3: Light Shines in the Darkness – Teaching Plan

Key Thought: Error flooded into the Christian church during the fourth and fifth centuries. The church compromised with popular customs and pagan practices with Christian teachings. Yet God had people who stood firm and loyal to God’s revealed will in the Scriptures.
April 20, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Acts 20:27-32, 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12.

Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
What specific warnings did Paul give the Ephesians regarding the coming apostasy?
Personal Application: What kind of compromises do we see entering the church today? What kind of compromises might you be making? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of you relatives states, “What characteristics did Paul describe about the coming apostasy? What should believers look for?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read John 17:15-17, Acts 20:32.

Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
What insights do Jesus and Paul give us regarding protection from the deceptions of Satan?
Personal Application: How is Satan using similar methods today to undermine the authority of Scripture? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why must we accept the whole Bible as true? Can’t we accept part of it, or most of it as true? Can’t we reject or not accept parts of it that seem like myths, allegories, or fantasy that we don’t understand or can’t accept as reasonable?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Proverbs 16:25, Judges 21:25, Isaiah 53:16.

Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
What do these texts reveal about Satan’s strategy of deception?
Personal Application: Are we supposed to use human reasoning to help us understand Divine revelation? Does God and the Bible go against human reasoning? Share your thoughts.
Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Why aren’t we, as intelligent human beings, able to discover divine truth without the direction of the Holy Spirit?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read 2 Corinthians 4:3-6…

Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
What does “the minds of the god of this age has blinded” mean? How are their eyes blinded? How are they opened?
Personal Application: How can we be sure we do not distort the meaning of Scripture and blind or deceive ourselves? Share your thoughts.
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.

(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.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).