Junior and/or Earliteen Junior and/or Earliteen

Sabbath SchoolSabbath School

May 31, 2008May 31, 2008

Information on following slides adapted from

Adventist Mission Youth and Adult Magazine and

the SDA Encyclopedia.

This Quarter the Thirteenth This Quarter the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering is going to Sabbath Offering is going to the Inter-American Divisionthe Inter-American Division

“Go into all the world and preach the good news.” Mark 16:15, NIV

Find the Inter-American Division

This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help:Offering will help:

• build worship halls at the University of build worship halls at the University of the Southern Caribbean in Trinidadthe Southern Caribbean in Trinidad

• build churches for existing build churches for existing congregations in central Mexico congregations in central Mexico

• upgrade campgrounds for lay upgrade campgrounds for lay evangelism training in Mexicoevangelism training in Mexico

How is the Thirteenth Sabbath How is the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering going to be used?Offering going to be used?

The division is made up of many countries, starting The division is made up of many countries, starting from Mexico through Central America to northern South from Mexico through Central America to northern South America and including all of the Caribbean Islands. America and including all of the Caribbean Islands.

The 37 countries that The 37 countries that make up this division make up this division create a rich mixture of create a rich mixture of cultures stemming cultures stemming from the influence of from the influence of the Spanish, French, the Spanish, French, British, African and British, African and other groups of people other groups of people who lived or ruled in who lived or ruled in this region in the past this region in the past two centuries. The two centuries. The major languages major languages spoken are English, spoken are English, Spanish, French and Spanish, French and Dutch, in addition to a Dutch, in addition to a variety of dialects.variety of dialects.Catholic church built atop Aztec ruins.

Citizen of Oaxaca, Mexico Colorful dress of citizens of Puebla, Mexico

Lay members are especially active in Inter-Lay members are especially active in Inter-America, and with almost 3 million members America, and with almost 3 million members worshiping in 9,224 churches. The Inter-worshiping in 9,224 churches. The Inter-American Division is the largest and one of American Division is the largest and one of the fastest growing divisions within the the fastest growing divisions within the Seventh-day Adventist world church.Seventh-day Adventist world church.

First Church, Haiti, Youth ClassJonathan, who led his mother to Jesus

The church in Oaxaca [whah-HAH-kah] State, The church in Oaxaca [whah-HAH-kah] State, Mexico, is growing rapidly. One out of every Mexico, is growing rapidly. One out of every 24 people is a Seventh-day Adventist. 24 people is a Seventh-day Adventist. Persecution is not uncommon in parts of Persecution is not uncommon in parts of southern Mexico. In the state of Chiapas, to southern Mexico. In the state of Chiapas, to the east of Oaxaca, hundreds of Seventh-day the east of Oaxaca, hundreds of Seventh-day Adventists have had to flee their homes Adventists have had to flee their homes because they refused to give up their faith. because they refused to give up their faith. Some have even been martyred. Some have even been martyred.

Augustin Cruz is a farmer and lay worker in northern Oaxaca State. He once had a noose placed around his neck and was beaten because he refused to renounce his faith.

Veracruz lies along the Veracruz lies along the Gulf of Mexico. While Gulf of Mexico. While the area is a popular the area is a popular tourist destination, tourist destination, many who live there many who live there are poor and cannot are poor and cannot afford to own a home. afford to own a home. Building a church is Building a church is beyond their reach. beyond their reach. Part of this quarter’s Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help build Offering will help build a church in Veracruz a church in Veracruz State.State.

Collect OfferingCollect Offering

Exploring God’s Exploring God’s WorldWorld

In this section we study one of the countries in the division where our Thirteenth Sabbath offering is going.

Today we are going to Today we are going to learn about Nicaragua.learn about Nicaragua.

Where is NicaraguaWhere is Nicaragua

Flag of NicaraguaFlag of Nicaragua

Time for the Mission Time for the Mission StoryStory

We are taking the good We are taking the good news to the entire world.news to the entire world.

Read the Mission Story on pages 20 and 21 of the Second Quarter Read the Mission Story on pages 20 and 21 of the Second Quarter Adventist Mission Youth and Adult Adventist Mission Youth and Adult MagazineMagazine

while slowly progressing through the next 3 slides.while slowly progressing through the next 3 slides.

The name The name of the of the person in person in the story is the story is “Oscar.”“Oscar.”

This story is from This story is from Mexico.Mexico.

The title of the story is “To Honor and Glorify The title of the story is “To Honor and Glorify God.”God.”

Lesson Study Lesson Study TimeTime

Today's lesson is titled:Today's lesson is titled:

THAT’S ALL I ASKTHAT’S ALL I ASK

P O W E R T E XTP O W E R T E XT

John 15:12, 13, NIVJohn 15:12, 13, NIV

““My command is this: Love My command is this: Love each other as I have loved each other as I have loved you.you.

Greater love has no one Greater love has no one thanthanthis, that he lay down his this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”life for his friends.”

P O W E R P O I N TP O W E R P O I N T

Jesus asks us to love oneJesus asks us to love oneanother the way He loves us.another the way He loves us.

Do people sometimesDo people sometimesmisunderstand what you misunderstand what you are trying to tell them?are trying to tell them?

Photo by Bill

Especially when you try to Especially when you try to explain something important?explain something important?

Photo by Bill

Jesus wanted His disciples to Jesus wanted His disciples to know the future, but theyknow the future, but theywere often too concernedwere often too concernedabout the present.about the present.

““The only thingThe only thingI’m asking isI’m asking isthat you love that you love one another the one another the same way I have same way I have loved you” (John loved you” (John 15:12, Clear 15:12, Clear Word).Word).

Jesus and the Jesus and the 11 disciples11 discipleswere walking were walking on the on the moonlit road moonlit road toward toward the Kidron the Kidron Valley.Valley.

John, walking closest to Jesus,John, walking closest to Jesus,knew they must be headed forknew they must be headed forthe Garden of Gethsemane.the Garden of Gethsemane.Jesus liked to pray there. Jesus liked to pray there.

The walk felt good after theThe walk felt good after thePassover meal. The night breeze Passover meal. The night breeze cleared John’s head. He tried tocleared John’s head. He tried toconcentrate on what Jesus wasconcentrate on what Jesus wassaying.saying.

No wonder Jesus is talking aboutNo wonder Jesus is talking aboutour loving one another, our loving one another, JohnJohnthought.thought. We were arguing so We were arguing so much before dinner. I am sure much before dinner. I am sure that He is disappointed.that He is disappointed.

““There is no greater way toThere is no greater way toshow love for a friend than toshow love for a friend than togive your life for him.” give your life for him.”

““You say that You say that you’re my you’re my friends. You friends. You need to need to demonstrate demonstrate that friendship that friendship by doing what I by doing what I ask you to do” ask you to do” (John(John15:13, 14, Clear 15:13, 14, Clear Word). Word).

There He goes again, talking There He goes again, talking about death, about death, John mused.John mused. He He keeps telling us He has to die. keeps telling us He has to die. All He’s asking from us is to be All He’s asking from us is to be loving and obedient to God and loving and obedient to God and go out of our way for each other.go out of our way for each other.

““I have never treated you likeI have never treated you likeservants and I never will.servants and I never will.Servants aren’t told everythingServants aren’t told everythingtheir masters are planning to do.”their masters are planning to do.”

““But you’re my But you’re my friends. Ever friends. Ever since I’ve since I’ve known you, I've known you, I've told youtold youeverything my everything my Father has told Father has told me to tell you” me to tell you” (John 15:15, (John 15:15, Clear Word).Clear Word).

That’s for sureThat’s for sure, John thought., John thought.Jesus has taken us into HisJesus has taken us into Hisconfidence. He has revealed confidence. He has revealed a lota lotof things to us. We of things to us. We understandunderstandspiritual things better than spiritual things better than the priests and Pharisees the priests and Pharisees now. now.

And even though Jesus keeps And even though Jesus keeps talking about leaving us soon, talking about leaving us soon, He has promised that the He has promised that the Holy Spirit will stay with us Holy Spirit will stay with us and keep the friendship and keep the friendship going.going.

John, Jesus, and the other 10John, Jesus, and the other 10walked along in silence for awalked along in silence for afew moments. Jesus seemed few moments. Jesus seemed to have so much on His mind to have so much on His mind tonight.tonight.

His thoughts seemed a His thoughts seemed a millionmillionmiles away. The disciples,miles away. The disciples,on the other hand, on the other hand, ploddedploddedalong with full stomachs along with full stomachs andandtired eyes.tired eyes.

Jesus started Jesus started talking again.talking again.““You didn’t You didn’t choose to be my choose to be my friends, friends, but I have been but I have been your friend evenyour friend evenbefore you knew before you knew who I was.”who I was.”

““I called you and asked you to goI called you and asked you to goout and gather much fruit, theout and gather much fruit, thekind of fruit that will remain loyalkind of fruit that will remain loyalto me. Whatever you ask theto me. Whatever you ask theFather to give youFather to give youto help carry out to help carry out His mission, He’ll His mission, He’ll give it to you” give it to you” (John 15:16, Clear(John 15:16, ClearWord).Word).

That’s true, That’s true, John thought.John thought.There is something really specialThere is something really specialabout our friendship with Jesus.about our friendship with Jesus.

A lot of people have followedA lot of people have followedJesus, but Jesus has chosen us Jesus, but Jesus has chosen us specially. Now He is asking us to specially. Now He is asking us to share that special relationshipshare that special relationshipwith others.with others.

To love others the way Jesus has To love others the way Jesus has loved us. Come to think of it, loved us. Come to think of it, we all are a little nicer to one we all are a little nicer to one another now that we have beenanother now that we have beenthree years with Jesus.three years with Jesus.

Of course, we still sometimesOf course, we still sometimesargue with each other, like we didargue with each other, like we didtonight. But it was nothing like wetonight. But it was nothing like wedid when we first started spendingdid when we first started spendingtime with Jesus.time with Jesus.

““You can see why I keep You can see why I keep tellingtellingyou to love each other” (John you to love each other” (John 15: 17, Clear Word). Jesus 15: 17, Clear Word). Jesus looked at John, then Peter and looked at John, then Peter and James, as if He wanted James, as if He wanted assurance assurance that they understood.that they understood.

They all nodded in agreement, They all nodded in agreement, but they weren't entirely surebut they weren't entirely surethey did see.they did see.

Actually, this new law of love Actually, this new law of love seemed almost harder to live seemed almost harder to live by than all the rules andby than all the rules andregulations of the Pharisees. It regulations of the Pharisees. It certainly didn’t come naturally.certainly didn’t come naturally.

But being with Jesus had startedBut being with Jesus had startedto change them. They imagined to change them. They imagined that the Holy Spirit Jesus has that the Holy Spirit Jesus has promised to send them wouldpromised to send them wouldgive them the grace and power give them the grace and power to keep learning to love liketo keep learning to love likeJesus loved.Jesus loved.

They continued through the KidronThey continued through the KidronValley in silence for a while. JesusValley in silence for a while. Jesusmay have thought, may have thought, I hope they’llI hope they’llfinally understand about lovefinally understand about lovewhen I give my life for them.when I give my life for them.

Let’s talk about ways we Let’s talk about ways we could “give our lives” for a could “give our lives” for a friend today. Have you ever friend today. Have you ever known or heard about anyone known or heard about anyone other than Jesus who died or other than Jesus who died or gave up their life for someone gave up their life for someone else? Jesus gave His life for else? Jesus gave His life for others in a unique way. He others in a unique way. He died to save an entire world died to save an entire world from annihilation.from annihilation.

How could we give the gift of life How could we give the gift of life to someone without actually to someone without actually dying?dying?

Think of all the examples you can.Think of all the examples you can.

One One important important way is way is leading them leading them to a to a friendship friendship with Jesus.with Jesus.

Other ways – did you think Other ways – did you think of these?of these?

Or donating Or donating bone marrow, bone marrow, or a kidney?or a kidney?

Giving up Giving up leisure leisure time to time to help help someone.someone.

Giving money you were going to Giving money you were going to use for clothes or a video game to use for clothes or a video game to

someone needy.someone needy.

Taking Taking punishment punishment for something for something a friend has a friend has done.done.

Paying a debt a Paying a debt a friend has friend has incurred.incurred.

What does it mean to What does it mean to be a friend?be a friend?

What does a friend do?What does a friend do?

Let’s look at some Let’s look at some Bible texts and Bible texts and find out what they find out what they have to say about have to say about friendship.friendship.

Isaiah 32, NIV2 Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.

2 Timothy 1, NIV

16 May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. 17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. 18 May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

1 Samuel 20, NIV42 Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the LORD , saying, 'The LORD is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.' " Then David left, and Jonathan went back to the town.

1 Samuel 18, NIV1 After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself. 2 From that day Saul kept David with him and did not let him return to his father's house. 3 And Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself. 4 Jonathan took off the robe he was wearing and gave it to David, along with his tunic, and even his sword, his bow and his belt.

Proverbs 17, NIVProverbs 17, NIV17 A friend loves at all 17 A friend loves at all times, times, and a brother is born for and a brother is born for adversity. adversity.

Proverbs 27, NIV10 Do not forsake your friend and the friend of your father, and do not go to your brother's house when disaster strikes you- better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

James 2:23, NIV

And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.

What do these verses tell us What do these verses tell us about friendship?about friendship?

How do these descriptions of How do these descriptions of friendship compare with what friendship compare with what we know about Jesus?we know about Jesus?

Jesus is our example in Jesus is our example in all things.all things.

Jesus asks us to love Jesus asks us to love one another the way one another the way

He loves us.He loves us.

You will want to have a hard copy of the Mission Story You will want to have a hard copy of the Mission Story ready to read during the Mission Story section. You can ready to read during the Mission Story section. You can find the story on pages 20 and 21 of the Second find the story on pages 20 and 21 of the Second Quarter Quarter Adventist Mission Youth and Adult Magazine.Adventist Mission Youth and Adult Magazine. The title of the story is “To Honor and Glorify God.” You The title of the story is “To Honor and Glorify God.” You can go to the website can go to the website http://www.adventistmission.org/http://www.adventistmission.org/ and and find the link titled “Publications” to download the find the link titled “Publications” to download the Adventist Mission Youth and Adult Magazine.Adventist Mission Youth and Adult Magazine.

Notes to TeachersNotes to Teachers

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