It is wonderful to travel through John Mark’s life and see the beautiful story climax with 
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today – Hymn 166, therefore 
Go, Preach My Gospel – Hymn 378. These two hymns give us a purpose all during this quarter to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus. May you enjoy these hymns for your theme hymn from which to choose.

Miracles this week, bring us directly to 
Hymn 111 – It Took A Miracle. Our memory text continues the wonders with “great things the Lord has done for you”, as does
Hymn 341 – To God Be The Glory.

With God calming the storms in this world, we have 
Wonderful Peace – Hymn 466 (Sunday).

On Monday the demons even know who Jesus is and “His power over them”. May we never hesitate to sing 
I Know Whom I Have Believed – Hymn 511.

The beautiful healings (Tuesday) end up with the woman and others saying 
It Is Well With My Soul – Hymn 530.

Wednesday teaches us that the disciples were to be humble in their service and to depend on those around for support during their ministry: 
Lord, Whose Love In Humble Service – Hymn 363.

Our learning continues on Thursday, and we pray we are not “sheep without a shepherd” because 
The King Of Love My Shepherd Is – Hymn 197.

 The final text this week included in Ellen White’s writings (Friday) is Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God”.  May we do this without hesitation in 
Hymn 461 – Be Still, My Soul.

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-miracles-around-the-lake-singing-with-inspiration/

Key Thought: Jesus is the One who can calm a storm, cast out demons, heal a woman, feed with little resources, and walk on water. All this occurred around the Sea of Galilee.
August 3, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Mark 4:35-41.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What happens here and what lessons can we take from it about who Jesus is?
3. Personal Application: Think about the power of God. How can we learn to lean on this power and to trust it in all things in your life? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “I can’t see how any person could have control of the weather or nature. And I can’t understand why anyone would believe in demon possession. People act crazy because they have something wrong in their brains caused by childhood or traumatic experiences they can’t cope with. To say a person is demon-possessed and evil is cruel and ignorant.” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Mark 5:21-34.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What characteristics stand out about Jesus here?
3. Personal Application: Why did Jesus heal by touch or in person by speaking to them, when here He heals her from afar with no outward manifestations? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why would the woman believe she could be healed by touching Jesus’ garment? Is this faith or presumption? What about these faith healers who claim to be able to heal others by touch or by their touching a cloth or item the minister has touched and prayed over?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Mark 6:1-6.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why did Jesus’ hometown people reject Him?
3. Personal Application: Have you ever been rejected or experienced some hard-to-understand crisis? What did you learn that could help you next time something like that happens? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Why did Jesus allow John the Baptist to be thrown in prison and beheaded? What hope can we find despite the difficult things happening in our lives?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Mark 6:34-52.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What was the problem they faced, and how was it solved?
3. Personal Application: How could a false understanding of Christ’s second coming lead to disaster for some Christians? Share your thoughts.
4. 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).

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/5-miracles-around-the-lake-teaching-plan/

Daily Lesson for Sunday 28th of July 2024

At the beginning of Mark 4:1-41, Jesus steps into a boat to teach the crowd on the shore. In Mark 4:10-12, it seems He may have gotten out of the boat and talked with the disciples privately. Now, after a long day of teaching, the disciples take Jesus in the boat “as He was,” in other words, very tired.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

He immediately falls asleep on the boat’s cushion, which would be in the stern of the boat. A great storm arises on the lake, and the boat is at risk of sinking when the disciples awake Him. Dramatically, Jesus commands the wind and waves to cease. A great calm settles over the lake. Understandably, the disciples are deeply afraid at the display of divine power.

The story in Mark 4:35-41 fits within a common biblical pattern: that of a “theophany”—the appearance of God or one of His angels. Five characteristics are common to these events: (1) the display of divine power, (2) human fear, (3) the command “Do not fear,” (4) the words of revelation for which God or the angel appeared, and (5) human response to the revelation. Four of the five are present in this story—the calming of the storm is the display of divine power, the disciples’ fear is the human fear. The question, “Why are you so afraid?” is the “Do not fear.” The disciples’ question, “Who then is this?” is the human response. What is missing is the words of revelation. This missing detail plays into the revelation/secrecy motif that runs through the entire book, where the truth about Jesus will come out. Here the disciples’ question, “Who then is this that the wind and the sea obey Him?” pushes the reader to fill in the answer of the missing words of revelation—He is the Son of God, the Lord Himself.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-05-calming-a-storm/

Daily Lesson for Sabbath 27th of July 2024

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study

Mark 4:35-41, Psalms 104:1-9, Mark 5:1-43, Numbers 27:17.

Memory Text:

“However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, ‘Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you’ ” (Mark 5:19, NKJV).

Jesus’ ministry was largely focused in Galilee, especially in and around the Sea of Galilee, a lake approximately 13 miles (21 kilometers) long and 8 miles (13 kilometers) wide. It is the largest body of water in the area and was the center of life for people living nearby.

Mark 4:1-41 ends with Jesus and His disciples traveling across the Sea of Galilee. A storm arises that Jesus calms by speaking to the wind and waves. Mark 6:1-56 ends with a similar scene, but this time with Jesus walking on the water toward His disciples in the boat. In between these scenes on the water are numerous miracles of Jesus that were done on land and His disciples’ first missionary activity. These stories are the subject of this week’s study.

The overarching characteristic of these dramatic stories is to let the reader see who Jesus is. He is the One able to calm a storm, cast out demons, heal a woman who simply touches His clothes, raise a dead girl, preach in His home town, send out His disciples on a preaching mission, feed with a few loaves and fish, and walk on water—incredible displays of power that are drawing the disciples closer to an understanding that He is the Son of God.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, August 3.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-05-miracles-around-the-lake/

The Mission program of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is an opportunity for us to understand the needs of others and share in supporting them. Please click on the image below to watch the Mission Spotlight presentation for this week:

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-july-27/