View an in-depth discussion of The Testimony of the Samaritans in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-the-testimony-of-the-samaritans-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/

Daily Lesson for Tuesday 29th of October 2024

 

“ ‘Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them’ ” (Ezekiel 36:25-27, NKJV).

In both cases, Jesus was seeking to reach these people with spiritual truths, even though He used illustrations from the natural world to do so.

Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com

At first, neither person understood what Jesus meant. How, asked Nicodemus, can a man be born again? That is, how can he return to his mother’s womb? Nicodemus clearly was functioning at a mundane and earthly level, even though Jesus clearly was pointing him toward spiritual truth. This woman, too, took Jesus’ words about the water in a literal sense when Jesus was clearly talking about something spiritual.

The woman’s response to Jesus’ offer of living water was, “ ‘Give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw’ ” (John 4:15, NKJV). She reasoned that the water Jesus offered would obviate trips to the well, thus reducing the risk of facing others. It is striking that the conversation shifted so quickly from Jesus’ asking for a drink to the woman’s asking Him for a drink.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-05-sir-give-me-this-water/

John has written what is possibly the most well-known Bible verse in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son” which has had many say
Lord, I Have Made Thy Word My Choice – Hymn 273 and 
Give Me The Bible – Hymn 272. John writes of many people who turned to Jesus in this quarter’s studies. Here are two hymns from which to choose for your theme hymn this quarter.

This week’s Memory Text stimulates our thinking to reply
I Know Whom I Have Believed – Hymn 511.

The dear Samaritan lady at the well requested of Jesus, “Sir, give me this water”. This we find in 
Hymn 460 – As Water To The Thirsty all because she could say 
I Heard The Voice Of Jesus Say – Hymn 465, particularly in verse 2. Firstly, as Ellen Whites says in the quote on Monday, Jesus had to gain her trust due to the Jew/Samaritan quarrels. I am sure we can all sing 
I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus – Hymn 535.

Tuesday states that “Jesus was seeking to reach these people with spiritual truths” and we may ask for this in 
Hymn 672 – Spirit Of The Living God.

Jesus met the Samaritan people as He was out and about to 
Rescue The Perishing – Hymn 367, as they believed the woman’s story.

Please continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed, and to bless many others.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-the-testimony-of-the-samaritans-singing-with-inspiration/

Daily Lesson for Monday 28th of October 2024

“The hatred between Jews and Samaritans prevented the woman from offering a kindness to Jesus; but the Saviour was seeking to find the key to this heart, and with the tact born of divine love, He asked, not offered, a favor. The offer of a kindness might have been rejected; but trust awakens trust.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 184.

Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com

As was the case in His encounter with Nicodemus, Jesus knows what is in the woman’s heart. In response to her surprise that a Jew would ask such a favor of a Samaritan, Jesus goes directly to the point. “ ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water’ ” (John 4:10, NKJV).

The woman’s response was like that of Nicodemus, who asked, “ ‘How can these things be?’ ” (John 3:9, NKJV) in the context of a new birth. She asked, “ ‘You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?’ ” (John 4:11, NKJV). In both cases, Jesus was pointing them (one, a prominent Jewish teacher; the other, a Samaritan woman of dubious character) to the transcendent spiritual truths that each one needed to hear and understand. In each case, Jesus was basically telling them both the same thing: they need a conversion experience.

Water is necessary for life; humans cannot exist without water, and so water can be a powerful and appropriate image of eternal life, as well. Hence, Jesus says, “ ‘Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life’ ” (John 4:14, NKJV).

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-05-the-woman-at-the-well/

Daily Lesson for Sunday 27th of October 2024

The Pharisees discovered that the disciples of Jesus were baptizing more people than did those of John the Baptist. This situation could create tensions between John’s followers and Jesus’. The disciples of John, quite naturally, were jealous for their master’s reputation and status (compare with John 3:26-30). John’s impressive reply was that he must decrease, but Jesus must increase (John 3:30). Probably to avoid confrontation, Jesus departed Judea to go to Galilee. Samaria provided the most direct route between those two locations, but it was not the only route possible. Devout Jews would take the long way around, going east through Perea. But Jesus had a mission in Samaria.

Image © Kim Justinen at Goodsalt.com

Jacob’s well was located right next to Shechem, while Sychar, where the woman was from, was about a mile away (1.5 km). Jesus sat by the well while His disciples went into the city to buy food. He had no access to the cooling water of the well. When the woman came to draw water, He asked her for a drink.

In John 3:1-36, it was surprising that Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews and a rabbi, would lower himself to come to Jesus. He came by night to avoid discovery. But, in John 4:1-54, the woman hides in broad daylight, perhaps avoiding contact with other women who came either at the beginning or end of the day when it was cooler. After all, why did she go such a long way to fetch water, and in the middle of the day when it was hot? Whatever the reason for her being there, meeting Jesus would change her life.

What scene unfolds next? A Jewish teacher is compared to a Samaritan woman of poor reputation. What a contrast! And yet, in this exact context, a remarkable encounter unfolds.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-05-the-setting-of-the-encounter/