Know: Rediscover God’s love for humans and His plan to save them from death and evil.
Feel: Appreciate God’s love, even though he or she does not deserve it.
Do: Trust and love God and love his or her neighbor in turn even if he or she does not see an immediate response.
Learning Outline:
Know: God’s Salvation Is Beyond Me.
Why does God love you?
Is it possible to understand God’s love? Explain. What is God’s love?
What is the historical evidence of God’s love for you?
Feel: God’s Love Is Real.
Why can I be sure of God’s love?
What did God do to make His love a reality?
Is feeling the love of God enough to convince you that He loves you?
Do: God’s Love Is Contagious.
Why is loving your neighbor a sign that God has saved you?
Why are you responsible for the salvation of your neighbor?
Why does your faith in God help you to love your enemy?
Summary: The reality of God’s love is made manifest in His design to save humans in spite of themselves, and even though they do not deserve it.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: 1 John 4:10
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The love of God is the only reason He saved humankind. The love of God is not made up of just emotions and nice words. What makes the biblical revelation of divine love unique and yet universal is that God did not reveal Himself through an emotional and mystical experience or through beautiful and insightful wisdom. God revealed Himself in the reality of history. It is because the good news of God’s salvation is for everyone and because salvation is real that the crowning event of salvation can take place only at the end of human history.
Just for Teachers: The purpose of this lesson is to make God’s love and His plan of salvation real to your students. Salvation cannot reach its ultimate fulfillment in this broken world, limited as it is by sinful human flesh. Therefore, salvation can happen only at the end of time. Although we are sure of salvation, all salvation depends on God, and so only the coming of Christ, at the end of days, will make the reality of salvation possible. Although we may experience miracles and blessings, these gifts are just sparks that suggest the reality of fire but are not the fire.
Opening Discussion: How does our experience of God’s love in this present life help us to understand and imagine the ultimate fulfillment of God’s salvation at the end of time? What in this life is evidence of the future kingdom of God?
Questions for Discussion:
Discuss with your class why having hope in the kingdom of God is important at the end of time.
Why is salvation through Christ at the end of time the only possible salvation?
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: In our secular societies, it is difficult to speak of the kingdom of God. This language sounds utopian. People are concerned with this earth and with this present life; they are largely materialists, interested only in the reality they can see and enjoy now. They are not interested in a vague kingdom, located in heaven, that will take place in a faraway future.
The challenge is to shake this group of people up—to awaken them to the need to be saved. This lesson will propose a strategy in three steps to reach this group. First and foremost, this group will need to discover God’s love for them. Only then will they long for His kingdom, where they will live with Him; and only then will they be ready to believe in Him.
Bible Commentary
I. God Is Love (Review 1 John 4:8–10 and Exodus 34:5–7 with your class.)
God’s salvation begins in His love. To speak of a kingdom of God and of the salvation of God to people who do not believe in God and have not experienced a loving relationship with Him is vain. A knowledge and experience of the love of God is, therefore, essential. And for that knowledge of God, we turn to His Word.
The whole Bible defines God as love. In the Old Testament, God’s first action is Creation. God’s love is not a response to what we could have done. God loved us even before we existed. This precedence of God’s love over our love, which is simply our response to His love, is an affirmation of the way He saves us. God does not save us because of what we do but because of who He is. This belief is a part of Daniel’s plea to God: “ ‘Do not delay for Your own sake’ ” (Dan. 9:19, NKJV). God does not save us because we love Him or because we obey Him. Salvation is not based on our merits, but “for His own sake.” For this reason, God’s proclamation of His love precedes and founds the gift of the law: “ ‘The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth’ ” (Exod. 34:6, NKJV). And even in the law, God’s action of salvation precedes the commandments: “ ‘I am the Lordyour God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage’ ” (Exod. 20:2, NKJV).
We find this same quality of divine love in the New Testament: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, NKJV). Christ died for us and loved us even when we were not lovable. He loved us, despite us. Love is also the characteristic of the Holy Spirit, who is called the “Comforter” (John 14:16)—that is, the One who consoles and embraces us when we grieve and when we suffer. The Greek word parakletos, “Comforter,” is used in the Greek Septuagint to translate the Hebrew word nakham, meaning “console” (Jer. 16:7, Hos. 13:14, Isa. 57:18).
Consider This: What lesson can we learn about the process of salvation from the fact that God loved us first? Why did God give the Sabbath to humans, despite their not working with Him during the Creation week? In what ways is the Sabbath a sign of God’s salvation by grace?
II. Jesus Is Surety (Review Hebrews 7:22 and Romans 10:13 with your class.)
The reason one can be sure of salvation is that salvation depends on God. In a sense, our future salvation is related to the experience of our salvation in our present life. This double application of the kingdom of God is found in Jesus’ address to the Pharisees and to His disciples. To the Pharisees, Jesus emphasizes the present and personal dimension of salvation: “ ‘the kingdom of God is within you’ ” (Luke 17:21, NKJV). But when Jesus speaks to His disciples, He refers to salvation as a future and universal event: “ ‘as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day’ ” (Luke 17:24, NKJV). The reason for this paradox is that the disciples, who already have Jesus in their hearts, look forward to His future coming. On the other hand, the Pharisees, who have not yet experienced the kingdom within themselves, simply feel they do not need the future kingdom of God. In fact, the closer Jesus is to us in our present life, the more we will be sure of His coming and the more we will long for it.
Consider This: Why is it impossible to be a good Christian who loves Jesus and not wait for the Second Coming? Why and how should the hope of the future kingdom of God affect our present life?
III. God, From Everlasting to Everlasting (Review Psalm 90:2 and Revelation 14:6, 7 with your class.)
John sees an angel flying in the midst of heaven, preaching “the everlasting gospel” (Rev. 14:6, NKJV). The gospel is qualified as “everlasting” precisely because it derives from “our Lord Jesus Christ . . . who alone has immortality” (1 Tim. 6:14–16, NKJV). To speak of an “everlasting gospel” is to speak about God, a way of affirming the gospel as the highest spiritual goal we can embrace. The apostle Paul employs this same reasoning when he urges his followers to compete “for an imperishable crown” (1 Cor. 9:25, NKJV), the only award that is worth fighting for (1 Cor. 9:26). This everlasting gospel, spoken of by John in Revelation, points to the two divine actions that frame human history—the judgment, at the end, and the Creation, in the beginning (Rev. 14:7). Human history, which seems to run at random toward the abyss, now has a sense of purpose and direction: this purpose comes from the God of eternity and is oriented toward Him.
Consider This: Why is the hope of eternal life the only response to our human experience of life’s absurdity? Discuss with the class their experiences of death. What thoughts crossed their minds when they were confronted with death? Why is death not a normal ending?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The temptation of Seventh-day Adventist believers regarding identity is twofold. We may put too much emphasis on the “Seventh-day” aspect of our name, which assigns too much consequence to our temporality and to our world here and now, or we may overemphasize the “Adventist” aspect of our identity, which disconnects us from the world and turns us into fanatics or dreamers. Underscore for your class how vital it is that we keep in balance the tension between the two components of our identity.
Discussion Activities:
Discuss the difference between God’s promises of His kingdom and a politician’s promises.
Address any doubts that members of the class may have about the reality and importance of the kingdom of God. How can we proclaim the reality of God’s kingdom and still stay in touch with the reality of this world? What is the effect of our hope on our daily life?
Discuss the connection between the two kingdoms of God, which have been called the “already” (the good news of present assurance of salvation) and the “not yet” (the good news of the Second Coming).
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: What are some concrete ways your class can make God’s love real among the members of your church community and in the world at large? Choose to do one or more of the activities below as a witness of God’s love.
Activities:
Visit someone who is elderly or a single parent, burdened with the demands of caring for a family. Does he or she need help preparing meals, buying groceries, doing yard work, finding childcare, etc.? Offer your services once or twice a week as a demonstration of God’s love.
Write an encouraging note to someone who is going through a difficult time. Share your favorite Bible text in the note and what hope it has given you.
Make a care package for someone in another state or country or for one serving overseas in the military. Let this person know how much you care.
Invite a non-Sabbath keeper to share a Sabbath meal with you in your home. Introduce him or her to the God of the Sabbath through fellowship with your family and friends.
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Key Text: Daniel 12:13
The Student Will:
Learning Outline:
Know: God’s Salvation Is Beyond Me.
Feel: God’s Love Is Real.
Do: God’s Love Is Contagious.
Summary: The reality of God’s love is made manifest in His design to save humans in spite of themselves, and even though they do not deserve it.
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Spotlight on Scripture: 1 John 4:10
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: The love of God is the only reason He saved humankind. The love of God is not made up of just emotions and nice words. What makes the biblical revelation of divine love unique and yet universal is that God did not reveal Himself through an emotional and mystical experience or through beautiful and insightful wisdom. God revealed Himself in the reality of history. It is because the good news of God’s salvation is for everyone and because salvation is real that the crowning event of salvation can take place only at the end of human history.
Just for Teachers: The purpose of this lesson is to make God’s love and His plan of salvation real to your students. Salvation cannot reach its ultimate fulfillment in this broken world, limited as it is by sinful human flesh. Therefore, salvation can happen only at the end of time. Although we are sure of salvation, all salvation depends on God, and so only the coming of Christ, at the end of days, will make the reality of salvation possible. Although we may experience miracles and blessings, these gifts are just sparks that suggest the reality of fire but are not the fire.
Opening Discussion: How does our experience of God’s love in this present life help us to understand and imagine the ultimate fulfillment of God’s salvation at the end of time? What in this life is evidence of the future kingdom of God?
Questions for Discussion:
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: In our secular societies, it is difficult to speak of the kingdom of God. This language sounds utopian. People are concerned with this earth and with this present life; they are largely materialists, interested only in the reality they can see and enjoy now. They are not interested in a vague kingdom, located in heaven, that will take place in a faraway future.
The challenge is to shake this group of people up—to awaken them to the need to be saved. This lesson will propose a strategy in three steps to reach this group. First and foremost, this group will need to discover God’s love for them. Only then will they long for His kingdom, where they will live with Him; and only then will they be ready to believe in Him.
Bible Commentary
I. God Is Love (Review 1 John 4:8–10 and Exodus 34:5–7 with your class.)
God’s salvation begins in His love. To speak of a kingdom of God and of the salvation of God to people who do not believe in God and have not experienced a loving relationship with Him is vain. A knowledge and experience of the love of God is, therefore, essential. And for that knowledge of God, we turn to His Word.
The whole Bible defines God as love. In the Old Testament, God’s first action is Creation. God’s love is not a response to what we could have done. God loved us even before we existed. This precedence of God’s love over our love, which is simply our response to His love, is an affirmation of the way He saves us. God does not save us because of what we do but because of who He is. This belief is a part of Daniel’s plea to God: “ ‘Do not delay for Your own sake’ ” (Dan. 9:19, NKJV). God does not save us because we love Him or because we obey Him. Salvation is not based on our merits, but “for His own sake.” For this reason, God’s proclamation of His love precedes and founds the gift of the law: “ ‘The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth’ ” (Exod. 34:6, NKJV). And even in the law, God’s action of salvation precedes the commandments: “ ‘I am the Lordyour God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage’ ” (Exod. 20:2, NKJV).
We find this same quality of divine love in the New Testament: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8, NKJV). Christ died for us and loved us even when we were not lovable. He loved us, despite us. Love is also the characteristic of the Holy Spirit, who is called the “Comforter” (John 14:16)—that is, the One who consoles and embraces us when we grieve and when we suffer. The Greek word parakletos, “Comforter,” is used in the Greek Septuagint to translate the Hebrew word nakham, meaning “console” (Jer. 16:7, Hos. 13:14, Isa. 57:18).
Consider This: What lesson can we learn about the process of salvation from the fact that God loved us first? Why did God give the Sabbath to humans, despite their not working with Him during the Creation week? In what ways is the Sabbath a sign of God’s salvation by grace?
II. Jesus Is Surety (Review Hebrews 7:22 and Romans 10:13 with your class.)
The reason one can be sure of salvation is that salvation depends on God. In a sense, our future salvation is related to the experience of our salvation in our present life. This double application of the kingdom of God is found in Jesus’ address to the Pharisees and to His disciples. To the Pharisees, Jesus emphasizes the present and personal dimension of salvation: “ ‘the kingdom of God is within you’ ” (Luke 17:21, NKJV). But when Jesus speaks to His disciples, He refers to salvation as a future and universal event: “ ‘as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day’ ” (Luke 17:24, NKJV). The reason for this paradox is that the disciples, who already have Jesus in their hearts, look forward to His future coming. On the other hand, the Pharisees, who have not yet experienced the kingdom within themselves, simply feel they do not need the future kingdom of God. In fact, the closer Jesus is to us in our present life, the more we will be sure of His coming and the more we will long for it.
Consider This: Why is it impossible to be a good Christian who loves Jesus and not wait for the Second Coming? Why and how should the hope of the future kingdom of God affect our present life?
III. God, From Everlasting to Everlasting (Review Psalm 90:2 and Revelation 14:6, 7 with your class.)
John sees an angel flying in the midst of heaven, preaching “the everlasting gospel” (Rev. 14:6, NKJV). The gospel is qualified as “everlasting” precisely because it derives from “our Lord Jesus Christ . . . who alone has immortality” (1 Tim. 6:14–16, NKJV). To speak of an “everlasting gospel” is to speak about God, a way of affirming the gospel as the highest spiritual goal we can embrace. The apostle Paul employs this same reasoning when he urges his followers to compete “for an imperishable crown” (1 Cor. 9:25, NKJV), the only award that is worth fighting for (1 Cor. 9:26). This everlasting gospel, spoken of by John in Revelation, points to the two divine actions that frame human history—the judgment, at the end, and the Creation, in the beginning (Rev. 14:7). Human history, which seems to run at random toward the abyss, now has a sense of purpose and direction: this purpose comes from the God of eternity and is oriented toward Him.
Consider This: Why is the hope of eternal life the only response to our human experience of life’s absurdity? Discuss with the class their experiences of death. What thoughts crossed their minds when they were confronted with death? Why is death not a normal ending?
STEP 3—Apply
Just for Teachers: The temptation of Seventh-day Adventist believers regarding identity is twofold. We may put too much emphasis on the “Seventh-day” aspect of our name, which assigns too much consequence to our temporality and to our world here and now, or we may overemphasize the “Adventist” aspect of our identity, which disconnects us from the world and turns us into fanatics or dreamers. Underscore for your class how vital it is that we keep in balance the tension between the two components of our identity.
Discussion Activities:
STEP 4—Create
Just for Teachers: What are some concrete ways your class can make God’s love real among the members of your church community and in the world at large? Choose to do one or more of the activities below as a witness of God’s love.
Activities: