Rebuke and Retribution

Sabbath School Lesson Discussion Guide
(You're welcome!)

StartWarmer Question: What was the most difficult thing you had to do this week?
(For me, it was preparing this lesson! This is a tough topic that requires willing students more than a willing teacher.)

Reverse engineering this week’s lesson:
Read and discuss the thought question on Friday’s lesson.
(This seems to me to be the best starting point for an honest discussion.)

"Discussion Question: Dwell more on this idea that evil and suffering don’t make sense, that they don’t have a rational or good explanation. Why is it better that way? Think about it. A horrible tragedy strikes: perhaps a young child dies of a terrible disease after years of suffering. Do we really want to believe that a good and rational reason exists for this? Isn’t it better to chalk it up to the terrible and evil results of living in a fallen world?"

Small Groups – 3 groups

Give each group one day’s lesson: Sunday’s, Monday’s and Wednesday’s Lesson.
Say: Please study the lesson for the day given to your group particularly focusing on the passage from Jeremiah in the middle of the page. Then prepare to teach it to the big group in just three sentences. Finally, finish with an open-ended discussion question for the group to answer.
You have Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. I will do Tuesday.

Allow 10 minutes small group time, then share sentences and discuss all questions.

My three sentence summary of Tuesday’s lesson: 
The people of his home town didn’t like Jeremiah or his message so they planned his death. Jeremiah complained to God and asked for vengeance. God promised to kill their young men and their children.
Q. What effect would this answer have on YOU if you prayed a prayer for vengeance against your own people?

Thursday – big group – “Drought: Literal and Spiritual”
Read all of Jeremiah 14:1-22 – one person per verse – around the circle
Q. Can you smell the rain? … Can you feel the drought lifting? Why? What made the difference?