Key Thought : God gave us the Sabbath as a tool to help humanity remember who they are and establish their relationship with Him..
[Teaching plan for Sabbath: A Gift From Eden March 11. 2013]
1. Have a volunteer read Mark 2:27,28.
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. How is the Sabbath made for man? What does this mean? For what purpose did God give us the Sabbath?
C. Personal Application: How does keeping the Sabbath reveal God’s purpose for us in our lives? Share.
D. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “If the Sabbath as made for man, then why can’t men make the Sabbath any day he wants to? If I get a gift, I can do what I want with that gift.” How would you respond to your relative?
2. Have a volunteer read Hebrews 4:3,4.
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. How does Paul link the idea of keeping the Sabbath with the idea of a seven day creation week?
C. Personal Application: Is your Sabbath-keeping a rest from physical labor, a mental rest, a time in praying and studying the Bible, visiting others, just chillin at home, or something else? Share your thoughts.
D. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Since the Jews were keeping the Sabbath, but God said they hadn’t entered into His rest; what kind of rest is God referring to, and how does keeping the Sabbath or not keeping the Sabbath relate to that rest?” How would you respond to your friend?
3. Have a volunteer read 2 Peter 3:3-7.
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. Why does walking after our own desires always seem to lead to doubting the accuracy of Bible teaching?
C. Personal Application: Why is it do important to believe in the biblical account of the Creation and the Flood rather than the popular world-view of the scientific community? Share.
D. Case Study: One of your neighbors states, “I think Peter made a mistake here. The scoffers aren’t denying the Creation; they accept it. What they seem to be denying is the second coming. But today, most scoffers don’t believe in Creation or in God..” How would you respond to your neighbor?
4. Have a volunteer read Ezekiel 20:12.
A. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
B. What else is the Sabbath a sign of? How does the Sabbath become a sign of sanctification?
C. Personal Application: Can a person be sanctified if they don’t keep the Sabbath and don’t enter into Jesus’ rest? Share your thoughts.
D. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.
(Note: “Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.” MH p. 149)
