.” He was testing the faith of this mother, who under-stood Jesus’ “parable” as inviting her to be a part of His spiritual “family.” At the same time, He taught His disciples a lesson about God’s love, care, and ac-ceptance of all His children on earth.

ASK: What do the bread and the crumbs sym-

LESSON

2bolize? The bread and crumbs represent the blessings that God sends to His people. Jesus tested the woman by emphasizing that it was not right to take the blessings designated for the peo-ple of God and to give them to those who alienate themselves from God.

ASK: What was the lesson Jesus wanted to teach His disciples?

Jesus’ goal was to show them that their mission would include people of other nations as well.

ASK: What can we learn from how Jesus dealt with people of different backgrounds and be-liefs? Can you think of a situation when a per-son who was not a Christian asked for your help? How did you respond?

BIBLE ACTIVITY: USE YOUR TALENTS

Discuss talents with your students and allow them to share what they think their talents are—painting, singing, play-ing an instrument, writing poems, help-ing others, praying for others.

Ask the students to raise their hands for the following questions: “Who likes to sing?” and then ask them to write a poem; “Who likes to help others?” and ask them to play the piano.

ASK: Why were you hesitant to do what I asked you? (I don’t like doing that; it’s not my talent.)

SAY: To support the church, every member should use his or her own talent.

ASK: What is a talent? What is a spiritual gift? Talk about the differences between a talent and a spiritual gift. Write students’ answers on the board, listing them in two separate columns.

SAY: Everybody has at least one talent. (See Matthew 25:14, 15.) In the parable of the talents, Jesus said every servant received at least one talent. We can use our talent(s) either to glorif y ourselves or to honor God and give glory to Him. However, when we accept Christ, the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts for the specific purpose of building up the church and sharing the gospel. Give students Handout 2 and allow them a few minutes to complete it. Then bring the class back together.

ASK: What spiritual gift or talents did you find in




1 Corinthians 12:4-11? Write their answers on the board. Do this for each Bible reference.

Answer Key

• 1 Corinthians 12:4–11 (the word of wisdom, knowl-edge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, prophecy, discernments, interpretation of tongues)

• 1 Corinthians 12:27–31 (apostles, prophets, teach-ers, miracle workers, healing/health ministries, helps/serving ministries, administrations/project managers, those who are able to govern/leaders, varieties of tongues)

• 1 Corinthians 13 (love)

• Romans 12:6–13 (prophecy, ministry, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy, lov-ing, serving, hospitality)

SAY: Spiritual gifts can come through your natu-ral or acquired talents. When you give your talents to the Lord, He can use them to build the church inside and the world outside.

ASK: How can you use your talent(s) so they be-come a spiritual gift? Allow students to answer.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH (5 MINUTES TOTAL)

Read with students Matthew 28:19, 20.

ASK: Do we have the same mission Jesus gave His disciples to take the gospel to the entire world?

Was the privilege of preaching the gospel only for Jesus’ 12 disciples? Or only for pastors, evangelists, and missionaries? Allow students to answer.

SAY: Jesus personally trained His disciples for three and a half years. They learned from His ex-ample.

SAY: Jesus didn’t want to leave us without help. Before He went back to heaven He prayed, “I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth . . . for He dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:16, 17).

LESSON

2SAY: The reason God gave you talents was to use them for His glory. You can do this by see-ing a child of God in every person and by helping each according to their needs. Jesus identifies Himself with orphans, widows, and everyone who is lonely or in need. “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40).

ASK: Everybody who has accepted Jesus as their Savior is called to be a missionary. What can you do this week to demonstrate Jesus’ love in a practical way to someone who doesn’t know Him personally?

FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: The gates of His training school are still open. Everyone is welcome to be a student in the school of Jesus. He is calling you to be a disciple. Are you willing to become His disciple?

COMING UP NEXT WEEK SAY: Our lesson next week is about the Great Commission. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so you may grow closer and closer to Jesus. Then others around you will no-tice that you have been with Him.

Close with prayer.



Ellen G. White, Counsels for the Church (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press, 1991).


Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press, 1898, 1940).

Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press, 1905).


LESSON

2 HANDOUT 1: LESSON QUIZ


1. Who equips us to do the work Jesus calls us to do? ___________________________________________

2. What are the two main activities involved in being a disciple of Jesus? ______________________________

and _____________________________________


3. What truths did Jesus teach about His kingdom?

a. Love God b. Love your neighbor c. Love your enemies d. Forgive others

4. What are ways you use your talents so they become spiritual gifts?

a. Never use them b. Use them for God c. Use them to honor Him

d. Use your talents to build up the church e. Use them to better the world around you

5. How did Jesus help others?

a. He performed miracles b. He told them how to take care of themselves

c. He fed the hungry d. He healed the sick e. He cast out demons

f. He raised the dead g. He loved His enemies


6. We can make a difference by praying and visiting the sick, sharing food and clothing, sharing Bible prom-

ises with those who are hurting, and sending a card to encourage someone who is discouraged. T / F

7. Jesus interacted with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. T / F

8. We show God’s love by loving, caring, accepting, and helping everyone in need. T / F

9. Jesus taught us how to live by His personal example. T / F

D. Circle the correct word(s).

10. We are to be a cover / light to the world / universe.



LESSON

2HANDOUT 2: USE YOUR TALENTSRead the following Bible references and list the spiritual gifts.

1. What are the eight spiritual gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4–11?

____________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________ ____________________________________

2. Read 1 Corinthians 12:27–31. List the nine spiritual gifts there and identify what ministries they represent today.

SPIRITUAL GIFT MINISTRY TODAY

3. What gift do you find in 1 Corinthians 13? Write how you can use it this week.

THE GREATEST GIFT HOW CAN I USE IT THIS WEEK?

___________________________________________ ___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

4. List the nine spiritual gifts found in Romans 12:6–13.

____________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________



TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Matthew 28:18–20).


REFERENCESBible References: Acts 1:5, 8; Romans 10; 1 Peter 3:15; Matthew 28:18–20

Further Study: The Acts of the Apostles, chap. 3, pp. 25–34; or Unlikely Leaders, chap. 3, pp. 12–14

OBJECTIVESKNOW that God has given us a mission and all the tools we need to tell others about Him.

UNDERSTAND the Great Commission and determine to share the good news about Jesus.

RESPOND by committing ourselves to share the truth of God with others in our lives.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 13: THE REMNANT AND ITS MISSION

“The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in Christ, but in the last days, a time of wide-spread apostasy, a remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach of His second advent. This proclamation is symbolized by the three angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment in heaven and results in a work of repentance and reform on earth. Ev-ery believer is called to have a personal part in this worldwide witness (Dan. 7:9–14; Isa. 1:9; 11:11; Jer. 23:3; Micah 2:12; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Peter 1:16–19; 4:17; 2 Peter 3:10–14; Jude 3, 14; Rev. 12:17; 14:6–12; 18:1–4.)”

GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES

LESSON

3

[ † ]


SYNOPSISJesus’ parting words to His followers are summed up in the Great Commission. The words of that mes-

sage echo down through the ages and speak to each one of Christ’s followers with great importance. The disciples received the Great Commission with great zeal and devotion, dedicating their whole lives to the spreading of the gospel, believing that Jesus’ coming was very near. Today we have a much greater reason to dedicate ourselves to the spreading of this good news because the coming of Jesus is at hand. The great-est sign of the times indicating Jesus’ coming is being fulfilled before our very eyes—the gospel is being preached in the whole world!

FOR REFLECTION“The gospel commission is the great missionary charter of Christ’s kingdom. The disciples were to work

earnestly for souls, giving to all the invitation of mercy. They were not to wait for the people to come to them; they were to go to the people with their message” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 28).

“It is not the capabilities you now possess or ever will have that will give you success. It is that which the Lord can do for you. We need to have far less confidence in what man can do and far more confidence in what God can do for every believing soul. He longs to have you reach after Him by faith. He longs to have you expect great things from Him. He longs to give you understanding in temporal as well as in spiritual matters. He can sharpen the intellect. He can give tact and skill. Put your talents into the work, ask God for wisdom, and it will be given you” (Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 146).

“The Saviour knew that no argument, however logical, would melt hard hearts or break through the crust of worldliness and selfishness. He knew that His disciples must receive the heavenly endowment; that the gospel would be effective only as it was proclaimed by hearts made warm and lips made eloquent by a living knowledge of Him who is the way, the truth, and the life” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 31).

LESSON

3










LESSON

3 FELLOWSHIP (10 MINUTES TOTAL)

Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points within the time given. Keep in mind that the greater portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductor y activities in the FEL-LOWSHIP segment of the class.




• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: COOPERATION

Ask a question, let the students think of their answers, pair them up to discuss, and then let them share their answers with the class.

ASK: What is your favorite food?

SAY: Don’t say what the food actually is; just describe it and have the other person guess.

Describe it in detail to your partner. Then share it with the class.

Have someone read Psalm 34:8 for the group. Discuss how “taste and see” relates to having an inti-mate experience with God.

SAY: If we can taste and describe our fa-vorite foods with such ease, how much more should we be able to taste, see, and describe our life-changing experience with Jesus Christ. What are some descriptive words you can use to explain your relationship with Jesus?

Follow up each descriptive word by requesting a justification.

ASK: Why do you think God is awesome? How has God been faithful to you? How does He show His loveliness to you? (And so forth.)

Keep a list of the words on the whiteboard.




OFFERINGObeying the Great Commission can look differ-

ent in each place and circumstance. Notice how the person in the mission story shared the truth with others. What are the principles he/she used to share God’s truth and love?

God has given us the privilege to support His work all over the world. He can use our funds to reach people in the farthest corners of the world. Let’s give generously so the gospel will truly go to the ends of the earth.

PRAYERAsk God to help us reach out to those in our

spheres of influence and be powerful and effective witnesses for Him.

HOLYBIBLE






viewing the main points of the lesson. Be creative in how you structure this activi-ty, using either whole-class participation, or cooperative learning in groups using the handout, or other means that invite

student participation.

A. Circle true or false.

1. We are chosen by God to share His love. T / F

2. We are ambassadors for God to help others be reconciled to Him. T / F

3. Jesus’ life and death compel us to want to live for Him and others. T /F

4. The disciples became messengers of the gospel because they wanted to become famous. T /F

5. A personal encounter with Jesus makes you a better person. T /F

B. Circle the correct word(s).

6. We should keep quiet / speak / tell others about our experience with God.

7. Jesus taught us by example to stay away from / mingle with people.

C. Circle each correct answer.

8. Jesus shows His love to people by

a. Leaving them alone b. Desiring their good c. Showing sympathy d. Meeting their needs

9. What was the ending message of the Great Commission?

a. Jesus will be with us until the end b. Jesus will encourage us c. We are Jesus’ witnesse s d. We might suffer for Jesus, yet He will be with us e. We are not alone

10. How can you identify the “remnant”?

a. Keep the commandments of God b. Hono r and keep the Sabbath c. Have the testimony of Jesus d. Share the three angels’ messages

Answer Key: 1-T. 2-T. 3-T. 4-F. 5-T. 6-tell. 7-mingle with. 8-b, c, d. 9-all. 10-all

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Mat-thew 28:18–20: “And Jesus came and spoke to

LESSON

3

them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”


Review the quarterly memory challenge with your students. If your students have their Bibles, read John 15:5–14 together.

ILLUSTRATIONTell the following illustration in your own words.

A prestigious hospital welcomed patients from all over the world. The hospital was known for running smoothly, efficiently, and being highly professional.

One day a 7-year-old boy was found running his toy car along the walls of the surgery hall. At first doctors thought he was with a patient, so they let it pass. But then they noticed he passed from one hall to the next, loudly making car sounds as he raced down the walls.

Finally one of the doctors stopped him. “Boy,” the doctor asked, gently taking his arm, “don’t you know you’re not allowed in here?”

“Of course I am,” the boy replied. “I can go any-where I want.”

The doctor laughed. “What makes you so sure?”

The boy smiled widely. “My daddy owns this hospital.”

SAY: Just like the boy in this story, we can take great comfort in the authority of Jesus. We are never outside of His power to help, guide, cheer, or take care of us. He has authority ev-erywhere. Matthew 28:18 begins with Jesus tell-ing His disciples that He has all authority in heav-en and on earth.

SAY: You may not feel as though you have the best social skills, that you know your Bible that well, or that you can preach like your pastor; but God has given you a unique set of talents to use. It is encouraging to know that you can rely on God’s authority when you share Jesus.


BIBLE ACTIVITY: WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

Read 1 Peter 3:15 as a class.

ASK: What are some exam-ples of how you can “give a defense” for your hope (faith) in Jesus? What might giving a defense look like? How do we give a concise and yet sincere answer for our faith? What is the gospel about?

Put the drawing, the three main headings, and the Bible references for each section from Hand-out 2 on the board. Do not write the answers on the board.

Give students a copy of Handout 2. Have stu-dents work together in small groups of three or four. They will read together the passages and discuss the essence of each reference. They will summarize and write a brief summary—a few words—for each in the blank spaces provided on the handout. Then they will practice explaining the gospel to one an-other using their handout.

SAY: Let’s talk about the gospel. You will work in groups and take turns reading the Bible pas-sages on your handout. After each passage, stop and take turns summarizing what the passage is saying about the gospel. Write a very brief summary—just a few words—of the passages on the blank lines on the handout to fill out the pic-ture of the gospel presentation. Then using your handout, explain to each other in a few sentenc-es what is the gospel to you.

After the group activity, invite them to provide brief summaries of the message of each Bible ref-erence they have read and discussed. List their an-swers on the board—summarizing as shown in the answer key. Have someone from each group tell how they would share the gospel in light of what they have learned. Emphasize that the point is to share the gospel in a simple, understandable, concise, and kind way. Jesus was a master of simplicity!

SAY: “When Christ said to the disciples, Go forth in My name to gather into the church all who be-lieve, He plainly set before them the necessity of maintaining simplicity” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 28).

LESSON

3

Answer Key

Before the Fall (Put these notes on the piece of land on the left side.)

• Genesis 1:26, 27—God made man (humanity) in His image.

• Jeremiah 31:3—God loves us with an ever-lasting love.

• 1 John 4:8 (last part)—God is love!

After the Fall (Put these notes on the piece of land on the right side.)

• Isaiah 53:6 (first part)—We have all turned our own way—doing what we want.

• Isaiah 59:2—Sin separates us from God.

• Romans 3:23—All have sinned.

• Romans 6:23 (first part)—Since we have all sinned, we all deserve to die.

The Solution (Draw a cross that bridges both sides together and write these notes inside it.)

• John 3:16—God loves everyone.

• Isaiah 53:6 (last part)—Jesus took all our sins!

• Romans 5:8—Christ died for us!

• Romans 6:23 (last part)—In Jesus we find God’s gift of eternal life!

BIBLE ACTIVITY: GOING DEEPER INTO THE GOSPEL

SAY: As Seventh-day Adventists we have been entrusted with more than a generic gospel. We have the ever-lasting gospel found in Revelation 14:6–12! Let’s look closer to see what that means.

Read Revelation 14:6–12 as a group. Then read the following quotation:

“The first angel’s message proclaims the everlast-ing gospel and calls for the restoration of the true worship of God as Creator because the judgment hour has arrived. The second angel warns against all humanly originated forms of worship. Finally, the third angel proclaims God’s most solemn warning against worshiping the beast and his image—which all who reject the gospel of righteousness by faith ul-timately will do” (Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . , pp. 195, 196).

Bring a bag of rice to class. Ask one student to



YOU WILL NEED:n a bag of rice


come up front, and give that student two grains of rice while telling him or her, “Jesus loves you.” Send that student to find one other student, tell him or her, “Jesus loves you,” and give him or her one of the grains of rice. Both students return to the front of the class, where you will give them each anoth-e r grain of rice. (Students will always start out with two grains of rice.) Send the two students to find two other students and give them each a grain of rice, while telling them that Jesus loves them. All four students will return to the front of the class, where once again you will give each of them a grain of rice. Continue in this way until all the students in your class have been “reached.”

ASK: What would happen if we repeated this process, each time doubling the number of people who are sent out? (We would reach a lot of people.) As a matter of fact, if we repeat-ed this process only 20 times, we would reach more than a half million people. By doubling the number 24 times, you would have more than 16 million pieces of rice. This process is known as exponential growth. It means that if you reach just one person and that person reaches one person (and so on), you will reach millions. What would happen if one person decided not to do their part? (Fewer people would be reached, and many souls would not get to learn about Jesus.) Why is it important for everyone to do their part? (Because we want as many people as possible to learn to love, trust and obey Jesus.) What could the grain of rice symbolize? (the good news of salvation) How does Jesus give us the power to carry out His Great Commission? (through the Holy Spirit) What can you do to reach just one person for Jesus?

COMMUNITY OUTREACH (5 MINUTES TOTAL)SAY: God has given us the potential to reach millions of people to tell them about His love and truth! What are some ways we can reach one per-son this week?

Have students get into small groups to discuss their ideas for a few minutes.

Then bring them back together and have them share their answers. Write their answers on the board.

LESSON

3

Reach Up: Pray and ask God to show you people in your life to whom you can reach out. Ask Him to open your eyes to opportunities and to give you di-vine appointments with other people.

Reach In: Ask another Seventh-day Adventist friend (maybe someone new in the faith) to join you in praying and reaching out to others. You can mentor them as you learn too. Practice giving Bible studies and explaining your beliefs to each other; this will give you practice and also encourage you both.

Reach Out: Take the opportunities that God gives you—at school, in your community, in your family, in the store, wherever you are. Speak to people in love and with conviction about the truth God has taught you in His Word. Invite your friends to ves-pers, church, or a Bible study in your home.

FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: God desires to use us even more than we want to be used! We can expect great things from Him when we surrender our lives to Him. Pray for opportunities to share Him this week.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK SAY: Our lesson next week is about the outpour-ing of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

Let’s continue to study our lessons, read our Bi-bles, and pray every day so we can always be ready to share Him with others.

Keep reviewing the memory verses from previ-ous and current lessons so that we can be ready for our presentation on Thirteenth Sabbath.

Close with prayer.



Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons (Washing-ton, D.C.: Review and Herald, 1900, 1941).





LESSON

3

HANDOUT 1: LESSON QUIZ

A. Circle true or false.

1. We are chosen by God to share His love. T / F

2. We are ambassadors for God to help others be reconciled to Him. T / F

3. Jesus’ life and death compel us to want to live for Him and others. T /F

4. The disciples became messengers of the gospel because they wanted to become famous. T /F

5. A personal encounter with Jesus makes you a better person. T /F

B. Circle the correct word(s).

6. We should keep quiet / speak / tell others about our experience with God.

7. Jesus taught us by example to stay away from / mingle with people.

C. Circle each correct answer.

8. Jesus shows His love to people by

a. Leaving them alone b. Desiring their good c. Showing sympathy

d. Meeting their needs

9. What was the ending message of the Great Commission?

a. Jesus will be with us until the end b. Jesus will encourage us

c. We are Jesus’ witnesse s d. We might suffer for Jesus, yet He will be with us

e. We are not alone

10. How can you identify the “remnant”?

a. Keep the commandments of God b. Hono r and keep the Sabbath

c. Have the testimony of Jesus d. Share the three angels’ messages



LESSON

3

HANDOUT 2: WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?Use the gospel presentation sketch below to know and understand what the Bible says the gospel is.

GOSPEL OF JESUS

Before the Fall

• Genesis 1:26, 27________________

________________

________________

• Jeremiah 31:3________________

________________

________________

• 1 John 4:8 (last part)________________

________________

________________

The Solution

• John 3:16_____________________

_____________________

• Isaiah 53:6 (last part)_____________________

_____________________

• Romans 5:8 _____________________

_____________________

• Romans 6:23 (last part)

_____________________

_____________________

After the Fall

• Isaiah 53:6 (first part)________________

________________

• Isaiah 59:2 ________________

________________

• Romans 3:23 ________________

________________

• Romans 6:23 (first part)

________________

________________



TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“Be glad then, you children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faith-fully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you—the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month” (Joel 2:23).


REFERENCESBible Reference: Acts 2:1–39

Further Study: The Acts of the Apostles, chap. 4, pp. 35–46; chap. 5, pp. 47–56; or Unlikely Leaders, chap. 4, pp. 15–18; chap. 5, pp. 19–22

OBJECTIVESKNOW some of the many different facets of the Holy Spirit and His identity.

UNDERSTAND the significance of being empowered by the Holy Spirit to do work for God.

RESPOND by praying for the Holy Spirit and sharing the good news about God’s love.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 5: THE HOLY SPIRIT “God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in Creation, incarnation, and redemption.

He is as much a person as are the Father and the Son. He inspired the writers of Scripture. He filled Christ’s life with power. He draws and convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son to be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with the Scriptures leads it into all truth (Gen. 1:1, 2; 2 Sam. 23:2; Ps. 51:11; Isa. 61:1; Luke 1:35; 4:18; John 14:16–18, 26; 15:26; 16:7–13; Acts 1:8; 5:3; 10:38; Rom. 5:5; 1 Cor. 12:7–11; 2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Peter 1:21.)”

SYNOPSISThis week’s lesson covers some of the basic questions about the Holy Spirit. Who is He? What are some

of His defining characteristics? How does He work? Beginning with the Holy Spirit’s identity as a “Helper,”

“YOU SHALL RECEIVE POWER”

LESSON

4

[ † ]


students spend each day digging deeper in Bible study for answers to tough questions. They explore the personhood, divinity, and work of the Holy Spirit, finally transitioning to the concept of the early and latter rains and ending with a call to personal devotions and evangelism.

FOR REFLECTION“Christ has promised the gift of the Holy Spirit to His church, and the promise belongs to us as much

as to the first disciples. But like every other promise, it is given on conditions. . . . Only to those who wait humbly upon God, who watch for His guidance and grace, is the Spirit given” (Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 672).

“The Holy Spirit is a person, for He beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God. . . . He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God” (Ellen G. White, Evangelism, pp. 616, 617).

“It is the absence of the Spirit that makes the gospel ministry so powerless. Learning, talent, elo-quence, every natural or acquired endowment may be possessed; but, without the presence of the Spirit of God, no heart will be touched, no sinner won to Christ. On the other hand, if they are connected with Christ, if the gifts of the Spirit are theirs, the poorest and most ignorant of His disciples will have a power that will tell upon hearts. God makes them channels for the outflowing of the highest influence in the universe” (Ellen G. White, in Seventh-day Adventists Believe . . . , p. 76).

“The Spirit came upon the waiting, praying disciples with a fullness that reached every heart. . . . Heav-en rejoiced in being able to pour out upon the church the riches of the Spirit’s grace” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 38).

LESSON

4







YOU WILL NEED:n blindfold of

some sort n chairs, tables, or other items to be used as obstacles


Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points with-i n the time given. Keep in mind that the greate r portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductory activities in the FELLOWSHIP segment of the class.

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIESSee the front of this guide for detailed information

regarding the opening activities:


• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: TRUST MAZE

Before Sabbath School class, set up chairs, ta-bles, or other items as obstacles in a maze pattern around the room.

SAY: One of the Holy Spirit’s roles in our lives is to be a guide for us.

Choose one student to come up front and place the blindfold on them.

SAY: We are going to have the first volunteer try to navigate the maze on their own, without help from any of us.

Instruct the student to start at the beginning and get to the end without bumping into anything or get-ting lost. They will find it to be difficult. When they finish, ask for two more volunteers (or choose two).

Blindfold one of the students and instruct the other student to direct the first student by saying “left, right, stop, go,” and so on. When they are fin-ished, debrief.

LESSON

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ASK: What was easier—going through the maze with no help or having someone to guide you?

SAY: It was very helpful to have someone help you. It’s that way in our lives, too. Having some-one to help us through the maze of life makes it easier and much less challenging. In this week’s lesson we learn that the Holy Spirit is a guide to us.

ASK: In what ways do you think the Holy Spir-it guides in our lives? Let the students respond.




OFFERINGBy giving of our resources, we can help reach the

world with the gospel of Jesus.


spheres of influence and be powerful and effective witnesses for Him.

HOLYBIBLE





LESSON QUIZThe lesson quiz is designed for review-

ing the main points of the lesson. Be cre-ative in how you structure this activity, using either whole-class participation, or cooperative learning in groups using the handout, or other means that invite stu-

dent participation.


1. What things will the Holy Spirit help us accom-plish?

a. Becoming wealthy b. Becoming famous c. Becoming like Jesus d. Sharing God’s love

2. When we receive the Holy Spirit, what things will we do according to Acts 2:17, 18?

a. Become popular b. Prophesy c. See visions d. Dream dreams

3. Some aspects of the Holy Spirit’s nature are what?

a. Has a will b. Teaches and guides c. Experi-ences grief d. Feels love e. Gives counsel

B. Circle the correct words.

4. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were scat-tered / all together and united.

5. The disciples were ready to run away and hide / share the good news about Jesus.


6. The frontal lobe is the seat of spirituality, mo-rality, and the will. T / F

7. The Holy Spirit was involved in Creation. T / F

8. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to empower the disci-ples to carry out the mission He had given them. T / F

9. The purposes of Jesus and the purposes of the Holy Spirit are different from each other. T / F

10. Jesus and the Holy Spirit give comfort and sup-port, and stand by us when others turn against or persecute us and when we are frightened or alone. T /F

Answer Key: 1-c, d. 2-b, c, d. 3-all. 4-all togethe r and united. 5–share the good news about Jesus. 6-T.

7-T. 8-T. 9-F. 10-T

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Joel 2:23: “Be glad then, you children of Zion, and re-

LESSON

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joice in the Lord your God; for He has given you the former rain faithfully, and He will cause the rain to come down for you—the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.”


Review the quarterly memory challenge with your students. Have your students repeat John 15:5–14 together.

ILLUSTRATIONTell the following illustration in your own words:

Johnny was a literature evangelist on the West Coast of the United States. The days were long and the work was hard, but he didn’t mind. He enjoyed talking to people about Jesus and providing books that would help improve their lives.

One day he found himself in a Chinese commu-nity, which presented challenges, since he didn’t speak Chinese. As he continued down the streets, he prayed, “Lord, I want to reach these people, but I don’t speak their language. Would You help me?” Door after door the people would shake their heads and say, “No English.” Johnny prayed more per-sistently for divine help.

“Hello?” The elderly Chinese woman peered at Johnny from behind her screen door.

“Oh, hello!” Johnny responded. “I am a student sharing books about Jesus,” he said.

The woman’s eyes lit up. “Really? I have been learning about this Man and want to know more!” she exclaimed with joy.

As Johnny talked with the woman, his friend Samuel came to the door. Johnny introduced the woman to his friend and continued the conversa-tion. The woman bought several books, including The Desire of Ages, and sent the two young men on their way.

“That was such an amazing experience!” John-n y gushed. “Wasn’t it amazing how—” He stopped, looking at the confused expression on Samuel’s face.

The two young men stared at each othe r in amaze-ment before dropping to their knees. “Thank You for answering my prayer,” Johnny prayed. “Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to help me reach these people.”

ASK: How did this situation illustrate how the Holy Spirit can use us? Allow students to answer.

YOU WILL NEED:

n Handout 1

n pens/pencils


YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Handout 2n pens/pencils

YOU WILL NEED:

n Bibles

SAY: Notice that the young person in the illus-tration did not pray for the ability to speak Chi-nese to impress his friends or the Chinese com-munity.

ASK: What are the situations and events where we can and need to claim the gift of the Holy Spirit? Why are our motives so important when we pray for the outpouring of God’s Spirit in a mighty way?

BIBLE ACTIVITY: SMALL GROUPS

Divide the class into groups of three. Give a hand-out to each student and have them work together to answer the handout questions. Allow students 10–15 minutes to complete the questions, helping them as necessary. (See Handout 2.)

Bring the class back together and have each group share their answers to one or two questions until all the questions are answered.

SAY: The Holy Spirit works not only in our lives, but in the world around us.

ASK: In what ways do you see the Holy Spirit working in your life? Allow students to respond.

LESSON

4

BIBLE ACTIVITY: GROUP READING AND DISCUSSION

SAY: In the book of Acts we see some very obvious results of the Holy Spirit working.

Have each students read, out loud, two to three verses from Acts 2:1–21, 41–47.

SAY: This is the story of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which happened shortly after Jesus went back to heaven.

ASK: What were the disciples doing when the Holy Spirit was poured out on them? (They were together in one accord, praying continuall y.) Why do you think that is important? (These same con-ditions for receiving the Holy Spirit apply to us.)

Were they speaking random gibberish, or actual language s? What was the point of speaking in tongues? Allow discussion.

SAY: The disciples were simple fishermen, who were not trained in speaking foreign languages. Yet, on that day, in order to convey the gospel message to the many people that spoke differ-ent languages, the Holy Spirit gave the disciples the gift of tongues. Today in our multilingual so-

HANDOUT 2: SMALL GROUPS (ANSWER KEY)Fill in the blanks to answer the questions below:

1. How can we receive the Holy Spirit? (Acts 2:38) Repent of your sins. This means to turn from sin, to change direction from wrong to right, and to follow Jesus.

2. Where does He live? (John 14:16, 17) “The Father . . . will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, . . . but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

3. What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (Acts 1:8) “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (He gives us courage to tell others about Jesus!)

4. What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (John 14:26) “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, . . . will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

5. What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (John 14:27) He gives us peace. We do not have to be troubled or afraid.

6. What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (John 16:8) “He will convict the world of sin, and of righ-teousness, and of judgment.” That means that He leads us to repentance.

7. What does the Holy Spirit produce in our lives? (Galatians 5:22, 23) The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (We become people who have these characteristics in our lives.)


ciety the gift of understanding or speaking for-eign languages is given by the Holy Spirit only when it is necessary.

SAY: In verses 44–47 it describes what was happening in the church.

ASK: Do we see that happening today? Why or why not? How can we become more like this? Al-low discussion.

SAY: In The Acts of the Apostles, on page 50, it says, “The lapse of time has wrought no change in Christ’s parting promise to send the Holy Spiri t as His representative.”

ASK: What do you think that means? If we have the same power available today, are we seeing the same type of miraculous events happening? How do you feel when you see or hear of things like this happening today?

SAY: The Holy Spirit is a great gift that the Fa-ther has given us. Isn’t it exciting to know that no matter what we are going through, the Holy Spirit is there to comfort, guide, and help us? Will you tell others about your Friend?


Have students each take turns read-ing a verse from Acts 8:26–40.

SAY: This story is an example of the Holy Spirit using a follower of God to reach someone who was searching.

ASK: What did the Spirit tell Philip to do? (“Go near and overtake the chari-

ot” [verse 29].) What did Philip talk to the eunuch about? (Jesus [verse 35].)

ASK: What are some ways you can personally share Jesus during the next week? Write it on the board, to be followed up on the next Sabbath.

Invite students to participate in community out-reach this way:

Reach up: Provide a moment for students to pray and solidify their decisions to share.

Reach in: Look for ways to be involved in church and reach out to members who are sick or struggling with a message of hope.

LESSON

4

Reach out: Look for ways to make a difference in the community and pray for opportunities to share Jesus with people who are searching and hungering for the truth.

FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: The Holy Spirit is often misunderstood and underappreciated. As we learned this week, He is our helper, offering assistance when we need it most. He experiences emo-tions and cares deeply for us and our salva-tion. He is fully divine and works tirelessly with heaven to help, guide, teach, and save people. It is our privilege to spend time each day listening to His guidance in our lives.

ASK: Will you make a commitment today to spend at least five minutes a day in prayer, ask-ing for the Holy Spirit’s guidance? Affirm stu-dents’ decisions.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK SAY: Our lesson next week is about Peter and John healing a lame man.

Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray every day so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus.

Keep reviewing the memory verses from previ-ous and current lessons so we can be ready for our presentation on Thirteenth Sabbath.

Close with prayer.



Ellen G. White, Evangelism (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald, 1946).


Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press, 1898, 1940).

YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn whiteboard/



LESSON

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1. What things will the Holy Spirit help us accomplish?

a. Becoming wealthy b. Becoming famous c. Becoming like Jesus

d. Sharing God’s love

2. When we receive the Holy Spirit, what things will we do according to Acts 2:17, 18?

a. Become popular b. Prophesy c. See visions d. Dream dreams

3. Some aspects of the Holy Spirit’s nature are what?

a. Has a will b. Teaches and guides c. Experiences grief

d. Feels love. e. Gives counsel


4. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were scattered / all together and united.

5. The disciples were ready to run away and hide / share the good news about Jesus.


6. The frontal lobe is the seat of spirituality, mo rality, and the will. T / F

7. The Holy Spirit was involved in Creation. T / F

8. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples to carry out the mission He had given them.

T / F

9. The purposes of Jesus and the purposes of the Holy Spirit are different from each other. T / F

10. Jesus and the Holy Spirit give comfort, support, and stand by us when others turn against or per-

secute us and when we are frightened or alone. T /F



LESSON

4

HANDOUT 2: SMALL GROUPSFill in the blanks to answer the questions below:

1. How can we receive the Holy Spirit? (Acts 2:38) ___________________ of your sins. This means to turn

from sin, to change direction from wrong to right, and to follow Jesus.

2. Where does He live? (John 14:16, 17) “The_______________ . . . will give you another Helper, that He

may abide with you forever—the Spirit of ___________________, whom the world cannot receive, . . . but

you know Him, for He dwells with ____________________ and will be in you.”

3. What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (Acts 1:8) “You shall receive ___________________ when the

Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and

Samaria, and to the ___________________ of the earth.” (He gives us courage to tell others about Jesus!)

4. What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (John 14:26) “The Helper, the Holy Spirit, . . . will

_____________________ you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

5. What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (John 14:27) He gives us ___________________. We do not have

to be troubled or afraid.

6. What does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? (John 16:8) “He will ___________________ the world of

__________________, and of ___________________, and of ___________________.” That means that He leads

us to repentance.

7. What does the Holy Spirit produce in our lives? (Galatians 5:22, 23) The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,

___________________, longsuffering, ____________________, goodness, faithfulness, ____________________,

and self-control. (We become people who have these characteristics in our lives.)



TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).


REFERENCESBible Reference: Acts 3–4:31


OBJECTIVESKNOW that others can tell when we have been with Jesus.

RESPOND by asking the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and to give us spiritual gifts.

APPLY the gifts of the Spirit to help others come to know, trust, and obey Jesus.


“God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts that each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God’s varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love. (Acts 6:1–7; Rom. 12:4–8; 1 Cor. 12:7–11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11–16; 1 Tim. 3:1–13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)”

SOMETHING BETTER

LESSON

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[ † ]


SYNOPSISPeter and John through the power of the Holy Spirit heal a lame man. They are questioned by the re-

ligious leaders and respond to them boldly. The leaders are astonished at the knowledge and courage of these men and note that they had been with Jesus. The Holy Spirit equips these new apostles and the other believers with gifts to advance God’s kingdom.

FOR REFLECTION“The Saviour’s commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to

the end of time. It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister. All to whom the heavenly inspiration has come are put in trust with the gospel. All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men. For this work the church was estab-lished, and all who take upon themselves its sacred vows are thereby pledged to be coworkers with Christ. . . .

“The disciples were to begin their work where they were. The hardest and most unpromising field was not to be passed by. So every one of Christ’s workers is to begin where he is. In our own families may be souls hungry for sympathy, starving for the bread of life. There may be children to be trained for Christ. There are heathen at our very doors. Let us do faithfully the work that is nearest. Then let our efforts be extended as far as God’s hand may lead the way. The work of many may appear to be restricted by circumstances; but, wherever it is, if performed with faith and diligence it will be felt to the uttermost parts of the earth” (Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 822).

“After the Saviour’s ascension, the sense of the divine presence, full of love and light, was still with them [the apostles]. It was a personal presence. Jesus, the Saviour, who had walked and talked and prayed with them, who had spoken hope and comfort to their hearts, had, while the message of peace was upon His lips, been taken from them into heaven. As the chariot of angels received Him, His words had come to them, ‘Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end.’ Matthew 28:20. He had ascended to heaven in the form of humanity. . . . Their union with Him was stronger now than when He was with them in person. The light and love and power of an indwelling Christ shone out through them, so that men, beholding, marveled” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 65).






LESSON

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Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points with-i n the time given. Keep in mind that the greater portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductor y activities in the FELLOWSHIP segment of the class.




• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: SELF ON, SELF OFF

Draw a line down the middle of the drawing surface. On one side write, “Self On.” On the other side write, “Self Off.” Ask the students how some-one with “Self On” (taking the glory for themselves) would sound when given a compliment. (For ex-ample, “I worked really hard.” “It’s in my blood.” “Everyone in my family can ___________.” See Mon-

day’s lesson for some more ideas.) Write down their responses. Have them also share how someone with “Self Off” (giving the glory to God) would sound when given a compliment. (For example, “I’m so grateful to God for helping me.” “God answered my prayer.” “I was only able to do that with God’s help.” “My friend or family helped me, and God gave me success.”) Write those responses.

SAY: How we respond to compliments or affirmations shows what we think about our success. Some people think success comes from their own innate abilities or their hard work. Others acknowledge something or someone bigger than themselves. Christians know that their success,

especially in witnessing, is dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit. You studied this week about two disciples who had a chance to tell everyone about the One who was responsible for their success. Today we will review how we can all be successful witnesses through the Holy Spirit.




OFFERINGSAY: In many parts of the world there are people who live in darkness and have not heard about Jesus. They are like the lame man in the story, needing someone who would help them. The Holy Spirit equips missionaries with gifts to advance God’s kingdom by spreading the good news around the world. We can contribute to sharing the gospel through our offerings.

PRAYERDesignate a volunteer to pray for the offerings.

HOLYBIBLE


Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to address in detail with your stu-dents, making sure you cover those points within the time given. Visit our website at MyBibleGuides .org to download the lesson quiz handout.



LESSON

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dent participation

A. Circle the correct words.

1. The disciples worked hard but kept their knowl-edge of the gospel a secret / performed miracles and preached boldly through the power of the Holy Spirit.


2. What did Peter and John give the lame man?

a. Money b. Donkey c. Lecture about living a better life d. Healing

3. How can others tell we’ve been with Jesus?

a. We smile a lot b. Our faces shine c. The way we look d. We reflect His character

4. Why is it important for us to receive the Holy Spirit?

a. Only to go to heaven b. Only to be missionar-ies overseas c. To be witnesses for God wherever we are

5. According to John 14:16, with what will the Holy Spirit help us?

a. Daily tasks b. Schoolwork c. Teach us all things d. Remind us of what we learn from the Bible

6. What does God give us when we “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrew 4:16)?

a. Tests of our worthiness b. Indifference c. Helps when we are in trouble or “need” d. Mercy and grace


7. Peter took all the credit for himself for the things he did. T / F

8. The Sanhedrin were convinced that the disciples were educated men. T / F

9. We can be witnesses for God wherever we are. T / F

10. In John 14:26 Jesus promised that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to help us remember all the things He teaches. T / F

Answer Key: 1-performed miracles and preached boldly. 2-d. 3-d. 4-c. 5-c, d. 6-c, d. 7-F. 8-F. 9-T. 10-T.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Acts 4:13: “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”


Review the quarterly memory challenge with your students. Have your students repeat John 15:5–14 together.


“Oh, no!” Eric yelled as he looked at his ruined shirt. This T-shirt, his favorite, was light blue with a square picture of a starry sky on the front. Severa l constellations were visible, including the famous Ori-o n. The stars were slightly neon, so that they glowed for a little while after the lights had been turned off. But his T-shirt was no longer blue. It was now a ghast-ly green. So was every other piece of light-colored clothing that had been in the wash.

He was 13 now, and Mom had told him that it was time for him to start doing his own laundry. That day when he realized he was wearing his last pair of clean socks, he decided that it was time. He had seen Mom carefully sort the clothes in different piles and then wash one load at a time. That seemed pretty pointless. Aren’t they all going to get washed anyway? he had thought. So he had hastily stuffed all the dirty laundry he had, including his dark-green sheets, into the machine. A smug smile had played across his lips as he thought of how quickly he would be done. But that smile was gone now as he looked at his changed T-shirt.

Eric went to find Mom, who came to see what had happened.

“Oh, Eric, I’m so sorry. This is a classic case of color transfer, where the color of one garment gets transferred to another because they are together. You have to separate your dark-colored clothes from your light-colored clothes when you wash them, or else this will happen. You can wear that T-shirt to bed but not out and about, or else everyone will know that it was washed with something green.”

ASK: Has something like this ever happened

YOU WILL NEED:n Handout 1

n pens/pencils

LESSON

5


to you? What did you do? Did you find yourself sounding like that person or liking some things that person liked?

SAY: Something similar happened to the disciple s of Jesus after He returned to heaven. The things that the disciples said and did showed clearly that they had been with Jesus. This week our story was about Peter and John and how because they had been with Jesus, they had become like Jesus. They were able to perform miracles and preach with boldness, just like Jesus. We will learn how we too can be like Jesus through the power and gifts the Holy Spirit gives us.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Give a copy of Handout 2 to each student and allow them a few minutes to complete it.

Answer Key

(T) Pedro can play most songs by ear, and no one taught him how to play the piano.

(SG) Annalise can cook delicious dishes and loves to invite people to her home for meals.

(SG) Jodi can transform any Sabbath School les-son into something extraordinary when she teaches.

(T) Joshua is good at working on cars.

(SG) Michael is very friendly and makes everyone feel comfortable.

(T) Tanya is really good at growing flowers and vege tables.

(SG) Nicole speaks four languages and loves to translate the sermon for visitors.

(T) Freddy is one of the fastest runners in the school.

(SG) Katherine can sing really well and often sings at church.

(SG) Tyler is good at math and can tutor kids to help them with schoolwork.

(SG) Brianna is good at public speaking and tells wonderful children’s stories on Sabbath.

ASK: How does a talent become a spiritual gift? (when it is used for God’s glory and to help others)

ASK: Are spiritual gifts different from talents? I’m going to read the list on your handout. After

each sentence, tell me whethe r you think this is a talent or a spiritual gift.

Look at your handout. Which of these are spiritual gifts? Could a natural talent be a spiritual gift? Take, for example, Annalise. When does her natural ability to cook become a spiritual gift?

Lead students to see how Annalise could use her ability at chruch (e.g., a potluck) as well as outside of church (e.g., feeding homeless persons or invit-ing guests to her home) for God’s glory and to help others.

Divide the class into three groups, give each stu-dent a copy of Handout 3, and let them work togeth-er to compile the list of spiritual gifts mentioned in each Bible reference and answer the questions. After a few minutes, bring the class back together.

ASK: What are spiritual gifts, how do you receive them, and for what purpose are they given? Write students’ answers on the board.

Have the class read Romans 12:6-8 together.

ASK: What are some spiritual gifts? Write stu-dents’ answers on the board.

Have the class read 1 Corinthians 12:8, 9 together.

ASK: Where do spiritual gifts come from?

SAY: Spiritual gifts come from God “through the Spirit” or “by the Spirit.” Write this answer on the board.

Have the students read Ephesians 4:11, 12 together.

ASK: What are the reasons spiritual gifts are given? Write students’ answers on the board. Em-phasize that God gives us spiritual gifts to equip and prepare us for sharing the good news about Jesus with others and to build up the church com-munity.

SAY: There are two reasons that spiritual gifts are given—to equip and to edify. Equip means to provide the necessary resources for a task, job, mission, or responsibilit y and edify means to build up spiritually. God has give n us spiritual gifts so that we can minister to others and so we can be built up. What are we being built into? Ask for a volunteer to read 1 Peter 2:5.

ASK: What is our spiritual house?

SAY: Our spiritual house is our character. The Holy Spirit gives us gifts to build our character

YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Handout 2, 3n Pens/pencilsn Whiteboard/


LESSON

5


and help us know, trust, and obey Jesus, and also to help others know, trust, and obey Him too.

Take some time to discuss what equip and edify mean and how they relate to the church.

SAY: Spiritual gifts are given to those who receive the Holy Spirit and are used to quip and edif y the church. Peter and John displayed their spiritual gift after the Holy Spiri t came upon them at Pentecost. You, too, will receive a spiritual gift when you receive the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit may use the talents and skills you already have; or He may give you something completely new! Pray every day for the Holy Spirit to take control of your life, and look for opportunities to witness.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GIFTS

Divide students into teams and have them complete Handout 4 by writing the answer to the questions that corresponds to the number in the box.

Answer Key

1. What did the disciples do to prepare to receive the Holy Spirit? Acts 1:14 (They prayed.)

HANDOUT 3: IDENTIFYING SPIRITUAL GIFTS (ANSWER KEY)ROMANS 12:3–8 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4–11 EPHESIANS 4:11–16

Prophecy Word of wisdom Apostles

Ministry Word of knowledge Prophets

Teaching Faith Evangelists

Exhortation Gifts of healings Pastors

Giving Working of miracles Teachers

Leading Prophecy

Showing mercy Discerning of spirits

Different kinds of tongues

Interpretation of tongues

1. What are spiritual gifts? (See above columns [Romans 12:6-8]).

2. How do we receive spiritual gifts? (“through / by the Holy Spirit” [1 Corinthians 12:8, 9]).

3. For what purpose does God give us spiritual gifts? (to equip and prepare us to share the gospel and to build up His people spiritually [Ephesians 4:11, 12])

2. How was the Holy Spirit manifested? Acts 2:1–4 (tongues of fire and speaking in tongues)

3. What caused Peter and John to stop in front of the lame man? Acts 3:1–4 (The Holy Spirit proba-bly prompted them.)

4. What was happening with the disciples in Acts 3:5–8? (They were using their gift of the Spirit.)

5. What happened after the disciples were threat-ened and released? Acts 4:23–30 (They joined with other believers and prayed.)

6. What happened as a result? Acts 4:31 (They were once again filled with the Holy Spirit.)

Bring the class back together and go over the questions and answers.

SAY: We have discovered that the disciples prayed, then received the Holy Spirit, watched for opportunities to witness, acted in faith, prayed again when they met opposition, and then received the Holy Spirit again.

ASK: Do you think you will know when you receive the Holy Spirit? Allow students to answer.

SAY: It may not be a visible manifestation, but the Bible has made it clear that when we ask, we will receive. If we pray earnestly, obey the teach

YOU WILL NEED:n Bibles

n Handout 4, 5

n pens/pencils

LESSON

5


ings of God’s Word (which were in fact inspired by the Holy Spirit), and are willing to be used by God throught the Holy Spirit, we can believe He will send us the Holy Spirit as He has promised. When the time comes to witness, we should have confidence that the Holy Spirit will give us the gifts we need to share Jesus.

Based on what happened to the disciples, what are some steps we can take to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Have the students work on Handout 5 in small groups. The steps are listed out of order. The students are to put them in the right order by num-bering them 1-6.

Answer Key

_____ pray

_____ receive the Holy Spirit

_____ watch for opportunities to witness

_____ act in faith

_____ pray again

_____ receive the Holy Spirit again


SAY: Look back at the Community Connections in Monday’s lesson. Were you able to “take someone by the right hand” this week? How did you do it? Who would like to share with the class? What are some other ways to “take someone by the right hand”? Look at the list of

spiritual gifts from Romans, 1 Corinthians, and Ephesians. Does anyone have any of those gifts?

ASK: What are some ways you can use your spiritual gifts to edify the members of the church? Invite students to share their suggestions of ways they could be involved in the life of the church.

What are some ways you can use your spiritual gifts

to edify people in your community? Again, offer students the opportunity to share ways they think they could contribute in their communities.

Record the students’ answers in two columns on the board. Find ways to involve students in church programs and various community service projects in which they can each contribute according to their skills, talents, and spiritual gifts. Find one of the long-term projects in the teacher’s guide intro-duction section, and choose one that your Sabbath School class could do together.

SAY: How will you use your spiritual gift or talent to help someone this week?

FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: Invest in your walk with Jesus, pray for the help of the Holy Spirit, and be a positive influence on others. Look for opportunities to reflect the love of Jesus to those around you through the power of the Holy Spirit.

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: Our lesson for next week is about Ananias and Sapphira. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus. Keep reviewing the previous and current memory verses so that we can be ready for our presentation on Thirteenth Sabbath.

Pray for a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit.




Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Cailf.: Pacific Press, 1898, 1940).



LESSON

5



A. Circle the correct words.

1. The disciples worked hard but kept their knowledge of the gospel a secret / performed miracles and

preached boldly through the power of the Holy Spirit.


2. What did Peter and John give the lame man?

a. Money b. Donkey c. Lecture about living a better life d. Healing

3. How can others tell we’ve been with Jesus?

a. We smile a lot b. Our faces shine c. The way we look d. We reflect His character

4. Why is it important for us to receive the Holy Spirit?

a. Only to go to heaven b. Only to be missionaries overseas

c. To be witnesses for God wherever we are

5. According to John 14:16, with what will the Holy Spirit help us?

a. Daily tasks b. Schoolwork c. Teach us all things d. Remind us of what we learn from the Bible

6. What does God give us when we “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Hebrew 4:16)?

a. Tests of our worthiness b. Indifference c. Helps when we are in trouble or “need” d. Mercy

and grace


7. Peter took all the credit for himself for the things he did. T / F

8. The Sanhedrin were convinced that the disciples were educated men. T / F

9. We can be witnesses for God wherever we are. T / F

10. In John 14:26 Jesus promised that the Father would send the Holy Spirit to help us remember all

the things He teaches. T / F

LESSON

5



LESSON

5

HANDOUT 2: IDENTIFYING SPIRITUAL GIFTSDetermine whether the following sentences are spiritual gifts or talents. Write SG next to spiritual gifts and T next to Talents.

_______ Pedro can play most songs by ear, and no one taught him how to play the piano.

_______ Annalise can cook delicious dishes and loves to invite people to her home for meals.

_______ Jodi can transform any Sabbath School lesson into something extraordinary when she teaches.

_______ Joshua is good at working on cars.

_______ Michael is very friendly and makes everyone feel comfortable.

_______ Tanya is really good at growing flowers and vegetables.

_______ Nicole speaks four languages and loves to translate the sermon for visitors.

_______ Freddy is one of the fastest runners in the school.

_______ Katherine can sing really well and often sings at church.

_______ Tyler is good at math and loves to tutor kids to help them with school work.

_______ Brianna is good at public speaking and tells wonderful children stories on Sabbath.

How does a talent become a spiritual gift? _______________________________________________

HANDOUT 3: IDENTIFYING SPIRITUAL GIFTSWrite the list of spiritual gifts mentioned in each Bible reference and then answer the following questions.

ROMANS 12:3–8 1 CORINTHIANS 12:4–11 EPHESIANS 4:11–16

1. What are spiritual gifts? (Romans 12:6-8) _____________________________________________

2. How do we receive spiritual gifts? (1 Corinthians 12:8, 9) _________________________________

3. For what purpose does God give us spiritual gifts? (Ephesians 4:11, 12) ______________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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LESSON

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HANDOUT 4: THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GIFTSAnswer the following questions by writing the correct answer in the box that corresponds to the num-ber in the box.

1. What did the disciples do to prepare to receive the Holy Spirit? Acts 1:14

2. How was the Holy Spirit manifested? Acts 2:1–4

3. What caused Peter and John to stop in front of the lame man? Acts 3:1–4

4. What was happening with the disciples in Acts 3:5–8?

5. What happened after the disciples were threatened and released? Acts 4:23–30

6. What happened as a result? Acts 4:31

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

HANDOUT 5: THE HOLY SPIRIT AND GIFTSPut the following steps to being filled with the Holy Spirit in the correct order by numbering them 1-6.

_____ watch for opportunities to witness

_____ pray

_____ receive the Holy Spirit again

_____ act in faith

_____ pray again

_____ receive the Holy Spirit

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TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content” (1 Timothy 6:6–8).

QUARTERLY MEMORY CHALLENGEJohn 15:5–14

REFERENCESBible Reference: Acts 4:32–5:11


OBJECTIVESKNOW that God has given us various resources.

UNDERSTAND we are to be good stewards over the resources entrusted to us.

RESPOND by using our resources to be faithful to God and to help others.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 21: STEWARDSHIP“We are God’s stewards, entrusted by Him with time and opportunities, abilities and possessions, and

the blessings of the earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper use. We acknowledge God’s ownership by faithful service to Him and our fellow human beings, and by returning tithe and giving offerings for the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness. Stewards rejoice in the blessings that come to others as a result of their faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26–28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai 1:3–11; Mal. 3:8–12; Matt. 23:23; Rom. 15:26, 27; 1 Cor. 9:9–14; 2 Cor. 8:1–15; 9:7.)”

WHAT IS MINE IS YOURS

LESSON

6

[ † ]


SYNOPSISThe early believers showed good stewardship by sharing their physical resources so that none among

them lacked anything. On the other hand, Ananias and Sapphira displayed covetousness and greed; in the process, they lied to the Holy Spirit, reneged on their vow, and tried to deceive the apostles. One example is an inspiration; the other, a warning.

FOR REFLECTION“This liberality on the part of the believers was the result of the outpouring of the Spirit. The converts

to the gospel were ‘of one heart and of one soul.’ One common interest controlled them—the success of the mission entrusted to them; and covetousness had no place in their lives. Their love for their brethren and the cause they had espoused, was greater than their love of money and possessions. Their works testified that they accounted the souls of men of higher value than earthly wealth. . . .

“Those whose hearts are filled with the love of Christ, will follow the example of Him. . . . Money, time, influence—all the gifts they have received from God’s hand, they will value only as a means of advancing the work of the gospel. . . . When in the church of today it is seen that by the power of the Spirit the members have taken their affections from the things of the world, and that they are willing to make sacrifices in order that their fellow men may hear the gospel, the truths proclaimed will have a powerful influence upon the hearers” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 70, 71).

“Infinite Wisdom saw that this signal manifestation of the wrath of God was necessary to guard the young church from becoming demoralized. Their numbers were rapidly increasing. The church would have been endangered if, in the rapid increase of converts, men and women had been added who, while profess-ing to serve God, were worshiping mammon. This judgment testified that men cannot deceive God, that He detects the hidden sin of the heart, and that He will not be mocked. It was designed as a warning to the church, to lead them to avoid pretense and hypocrisy, and to beware of robbing God” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 73, 74).

LESSON

6








blackboardn markers/chalkn prewritten slips

of papern paper for notesn pens/pencils


LESSON

6


Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points withi n the time given. Keep in mind that the greate r portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductory activities in the FEL-LOWSHIP segment of the class.




• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: YOU GOT IT!

On the board, write the following five catego-ries in large letters: time, treasure (money), temple (strength and energy), talent (natural and acquired abilities), and thoughts (thinking).

Ahead of time, write the following activities on separate strips of paper.

Activities

• tutoring a younger child

• helping someone draw water from the well

• doing a chore at home before being asked

• participating actively in family worship

• helping a classmate with schoolwork

• helping a family in need

• praying with someone

Divide your class into equal numbers in groups and give each group an activity slip. If you have a small class, you can give each group two slips of paper. Stu-

dents should discuss in their groups what resources (time, treasure, temple, talent, and thoughts) they would need to accomplish their activity.

SAY: God has given us all resources—such as time, treasures, temple, and talents. After read-ing your activity strips in your group, discuss to-gether to figure out what resources you need. For example, if your activity says “Singing or playing at a senior living facility,” what resources would you need in order to do that?

Ask each group to share with the class what re-sources they needed for their activity.

ASK: Do you always have to have money in or-der to help people? What other resources can we use to help others?

SAY: Our lesson for this week was about how the early believers shared their resources with one another so that no one lacked anything. God wants us to take good care of the resources He gives us and to use them to help others.




OFFERINGSAY: Would you like to help others by sharing the gifts and blessings God has given you? When we use our resources to tell others about Jesus, we are helping to reach the world with the good news of salvation.

PRAYERAsk God to bless the money given to help people

come to know and love Jesus.


HOLYBIBLE





dent participation.

1. The early church was united, and everyone helped one another. T / F

2. Ananias and Sapphira sold their house and gave the money to the church. T / F

3. When Ananias and Sapphira received the money, they devised a plan to keep some for themselves. T / F

4. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the apostles when they went to turn the money in. T / F

5. Ananias and Sapphira were punished by death because they lied to God. T / F

6. What are the resources God has given each of us? (3 a’s; 11 e’s; 5 i’s; 3 o’s; 2 u’s; 2 y’s)

T_m_; tr__s_r_s—m_n_y; t_mpl_—b_d__s, str_ngth, and _n_rg_; t_l_nts; and th__ghts—_b_l_t_ to th_nk.

7. The definition of the word steward is

a. Overseer b. Guardian c. Caretaker d. Manager

8. What are behaviors that make us good stewards of the resources God has given us?

a. Spending without thinking b. Using wisely the resources God gives us c. Using our resource s to serve God d. Building up God’s church e. Help-ing the people around us f. Caring for God’s crea tion

LESSON

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9. How does God feel about hypocrisy and lying?

a. He is indifferent to them b. He hates them c. They are an abomination to Him d. He de-tests them

10. How will you use the resources God has given you?

a. To make myself famous b. To honor God c. To help others d. To give glory and praise to God e. To support the spreading of the gospel

Answer Key: 1-T. 2-F. 3-T. 4-T. 5-T. 6-Time; treasures— money; temple—bodies, strength, and

energy; talents; and thoughts—ability to think. 7-all. 8-b, c, d, e, f. 9-b, c, d. 10-b, c, d, e.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, 1 Timothy 6:6–8: “Now godliness with content-ment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”


Have your students repeat John 5:5–14 together.


Tanya’s phone buzzed with a text message.

“Games at 3 at Rick’s house. Coming?”

Tanya stared at the message with a sinking feel-ing. She wanted to go, but she knew she should get started on her essay. She knew it was due on Wednes-day, which gave her three days, but she did not want to wait until the last minute. She texted back.

“Sorry. Can’t. L”

A few more messages went back and forth be-tween her and her friend, and she almost gave in.

The next day, on Monday, Tanya was very sur-prised when Mrs. Greaves asked the students to hand in the first draft of their essays. Tanya quickly checked her class schedule and discovered that the first draft was due that day, not Wednesday! She had mixed up the due date with another class. She hastily uploaded what she had written while she had been missing the games. Now she was glad that she

YOU WILL NEED:n Handout 1 n pens/pencils


YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Handouts 2, 3n pens/pencilsn a jar

had listened to the voice of conscience that told her to start working on her schoolwork.

ASK: How would you have responded if you were in Tanya’s situation? Of what resource was Tanya a good steward? Who helped her to be a good steward?

SAY: Good stewardship means taking care of all our resources, which include not only our money or material possessions but also our time and everything else. When we obey the Holy Spirit, we become good stewards of all our resources.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: CHOOSE HONESTY

SAY: Thursday’s lesson was about lying. Let’s take a deeper look at how God feels about lying and what we can do to avoid it.

Ask the following questions, followed by the Bi-ble reference(s), and have the student who finds the text first read it out loud.

ASK: How does God feel about lying? Proverbs 6:16–19; Proverbs 12:22. (He hates lying.) Why does God feel so strongly about lying? Have you ever seen the results of a lie? Allow time to discuss. The Bible also says that God delights in those who are truthful. Who would like God to delight in them? What do you think that means? Where does lying come from? John 8:44. (from the devil, who is the father of lies)

SAY: It may seem as if some people are getting away with living deceitful lives, but what will be the ultimate end of liars? Revelation 21:8; Revelation 22:12–15. (lake of fire; will not enter into the Holy City) Would the person with 1 John 5:18 please read it? Allow time for the text to be read. Ac-cording to this text, who does not commit sin? (whoever is born of God) Now, that leads us to the next question. How does one become “born of God”? Would the person with John 3:5 please read that? Allow time for the text to be read. In this text Je-sus is telling Nicodemus that in order to be born again, he has to be born of the water and the Spir-it. It is the Holy Spirit who warns us when we are about to do wrong (including when we are about to lie) and gives us the strength to do the right thing. If you would like the Holy Spirit to help you do the right thing, especially telling the truth, then please raise your hand. Let’s read Psalm 119:29

LESSON

6

together as a prayer: “Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously.”

BIBLE ACTIVITY: RIGHT THINKING

In advance, make photocopies of Hand-out 2 and Handout 3 and cut them out according to the instructions.

SAY: Wednesday’s lesson talke d about being stewards over our thoughts. No one sees our thoughts, and only God can really know what we are thinking, so are our thoughts reall y important? Let’s see what the Bible has to say about thoughts.

Cut out the Bible passages from Handout 2 and place them in a jar. Have each student choose one (be sure to prepare enough for each student and any guests they may be visiting). Tell them that through-out the study you will call out a reference, and if they have that reference, they are to stand and read it. Multiple students may read at the same time.

• Matthew 15:19 • Mark 7:21

• James 1:14 • Psalm 51:5

• John 13:2 • Acts 5:3

• Isaiah 55:7

SAY: What is the difference between your heart and your mind? Accept answers. When we say heart, we generally mean the physical organ that pumps blood or the place where feelings occur. When we say mind, we generally mean where thinking and choice occur. However, the Bible uses them interchangeably and refers to both as where thinking, feeling, and choices occur. Please keep that in mind as you read your texts.

Where do our thoughts come from? Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21. Have the student(s) with those references stand and read the text. The Bible tells us that our thoughts come from our hearts, but how do they get there? James 1:14 tells us that we are drawn away by our own desires. Who has Psalm 51:5? That verse tells us that we are born with sinful natures. Our sinful natures cause us to have sinful thoughts (Jeremiah 17:9). Where else do our sinful thoughts come from? John 13:2. Where did Judas get the idea to betray Je-sus? (Satan put it in his heart.) Also, according to Peter in Acts 5:3, where did Ananias get the idea to keep back part of the money and lie to the


Holy Spirit? (Satan filled his heart.) With what does God want us to replace our wrong thoughts? (see Hebrews 10:16) God’s law tells us about His char-acter. When He puts His law in our hearts, He is helping us to be like Him. It seems that if our hearts are sinful, we need new ones. Let’s read David’s prayer in Psalm 51:10 and make it our prayer too. Give everyone a copy of David’s prayer bookmark (see Handout 3) and have everyone read it out loud together.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from Your presence,

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me

(Psalm 51:10, 11).

God will hear and answer our prayers.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: GOOD STEWARDS

Divide your class into five groups, and give each group one of the following Scripture references with Handout 4:

• 1 Corinthians 10:31

• Philippians 4:8

• Ecclesiastes 9:10

• Deuteronomy 15:11

• Matthew 25:20, 21

On the board in large headings write: time, trea-sure (money), temple (strength and energ y), talent (nat-ural and acquired abilities), and thoughts (thinking). (If you did the Fellowship Activity named “You Got It!” they may still be on the board.) Have each group find its reference and decide which of the five resourc-es the text talks about. Have someone in the group read the text aloud. After the reading, write the ref-erence on the board under the correct resource.

• Time—1 Corinthians 10:31 (However we use our time—eating, drinking, et cetera—it should be done to God’s glory.)

• Treasure (money)—Deuteronomy 15:11 (We must help those who are poor.)

• Temple (strength and energy)—Ecclesiastes 9:10

LESSON

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(Whatever we do, we should do well.)

• Talent (natural and acquired abilities)—Matthew 25:20, 21 (We should improve our talents.)

• Thoughts (thinking)—Philippians 4:8 (We should think pure and right thoughts.)

ASK: Are there any questions from this week’s study? Discuss any concerns that the students may have as well. If a question comes up that you do not know the answer to, tell your class that you will fol-low up with an answer next time.


Below is a list of needs that were met in a church family and community, taken from an ac-tual church bulletin. Use some of these ideas or use this list to generate ideas for something your class can contribute to.

• Rent for a mother of four who was displaced as a result of domestic abuse

• A family who needed a bed for Christmas instead of clothes and toys

• A high school senior in need of money to apply to college

• A college freshman who needed help with the first year of school. She is the first member of her family to go to college.

• A family in the community experiencing financial hardships because of a long illness and funeral expenses for mother/grandmother

• Families who needed food baskets for Thanksgiv-ing; these families were also given two weeks of additional food.

Teachers, this is a chance for you to encourage the students to live up to their religious convictions. Tuesday’s Community Connections prompted stu-dents to think of ways to acquire some money to help the indigent. Find out if anyone has actually started collecting money in any of those ways. Or have the students bring an offering toward a project starting next week.




FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: In the lesson this week, the new believers were good stewards of their treasures by shar-ing what they had with others. The apostles and other leaders were good stewards of their talents because they “gave witness” and preached with great power. Ananias and Sapphira were not good stewards of their treasures or thoughts because they decided to keep back money they had promised to help others with and then lied about it. Wrong actions begin with wrong thoughts. In the case of the new believers and the apostles, they listened to and obeyed the Holy Spirit. In the case of Ananias and Sapphira, they did not listen to or obey the Holy Spirit. Who would like to be good stewards over everything God has given us? The Holy Spirit can help us to do that. Let’s pray and ask Him to do just that. As I pray, think of a particular area where you would like to improve your stewardship. God will hear and answer our prayers.

LESSON

6

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: The topic of our next lesson is about being ambassadors for God. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus. Keep reviewing your memory verses from previous and current lessons so that we can be ready for our presen-tation on Thirteenth Sabbath.

Close with prayer.

REFERENCESEllen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles (Mountain

View, Calif.: Pacific Press, 1911).

General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 28 Fundamental Beliefs (2015), https://www.adventist.org/ fileadmin/adventist.org/files/articles/official-state-ments/28Beliefs-Web.pdf.

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LESSON

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HANDOUT 1: LESSON QUIZ A. Circle true or false.

1. The early church was united, and everyone helped one another. T / F

2. Ananias and Sapphira sold their house and gave the money to the church. T / F

3. When Ananias and Sapphira received the money, they devised a plan to keep some for themselves.

T / F

4. Ananias and Sapphira lied to the apostles when they went to turn the money in. T / F

5. Ananias and Sapphira were punished by death because they lied to God. T / F

B. Fill in the missing letters. The number of how many missing letters is given.

6. What are the resources God has given each of us? (3 a’s; 11 e’s; 5 i’s; 3 o’s; 2 u’s; 2 y’s)

T_m_; Tr__sur_s—m_n_y; T_mpl_—b_d__s; str_ngth, and _n_rgy; T_l_nts; and Th__ghts—

_b_l_t_ to th_nk.

C. Circle all the correct answers.

7. The definition of the word “steward” is:

a. Overseer b. Guardian c. Caretaker d. Manager

8. What are ways that make us good stewards of the resources God has given us?

a. Spending without thinking b. Using wisely the resources God gives us

c. Using our resources to serve God d. Building up God’s church

e. Helping the people around us f. Caring for God’s creation

9. How does God feel about hypocrisy and lying?

a. He is indifferent to them b. He hates them c. They are an abomination to Him

d. He detests them

10. How will you use the resources God has given you?

a. To make myself famous b. To honor God c. To help others

d. To give glory and praise to God e. To support the spreading of the gospel



LESSON

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HANDOUT 3: DAVID’S PRAYER BOOKMARKCut out bookmarks and give one to each student and tell them they can keep it in their Bibles.

DAVID’S PRAYER BOOKMARK



Create in me a clean heart,

O God,And renew a

steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from

Your presence,And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

(Psalm 51:10, 11)


O God,And renew a


Do not cast me away from Your

presence,And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

(Psalm 51:10, 11)


O God,And renew a


Do not cast me away from Your

presence,And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

(Psalm 51:10, 11)

HANDOUT 2: RIGHT THINKINGCut out each Bible reference and place in a jar. Have a student or group of students choose one. Try to involve everyone in the class. Tell them that throughout the study you will call out a reference, and if they have that reference, they are to stand and read it.

• Matthew 15:19 • Matthew 15:19 • Matthew 15:19 • Matthew 15:19

• James 1:14 • James 1:14 • James 1:14 • James 1:14

• John 13:2 • John 13:2 • John 13:2 • John 13:2

• Isaiah 55:7 • Isaiah 55:7 • Isaiah 55:7 • Isaiah 55:7

• Mark 7:21 • Mark 7:21 • Mark 7:21 • Mark 7:21

• Psalm 51:5 • Psalm 51:5 • Psalm 51:5 • Psalm 51:5

• Acts 5:3 • Acts 5:3 • Acts 5:3 • Acts 5:3



LESSON

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HANDOUT 4: GOOD STEWARDSRead the Bible reference; determine what type of resource it is, and how it should be put into action.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Philippians 4:8 Ecclesiasts 9:10 Deuteronomy 15:11 Matthew 25:20, 21

REFERENCE RESOURCE ACTION

HANDOUT 4: GOOD STEWARDSRead the Bible reference; determine what type of resource it is, and how it should be put into action.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Philippians 4:8 Ecclesiasts 9:10 Deuteronomy 15:11 Matthew 25:20, 21

REFERENCE RESOURCE ACTION

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TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’ ” (Acts 5:29).




OBJECTIVES KNOW that God wants our body, mind, and spirit to be the Holy Spirit’s temple.

UNDERSTAND that by living a life surrendered to God‘s will, we may face opposition.

RESPOND by making healthy decisions that affect body, mind, and spirit as taught in the Word of God.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 22: CHRISTIAN BEHAVIOR“We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in harmony with biblical principles in all

aspects of personal and social life. For the Spirit to recreate in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those things that will produce Christlike purity, health, and joy in our lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should meet the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple, modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a gentle and qui-et spirit. It also means that because our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the irre-sponsible use of drugs and narcotics are harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well. Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our wholesomeness, joy, and goodness. (Gen. 7:2; Ex. 20:15; Lev. 11:1–47; Ps. 106:3; Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; 10:31; 2 Cor. 6:14–7:1; 10:5; Eph. 5:1–21; Phil. 2:4; 4:8; 1 Tim. 2:9, 10; Titus 2:11, 12; 1 Peter 3:1–4; 1 John 2:6; 3 John 2.)”

WHOM WILL I OBEY?

LESSON

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LESSON

7

SYNOPSISWe will study the importance of glorifying God through our lives and letting Him use us and be our

Defender. The heart of this week’s study is to live an exemplary lifestyle by glorifying God and obeying God. The lesson highlights the significance of distinguishing between right and wrong. The lesson concludes with what motivates us to obedience. As we take a closer look at Christian behavior, we will learn that it is not something we do to earn salvation, but we live up to a standard and follow the biblical principles be-cause we love Jesus.

FOR REFLECTION“Every act of our lives affects others for good or evil. Our influence is tending upward or downward; it is

felt, acted upon, and to a greater or less degree reproduced by others. If by our example we aid others in the development of good principles, we give them power to do good. In their turn they exert the same bene ficial influence upon others, and thus hundreds and thousands are affected by our unconscious influence” (Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 133).

“In the history of prophets and apostles are many noble examples of loyalty to God. Christ’s witnesses have endured imprisonment, torture, and death itself, rather than break God’s commands. The record left by Peter and John is as heroic as any in the gospel dispensation. As they stood for the second time before the men who seemed bent on their destruction, no fear or hesitation could be discerned in their words or attitude. And when the high priest said, ‘Did we not straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood upon us,’ Peter answered, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’ It was an angel from heaven who delivered them from prison and bade them teach in the temple. In following his directions they were obeying the divine command, and this they must continue to do at whatever cost to themselves” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 81, 82).

“What was the strength of those who in the past have suffered persecution for Christ’s sake? It was union with God, union with the Holy Spirit, union with Christ. Reproach and persecution have separated many from earthly friends, but never from the love of Christ. Never is the tempest-tried soul more dearly loved by his Saviour than when he is suffering reproach for the truth’s sake” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 85).






• We are halfway to Thirteenth Sabbath. How are your plans coming?



LESSON

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Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points with-i n the time given. Keep in mind that the greate r portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductor y activities in the FELLOWSHIP segment of the class.



• Greet students (ask about their week; take inven-tory of missing members).

• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: YOUR INFLUENCE

Read the following quotation from Testimonies for the Church (vol. 2, p. 133) to the students:

SAY: “Every act of our lives affects others for good or evil. Our influence is tending upward or downward; it is felt, acted upon, and to a greater or lesser degree reproduced by others. If by our example we aid others in the development of

good principles, we give them power to do good. In their turn they exert the same beneficial influ-ence upon others, and thus hundreds and thou-sands are affected by our unconscious influence.”

ASK: Based on this quotation, what are specific ways you can influence someone for eternity?

On the board, write the following categories and list students’ answers for each category:

Food you eat or don’t eat: _______________________

________________________________________________

What you drink or don’t drink: _______________________

_________________________________________

Choice of entertainment: ____________________

_________________________________________

How you use your spare time: ________________

_________________________________________

The way you dress: _________________________

_________________________________________

Something you don’t do with your friends:

_________________________________________

Something you do with your friends: ___________

_________________________________________

Topics you talk about: ______________________

_________________________________________

Topics you don’t talk about: __________________

_________________________________________

SAY: Everything we say or do can have an in-fluence on others. Every day we make choices that can have either a good or a bad influence on someone else.

ASK: Will you commit to a Christian way of liv-ing that will be a positive influence on others?


MISSION STORY Introduce the mission story and summarize its


OFFERINGSAY: There are many men, women, boys, and girls serving as missionaries around the world. They are on the front lines telling others about Jesus and His soon coming. Offerings can help spread God’s love to people who do not know Him.




Tell the students about the box for mission of-ferings where they can collect spare change for the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering.

PRAYERDesignate a student to pray for the offerings.

HOLYBIBLE





dent participation.

1. Peter and John shared Jesus only with the priests. T / F

2. Because of their personal knowledge Peter and John shared Jesus with others. T / F

3. Peter and John were not afraid and boldly shared Jesus with the Sanhedrin. T / F

4. Peter and John were afraid of persecution and prison. T /F

5. The Holy Spirit will guide and help us make wise decisions. T/ F

6. When faced with difficulties, Peter and John

a. Ran away and hid b. Stood firmly for what they believed about Jesus c. Spoke about their personal experiences with Jesus d. Shared the reality of the gospel

7. Why did Peter and the apostles answer “We ought to obey God rather than men”?

a. They thought it would give them favor in the eyes of others

LESSON

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b. They were eager to accomplish God’s mission, and nothing could stop them

c. They were faithful to God even when threat-ened and in great danger

d. They loved Jesus more than they loved their own lives

8. After being beaten and told not to preach about Jesus again, the disciples

a. Stopped b. Went to another country c. Rejoiced to suffer for Jesus d. Moved out to mountains and lived alone

9. Who or what stopped the council from carrying out their plan to kill Peter and John?

a. Moses’ law b. Isaiah c. Saul d. Gamaliel

10. To be ambassadors for Jesus means to carry a package / message of communication / reconcilia-tion and doom / healing to a caring / lost world.

Answer Key: 1-F. 2-T. 3-T. 4-F. 5-T. 6-b, c, d. 7-b, c, d. 8-c. 9-d. 10-message, reconciliation,

healing, lost.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse togethe r, Acts 5:29: “But Peter and the other apostles an-swered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rathe r than men.’ ”


Challenge your students to recite their quarterl y memory challenge” from memory. You may have all the students say John 15:5–14 together.

ILLUSTRATIONTell the following illustration in your own words.

Lyn had finished high school a year early, and af-ter her last summer class she was going to cele brate by going to the city. In the city there were lots of wonder-ful things to see. But there were a lot of heartbreaking scenes, too. As Lyn walked from place to place, she and her friends passed countless homeless men, women, and children. While Lyn’s group stopped to get some lunch, she saw a homeless man looking in the restau-rant window. She could tell he was very hungry. Lyn looked at her lunch, then picked it up and took it to the man outside. When she came back in, the man-ager of the restaurant came over to talk to her. What



YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn papers n pens/pencils n whiteboard/

chalkboard n markers/chalk

YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Handout 2n pens/pencils

he said was not what Lyn expected. He said, “You shouldn’t have taken your food out to that man.”

Lyn replied, “He’s hungry, and I don’t mind giv ing up my lunch.”

The manager was getting angry and said, “Well, now he’ll never go away. I don’t want my customers to go elsewhere because of him! Don’t ever do that again!” Everyone in the restaurant heard the manager. But Lyn didn’t let it end there. She spoke up again and said, “That man is a child of God, and so am I. When I see someone in need, I will help them. That’s what God ex-pects of me. And He also expects it of you!”

DEBRIEFINGASK: What are ways you can defend the de-fenseless? How can you be an influence for good? Invite students to answer.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: OBEDIENCE OUT OF LOVE

Give each student a Bible. List the following questions on a board or distribute to students Handout 2 and have each student read a Bible

LESSON

7passage in response to the questions.

ASK: Do you think God cares about our every day choices (diet, drinking, entertainment, dress, words, actions, lifestyle)? Why or why not? Have a student read 1 Corinthians 10:31. How do we demonstrate to the world that we are obedient to God? Let a volunteer read 1 John 4:7.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: WHAT ENDURES

Have students form groups of three or four and read the following verses:

• 1 Peter 1:13–16 • Jeremiah 38:20

• Isaiah 1:19 • 1 Samuel 15:22

Have each group summarize in writ-ing their understanding of obedience to God based on these Bible passages. Then have the groups share their answers. This way they can learn from one another, based on their understanding of the Bible, what obedience means. You can write the passages and the students answers on the board.

HANDOUT 2: OBEDIENCE OUT OF LOVE (ANSWER KEY)Read the following Bible verses and answer the questions.

1. What does the Bible teach about our relationship to the world? (1 John 2:15)

(We should not love the things of the world. If we love the things of the world, God’s love is not in us.)

2. What are the three areas John tells us to protect ourselves from? (1 John 2:16)

(lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, pride of life)

3. How do we grow into mature Christians? (Romans 10:17; 2 Peter 1:3–8)

(by faith—hearing and studying the Word of God; by God’s grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit)

4. Is worldliness a temptation even to Christians? (1 Corinthians 3:1–3)

(Yes.)

5. What are our priorities as Christians? (Matthew 22:37–39; Colossians 3:1, 2)

(Love God with all our heart, soul, and mind; love our neighbors as ourselves; seek the things of heaven; set our mind on heavenly things, not earthly things.)

6. What does the Bible say about worldly possessions? (Luke 12:15)

(to beware of greediness, because life is not about how much you can possess)

7. What does the Bible teach about obedience? (Acts 5:29; Jeremiah 7:23)

(We should obey God above all others; if we obey God’s commands, He will be our God and we His people.)


YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn papern pens/pencils

SAY: Everything the world has to offer is tem-porary and vain. By contrast, what God offers us endures forever (see 1 John 2:17). Because of our sinful nature, we may struggle at times to obey God. And when we rely on ourselves to obey God, we will fail. “ ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (see Zechariah 4:5–7). It is only through our connec-tion with God that we can obey and be faithful.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: TAKING A STAND

Ask a volunteer to read Peter’s re-sponse to the leaders and men of the council from Acts 5:29–32.

Then divide the class into groups of three or four and ask them to think of ways they could defend their faith if con-fronted with opposition. Be prepared to

share a personal example so the students know how to go about this activity (e.g., a literature evangelist encountering opposition for distributing literature). Have each group write their response in the form of a dialogue, a hypothetical scenario, or a skit. Allow them to express creatively how they would stand up for God in various everyday situations (e.g., at school, in the neighborhood, among friends, among people they encounter in various circumstances) as boldly as Peter and the other disciples did before the council. Have them be guided by the Christian values and practices presented in this lesson. En-courage your class to use the biblical narrative as an example and inspiration—but to come up with a specific and crea tive example.

After five minutes, give each team an opportu-nit y either to describe or to enact that encounter in which they could witness boldly to a friend, neigh-bor, or stranger.


SAY: According to statistics, the majority of the world’s population lives an unhealthy lifestyle.

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The disciples demonstrated genuine concern for others. They shared Jesus with them and also healed them. God wants to use all of us to be such agents of restoration to our neighbors. How can we invite and help our family, friends, and neighbors to have healthier and more meaning-ful lives? List students’ answers on board.

Ask the students to think of two individuals with whom they would like to share the health message and ways they would apply what they learned this week.

Pray: Ask students to pair up and to pray for the names they have chosen and to ask the Holy Spirit to help them carry out their plans.

Encourage the students to be prepared to share their experiences the following week in Sabbath School. It might be as simple as giving out a few GLOW tracts on health.

FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: Today we don’t have to stand up in front of the Sanhedrin, but our obedience is tested every day. Will we obey God, or will we obey human beings? Let’s pray that we will always obey God and reflect Christ’s character in our everyday life—in words, actions, and lifestyle.

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: Our next lesson will be about unity and service. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus. Keep reviewing your memory verses from previous and current lessons so that we can be ready for our presentation on Thir-teenth Sabbath.

Close with prayer.



General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 28 Fundamental Beliefs (2015), https://www.adventist. org/fileadmin/adventist.org/files/articles/officialstatements/28Beliefs-Web.pdf.



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HANDOUT 1: LESSON QUIZA. Circle true or false.

1. Peter and John shared Jesus only with the priests. T / F

2. Because of their personal knowledge Peter and John shared Jesus with others. T / F

3. They were not afraid and boldly shared Jesus with the Sanhedrin. T / F

4. Peter and John were afraid of persecution and prison. T /F

5. The Holy Spirit will guide and help us make wise decisions. T/ F


6. When faced with difficulties, Peter and John. . .

a. Ran away and hid b. Stood firmly for what they believed about Jesus

c. Spoke about their personal experiences with Jesus d. Shared the reality of the gospel

7. Why did Peter and the apostles answer “We ought to obey God rather than men”?

a. They thought it would give them favor in the eyes of others

b. They were eager to accomplish God’s mission, and nothing could stop them

c. They were faithful to God even when threatened and in great danger

d. They loved Jesus more than they loved their own lives

8. After being beaten and told not to preach about Jesus again, the disciples . . .

a. Stopped b. Went to another country c. Rejoiced to suffer for Jesus

d. Moved to mountains and lived alone

9. Who or what stopped the council from carrying out their plan to kill Peter and John?

a. Moses’ law b. Isaiah c. Saul d. Gamaliel

C. Circle the correct words.

10. To be ambassadors for Jesus means to carry a package / message of communication / reconciliation

and doom / healing to a caring / lost world.



LESSON

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HANDOUT 2: OBEDIENCE OUT OF LOVERead the following Bible verses and answer the questions.


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


__________________________ __________________________ __________________________


______________________________________________ ____________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________

_______________________________________________ ______________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

HANDOUT 2: OBEDIENCE AND LOVERead the following Bible verses and answer the questions.


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


__________________________ __________________________ __________________________


________________________________________________ _________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


____________________________________________________ ____________________________________

____________________________________________________ _____________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).




OBJECTIVESKNOW that delegation and organization are parts of God’s order and result in greater success in His work.

UNDERSTAND the impact of the positive example of the early church and be encouraged to follow it.

RESPOND by committing ourselves to serve with our own gifts in church.


“God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts that each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in pastoral, evangelistic, and teaching ministries particularly needed to equip the members for service, to build up the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the faith and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God’s varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love. (Acts 6:1–7; Rom. 12:4–8; 1 Cor. 12:7–11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11–16; 1 Tim. 3:1–13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)”

THE BEAUTY OF DELEGATION

LESSON

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LESSON

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SYNOPSIS Our lesson this week is about the early church’s first recorded internal struggle, how they overcame it,

and how they thrived in both their diversity and their unity. The disciples realized that the leadership of the church needed to expand. With the growing number of believers, they needed more people to shoulder responsibility. Prayerfully and collectively, the believers chose seven men to oversee the distribution to the poor; this would ensure no one would be neglected, whether intentionally or accidentally. Through the believers working together, each in their own way and utilizing their talents, the gospel work continued revolutionizing Jerusalem and the surrounding cities. The Holy Spirit has given each of us different gifts that we can use together for His glory.

FOR REFLECTION“The organization of the church at Jerusalem was to serve as a model for the organization of churches in

every other place where messengers of truth should win converts to the gospel. Those to whom was given the responsibility of the general oversight of the church were not to lord it over God’s heritage, but, as wise shepherds, were to ‘feed the flock of God, . . . being ensamples to the flock’ (1 Peter 5:2, 3); and the deacons were to be ‘men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom.’ These men were to take their position unitedly on the side of right and to maintain it with firmness and decision. Thus they would have a uniting influence upon the entire flock” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 91).

“The Lord desires His chosen servants to learn how to unite together in harmonious effort. It may seem to some that the contrast between their gifts and the gifts of a fellow laborer is too great to allow them to unite in harmonious effort; but when they remember that there are varied minds to be reached, and that some will reject the truth as it is presented by one laborer, only to open their hearts to God’s truth as it is presented in a different manner by another laborer, they will hopefully endeavor to labor together in unity. Their talents, however diverse, may all be under the control of the same Spirit. In every word and act, kindness and love will be revealed; and as each worker fills his appointed place faithfully, the prayer of Christ for the unity of His followers will be answered, and the world will know that these are His disciples” (Ellen G. White, Evangelism, pp. 99, 100).







YOU WILL NEED:n papern pens/pencils


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• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: BRAINSTORMING GIFTS

Provide each student with paper and a writing utensil.

SAY: God’s church has always had people who were good at different things. God has given each of us gifts to serve Him and others. Let’s take our papers and write three things

that the person sitting to your right is gifted with. For example, I think (name) is excellent at (she is very cheerful and welcoming, he is very knowledgeable and kind, she is a great listener, he is very helpful, etc.). The gifts mentioned don’t have to be very detailed, but they shouldn’t be too vague (e.g., she’s nice).

Now do the same thing—but for the person on your left.

Give some time for everyone to think and write.

ASK: What are some gifts that you wrote down about people around you? What are some ways these gifts can be used (or are already being used) to bless others?

SAY: You may have noticed that we all have different gifts. If we all had the same gifts, there would be so many people we couldn’t reach, be-cause everyone connects with different people!

ASK: Who has a story they can share about how they used one of their gifts to be a blessing to others?

Teacher, please have a story of your own to share to start the conversation while the students think of their own.



contents. If possible, make a correlation to the story.If you do not have access to the printed version of the Mission stories for this quarter, you can down-load them from the Adventist Mission website: https://am.adventistmission.org/mq-adult.

ASK: How did (the person in the story) use their gift(s) to glorify God?

OFFERINGSAY: God has given us the privilege to support His work all over the world. One of the many talents God has given us is money. Whether we have a lot or a little bit, we can always give to others to help them.


spheres of influence and use our gifts to be powerful and effective witnesses for Him.



HOLYBIBLE


Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to address in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points within the time given. Visit our website at MyBibleGuides .org to download the lesson quiz handout.



dent participation.

1. The apostles decided that the leadership in the new church needed to expand because

a. They were tired of doing all the work b. Some Greek-speaking Jews felt their widows were not being treated fairly c. They realized they couldn’t do everything themselves d. They wanted to preach, not wait tables.

2. How many men did the apostles appoint as dea-cons to handle the distribution of funds to those in need?

a. 12 b. 5 c. 7 d. None

3. How did the apostles choose the men to be dea-cons?

a. They called a meeting b. They prayed c. They looked for tall, strong men d. They drew lots

4. Why is it important for the church to maintain unity?

a. It protects us against the attacks of the devi l b. It helps us to solve disputes, disagreements, and dissensions c. It allows us to focus on the work God has called us to do d. We can go and tell oth-ers about God’s love and Jesus’ soon coming

5. What could have happened to the growing young church if those who complained were allowed to continue?

a. The spreading of the gospel would have stopped b. The church would have grown faste r c. It

LESSON

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would have caused disunity in the early church

6. The church grows because of the influence and love each church member has toward those around them. T / F

7. The Holy Spirit has given all of us the same gifts and talents. T / F

8. Church unity is a great strength against the at-tacks of the enemy. T / F

9. People of Galilee / all walks of life were coming together / leaving under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

10. The Holy Spirit has given us different gifts to use for ourselves / God’s glory and to become wealthy / build up the church.

Answer Key: 1-b, c, d. 2-c. 3-a, b, d. 4-all. 5-a, c. 6-T. 7-F. 8-T. 9-all walks of life, coming together.

10-God’s glory, build up the church.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, 1 Pe-ter 4:10, “As each one has received a gift, min-ister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”


John 15:5–14. Challenge your students to recite their quarterly memory challenge from memory. You may have all the students say it together.

ILLUSTRATIONTell the following story in your own words.

At the beginning of the school year Mrs. Parke r gave each of her eight students paper and pencils and said, “Please write down the things you like, enjoy, or are good at doing.” Throughout the year they worked on figuring out how they could use the things on their lists to help others and tell them about God’s love.

Mike wrote how he liked working with sound equipment. Sharon had written about enjoying her part-time job at her veterinarian’s office. Debbie had put down that her favorite thing was cooking. Paul loved tutoring. Stanley loved putting together, orga-nizing, and directing programs. Miriam loved play-ing the piano. JoAnn wrote that she loved singing. And Ray had shared that he loved working with his hands to build things.




At the end of the school year Mrs. Parker put to-gether a program that had each of her students shar-ing how they had used their gifts throughout the year.

JoAnn and Miriam shared a song they had writ-ten and taught to the children at Vacation Bible School. Mike told how he managed the sound sys-tem at his church’s evangelistic meetings. Sharon brought photos and shared how she’d helped match homeless pets with lonely seniors. Ray shared his expe rience helping to build an orphanage on a mis-sion trip. Several students read passages from the Bible that Paul shared in his tutoring sessions. Stan-ley showed a video of the program he’d done at the boy’s home based on Bible stories. And Debbie told how she helped prepare food at a homeless shelter. All of Mrs. Parker’s students were happy about the experiences they had and were excited about their interactions with the people with whom they had shared God’s goodness and His love.

DEBRIEFINGASK: What did the students learn during the school year? (what and how to use the things they like or enjoy and are good at doing to help others and tell them about God’s goodness and care) What things do you enjoy or are good at doing? Make a list of students’ answers on a board.

SAY: Think of ways you can use your “gifts” to help others and tell them about Jesus.

How will you use your gifts this week?

BIBLE ACTIVITY: DELEGATING

Have someone read Exodus 18:13–26.

SAY: God spoke to Moses through Jethro, his father-in-law. Jethro outlined a very simple and very effective model for delegating. Imagine be-ing Moses and solving the smallest of issues be-tween millions of Jews!

ASK: What are some principles we can extract from the following verses?

Guide the class through the following points:

LESSON

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• Exodus 18:14, 18—Moses was overworking. He was there all day, and he could not continue to do that day after day.

• Exodus 18:19–22—(1) There were different lev-els of leaders who performed different functions (Moses, leaders of tens, leaders of hundreds, etc.); (2) leaders needed to be appointed; and (3) the character of the leaders mattered.

• Exodus 18:23–25—(1) Delegating would result in better endurance; (2) delegating would result in the successful movement of the children of Israel.

Have someone read Genesis 2:20.

ASK: Why do you think God delegated the task of naming the animals to Adam?

Have someone read 2 Timothy 2:1, 2.

ASK: What can we learn about delegation from these two verses? Allow students to answer.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: SERVICE AND EXAMPLE

On the board, create three columns with the labels “Bible Reference,” “Who Served,” and “How They Served.” Alter-natively, create as a handout.

SAY: This week we’ve seen how God has called people to do many differ-ent kinds of ministries. Let’s see how many examples of services we can find in the Bible.

Have students read the Bible passages found in Chart/Handout 2 and have them identify the per-son who served and the service they did. Many Bible stories have multiple examples of service. Feel free to adapt the activity to your students’ level of engage-ment. See Chart/Handout 2 Answer Key.

Follow up with a discussion and ask students to identify with a number of Bible characters, naming ways they themselves could serve others—even as young people.

YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Chart/Handout 2n pens/pencilsn whiteboard/



COMMUNITY OUTREACH (5 MINUTES TOTAL)SAY: God has placed us in different spheres of influence, where we can use our gifts for Him! How can you use one of your gifts to be a blessing to someone this week?

Have students get into small groups to discuss their ideas for a few minutes.

Then have them share their answers. You can list their answers on the board.

ASK: What are three things you can (and will!) do this week that utilize your gifts to be a blessing?

LESSON

8FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: God has made each of us unique, set with our own talents and gifts. We can expect great things from Him when we surrender our lives to Him!

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: Our lesson for next week is about the mar-tyrdom of Stephen. Study your lesson every day.

Close with prayer.






CHART/HANDOUT 2: SERVICE AND EXAMPLES (ANSWER KEY)

BIBLE REFERENCE WHO SERVED HOW THEY SERVEDExample: Mark 6:3 Jesus Carpenter

Acts 6:1–7 (The seven deacons) (Serving tables)

2 Kings 5 (Young Israelite girl) (Serving as a handmaiden)

1 Samuel 16:11; Exodus 3:1 (David, Moses) (Shepherding)

Acts 9:39 (Dorcas) (Making coats and garments)

Isaiah 1; Jeremiah 1 (Isaiah, Jeremiah) (Prophet)

Joshua 1; Exodus 4 (Joshua, Moses) (Leadership)

Ruth 2 (Boaz) (Allowing the poor to glean)

Judges 4 (Deborah) (Judge)

1 Samuel 16:23 (David) (Playing music for the king)

Ezra 7:27, 28; Nehemiah 2:11 (Ezra, Nehemiah) (Rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem)

John 5; 1 Kings 17; Acts 3 (Jesus, Elijah, Peter) (Healing)

1 Corinthians 1:1–3 (Paul) (Writing encouraging letters)

Matthew 10; Luke 10 (The Twelve, the Seventy) (Going door to door)

2 Kings 4:10 (Shunammite woman) (Giving shelter)

Genesis 40; Acts 16:25–31 (Joseph, Paul, and Silas) (Ministering in jail)


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HANDOUT 1: LESSON QUIZA. Circle each correct answer.

1. The apostles decided that the leadership in the new church needed to expand because

a. They were tired of doing all the work

b. Some Greek-speaking Jews felt their widows were not being treated fairly

c. They realized they couldn’t do everything themselves

d. They wanted to preach, not wait tables

2. How many men did the apostles appoint as deacons to handle the distribution of funds to

those in need?

a. 12 b. 5 c. 7 d. none

3. How did the apostles choose the men to be deacons?

a. They called a meeting b. They prayed c. They looked for tall, strong men d. They drew

lots

4. Why is it important for the church to maintain unity?

a. It protects us against the attacks of the devil

b. It helps us to solve disputes, disagreements and dissensions

c. It allows us to focus on the work God has called us to do

d. We can go and tell others about God’s love and Jesus’ soon coming.

5. What could have happened to the growing young church if those who complained were allowed to

continue?

a. The spreading of the gospel would have stopped b. The church would have grown faster

c. It would have caused disunity in the early church

B. Circle true or false.

6. The church grows because of the influence and love each church member shows to those around

them. T / F

7. The Holy Spirit has given all of us the same gifts and talents. T / F

8. Church unity is a great strength against the attacks of the enemy. T / F

C. Circle the correct words.

9. People of Galilee / all walks of life were coming together / leaving under the influence of the

Holy Spirit.

10. The Holy Spirit has given us different gifts to use for ourselves / God’s glory and to become wealthy /

build up the church.



LESSON

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CHART/HANDOUT 2: SERVICE AND EXAMPLESRead each Bible reference and identify people in the Bible who were known for their service to others. Write in the spaces provided who these people were and how they served.

BIBLE REFERENCE PERSONS WHO SERVED HOW THEY SERVED

Example: Mark 6:3 Jesus Carpenter

Acts 6:1–7

2 Kings 5

1 Samuel 16:11; Exodus 3:1

Acts 9:39

Isaiah 1; Jeremiah 1

Joshua 1; Exodus 4

Ruth 2

Judges 4

1 Samuel 16:23

Ezra 7:27, 28; Nehemiah 2:11

John 5; 1 Kings 17; Acts 3

1 Corinthians 1:1–3

Matthew 10; Luke 10

2 Kings 4:10

Genesis 40; Acts 16:25–31



FAITHFUL UNTO DEATHTEACHER PREPARATION

MEMORY VERSE“And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22).


REFERENCESBible References: Acts 6:5–15; 7

Further Study: The Acts of the Apostles, chap. 10, pp. 97–102; or Unlikely Leaders, chap. 10, pp. 37, 38

OBJECTIVESKNOW that God equips us with the right words at the right time and that He is always with us.

UNDERSTAND that when we follow Jesus there is nothing to fear in death.

RESPOND by committing to stay firm to principle regardless of the consequences.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 26: DEATH AND RESURRECTION

“The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death is an unconscious state for all people. When Christ, who is our life, appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord. The second resurrec-tion, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place a thousand years later. (Job 19:25–27; Ps. 146:3, 4; Eccl. 9:5, 6, 10; Dan. 12:2, 13; Isa. 25:8; John 5:28, 29; 11:11–14; Rom. 6:23; 16; 1 Cor. 15:51–54; Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 4:13–17; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 20:1–10.)”

SYNOPSISStephen, one of the seven deacons newly appointed, started serving tables with gladness. He also

preached the beautiful news of Jesus’ saving grace and sacrifice to anyone and everyone. Unfortunately, the religious leaders didn’t like that Stephen was preaching about Jesus as the Messiah, and they tried to

LESSON

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LESSON

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persuade him that he was wrong. But they were met with such wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit that they realized they were wrong! Yet they decided to silence this follower of Jesus once and for all! Stephen reminded his listeners of the history of the people of Israel to show them what they were doing. They were still hardening their hearts against the Holy Spirit time and time again. This was too much for the religious leaders to tolerate. Laying their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul, they picked up stones to si-lence Stephen forever. Stephen was the very first Christian martyr. He was the first follower of Jesus who was put to death because of his faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about death and offers us hope. As followers of Jesus we have nothing to fear from death because Jesus has conquered death and wants to give us eternal life. He is the resurrection and the life!

FOR REFLECTION“There are many who have given themselves to Christ, yet who see no opportunity of doing a

large work or making great sacrifices in His service. These may find comfort in the thought that it is not necessarily the martyr’s self-surrender which is most acceptable to God; it may not be the missionary who has daily faced danger and death that stands highest in heaven’s records. The Christian who is such in his private life, in the daily surrender of self, in sincerity of purpose and purity of thought, in meekness under provocation, in faith and piety, in fidelity in that which is least, the one who in the home life represents the character of Christ—such a one may in the sight of God be more precious than even the world-renowned missionary or martyr” (Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 403).

“To stand in defense of truth and righteousness when the majority forsake us, to fight the battles of the Lord when champions are few—this will be our test. At this time we must gather warmth from the coldness of others, courage from their cowardice, and loyalty from their treason” (Ellen G. White, Last Day Events, p. 180).

“The Christian who manifests patience and cheerfulness under bereavement and suffering, who meets even death itself with the peace and calmness of an unwavering faith, may accomplish for the gospel more than he could have effected by a long life of faithful labor” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 465).










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Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points with-i n the time given. Keep in mind that the great-er portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductor y activities in the FELLOWSHIP segment of the class.




• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: BRAVE BIBLE PEOPLE

Start a conversation about people from the Bible whom the students perceive as brave.

SAY: Today we are going to talk about a very brave per-son who gave his life for Jesus when Christianity was just be-ginning. From our lesson this week, we know this person is Stephen. Although he is the first Chris-tian martyr, there are many other people in the Bible who have shown courage too. The word martyr comes from the Greek word that means witness (martys). In the first century of the Chris-tian church there were so many witnesses who gave their lives rather than compromising their faith, the word witness came to mean martyr.

ASK: Can you name someone in the Bible who

showed courage? What did they do that you find courageous?

Go around and have each student give the name of the person they identified. Ask them follow-up questions to elicit descriptions of that person’s cour-age. For example: Did the person risk their life for God? Did they die? Did they stand up for their faith? Did they speak when it would have been easier to keep quiet? Did they help someone who made them look bad?

On the board, keep a list of the people from the Bible who are named, and list the different ways they showed courage. Once every student has had a turn, say: Clearly there are many different ways that we can be brave and courageous. We’ll explore these different ways more closely during our Bible study.


MISSION STORYIntroduce the mission story and summarize

its contents. If possible, make a correlation to the lesson. If you do not have access to the printed ver-sion of the Mission stories for this quarter, you can download them from the Adventist Mission web-site: https://am.adventistmission.org/mq-adult.

OFFERINGASK: How is this mission story similar to the stor y of Stephen? How is it different?

SAY: As the body of Christ, we are called to support one another in His work. We can all con-tribute with our offerings to missions to make a difference for Jesus!

PRAYERAsk God to help us be courageous and stand

for what is right no matter what. Also claim the promise of James 1:5 that God would give all of us wisdom in interacting with different people.


HOLYBIBLE





dent participation.

1. Who was Stephen?

a. A priest b. A disciple c. He was one of the seven deacons chosen d. A Pharisee

2. Why was Stephen chosen as a deacon?

a. He was rich b. He preached the gospel c. He had a good reputation d. He was full of faith e. He was filled with the Holy Spirit f. He was smart

3. Because of his love for Jesus, what happened to Stephen?

a. He was promoted b. He was hated c. He was the first martyr of the Christian church d. He was stoned to death

4. When Stephen was falsely accused, what did he tell the high priest?

a. His life story b. He recounted Israel’s histor y c. He showed from prophecy that what he preached about Jesus was true d. He was going to heaven

5. The listeners of Stephen in Acts 7

a. Received Jesus b. Hardened their hearts c. Rejoiced d. Killed him.

6. Through the Holy Spirit a person’s faith grows when

a. That person shares the good news b. The per-son keeps the gospel to himself/herself c. He or she witnesses for Jesus d. They serve others through Christian service

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7. As Stephen was being stoned he cried / his face shone with God’s glory.

8. Saul’s life was the same / changed as a result of wit-nessing Stephen’s preaching skill / martyrdom.

9. When Saul met Stephen / Jesus, he was converted.

10. The listeners of Peter in Acts 2 told him to go away / asked him what to do, in order to be saved.

Answer Key: 1-c. 2-b, c, d, e. 3-b, c, d. 4-b, c. 5-b, d. 6-a, c, d. 7-his face shone with God’s glory.

8-changed, martyrdom. 9-Jesus. 10-asked him what to do.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Mat-thew 10:22: “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”



ILLUSTRATIONTell the following story in your own words.

Delores’s family was at their beach cottage. It had been a wonderful day! All the kids had ridden their bikes, been down to the water, and played games out in the sun. There just couldn’t have been a better day.

But right in the middle of dinner there was a knock on the door. Dad said, “Stay here,” as he went to answer the door. The police officer said, “We’re sorry, but we have a message from a Mr. Utz with some bad news.”

The note said, “Your father passed away. Come home quickly.”

The family left everything just as it was and jumped in the car and headed home. That was a long and sad ride. Delores cried, as she loved her grandpa very much. She couldn’t imagine life with-out him. Delores didn’t know what to expect, and was worried about what her grandpa would look like and what it really meant to die.

Later at the funeral home, when Delores saw her grandpa all her uncertainty and worry went away. Her grandpa looked just as he always had, only he didn’t



look worried or sick anymore. When she looked at his face, she saw peace. She then knew the things she’d learned from the Bible about death were true. She can’t wait to see her grandpa again when Jesus comes!

DEBRIEFINGASK: Are you waiting for Jesus to come back to be reunited with a loved one who has passed away? Accept answers and offer comfort and hope.

SAY: Jesus taught that death is an unconscious state like sleep and has promised that when He comes again sickness, death, sorrow, and crying will all end.

ASK: Are you looking forward to His coming?

BIBLE ACTIVITY: LEARNING FROM HISTOR Y

Divide your class into groups and give each group a blank copy of Handout 2. Have the students read the following Bible passages and discuss with their group members the similar-ities and differences between the accounts of Israel’s history by Samuel, David, and Stephen. • Acts 7:1–53

• 1 Samuel 12:6–15

• Psalm 105

While students are in their groups, make three LESSON

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columns on the board, writing the names of Sam-ue l, David, and Stephen at the top of each of the columns. After students complete their group activ-it y, facilitate a discussion about the similarities and differences between the three passages. Fill in the chart as the students point out the similarities and differences (See Handout 2.) Alternatively, this can be done as a class activity.

SAY: Stephen started out his speech by taking his listeners through the history of the people of Israel. This was a good approach, because it showed his listeners that he knew what he was talking about, and they could better recognize what they were doing in the context of their past. This method did not originate with Stephen; several prominent leaders and prophets used it in the Old Testament! Let’s compare Stephen’s narrative in Acts 7:1–53 with that of Samuel in 1 Samuel 12:6–15 and of David in Psalm 105.

You can either have students underline key points on their own, or as the teacher you can point out key points for them to underline (having them underline their own will provide more conversation afterward).

Similarities

• All three were inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak to the people as spiritual leaders.

• All three had close relationships with God.

• All three felt responsible for others’ salvation.

HANDOUT 2: LEARNING FROM HISTORY (ANSWER KEY) SAMUEL

1 SAMUEL 12:6–15DAVID

PSALM 105STEPHEN

ACTS 7:1–53

He is inspired to speak for God as His prophet.

He is inspired by the Holy Spirit to write songs of praise to God and to call His people to faithfulness to His law.

He is led by the Holy Spirit to rebuke unbelief and to draw the attention of his listeners to Jesus.

He recounts past history. He recounts God’s faithfulness throughout history and invites a response of praise and consecration.

He recounts history to contrast God’s faithfulness with the people’s unfaithfulness. His testimony pointed to Jesus.

He points out the results of obedience and the consequences of disobedience.

He focuses on praising God for His goodness throughout the generations.

He recounts milestones from the history of his nation to rebuke unbelief and bring about repentance.

The people choose to listen to Samuel (for a while).

Readers throughout the ages have chosen to be faithful to God thanks to David’s psalms.

The people choose not to listen to Stephen.

YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Handout 2n pens/pencilsn whiteboard/ blackboardn markers/chalkn chart/handout




• All three were prominent leaders of their time.

• All three had a burden for God’s people.

Differences

ASK: Ask the following questions:

• How can you share stories or examples from the Bible that are helpful to you when you interact with people?

• How can you use Samuel’s approach of recount-ing God’s goodness in your life and sharing the benefits of obedience?

• How can you use David’s approach of praising God for His goodness in your life?

• How can you use Stephen’s approach of recount-ing God’s leading in the past and calling atten-tion to the importance of cooperating with Him?

• In what situation would you use one approach over another?

SAY: All three of these leaders spoke God’s messages that were essential to their listeners. Even when they had to rebuke unbelief and un-faithfulness, they did not hesitate to say what was true, because it was true. Truth is inherentl y valuable, and no matter the political climate, situation at school, or the threats of others, we must stand and declare what is true because it is true. As the disciples have so aptly stated: “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” and “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 4:20; Acts 5:29).

BIBLE ACTIVITY: WHAT IS THERE AFTER DEATH?

SAY: The world has many mistaken ideas about what happens when we die. Thankfully, the Bible is very clear about what happens! Today we are going to visit a few Bible passages to review this important topic.

Have students go to the following texts, and have different people read each passage. After each passage is read,

ask the students what the specific passage shows about death. You can have them fill out Handout 3 in groups, or you can keep a list on the board.

• Genesis 2:7—A human does not have a soul; he or she is a soul. Dust + God’s breath = soul.

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• Ecclesiastes 12:7—Without God’s breath, we are just dust.

• John 11:11–14—Death is a kind of sleep: tempo-rary and without consciousness.

• John 5:28, 29—When people die, they rest in their graves. When Jesus comes back, He will resurrect them.

• Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6—The dead know nothing; they do nothing. They are not living in heaven or hell or anywhere else.

SAY: Now that we have a good biblical foun-dation about the condition of human beings in death, let’s take a look at a few “problem texts.” Problem texts are Bible passages that might seem to contradict what the Bible teache s else-where, but they actually do not present a contra-diction when we allow the Bible to interpret itself.

Read one passage at a time. Have students first read each passage silently, and then ask them what they think the verse teaches about death. Then lead them through a discussion of the biblical conclusions.

• Luke 23:42, 43—Some have interpreted this pas-sage incorrectly to mean that Jesus was going to be with the thief in heaven that very day, and therefore they conclude that you go straight to heaven when you die. But in Hebrew there are no commas in sentences. Punctuation was added later on by those who transcribed and translated the Bible. In this case, it is very im-portant where we place the comma. Take a look at what happens when we place the comm a in its correct place: Assuredly I tell you today, you will be with Me in paradise.

• 1 Samuel 28:14—Some have taken this passage to mean that mediums and spiritists can maintain contact with the spirits of dead people and talk to them. There are a few issues with this. 1. Sa-tan and his angels can impersonate people very easily (see Ellen G. White, The Great Controvers y [1888], pp. 551, 552; Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 679), just as he impersonated Samuel. 2. First Chronicles 10:13 shows that God is clearly against mediums, so it was not Samuel, His prophet, who spoke to Saul—but an evil spirit that communicated with Saul. 3. In Deuteronomy 18:9–14 God prohibits occult activity, including mediums, so God does not speak through mediums. 4. Saul “perceived” that it was Samuel. The woma n said only that it was a man with a robe. Saul just concluded that


YOU WILL NEED:n paper/blank

cardsn writing utensilsn envelopesn stamps

it was Samuel (1 Samuel 28:14). 5. In harmony with the teachings of Scripture, we can see that the witch of Endor was a medium who spoke to a satanic impersonation of Samue l.

• Luke 16:19–31—Some have taken this passage to mean that we go directly to heaven or hell af-ter death. 1. This is a parable, and the purpose of this parable is not to introduce or support the doctrine of the state of the dead. Rather, the larger purpose of the parable is to encour-age people to heed “Moses and the prophets” (verse 31). More persuasive than a miraculous resurrection is God’s prophetic word (2 Peter 1:19–21). God’s evaluation of human character is contrasted with the human-made stereotypes of righteousness. 2. If everything in this parable is true, how does a beggar fit in the bosom of Abraham? It doesn’t make sense. Other unrealis-tic elements include the conversation of the rich man while in fiery torment and the idea that a finger dipped in water would cool his tongue. The description of real body parts indicates that this parable is not intended to be understood literally. 3. Jesus shows what He knows about death in His interaction with His disciples after the death of Lazarus: John 11:11–14. If Lazarus had gone straight to heaven, why wouldn’t Je-sus have mentioned it? Especially if Lazarus had gone straight to heaven, wouldn’t he have been devastated when Jesus called him back to earth?

SAY: When we want to know what the Bible teaches, we need to bring all of the Bible vers-es on a topic together. We cannot choose one or two passages from Scripture and build a doc-trine on them, because all of Scripture works in harmony to show a complete picture. In this case the Bible shows that death is a sleep, we wait in death for Jesus to resurrect us, and there is no fear in death because Jesus has conquered it!

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SAY: God is able to always give us the words to share with someone.

Have students revisit and share the differ-ent kinds of service activities they listed and committed to doing, based on the Commu-nity Connections activity from the students’ lesson. Ask who has started their activities and what their experiences have been. Bring papers and/or blank cards with writing utensils. Tell them that another activity they could do is send a card to someone they know is not doing well or someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. Have them discuss meaningful Bible texts that they could use in their cards. Bring stamps and envelopes, too, so that they have everything they need to send the letters.

Invite students to

• pray and ask God to give them wisdom, courage, and love for Him and others—to always do what is right, no matter the consequences.

• find someone to encourage in their walk with Jesus.

• pray for someone, share Scripture, or serve in other practical ways, allowing God to use them to be a blessing to others.

• use the opportunities God gives them to share their faith with others.

FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: God gave Stephen such courage and peace that he was ready to sacrifice his life for the Savior. God is willing to use us, as well, as His instruments and witnesses to the world. Let’s trust Him and allow Him to use us any-where and everywhere. Let’s study and con-


tinue to pray for and with one another. Pray for opportunities to share Him, and let’s share our experiences next week.

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: Our lesson for next week is about Phili p and the Ethiopian. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus. Keep reviewing the memory verses from previous and current les-sons so that we can be ready for our presenta-tion on Thirteenth Sabbath. Conclude the lesson

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by reminding students of God’s love and invite them to accept Christ’s saving grace.

Ask a volunteer to have the closing prayer.




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1. Who was Stephen?

a. A priest b. A disciple c. He was one of the seven deacons chosen d. A Pharisee

2. Why was Stephen chosen as a deacon?

a. He was rich b. He preached the gospel c. He had a good reputation

d. He was full of faith e. He was filled with the Holy Spirit f. He was smart

3. Because of his love for Jesus, what happened to Stephen?

a. He was promoted b. He was hated c. He was the first martyr of the Christian church

d. He was stoned to death

4. When Stephen was falsely accused, what did he tell the high priest?

a. His life story

b. He recounted Israel’s history

c. He showed from prophecy that what he preached about Jesus was true

d. He was going to heaven

5. The listeners of Stephen in Acts 7

a. Received Jesus b. Hardened their hearts c. Rejoiced d. Killed him

6. Through the Holy Spirit a person’s faith grows when

a. That person shares the good news b. The person keeps the gospel to himself/herself

c. He/she witnesses for Jesus d. They serve others through Christian service.


7. As Stephen was being stoned he cried / his face shone with God’s glory.

8. Saul’s life was the same / changed as a result of witnessing Stephen’s preaching skill / martyrdom.

9. When Saul met Stephen / Jesus, he was converted.

10. The listeners of Peter in Acts 2 told him to go away / asked him what to do, in order to be saved.



LESSON

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HANDOUT 2: LEARNING FROM HISTORYRead the following passages and list the similarites and differences in how these men shared God’s goodness.

SAMUEL: 1 SAMUEL 12:6-15 DAVID: PSALM 105 STEPHEN: ACTS 7:1-53

✄HANDOUT 3: WHAT IS THERE AFTER DEATH?Read each Bible reference and write what the text is saying about death.

BIBLE REFERENCE WHAT DOES THIS TEXT SAY ABOUT DEATH?

Genesis 2:7

Ecclesiastes 12:7

John 11:11–14

John 5:28, 29

Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6



TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16).


REFERENCESBible References: Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; Acts 8:33–39


OBJECTIVESKNOW the meaning, the qualifications, and the outcome of baptism.

UNDERSTAND the significance of following Jesus and leading others to Him.

RESPOND by receiving Jesus, being baptized, and becoming a disciple maker.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 15: BAPTISM“By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to

sin and of our purpose to walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and Saviour, become His people, and are received as members by His church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of sin. It follows instruction in the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their teachings. (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38; 16:30–33; 22:16; Rom. 6:1–6; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12, 13.)”

SYNOPSIS Baptism lies at the core of our identity as Christians. In this lesson we introduce the idea that we are all

called to lead others to Jesus and to baptism. The lesson centers on Acts 8 and will explore such themes as: “What is the true meaning of baptism?” “What is the difference between water baptism and the baptism of

DISCIPLES MAKE DISCIPLES

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the Holy Spirit?” “What is the outcome of genuine baptism?” “Is there a cost to following Jesus and being baptized?” and “How do we pass on to others what we received?” The students will be encouraged to take a stand for Jesus in baptism if they have not done so yet, and they will be encouraged to fulfill the Great Commission charge of leading others to baptism.

FOR REFLECTION“The angel sent to Philip could himself have done the work for the Ethiopian, but this is not God’s way

of working. It is His plan that men are to work for their fellow men. . . .

“The unselfish labor of Christians in the past should be to us an object lesson and an inspiration. The members of God’s church are to be zealous of good works, separating from worldly ambition and walking in the footsteps of Him who went about doing good. With hearts filled with sympathy and compassion, they are to minister to those in need of help, bringing to sinners a knowledge of the Saviour’s love. Such work calls for laborious effort, but it brings a rich reward. Those who engage in it with sincerity of purpose will see souls won to the Saviour, for the influence that attends the practical carrying out of the divine commis-sion is irresistible” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 109, 110).

“Long has God waited for the spirit of service to take possession of the whole church so that everyone shall be working for Him according to his ability. When the members of the church of God do their ap-pointe d work in the needy fields at home and abroad, in fulfillment of the gospel commission, the whole world will soon be warned and the Lord Jesus will return to this earth with power and great glory. ‘This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’ Matthew 24:14” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 111).

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LESSON

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Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points withi n the time give n. Keep in mind that the greate r portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductor y activities in the FELLOWSHIP segment of the class.




• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: CONVERSION STORIES

Ask each student in the classroom to share the story of when they first decided to be-lieve in Jesus. Ask them about what attracts them to come to-gether in church and be a part of the church.

Make a list of all the reasons they want to belong to their

family of faith. (Do this either on the board or on a piece of paper.)

Then ask students to share ideas about how they could reach out to their friends and invite them into a saving relationship with Jesus. (Make a list of this as well. If applicable, share this list with your local pastor. Oftentimes teens have creative ideas that may benefit the congregation at large.)


MISSION STORY Introduce the mission story and summarize its con-tents. If possible, make a correlation to the lesson. If you do not have access to the printed version of the Mission stories for this quarter, you can download them from the Adventist Mission website: https://am.adventistmission.org/mq-adult.

OFFERINGSAY: Missionaries are dedicated people who give their time and talents to introduce others to Jesus. Have you thought about how you can use your gifts to lead others to the Savior?

PRAYERDesignate a volunteer to pray for the offering.

HOLYBIBLE



LESSON QUIZThe lesson quiz is designed for reviewing

the main points of the lesson. Be cre-ative in how you structure this activity, using either whole-class participation, or cooperative learning in groups using the handout, or other means that invite student participation.

1. Whom did we learn about this week?

a. Peter and James b. Saul and Stephen c. Philip


blackboardn markers/chalkn paper (optional)n pencils/pens



and the Ethiopian d. John and Jesus

2. Where did the angel tell Philip to go?

a. Jerusalem b. Gaza c. Gath d. Galilee

3. What did Philip find?

a. A sick man needing help b. A bag of mone y c. An Ethiopian studying the Scriptures d. A homeless family

4. How many prophecies from the Old Testament were fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming?

a. 250 b. 550 c. 400 d. 350

5. The Ethiopian didn’t understand how Jesus ful-filled the prophecies about the Messiah. T / F

6. The Ethiopian accepted Jesus as his personal Sav-ior and was baptized. T / F

7. Philip accidentally ran into the Ethiopian. T / F

8. We always need to be ready to go where God sends us. T / F

9. We could be the only ones to help someone to come to know Jesus. T / F

10. The Holy Spirit will guide us when we help oth-ers understand the Bible. T / F

Answer Key: 1-c. 2-b. 3-c. 4-d. 5-F. 6-T. 7-F. 8-T. 9-T. 10-T.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”



ILLUSTRATIONSTell the following illustrations in your own words:

Bob was in jail. His days, weeks, months, and years spent in his prison cell were passing slowly, very slowly. He was serving a life sentence for hav-ing murdered another man. His guilty conscience filled him with deep discouragement, and he found no relief. But one day a Seventh-day Adventist per-son visited Bob’s jail and started talking with him

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and with other inmates about Jesus. A series of Bible studies continued, and Bob eagerly looked forward to those studies because he sensed that this might take away the guilt and distress he felt over his sins. He obtained a Bible and started to read it with great delight. A few more months passed, and Bob con-tacted a pastor, requesting to be baptized. Soon a se-ries of miracles took place, and he was released from jail. He could hardly believe that he was free physi-cally; but he was even more amazed at the spiritual freedom he obtained through Christ. His gratitude overflowed because of the change in his life since he had accepted Jesus. The spiritual freedom he re-ceived made a world of difference for Bob. He finally felt peace, knowing that Jesus had forgiven his sin. He was a sinner saved by God’s infinite grace!

Christine grew up in a good Adventist famil y. Her earliest memories were of going to Sabbath School and attending church. She enjoyed partici-pating in the church programs and felt as though she belonged. But Christine had not yet decided to be baptized. She reasoned with herself that she was not old enough, good enough, and prepared enough. When she turned 17, she dedicated her heart to Je-sus, committing to serve Him all her life. As the days went by, she remembered the promise she made to Jesus on her birthday. That thought lingered and the memor y of her prayer kept coming back, so she started to pray that prayer of dedication regu-larl y. Soon enough Christine reasoned with herself that even if she did not feel ready for baptism, she could start attending the preparatory classes for baptism, so that when the time came and her heart was converted, she could ask to be baptized. Chris-tine enrolled in those classes and started attending each week. Then an evangelistic series started at her church, and she attended the meetings. Chris-tine’s heart was touched in a special way when the presenter made an appeal at the end of one of the meetings, and she went forward. Yet she longed for a unique spiritua l experience when she could say, “Now I am converted.” “Now I feel that confirmation that God accepts me and wants me to be baptized.” But no such unique or dramati c or exciting moment was given to Christine. But the conviction started to become stronger that accepting Jesus and being bap-tized does not have to be a dramatic experience. God accepts us the way we are, and He does the changing of our hearts. So, with the decision made, Christine determined to be baptized at the very next baptism. The day of her baptism was one of the best days of her life, and she publicly offered a prayer of conse-


cration. Soon after her baptism Christine learned that the Christian walk is a constant struggle. Be-ing baptized does not mean you never do anything wrong again. In fact, Christine would daily have to rededicate her heart to Jesus and ask Him to take away her bad habits and change her character into the likeness of Jesus.

Discuss with the students the two scenarios. ASK: What were the similarities and difference s between the conversion experiences of Bob and Christine? Why is it that no matter our background or Christian experience, we are all in need of God’s grace? Why is it dangerous to think that the sign of readiness for baptism needs to be a very dramatic conversion experience?

SAY: The bottom line is that all of us are born sinners and need a Savior. In fact, if you have had the privilege of being raised in an Adventist famil y, you have a great advantage in Bible knowledge and experiences, but that doesn’t mean that you do not need baptism. Nor should you feel like you need to wait until you can make your life better. It is God through the Holy Spirit who makes the changes in our lives. Our part is to allow Jesus to do that work in us. Would you invite Jesus into your life and allow Him to help you be more like Him?

BIBLE ACTIVITY: SIGNIFICANCE OF BAPTISM

Organize the class in a circle (or around a table). Give each student a Bible. Ask the class the following questions, hav-ing students take turns reading

the corresponding Bible verse that you will provide. Ask the student sitting immediately to the right of the reader to answer the question based on the Bi-ble verse that was read. Once that student answers, ask the class if they agree or have any other ideas or answers. If there are no other comments, proceed to ask the next question. The student that gave the answer to the previous question can read the Bible verse, and the person sitting to his or her right can answer the question based on the verse that is read. Repeat this exercise until all the questions are an-swered.

1 Is baptism necessary for salvation? Mark 16:16

2. Why did Jesus get baptized? Matthew 3:13–17

3. How did God the Father respond to the baptism

of His Son, and how does He respond to each one who gets baptized? Mark 1:11

4. What did Jesus tell His disciples to do before they baptized people? Matthew 28:19, 20

5. What did Peter say we must do before baptism? Acts 2:38

6. How does someone become a member of God’s church? Acts 2:41; 1 Corinthians 12:13

7. Is shyness an excuse not to share Jesus? Matthew 10:32, 33

8. What is the meaning of baptism? Colossians 2:12

9. How can we stay away from sin after we are bap-tized? Psalm 119:11

10. What can the gospel do to others if we share it boldly? Romans 1:16

SAY: Jesus called us to make disciples by leading them into a saving relationship with Him and sealing their commitment through baptism.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: PURPOSE OF BAPTISM

Ask two volunteers to read the follow-ing passages:

• Acts 8:9–25

• Acts 8:26–40

ASK: What are the similarities between Simon and the Ethiopian? What are the differences between them?

Illustrate their answers by drawing a Venn dia-gram (see below) on the board and filling it in with the students’ answers.

Venn Diagram


YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn whiteboard/


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SAY: Simon thought that he could buy the Holy Spirit with money. He thought that the Holy Spirit was a force he could use to accomplish his own selfish ends—such as a money-making business. The Ethiopian understood the role of the Holy Spirit to change the heart. The confession of his faith in Jesus reveals the work of the Holy Spirit on his heart: “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (Acts 8:37).

Assign readers to read the following verses:

• Mark 1:9–11

• Romans 6:3–5

• Colossians 2:12

• Matthew 3:11

• John 3:5

ASK: According to the Bible, what is the signifi-cance, meaning, and purpose of baptism? Give everyone an opportunity to share their answers.

What do people mean when they say that they had a newbirth experience? We have learned that baptism represents death to self and our old way of living, and resurrection to a new life in Jesus. Through God’s help we “die” to our former sinful practices and allow His Spirit to change our hearts. As a result, we are “born again” to a new life with Christ.

You may not yet have sacrificed something major to follow Jesus. However, all of us struggle against inherited sinful tendencies and selfish desires. Everyone is tempted. Even Jesus was tempted. Yet He did not sin. Jesus lived a sinless life and is our example. Like Him, we can trust God when we are tempted, and with His power we can resist temptations and overcome our selfish nature.

Even after baptism, we need to daily ask God for His protection against temptation. We need to put on God’s armor each day (see Ephesians 6:10–18) and ask Him to cover us in Christ’s robe of righteousness. The Christian experience is often difficult. The enemy of our souls tries to distract us and uses every method to separate us from Jesus. The Bible tells us that while on this earth, we will face opposition or difficulties when our faith is tested. Yet Jesus promised that He will be with us and will give us His peace and victory over sin: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world

you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).


SAY: In Friday’s lesson you had to write down a list of people you want to pray for. What are some creative ways you shared Jesus with the people on your list?

Invite student answers to this question and list their answers on the board.

Discuss and plan ways you can do a communit y outreach project as a class. Then plan a date and time you could all get together and plan to meet the needs of the community. If you do not know the community or the neighborhood that is near the church well enough, make it a goal to find out what some of the needs in that community are. It might be helpful to first go with the students door to door and ask the people to complete a short survey. On the survey you may list questions that people could answer openly, such as: “What services would you like to receive from the nearby church?” “What are some of the needs in this community?” “What are the demographics (i.e., the ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic make-up) of this community and what are the needs of each demographic group?” Also, you may include some suggested services that the church could provide, and have the people check all that apply to them. For instance, you could offer these services:

• Health seminars

• Cooking classes

• Money management seminars

• Bible studies

• Vacation Bible School for children

• Other: _________________________

• ________________________________

• ________________________________

With the answers from the survey, you would have a better idea how your class could respond to the needs in your community.



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FINAL THOUGHTS SAY: If you haven’t yet accepted Jesus into your heart, commit your life to Him today and prepare to seal your commitment through baptism. Ask God to give you the boldness of the early disciples and look for opportunities to share Jesus with your friends and with everyone you meet.

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: Our next lesson is about Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus. Keep reviewing the memory verses from previous and current

lessons so that we can be ready for our presentation on Thirteenth Sabbath.

Conclude the lesson by reminding students of God’s love, and invite them to accept Christ’s saving grace.

Close with prayer.




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1. Whom did we learn about this week?

a. Peter and James b. Saul and Stephen c. Philip and the Ethiopian d. John and Jesus

2. Where did the angel tell Philip to go?

a. Jerusalem b. Gaza c. Gath d. Galilee

3. What did Philip find?

a. A sick man needing help b. A bag of money

c. An Ethiopian studying the Scriptures d. A homeless family

4. How many prophecies from the Old Testament were fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming?

a. 250 b. 550 c. 400 d. 350


5. The Ethiopian didn’t understand how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah. T / F

6. The Ethiopian accepted Jesus as his personal Savior and was baptized. T / F

7. Philip accidentally ran into the Ethiopian. T / F

8. We always need to be ready to go where God sends us. T / F

9. We could be the only ones to help someone to come to know Jesus. T / F

10. The Holy Spirit will guide us when we help others understand the Bible. T / F

LESSON

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SAVED TO SERVETEACHER PREPARATION

MEMORY VERSE“So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do’ ” (Acts 9:6).




OBJECTIVESKNOW that God wants us to know Him and accept His gift of salvation.

UNDERSTAND the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding us to the Savior.

RESPOND by practicing what we have learned and sharing that with others.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 10: THE EXPERIENCE OF SALVATION

“In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of God. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in Jesus as Saviour and Lord, Substitute and Example. This saving faith comes through the divine power of the Word and is the gift of God’s grace. Through Christ we are justified, adopted as God’s sons and daughters, and delivered from the lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God’s law of love in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life. Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment. (Gen. 3:15; Isa. 45:22; 53; Jer. 31:31–34; Eze. 33:11; 36:25–27; Hab. 2:4; Mark 9:23, 24; John 3:3–8, 16; 16:8; Rom. 3:21–26; 8:1–4, 14–17; 5:6–10; 10:17; 12:2; 2 Cor. 5:17–21; Gal. 1:4; 3:13, 14, 26; 4:4–7; Eph. 2:4–10; Col. 1:13, 14; Titus 3:3–7; Heb. 8:7–12; 1 Peter 1:23; 2:21, 22; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Rev. 13:8.)”

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[ † ]


SYNOPSISThe apostle Paul, also called Saul, is known all over the world for helping to establish the early Christian

church. However, before he dedicated his life to doing that, he had committed himself to another task. Before he became an apostle, Saul is described as “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). Yet God took the man most dedicated to destroying His church and turned him into its chief advocate. This is what God wants to do for each person who surrenders to His will. Each of us can be an ambassador for Christ. This is the experience of salvation.

FOR REFLECTION“The conversion of Saul is a striking evidence of the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit to convict men

of sin. He had verily believed that Jesus of Nazareth had disregarded the law of God and had taught His disciples that it was of no effect. But after his conversion, Saul recognized Jesus as the one who had come into the world for the express purpose of vindicating His Father’s law. He was convinced that Jesus was the originator of the entire Jewish system of sacrifices. He saw that at the crucifixion type had met antitype, that Jesus had fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Redeemer of Israel” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 120).

“When, in the midst of his blind error and prejudice, Saul was given a revelation of the Christ whom he was persecuting, he was placed in direct communication with the church, which is the light of the world. In this case Ananias represents Christ, and also represents Christ’s ministers upon the earth, who are ap-pointed to act in His stead. In Christ’s stead Ananias touches the eyes of Saul, that they may receive sight. In Christ’s stead he places his hands upon him, and, as he prays in Christ’s name, Saul receives the Holy Ghost. All is done in the name and by the authority of Christ. Christ is the fountain; the church is the channel of communication” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 122).

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• Thirteenth Sabbath is in two weeks. Is your class ready?


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YOU WILL NEED:n Handout 1n activity sheetn paper bags

HANDOUT 1: OLD AND NEW (ANSWER KEY)OLD NEW

Matthew has to be told several times to do something. Matthew obeys promptly after being told once.

Juan talks back to his parents when they discipline him. Juan responds politely and respectfully to his parents when they discipline him.

Roberta brags about how much she scored in the basketball game. Roberta compliments her basketball team members on their good plays during the game.

Isaac spends almost all his time playing computer games. Isaac teaches his little brother how to ride his bike.

Nate always has news about other people. Nate talks about good books he’s read or places he’s been.

Dahlia teases her big sister constantly. Dahlia finds ways to help her sister when she needs it.

Eric rushes out of bed each morning without saying a prayer. Eric prays, reads his Bible, and studies his Sabbath School lesson before leaving for school each day.

Martin is usually looking at his phone when he is out in public. When in public, Martin looks people in the eye, smiles, and greets them cheerfully.

Renée does not like going to Sabbath School. Renée plays for song service in Sabbath School.







• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: OLD AND NEW

Ahead of time, photocopy Handout 1 (times the numbers of groups you will have). Cut out the sentences from one of the activity sheets, and using two paper bags, place the sentences under “Old” in one bag and the sentences under “New” in the other bag. Be sure to label your bags. Repeat this procedure as many times as you anticipate you will have groups.

Divide your class into groups of three or four and give each group a bag with “Old” sentence strips and a bag with “New” sentence strips. (See Hand-out 1.) Have each group lay the “Old” descriptions face up. Then have each group read the “Old” per-son description and decide how their person needs to change. Have them find the converted version of their person, read that description out loud, and then place the converted description over the “Old” person’s description.

SAY: People can change if they want to; they just have to ask God for help and act on their decision. This week we studied about someone who radically changed. We will explore more about how we change and grow.


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OFFERINGSAY: Your offerings help support missionaries around the world. By supporting Adventist mis-sions with your offerings, you make a difference in the lives of missionaries who reach out to peo-ple who face religious intolerance.

PRAYERPray for the offering, asking that the money will

be used to help people come to know and love Jesus.

HOLYBIBLE





dent participation.

1. Before Saul met Jesus, what was his purpose?

a. To find Jesus b. To stop the preaching about Jesus c. To help the disciples d. To arrest Jesus’ followers.

2. Saul was headed to what city when Jesus spoke to him?

a. Gaza b. Dan c. Tarsus d. Damascus

3. What did Jesus ask Saul?

a. Where are you going? b. Where is your brother? c. Why are you persecuting Me? d. Why are you angry?

4. What methods does God use to speak to us?

a. Bible b. Parents c. Teachers d. Church leaders

5. What does it mean to be converted?

a. To be transformed b. To become a new person through the Holy Spirit c. To become more like Jesus d. To be changed

6. In vision, God told Ananias to go see Peter / Saul.

7. After Saul met Jesus, he was the same as before / changed and converted.

8. It was a rebuke to Saul when God spoke to him. T / F

9. God told Ananias that Saul was now His chosen vessel. T / F

10. Even young people can be witnesses for Jesus. T / F

Answer Key: 1-b, d. 2-d. 3-c. 4-all. 5-all. 6-Saul. 7-changed and converted. 8-T. 9-T. 10-T.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Acts 9:6: “So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ ”





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BIBLE ACTIVITY: JEREMIAH’S CALL

Divide your class into groups of three or four and give them each a copy of Handout 3. Have them choose a scribe and work together to com-plete the handout.

SAY: On Tuesday you learned about Ananias. God asked him to go to Saul, and Ananias did not think that was a good idea. Sometimes God asks us to do difficult things. God asked a youth to do something difficult. Let’s find out the youth’s reaction.

After the groups have completed the handout, bring the class together for debriefing. Go over their answers. You may use the Handout 3 Answer Key to verify answers.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: SALVATION STEPS

Ahead of time, write in large letters on sepa-rate pieces of paper the following words: know, believe, repent, and receive.

Under the word know, write: What do we need to know about ourselves? On the back of the

paper, write these references: See Romans 3:23 (“all have sinned”) and Romans 6:23 (“the wages of sin is death”).

YOU WILL NEED:n prewritten pieces

of paper

Under the word believe, write: What should we believe? On the back of the paper, write this refer-ence: See Romans 5:8 (Jesus died for our sins).

Under the word repent, write: How do we re-pent of our sins? On the back of the paper, write these references: See 1 John 1:9 (we should confess our sins) and Micah 7:19 (God will cast our sins into the bottom of the sea).

Under the word receive, write: What will we re-ceive? On the back of the paper, write this reference: See John 3:16 (those who believe in Jesus will receive eternal life).

Divide your class into four groups. Give each group one of the words. Tell them that they are go-ing to research the answer to the question on the front by looking up the reference(s) on the back. After a few minutes of reading time, discuss the Bi-ble passage(s)—having one person from each group come up and talk about that step of salvation.

DEBRIEFINGASK: What are four main steps to salvation? (know, believe, repent, receive) Why did we need Jesus to die for us? (to take away the penalty of death) If Jesus died for us, why do we still need to confess our sins? (Jesus’ death makes it possible for God to forgive our sins. When we confess our sins, we acknowledge our need for a Savior and give God

HANDOUT 3: JEREMIAH’S CALL (ANSWER KEY)A long time ago God called a young man named Jeremiah. God told him that He had known him before he was even formed in the womb. He told him that He had ordained him to be a prophet. Jeremiah was very nervous about this. He said, “Lord . . . , I cannot speak, for I am a youth” (Jeremiah 1:6).

Then God said, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you” (Jere-miah 1:7, 8).

Jeremiah didn’t have any more excuses after that, so God continued. “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth” (Jeremiah 1:9).

Then God told him that He had put him over nations and kingdoms to tear down and to build back up again.

What do you think Jeremiah was to tear down? (root out sin and pull, throw down, and destroy idols)

What was he to build up? (the people’s faith and trust in God, to plant obedience in their hearts)

If you could have spoken to Jeremiah at the time God was calling him, what text would you have used to encourage him? (Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”)



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permission to change our hearts.) After we believe on Jesus, what do we need to do? (We ask Jesus to help us and choose to obey Him every day.)


It’s easy to think that religious persecution is something that happens “somewhere else.” We read about families in places such as Turkmenistan or Azerbaijan, or in countries of the Middle East and China, who gather in secret to worship. We see ter-rible pictures of refugees fleeing religious intoler-ance and discrimination. We hear news reports of religious extremists who commit atrocities—brutal killings—all in the name of faith.

But consider this: Intolerance, fear of religious differences, and disrespect for minority groups can be found even in countries in which religious free-dom is protected. Every person can choose to be a part of the problem or a part of the solution.

Empathy helps to fight intolerance and prejudice. Practicing the skill of “walking in someone else’s shoes” is essential for followers of Christ, who are called to treat everyone with respect and kindness, no matter who they are or what place they occupy in society.

Ask class members to recount a specific instance when they witnessed someone from a minority group (either religious or ethnic) being treated dis-respectfully.

SAY: Can you think of an instance you were the victim of prejudice? Or a time you were the per-son acting intolerantly toward someone else?

Discuss the following situations.

1. Ask everyone to take a minute of silence and place themselves “in the shoes” of a person ex-periencing discrimination or prejudice. Then ask them to describe the specific emotions they think the victim would have felt. What are some of the thoughts that may have been running through his or her mind? What may have been some of

their physical experiences? Record class mem-bers’ responses on a board.

2. Ask the class to imagine what may have been go-ing on in the mind of the person acting intoler-antly. What emotions or beliefs may have been driving his or her actions?

3. Ask each member of the class to imagine that they come across this scene. How can the Bible help us to act differently? What specific actions could they take to change the dynamic and to model Christ’s attitude of love and respect for all people?

FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: In the lesson this week, we see how God took Saul, who bitterly opposed the new Chris-tians, and transformed him into one of the great-est evangelists in human history. And his life is still impacting people today. That is what God wants to do for each of us. He wants to teach us the truth so that we can please Him and help others know the truth as well. Will you allow God to change you and make you into the person He wants you to be? Let’s pray about that.

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: Our next lesson is about Paul’s preparation for the ministry of sharing the gospel. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus. Keep reviewing the memory verses from previ-ous and current lessons so that we can be ready for our presentation on Thirteenth Sabbath.

Conclude the lesson by reminding students of God’s love, and invite them to accept Christ’s saving grace.

Close with prayer.





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HANDOUT 1: OLD AND NEW Cut along the dotted lines to make indiviual strips.

OLD NEW

Matthew has to be told several times to do something. Matthew obeys promptly after being told once.

Juan talks back to his parents when they discipline him. Juan responds respectfully to his parents when they discipline him.

Roberta brags about how many goals she made in the basketball game. Roberta compliments her basketball team members on their good plays during the game.

Isaac spends almost all his time playing computer games. Isaac teaches his little brother how to ride his bike.

Nate always has news about other people. Nate talks about good books he’s read or places he’s been.

Dahlia teases her big sister constantly. Dahlia finds ways to help her sister when she needs it.

Eric rushes out of bed each morning without saying a prayer. Eric prays, reads his Bible, and studies his Sabbath School lesson before leaving for school each day.

Martin is usually looking at his phone when he is out in public. When in public, Martin looks people in the eye, smiles, and greets them cheerfully.

Renée does not like going to Sabbath School. Renée plays for song service in Sabbath School.

HANDOUT 3: JEREMIAH’S CALLRead Jeremiah 1:4–10 and fill in the blanks.

A long time ago God called a young man named ___________________. God told him that He had known him before he was even ______________ in the ______________. He told him that He had _________________ him to be a ____________________. Jeremiah was very nervous about this. He said, “Lord, I cannot speak, for I am a _____________” (Jeremiah 1:6). Then God said, “Do not say, ‘I am a ___________________,’ for you shall _______ to all to whom I ___________ you, and whatever I ______________ you, you shall ____________. Do not be ___________ of their ______________, for I am __________ _________ to ________________ you” (Jeremiah 1:7, 8).

Jeremiah didn’t have any more excuses after that, so God continued. “Behold, I have put My _______________ in your _______________” (Jeremiah 1:9).

Then God told him that He had put him over nations and kingdoms to tear down and to build back up again.

What do you think Jeremiah was to tear down? ___________________________________________

What was he to build up? ____________________________________________________________

If you could have spoken to Jeremiah at the time God was calling him, what text would you use to en-courage him? ______________________________________________________________________

✄



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1. Before Saul met Jesus, what was his purpose?

a. To find Jesus b. To stop the preaching about Jesus

c. To help the disciples d. To arrest Jesus’ followers.

2. Saul was headed to what city when Jesus spoke to him?

a. Gaza b. Dan c. Tarsus d. Damascus

3. What did Jesus ask Saul?

a. Where are you going? b. Where is your brother? c. Why are you persecuting Me?

d. Why are you angry?

4. What methods does God use to speak to us?

a. Bible b. Parents c. Teachers d. Church leaders

5. What does it mean to be converted?

a. To be transformed b. To become a new person through the Holy Spirit

c. To become more like Jesus d. To be changed.


6. In vision, God told Ananias to go see Peter / Saul.

7. After Saul met Jesus, he was the same as before / changed and converted.


8. It was a rebuke to Saul when God spoke to him. T / F

9. God told Ananias that Saul was now His chosen vessel. T / F

10. Even young people can be witnesses for Jesus. T / F



TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:7, 8).


REFERENCESBible References: Acts 9:19–30; 22:12–21


OBJECTIVES KNOW that God speaks to us through the Scriptures.

UNDERSTAND that an experiential knowledge of God leads to witnessing.

RESPOND by spending time with God daily, studying His Word, praying, and letting His Light shine through us.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO 1: THE HOLY SCRIPTURES“The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word of God, given by divine inspi

ration. The inspired authors spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this Word, God has committed to humanity the knowledge necessary for salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the supreme, authoritative, and the infallible revelation of His will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience, the definitive revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record of God’s acts in history. (Ps. 119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Heb. 4:12; 2 Peter 1:20, 21.)”

KNOWING GOD

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[ † ]


SYNOPSIS Saul was bent on destroying Christians and the fledgling Christian church. However, after an encounter

with Jesus on the road to Damascus, he accepted God’s offer of grace. Paul allowed God’s grace not only to lead him to repentance but also to guide his study of the Scriptures and transform him into one of the world’s most ardent arbiters of truth. God’s grace is available to us, too. God wants to lead us to repentance and have us become powerful witnesses for Him. The Holy Spirit will help us understand the Bible as we read it and are changed from the inside out.

FOR REFLECTION“Yes, the whole Bible tells of Christ. From the first record of creation—for ‘without Him was not any

thing made that was made’—to the closing promise, ‘Behold, I come quickly,’ we are reading of His works and listening to His voice. John 1:3; Revelation 22:12. If you would become acquainted with the Saviour, study the Holy Scriptures” (Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 88).

“As we meditate upon the perfections of the Saviour, we shall desire to be wholly transformed and renewed in the image of His purity. There will be a hungering and thirsting of soul to become like Him whom we adore. The more our thoughts are upon Christ, the more we shall speak of Him to others and represent Him to the world” (Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 89).

“There is nothing more calculated to strengthen the intellect than the study of the Scriptures. No other book is so potent to elevate the thoughts, to give vigor to the faculties, as the broad, ennobling truths of the Bible. If God’s word were studied as it should be, men would have a breadth of mind, a nobility of character, and a stability of purpose rarely seen in these times” (Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 90).

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• Next week is Thirteenth Sabbath. Finalize your program plans!


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Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to treat in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points within the time given. Keep in mind that the greate r portion of Sabbath School should be spent in STUDY OF THE WORD. If you don’t have at least 30 minutes for the activities in STUDY OF THE WORD, then allocate less time to the introductor y activities in the FELLOWSHIP segment of the class.

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITIESSee the front of this guide for detailed informa


• Greet students (ask about their week; take inventory of missing members).

• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: LIFE EXPERIENCES

Share with the students an event or reallife experience of something you had only read or heard about before (such as tasting an exotic fruit or going on a trip or meeting someone, etc.) and how the reallife experience by far surpassed what you had read or heard. Tell the students to take 30 seconds to think of something they have read or heard about and then ended up experiencing in real life. Ask them to pair up and take one minute each to share their experiences.

ASK: What’s the difference between reading or hearing about something and actually experiencing it?

Have someone read John 17:3.

ASK: What is the difference between knowing about God and really knowing Him?

Facilitate discussion.



contents. If possible, make a correlation to the lesson. If you do not have access to the printed version of the Mission stories for this quarter, you can download them from the Adventist Mission website: https://am.adventistmission.org/mqadult.

OFFERINGSAY: There are many who are seeking to know God. They have heard things about Him, and they want to enter into a relationship with Jesus. This offering helps fund Bibles and missionaries to give Bible studies and to teach people how to study the Bible for themselves and to know God.

PRAYERAsk God to help us know Him in a personal way, so that witnessing will be a natural expression of our love for our Best Friend.

HOLYBIBLE


Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to address in detail with your students, making sure you cover those points within the time given. Visit our website at MyBibleGuides .org to download the lesson quiz handout.

LESSON QUIZThe lesson quiz is designed for re

viewing the main points of the lesson. Be creative in how you structure this activity, using either wholeclass participation, or cooperative learning in groups using



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the handout, or other means that invite student participation.

1. After Saul was converted, what name did he use?_____________

2. Who saw a genuine change in Paul’s life and introduced him to the disciples? _____________

3. Saul shared with people everywhere his knowl-edge of the Jewish traditions / his story of conversion.

4. God chose to reveal Himself to Saul because he would become a lawyer / champion for the gospel.

5. With Paul’s mission came parties / hard trials, and he was praised / beaten, welcomed / stoned, and finally killed / given a home.

6. The disciples and the early Christian church did not accept Paul at first. T /F

7. They were afraid Paul was pretending to be a Christian. T / F

8. Paul was trying to trick the followers of Jesus so he could arrest them. T / F

9. Paul’s letters to the early church still instruct and encourage us today. T / F

10. Number these events in the correct order.

_____ Paul witnesses for Jesus _______ Saul becomes blind _______ Saul meets Jesus _______ Saul persecutes the early church _______ Barnabas introduces Paul to the disciples

Answer Key: 1-Paul. 2-Barnabas. 3-his story of conversion. 4-champion. 5-hard trials, beaten,

stoned, killed. 6-T. 7-T. 8-F. 9-T. 10-4, 3, 2, 1, 5.

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Philippians 3:7, 8: “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.”




In her childhood Amelia received a pocket Bible from her grandfather. She happil y carr ied that little Bible to church on Sabbath. When Amelia starte d school, she began to look up the familiar words in her Bible. In a way the Bible was her first textbook.

Over the years, reading and studying the Bible became a daily habit for Amelia. If for any reason she could not read her Bible in the morning, she tried finding time later in the day to make up for the missed opportunity in the morning. To her the Bible was like an open letter from Jesus.

Amelia discovered that the Bible is a living book, as it is written in Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spiri t, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

God brought to her attention Bible passages that spoke to her direct needs. One day Amelia prayed before participating in a music recital and soon after she ended her prayer, she read Psalm 91. Verse 15 especially spoke to her, and she claimed that promise for her specific situation: [She] “shall call upon Me and I will answer” [her]. Amelia trusted God to help her, and she had a successful recital.

ASK: What do you find encouraging in Amelia’s story? Allow students to answer freely. What were some of the good habits of Amelia even in her early childhood? (She carried the Bible to church; looked up familiar words when she learned to read; made it a daily habit to read from the Bible; started the day with prayer and Bible study.)

What should we do if we do not understand a certain passage from the Bible reading? (Pray; discuss our questions with family members or Sabbath School teachers who are familiar with the Bible; use a Bible concordance or other books that explain Bible passages.)

Is it important that we read the Bible daily, as Amelia did; or is it enough if we read a few passages in Sabbath School?

SAY: The Bible is just as necessary for our spiritual life as food is for our physical health and strength. Jesus and the apostles made prayer and Bible study their daily practice.

Become a diligent student of God’s Word! Be always ready to share with others what you are


learning from the Bible. God will reward your faithfulness.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: BECOMING LIKE JESUS

ASK: How do the Scriptures lead you to God?

Give an overview of different passages regarding the Word’s transforming power on our lives.

Have someone read 2 Timothy 3:16.

SAY: Here we clearly see that the Scriptures (i.e., the love letter from God) are so complete that they are not just something we read to make us feel good and then go about our day. The Bible is a personal message to us from God and has the power to change and transform our lives. Knowing God through the Scriptures is not merely for our information but also for our transformation.

ASK: What are some principles we can extract from the following verses?

Guide the class through the following verses. After each verse, ask about the principle found there. Study them for yourself ahead of time. Facilitate discussion as it comes up.

• Luke 5:10—Not to be afraid, they would now become soul winners.

• John 5:29—Do good through Christ’s power and live eternally.

• John 17:17—Be sanctified (set apart and made holy) by the truth.

• 1 John 4:8—Love as God loves.

Have someone read 2 Corinthians 3:18 last—be changed into God’s image by knowing Him.

SAY: As we spend time with Jesus, we find delight in His Word more and more! The Holy Spirit works to transform us into His image.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: THE BIBLE AND WITNESSING

ASK: How do Bible characters use Scripture in their witness?

Have someone read Luke 24:27.

ASK: Why do you think Jesus used the prophe cies found

in Scripture to tell the disciples about Himself instead of just telling them that He was right there in their presence?

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Why is using the prophecies important? Isn’t sharing what Jesus has done for us enough?

Have someone read Acts 17:10, 11.

ASK: Why is it important to study the Scriptures for ourselves rather than just believing what we are told by our teachers, pastors, or parents?

Why do we sometimes not study things for ourselves?

Ask followup questions for clarity and practicality.

SAY: We know that the Scriptures are the standard by which the Christian experience is teste d. Paul and even Jesus used prophecy to prove that Jesus was the Son of God—and that this is where we truly find a knowledge of God.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: BLESSED ARE THE RIGHTEOUS

In advance, photocopy Handout 2 and Handout 3. Give each student a copy of these handouts and have them complete them as you guide them through the activity. Have students read out loud Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17:5–10.

ASK: What two kinds of people are being compared? (righteous and ungodly) How are they different? (One loves and follows God; the other doesn’t.) What things stand out about the righteous? (The righteous are blessed because they trust in the Lord, hope in God, and love His law; they don’t listen to or go along with sinners; they love spending time with God in study and in prayer; they prosper in what they do; they are like trees planted by the waters; God knows them.)

You can draw attention to the following principles in no particular order:

• The righteous are “blessed” (Psalm 1:1; Jeremiah 17:7).

• The righteous have nothing to do with any kind of ungodliness (Psalm 1:1).

• The righteous delight in God’s law. They realize God’s Word helps them to know God personally; it helps them make right choices, helps them to grow closer to Jesus, and prepares them for their heavenly home (Psalm 1:2).

• The righteous are like trees that constantly receive new water (a river) and grow abundantly (Psalm 1:3; Jeremiah 17:8).



YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Handout 2 n Handout 3n pens/pencils


• The ungodly are not stable and will pass away (Psalm 1:4; Jeremiah 17:5, 6).

• There is a time of separation between the ungodl y and the righteous (Psalm 1:5).

• God knows the difference, and He knows the paths of both (Psalm 1:6; Jeremiah 17:9, 10).

ASK: What do these principles teach us about our experience with God in the Bible? (We can experience the same things; it will do the same for us.)


SAY: God is willing to help us and to give us the words to share with someone—He knows what they need. Let’s discuss how we would each respond to the application activity for this week!

Have students get into small groups to discuss their responses to Friday’s application activity and choose what they would do as a group. Then have each group share with everyone how they would handle the situation.

If there is extra time, you can also go over individual responses from Monday’s Community Connections activity in the student’s lesson.

SAY: Pray and ask God to help you set aside time each day to get to know Him. Look for opportunities to share Jesus’ love by being a blessing to others. It can be by offering to listen to

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someone, saying a prayer for or with someone, or doing something that the Lord impresses you to do for others.

FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: God longs to know us, and He has made Himself available to be known by everyone! Let’s set aside time for Him every day. Make it your goal to study your Bible and Sabbath School lesson, and ask God to give you opportunities to share Him with someone this week. You can share your experiences next Sabbath.

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: Our lesson next week is about Peter’s ministry of teaching, doing miracles, and preaching the gospel to Jews and Gentiles. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus. Keep reviewing the memory verses from previous and current lessons so that we can be ready for our presentation on Thirteenth Sabbath.

Close with prayer.



General Conference of Seventhday Adventists, 28 Fundamental Beliefs (2015), https://www.adventist.org/ fileadmin/adventist.org/files/articles/officialstatements/28BeliefsWeb.pdf.

NOTES________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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A. Answer the questions.

1. After Saul was converted, what name did he use? ________________________________________

2. Who saw a genuine change in Paul’s life and introduced him to the disciples? ____________________


3. Saul shared with people everywhere his knowledge of the Jewish traditions / his story of conversion.

4. God chose to reveal Himself to Saul because he would become a lawyer / champion for the gospel.

5. With Paul’s mission came parties / hard trials, and he was praised / beaten, welcomed / stoned, and

finally killed / given a home.


6. The disciples and the early Christian church did not accept Paul at first. T /F

7. They were afraid Paul was pretending to be a Christian. T / F

8. Paul was trying to trick the followers of Jesus so he could arrest them. T / F

9. Paul’s letters to the early church still instruct and encourage us today. T / F

D. Number these events in the correct order.

10. ___________ Paul witnesses for Jesus ____________ Paul becomes blind ____________ Saul meets

Jesus _____________ Saul persecutes the early church _____________ Barnabas introduces Paul to

the disciples



LESSON

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HANDOUT 2: BLESSED ARE THE RIGHTEOUSRead and compare the following Bible references to find out the qualities of the righteous in contrast to those who reject God.

RIGHTEOUS UNRIGHTEOUSPsalm 1:1-3________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Psalm 1:4-6________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jeremiah 17:7, 8________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jeremiah 17:5, 6________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

✄HANDOUT 3: BLESSINGS FOR THE RIGHTEOUSIn today’s passages there are several blessings of the righteous listed. On each side of the open Bible, write out the blessings of the righteous from Psalm 1:13 and Jeremiah 17:7. At home, cut out the picture below and use it as a bookmark in your Bible to remind you of God’s blessings for the righteous.

www.MyBibleGuides.org | Text © General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists 2019. Stock imagery is licensed through Getty Images.


TEACHER PREPARATIONMEMORY VERSE“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him’ ” (Acts 10:34,).


REFERENCESBible Reference: Acts 9:32–11:18


OBJECTIVESKNOW that there are many people wanting to know the truth.

UNDERSTAND the importance of studying and applying in practice God’s Word.

RESPOND by reaching out to all whom God puts in our path.

SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST BELIEF NO. 11: GROWING IN CHRIST“By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil. He who subjugated the demonic spir-

its during His earthly ministry has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus’ victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assur-ance of His love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us. Continually committed to Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, we are set free from the burden of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the dark-ness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of our former way of life. In this new freedom in Jesus, we are called to grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His providence, singing His praises, gathering together for worship, and participating in the mission of the church. We are also called to follow Christ’s example by compas-sionatel y ministering to the physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual needs of humanity. As we give ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witnessing to His salvation, His constant presence with us through the Spirit transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience. (1 Chron. 29:11; Ps. 1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Matt. 20:25–28; 25:31–46; Luke 10:17–20; John 20:21; Rom. 8:38, 39; 2 Cor. 3:17,

GOD DOES NOT PLAY FAVORITES

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[ † ]


18; Gal. 5:22–25; Eph. 5:19, 20; 6:12–18; Phil. 3:7–14; Col. 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; 1 Thess. 5:16–18, 23; Heb. 10:25; James 1:27; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 1 John 4:4.)”

SYNOPSISThrough the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter healed Aeneas, a paralyzed man, and raised Dorcas from

the dead. While in Joppa, where Dorcas lived, three messengers arrived asking him to come with them to Caesarea because Cornelius had sent for him. Peter, a Jew, normally would not have gone to see a Gentile; but God had just given him permission through a vision. When Peter got to Cornelius’s house, he preached, and the Holy Spirit was poured out on the believing Gentiles in an unmistakable sign. Later Peter confront-ed his own Jewish brethren, who were upset that he socialized with Gentiles. He silenced their concerns by letting his brethren know that the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit in the same way that they (the Jew-ish disciples) had received Him. Peter had grown a lot since he first became Jesus’ disciple. He had learned to rely completely on the Holy Spirit and to live in obedience to His instructions. So whether the situation required healing, a resurrection, a Bible study, or standing up to his own social group, Peter had allowed God to prepare and equip him for the various situations that he encountered. God has various assignments for us today that He will equip us for as we continue to grow in Him.

FOR REFLECTION“As His representatives among men, God does not choose angels who have never fallen, but human be-

ings, men of like passions with those they seek to save. Christ took humanity that He might reach human-ity. A divine-human Saviour was needed to bring salvation to the world. And to men and women has been committed the sacred trust of making known ‘the unsearchable riches of Christ.’ Ephesians 3:8” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 134).

“By the vision of the sheet and its contents He sought to divest the apostle’s mind of this prejudice and to teach the important truth that in heaven there is no respect of persons; that Jew and Gentile are alike pre-cious in God’s sight; that through Christ the heathen may be made partakers of the blessings and privileges of the gospel” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 136).

“Today God is seeking for souls among the high as well as the lowly. There are many like Cornelius, men whom the Lord desires to connect with His work in the world. Their sympathies are with the Lord’s people, but the ties that bind them to the world hold them firmly. It requires moral courage for them to take their position for Christ. Special efforts should be made for these souls, who are in so great danger, because of their responsibilities and associations” (Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 139, 140).

Dear Teachers,

It is Thirteenth Sabbath! That’s exciting, because this is usually a time in some churches when the children of the church get to share with the congregation the lessons that they have been learning all quarter through a variety of activities. If your church supports a Thirteenth Sabbath program, please refer to the introductory pages to the teacher’s guide for suggestions.

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• This week is Thirteenth Sabbath!



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• Welcome

• Praise in Song

• Prayer

FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY: THE HOLY SPIRIT AND YOU

SAY: We have enjoyed the stories this quarter about how the Holy Spirit worked in the lives of the early Christians.

ASK: But how about us? How does the Holy Spirit show Himself in our lives? I am going to read some scenarios: if this has ever happened to you, please stand.

• Instead of watching TV, you read your Bible.

• You talked to someone about Jesus.

• You followed your parents’ good advice.

• You had only a short time to study; but you re-membered everything and passed the exam.

• Someone cut you off in line at school; but instead of being impatient, you prayed.

• You invited your neighbor to Friday evening, sun-set vespers and supper.

• You gave food to a homeless person on the street.

SAY: When the Holy Spirit is in our lives, our lives will bear the fruit of the Spirit. Let’s remind ourselves of those. Please find Galatians 5:22, 23, and we will read it together. Let us pray and ask God to fill our lives with His Holy Spirit.




OFFERINGSAY: Our stories this quarter were based on the first part of the book of Acts. We followed the disciples along their missionary journeys and learned important lessons from them. Just as the disciples did, today many missionaries around the world take great risks to take the gospel to other people in faraway places. Not all of us can go to other parts of the world as missionaries; but we can support the efforts and missionary projects of those who have gone and are doing a great work for God.

PRAYERDesignate a volunteer to offer prayer for the of-

fering, asking that the money will be used to help people come to know Jesus and His love.

HOLYBIBLE


Select as many of the activities as you can do in the given time. Be familiar with the content to know what you want to address in detail with your stu-


dents, making sure you cover those points within the time given. Visit our website at MyBibleGuides .me to download the lesson quiz handout.



dent participation.

1. Whose name is associated with kindness? __________________

2. What did she do that made the people love her? ____________________________

3. What happened to Dorcas? _____________

4. What did Peter do? _________________________

5. The message God gave Peter when he was shown a sheet with all kinds of clean and unclean ani-mals was symbolic. T / F

6. The gospel message is for all people—not just the Jews. T / F

7. After Peter saw this vision, Dorcas called for him. T / F

8. Peter was invited to come to Jerusalem to tell Cornelius about his faith. T / F

9. What is the greatest gift God desires to pour out on us? _______________________

10. What advice does 1 Peter 3:15 give us about wit-nessing to people who have different beliefs or who are not Christians? ___________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

Answer Key: 1-Dorcas or Tabitha. 2-She helped the poor and needy. 3-She died. 4-Peter prayed, and she

was raised from the dead. 5-T. 6-T. 7-Cornelius. 8-F. 9-The Holy Spirit. 10-To “always be ready to give a

defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

MEMORY VERSE PRACTICESAY: Let’s say our memory verse together, Acts 10:34, 35: “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no par-

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tiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.’ “




Golden Lapani grew up as a practicing Muslim. One day he got sick. When he went to the doctor, the doctor told him that there was no hope, so he sent him home to die.

While at home, thinking that he did not have many days left, Golden had three dreams. In each one he saw Jesus and was told distinctly, “If you want to be healed, become a Christian.”

Golden began studying the Bible and not long af-ter that became a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. Not only was he healed; but the gospel changed his life! He began to preach enthusiastically about Christ wherever he went, and many, through the power of the Holy Spirit, were converted. He de-cide d to serve God full-time, so he gave up his career as a biology teacher and took up farming so that he could dedicate more time to preaching.

In one area as he worked and preached, he brought many people to Christ, with 50 percent of them coming from a Muslim background. He has continued to preach in areas that are difficult to reach with the gospel, and many people have come to know Jesus. Golden says the secret of his success is Bible study, fasting, and much prayer.

—This story is adapted from Melody Mason, Daring to Ask for More, pp. 27–29.

SAY: What is the similarity between Golden’s story and Cornelius’s story? (They both had an encounter with God—Golden in dreams, Cor-nelius visited by an angel; they both converted from another religion to Christianity.) How did Cornelius find out more about God? (Peter) How did Golden? (the Bible) Who is God interested in saving? (people from all nations) This week we studied about how God equipped Peter for the various situations he had to face. These are les-sons we all need to learn.



BIBLE ACTIVITY: WHAT DID HE GIVE?

Ahead of time, print with large letters these words on separate sheets of paper: mission, unit y, power to preach and teach, power to heal, conviction, organization, courage, knowledge/truth, and power to raise the dead. Hand out these papers to some of the students.

SAY: This quarter we learned about who the Holy Spirit is and how He works in the lives of believers. I have given some of you papers with certain words printed on them. I will remind you of one of the stories that we learned about this quarter, and you will try to figure out what the Holy Spirit gave in that story. Then if you have that paper, please hold it up. So, for example, if I say, “In this story Peter and John healed a lame man. What did the Holy Spirit give them?” Then whoever has the “power to heal” paper would hold it up. Let’s begin.

a. Jesus tells His disciples to remember all the things He taught them and to tell the good news to the whole world. (mission)

b. In the upper room the early Christians were in one accord. What did the Holy Spirit give? (unity, power to preach and teach, courage)

c. Peter and John healed the lame man at the temple gate. What did the Holy Spirit give? (power to heal)

d. Ananias and Sapphira held back a part of the money from their sale of the land and then lied about it. What did the Holy Spirit give? (conviction) Sadly, they did not listen.

e. Peter and John spoke to the Sanhedrin. What did the Holy Spirit give? (courage, power to preach and teach)

f. Seven deacons were appointed. What did the Holy Spirit give? (Organization, unity)

g. The Samaritans and the Ethiopian were bap-tized. What did the Holy Spirit give? (Convic-tion, power to preach and teach)

h. Saul went from persecutor to evangelist and missionary. What did the Holy Spirit give? (con-viction, courage, power to heal, knowledge/truth)

i. Paul came to know God better and began to preach about Jesus. What did the Holy Spiri t give? (knowledge/truth, power to preach and teach, courage)

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j. Peter healed Aeneas, raised Dorcas, and taught Cornelius. What did the Holy Spirit give? (powe r to heal, power to raise the dead, knowledge/truth, conviction)

SAY: What is your situation? What does the Holy Spirit need to give you to spread the gospel? Let’s pray and ask Him right now.

If using this as part of your Thirteenth Sabbath program, lead the congregation (or your class) in prayer.

BIBLE ACTIVITY: GOD SEES YOU, CORNELIUS!

Distribute to the students Handouts 2 and 3 for this activity. Alternatively, you can do the activity with the whole class and have students answer questions verbally. You may write their answers on the board:

Have your class read Acts 10:44–48.

SAY: The Bible study at Cornelius’s house ende d with him and his family and friends receiving the Holy Spirit and then later being baptized. How did that happen? Let’s look at his life leading up to that point.

Have a student read Acts 10:2. Ask the rest of the students to give the four descriptions of Cornelius. (Write these on the board.)

1. _______________________________________

2. _______________________________________

3. _______________________________________

4. _______________________________________

SAY: In verse 4 the angel tells Cornelius, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a me-morial before God.” What is another way of say-ing that? Responses might include: prayers, offer-ings, helping the less fortunate.

The angel was telling Cornelius that God had seen his kind deeds and had heard his prayer. Have someone read verses 5 and 6.

ASK: What did the angel tell Cornelius? (to send for Peter, who would tell him what he must do)

ASK: What does that tell you about Cornelius? (It tells me that he must have wanted to do something.)

SAY: Let’s look at a part of Peter’s sermon in

YOU WILL NEED:n prewritten

sheets of paper

YOU WILL NEED:n Biblesn Handouts 2, 3n pens/pencilsn whiteboard/



verse 43 to find out what. What did Peter tell him? (Whoever believes in Jesus will have their sins forgiven.)

ASK: What did Cornelius want to do? (Have his sins forgiven)

SAY: Cornelius must have felt the need to have his sins forgiven; but he didn’t know what to do to obtain forgiveness. That’s why God told him to send for Peter.

ASK: What happened right after Peter told Corne-lius that he had to believe in Jesus to have his sins forgiven? Have someone read verse 44. (The Holy Spirit came on Cornelius and the people in his house.)

SAY: Cornelius didn’t know about the Holy Spiri t. Cornelius had to learn the truth about God from Peter because he didn’t have access to the Scriptures. There are still people in parts of the world who have never seen a Bible or do not have access to one. Peter told Cornelius about God. In the same way, God wants each of us to tell others about the Bible truths that we are learning. As in the situation with Peter, it may be someone who is very different from us. But God does not show partiality. He accepts everyone who wants to do what is right. Let us pray that God will help us study our Bibles every day to learn His will for our lives and share Him with others.


If you live in an area where there is a prominent religion, do some research about it and bring in some facts. Discuss these in class and allow students to ask questions. Point out the similarities between your students and those who practice this religion. Ask students if there is anyone they know who is of a different faith or from a different country or who speaks a different language or has a different culture. Ask if anyone followed any of the suggestions in the Community Connections section in the students’ lesson, and have that person report at this time. Pray and ask God to help you and your students relate to those who are different.

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FINAL THOUGHTSSAY: Let’s summarize what we have learned this quarter:

• God has given the Great Commission to each of us. We each must share with someone the good news of the gospel.

• The Holy Spirit will convict us of wrongdoing and will help us live holy lives.

• The Holy Spirit will give us all that we need to share the gospel with others.

• The Holy Spirit will give us various gifts to build each other up.

• The Holy Spirit will draw those who are ear-nestly seeking to know God.

• The Holy Spirit will give us courage and strength when we face difficult situations or persecution.

• The Holy Spirit will produce in us the fruit of the Spirit and will help us become more like Jesus in character.

Let’s pray together to be filled with the Holy Spirit to become effective witnesses for Jesus.

COMING UP NEXT WEEKSAY: Our next lesson is about Peter’s imprison-ment and escape. Study your lesson every day, read your Bible, and pray so that you can grow closer and closer to Jesus. Keep reviewing your memory verses to seal them in your heart, so you can defeat the devil with Scripture!

Close with prayer.




Melody Mason, Daring to Ask for More (Nampa, Idaho: Pacific Press, 2015), pp. 27–29.


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1. Whose name is associated with kindness? __________________________________________________

2.What did she do that made the people love her? _________________________________________________

3. What happened to Dorcas? ____________________________________________________________________

4. What did Peter do? ________________________________________________________________________


5. The message God gave Peter when he was shown a sheet with all kinds of clean and unclean animals

was symbolic. T / F

6. The gospel message is for all people—not just the Jews. T / F

7. After Peter saw this vision, Dorcas called for him. T / F

8. Peter was invited to come to Jerusalem to tell Cornelius about his faith. T / F

C. Answer the following questions.

9. What is the greatest gift God desires to pour out on us? ____________________________________________

10. What advice does 1 Peter 3:15 give us about witnessing to people who have different beliefs or who

are not Christians? _______________________________________________________________

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_________________________________________________________________________________

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LESSON

13

HANDOUT 2: GOD SEES YOU, CORNELIUS! Read Acts 10:2 and list the four descriptions of Cornelius.

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✄HANDOUT 3: THE REST OF THE STORYRead Acts 10:1-8, 44-48 and match the correct answer to the questions.

QUESTIONS LETTER(S) ANSWERS

1. What is another way of saying, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God”?

A. They were baptized and became zealous followers of Jesus.

2. What did the angel tell Cornelius? (v. 4) B. Whoever believes in Jesus would have their sins forgiven.

3. What did Cornelius want? C. They praised and magnified God.

4. What did Cornelius do? D. Cornelius and the people in his house received the Holy Spirit.

5. What did Peter tell him? (v. 43) E. He prayed, gave offerings, and helped the less fortunate.

6. What happened right after Peter’s sermon? (v. 44) F. He sent two men to Joppa to find Simon Peter.

7. What did they experience after receiving the Holy Spirit? (v. 46)

G. His prayers and alms had come up before God and he should send for Simon Peter, who would tell him what

to do.

8. What was the result? (v. 48) H. To have his sins forgiven.


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