The Widow's Oil - 2 Kings 4:1-7

Junior Sabbath School Lesson - Nov 30, 2024

Ice Breaker Questions

Tell a memory from a time your family needed something. How did you feel before, during and after?

How does it feel to owe money you don't have?

Opening Prayer

Before opening the Bible pray for God's guidance.

Bible Study

Read 2 Kings 4:1-7 - Someone with a strong voice who reads well

What was the widow's situation in 2 Kings 4:1–7, and how did she respond when faced with her crisis?

In what different ways did Elisha show compassion in this story?

How did Elisha use what little the widow had to provide for her by faith? (2 Kings 4:2–6)

Why do you think God often works using our resources rather than doing miracles?

When did the oil stop flowing for the widow and her sons? (2 Kings 4:6)

How did the miracle of the oil take care of the widow’s financial difficulties? (2 Kings 4:7)

Application

What is an “insignificant” thing you can ask God to make sufficient for a practical need you face right now?

What circumstance have you faced when you were afraid to hope?

In what area of your life do you need God's help today?

Closing Prayer

Pray for the people and needs mentioned.

From Tricks to Forgiveness (Video)

Children's Storytelling - Christian Parents Legacy of Forgiveness

Everyone is a storyteller. The more we tell the better we tell. Performance storytelling benefits from planning and preparation. I’ve been telling stories “up the front” since I was a child and I love it every time!

Point:
Followers of Jesus grant forgiveness when sinned against. In this storyset, I tell several stories about tricks I pulled on my siblings and mother. Some were more effective than others. All were laugh-worthy, in the end, because they were followed with the gift of forgiveness. Those who follow Jesus do not hate the tricksters in our lives; we forgive them and embrace them with the Love of God. This is the true legacy of Christian Parents—a heart of forgiveness.

Performed:
November 23, 2024 - Lilydale Adventist Church 

Storyset:
From Tricks to Forgiveness (Legacy)

Story-Building Strategy:
I always ask the preacher of the day for their topic and theme. Then I build a storyset that I hope will serve as a preparation for the sermon, just as everything in the service should. Followed immediately by the sermon, this storyset spoke into the sermon particularly well. Pr Darren Croft referred back to both the story and our conversation the day before during the sermon. It’s a true blessing to play a helpful role in passing a message from the Word through the Holy Spirit to the people of God!

Context:
If you’d like to see how the story fits into the context of the sermon, watch it here. Enjoy the awesome church family band leading in worship (These are all members and children of Lilydale Adventist Church!) This band is a wonderful legacy left to Lilydale Adventist Church by Paul Woodward (playing the trombone in the back right) who has gathered us and our instruments together for decades. The band is now directed by Paul’s son, Dr Clinton Woodward. That’s legacy! My son (Michael) is the saxophonist sitting next to the clarinet. My wife is the beautiful woman in blue leading the songs between the girl and the man. Enjoy!

Bible Study: Seeing Jesus

Discussion Guide for John 1:19-51
(Sabbath School Nov 23, 2024)

Who was John the Baptist? - John 1:19-28

1. Why do people enjoy boasting about themselves and their accomplishments?

2. What are the characteristics of a humble person?

3. What does the phrase “make straight the way for the Lord” mean? How did John the Baptist do this? How do we? (1:23)

4. In what ways can you honor Christ with your accomplishments? How can we point others to Christ?

Who is Jesus? - John 1:29-34

5. What can you infer about someone from his or her title (Doctor, Professor,Pastor?)

6. What does being the "Lamb of God" mean? What does Jesus do with the sin of the world? How? (1:29)

7. What reason did John the Baptist give for baptizing Jesus? (1:31)

8. Why do you think John the Baptist used the title "Son of God" for Jesus at this point? (1:34) What happened in the previous two verses?

9. What role does the Holy Spirit play in your life?

Following Jesus - John 1:35-51

10. Do you have a passion or interest that someone else introduced to you? Tell that story. How important is that person now when you engage in the interest? Why?

11. How did John identify Jesus for his disciples? (1:37)

12. What did John’s disciples call Jesus? (1:38) What does this tell the reader about their opinion of Jesus? Who/What was a Rabbi?

13. What words did the author interpret for us? (1:37, 41, 42) Why?

14. What did Andrew and Philip tell others about Jesus when they said, "Come and See"? (1:41, 1:45)

15. What convinced Nathanael that Jesus was the Son of God? (1:47–50) How is this different than the others?

16. What did Jesus tell Nathanael he would see? (1:51)

Reflection Questions

17. How will you show your trust in the God who knows all about you this week?

18. What stereotypes about Christ prevent people from trusting Him today?

19. How can Jesus’ identity as the Son of God inspire your confidence in Him?

20. How would you share your faith with a skeptical person this week?

Heading Home with Jesus

Jesus had no earthly home. 

He lived and ate with the poor, healing them first by seeing them. He established the Kingdom of God by inviting people to abandon allegiance to Rome and Israel and join Him. Jesus taught and lived compassion, justice, worship and mission. Israel's religious leaders ended Jesus's life by embracing the power of their Roman oppressors. 

Jesus died to save what He loved. Us. 

Rather than stamping out Jesus' Kingdom movement, His death set it on fire. After the resurrection, His disciples willingly gave their lives to take the Kingdom and message of Jesus to the world.

And bring them all to their eternal home. 

A Town Like Ours

My local grocery store is in an indoor shopping centre next to a high school. It's often full of kids before and after school. This morning, a group of six high school boys sat chatting at a table near the supermarket. When I finished my shopping, they were still there. I walked up to their table and said, "Gentlemen!" They all looked at me with focused attention. I pulled out a box of donuts and placed it on the table. You should have seen their faces light up as they tracked that box with their eyes. "Have a great day!" I said, "And be nice to your teachers." They all cheered! As I walked away I could hear them tearing open the box and laughing amongst themselves. I tell you this story not to pat myself on the back but because that's the kind of town I want to live in. And I bet it's the kind of town you want to live in, too. So go make it so!

Cassius the Friendly Croc (Video)

Children's Storytelling - Friendship

Changing the World

Jesus taught and modelled the ONLY way to chage the world. The only way to change ourselves. The only way to change others. The only way to live in a Godly country with Godfearing leaders. The only way to living a Kingdom story. 

Love the Lord your God and Love your neighbour as yourself. 

Jesus showed us what this looks like. And we killed him for it. We. Not they. Because, we still think the same way —  slap ‘em straight, yell at ‘em, send ‘em packing — because we are still more committed to culture than to Kingdom. 

The only way out is the only way in. Love. We are called to give some of the love to our neighbour that we have received from God. We only get that love reservoir by loving God. He fills us with His love. We can’t give what we don’t have. To love our way out of this culture and into the Kingdom we start by Loving God. Deeply. 

Then we will be able to love others. 

Love. Love God. Love people.

Jesus' Scare Tactics

 There is one example of Jesus using guilt and fear -- scare tactics -- on His listeners. It's an audience He summoned. The scribes. Summoned like demons! The pen-men of the day. Rewriting scripture their own way. And getting it very wrong. 

Check out Mark 3:22-30

Jesus tells them they must stop labeling God's work as belonging to the Devil. That kind of blasphemy will glug up your heart so hard-and-fast you'll be completely deaf to the ever gentle voice of the Holy Spirit. The unpardonable -- because you're unreachable -- sin.

Jesus loved even the religious leaders who hunted and harassed Him. He didn't want them to miss or misname God's voice. He wanted them to be drawn to Him the way Nicodemus was. Seeking. Teachable. Even if it was at night.

Jesus meets people where they are. And if they're hell-bent on leading themselves or others off a spiritual cliff… He will pull out all the stops to save them.

You Already Have the Perfect Church Growth Strategy!

A healthy and thriving Seventh-day Adventist Church has an effective Sabbath School program. Declining Adventist churches are almost always also declining in Sabbath School effectiveness. Since before we had a name, it was our backbone. Sabbath School created the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 

Focused on Bible study, evangelism, and fellowship, Sabbath School is a powerful platform for church growth. When focused correctly, Sabbath School nurtures both the spiritual health of each member and the numerical growth of the congregation. Sabbath School classes, embedded with effective strategies and principles, will grow your church.

Click Here to Read the Rest on my Substack

It's free! Please subscribe once you're there!

Sabbath School Succession Planning

For healthy Sabbath School classes, having a succession plan ensures continuity of spiritual growth, effective ministry, and the empowerment of new leaders.

Succession planning is not merely a strategy for replacing leaders; it’s a means to ensure that God’s work continues to flourish. When Moses was nearing the end of his life, God instructed him to appoint Joshua as his successor (see Numbers 27:18-23). Moses laid hands on Joshua, commissioning him to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.

Here are some key principles of succession planning.

Click here to read the rest on my Substack.

It's free! Please subscribe while you're there.

Sabbath School Starters - Meme Texting

As Christians, we are often told to avoid postmodern approaches to life and thinking. In truth, most of us are postmoderns. We were born here in the middle of it. We love a good proof-text (or should I say ‘meme’?) to start our day, a conversation or just for a personal pick-me-up.

A proof text is a lot like a meme. It speaks to us in our context using a simplification of something larger. Memes include pictures for context and a few pithy words for meaning. Proof-texting, likewise, uses just a few words. But, the picture is painted by the reader - and this is where things get messy. 

Click here to read the rest on my Substack. 

It's free! Please subscribe once you're there!