Daily Lesson for Wednesday 8th of November 2023

Acts 2:1-47 records the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. As the followers of Jesus were praying, tongues of fire rested upon their heads. They recognized that the promised power of the Holy Spirit had been given.

The disciples began to speak in other languages “as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-47:4). What’s crucial here is that God empowered each person for the benefit of unbelievers. The blessing wasn’t meant merely for their own good. It wasn’t a blessing to make them fit for heaven or a blessing to make it easier to do business in a foreign language. The blessing was given for fulfilling God’s mission to the lost. Today God calls on each of His followers to use their personal gifts for the good of His mission to unbelievers. We have been given gifts: What greater call to mission than to use what we have been given to reach others?

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit resulted in many of the people repenting of their rejection of the Messiah, for surely some of them were in Jerusalem when He died. Think of the power here: Peter accused some of them of having crucified the Christ. Obviously, they realized what they had done and, being convicted, cried out: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:1-47:37).

And yet, even they could receive forgiveness. Said Peter to them: “ ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’ ” (Acts 2:1-47:38, NKJV).

Working together, in harmony with the Holy Spirit and each other, these followers of Jesus preached repentance and the forgiveness of sins—even for those who could have been directly involved in crucifying Jesus! That’s the power of the gospel. If that message doesn’t motivate us to mission, what will? We are called to spread the gospel to the world, a sinful, fallen, corrupt world with sinful, fallen, and corrupt people. Our job is not to judge; our job is to witness to the saving power of Jesus.

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Daily Lesson for Tuesday 7th of November 2023

Luke 24:1-53 ends with Jesus’ ascension into heaven (Luke 24:1-53:50–53). But that is not the end of the story. The author, Luke, continues, writing the book of Acts. Just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave the disciples a mission, a promise, and immediate instructions to wait in Jerusalem for “power from on high” (Luke 24:1-53:49; see also Acts 1:4-8).

Jesus instructed the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until He fulfilled His promise to send the Promise of the Father (the Holy Spirit), who would empower them to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and beyond.

Jesus had given the disciples a clear mission: they were to be witnesses for Him to the world. So, while they waited, they prepared for their mission in two ways. First, Luke says they continued in united prayer and supplication. There was no question in any of their minds about what the mission was that Jesus had given them, and they had each accepted that mission. This inspired them to unite in prayer. Luke does not share what they were praying about, but it is most certain they were praying for wisdom, strength, and courage to fulfill the mission together. What an example for us.

The second thing they did while they waited was to prepare logistically for their mission. Judas had handed Jesus over for execution and then taken his own life. This had left a vacancy among the twelve. So, as they waited, the disciples sought God’s guidance and selected a replacement. In effect, the disciples were organizing themselves and planning the start of their mission. In the making of these decisions, Peter played a leadership role. No one challenged his move; they all saw God’s wisdom in it. There was an understanding and a trust that God was acting and working and moving in their midst. Their time of waiting was not idle but was filled with purpose and mission-driven action.

While we wait for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to help us complete the great mission of God, we must unite to encourage each other (Hebrews 10:24-25), praying for God’s Holy Spirit. Also, we should be aligning ourselves and our church with God’s priority—the saving of the lost.

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“God’s Mission – My Mission” consistently points us to our Gracious God and how He wishes us to portray what He has done for us. In response we will reach out to others: 
Hymn 573 – I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go, Dear Lord, hence our theme hymn. This is in response to 
So Send I You – Hymn 573.

Just as the Memory Text tells us of the words spoken to the disciples while Jesus was with them, we are able to request 
Lord, Speak to Me – Hymn 541 so that we are equipped to 
Go, Preach My Gospel – Hymn 378.

The joys the followers of Jesus had at the resurrection morning are in 
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today – Hymn 166 so that we are enabled to 
Go, Preach My Gospel – Hymn 378 and  
Go Forth, Go Forth With Christ – Hymn 377 “To Share The Good News” (Sunday).

Our request on Monday is 
Lord, I Have Made Thy Word My Choice – Hymn 278 so bless that I may be “grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love” in 
Hymn 534 – Will Your Anchor Hold? (chorus).

As with the disciples awaiting the Holy Spirit to descend on them, we may say 
At First I Prayed for Light – Hymn 488 and now ask 
Come, Holy Spirit – Hymn 269. The story of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is given further to us on Wednesday.

To be a disciple for our Lord Jesus today, it is wise to 
Seek Ye First The Kingdom – Hymn 224 and grow in the love of Jesus to then 
Go, Preach My Gospel – Hymn 378.

So, dear people, be encouraged to go forward so that we and all our friends and neighbors will be rejoicing 

When We All Get To Heaven – Hymn 633.

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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Key Thought: Our mission work comes from deep love and thankfulness for what Jesus has done and is doing in our lives. Staying in the word and in tune with the word is the key to successful outreach and evangelism.
November 11, 2023

A. Have a volunteer read Luke 24:36-49

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What was the response of those who heard about the risen Christ?
3. Personal Application: What was an experience you have had with God and His love? How did this, or does this, motivate you to reach out to others? Share your thoughts..
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “How well grounded are you in the matter of Christ’s first coming and His second coming? Why must we be grounded in the word and prophecies for these last days?” How would you respond to your relative?

B. Have a volunteer read Acts 1:14, 21-26.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What were the disciples doing while they were waiting for the promised outpouring of the Spirit?
3. Personal Application: How can you wait upon the Lord and not lose faith? How can we best use our time as the disciples did? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What does it mean they “cast lots” after praying? Was it a flip of the coin, or a voting process? It seems to make a difference in understanding the method of choosing in accord with prayer, doesn’t it?” How would you respond to your friend?

C. Have a volunteer read Acts 2:7-11, 37-41.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What can we glean about the makeup of the early church from these verses? What challenges might they have had because of their diversity of language and culture?
3. Personal Application: When we disciple and bring those from different backgrounds into a personal relationship with Jesus, how do we bring them into fellowship with other believers? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “I’ve heard of thousands of people giving their lives to Jesus in other countries, and sometimes in America. But what kind of fellowship and discipling takes place in these mass baptisms? What are they baptized into? A church? How are they being taught? I would be concerned about these mass baptisms today.”.” How would you respond to your relative

D. Have a volunteer read Acts 2:41-47

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What does it mean to us today that some that encouraged Jesus’ death were offered salvation?
3. Personal Application: How do we help new believers continue steadfastly in doctrine, fellowship, prayer, and breaking of bread?. 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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Daily Lesson for Monday 6th of November 2023

It is interesting that at first the disciples did not believe out of fear. Then, after seeing Jesus and being assured that He was indeed alive, they did not believe for joy (Luke 24:41). Have you ever felt that something was too good to be true? This was the experience of the disciples and the others in the upper room.

If Jesus had left them only with this experience, however, then when He departed, their faith might not have lasted. Over time the power of the experience could have faded; they would forget, or start, perhaps, even to question it. So, Jesus didn’t stop with showing them His scars and eating fish in front of them. Instead, He then took them into the Word and showed them the prophetic foundation for His work and ministry. That is, no matter how great the experience that they had with Him, Jesus still wanted their faith grounded in the Word of God.

“ ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me’ ” (Luke 24:44, NKJV).

Here, too, we find a powerful motivation for witness, for mission: the Word of God. Jesus knew that to solidify the disciples’ experience, they needed to understand why He had to die and what His resurrection signified. They needed their worldview to be shifted from a political and earthly kingdom to the great solution to sin and the victory of Christ over death. The gospel was so much more than achieving political sovereignty for Israel. It revealed Christ’s victory over Satan and guaranteed that one day all wickedness in the world would be destroyed, that the earth would be created anew, and that God would be among His people. He “opened their understanding” (Luke 24:45, NKJV) so they could comprehend these truths, which they were to share with the world.

Our experiences with Jesus cannot be sustained without the foundation of His Word, including the prophecies that point to the history and events leading up to, and including, the first and second advents of Christ. With these truths firmly understood, we can be ready and motivated for mission.

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