2011 Senior Youth WOP For Website 2

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EDITORIAL STAFF Gilbert Cangy DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR cangyg@gc.adventist.org Jonatn Tejel EDITOR tejelj@gc.adventist.org Hiskia Missah ASSOCIATE EDITOR missahh@gc.adventist.org Maria A. Dunchie LAYOUT & DESIGN, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT dunchiem@gc.adventist.org Erica Richards COPY EDITOR richardse@gc.adventist.org DEPARTMENTAL ADVISOR Armando Miranda REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES Magulilo Mwakalonge East-Central Africa Division mwakalongem@ecd.adventist.org Stephan Sigg Euro-Africa Division stephan.sigg@euroafrica.org ggkasap@gmail.com
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Benjamin Carballo Inter-American Division carballobe@interamerica.org Louise Nocandy Inter-American Division nocandyl@interamerica.org James Black North American Division james.black@nad.adventist.org Manny Cruz North American Division manny.cruz@nad.adventist.org Nakk Hyung Kim Northern Asia-Pacific Division youth@nsdadventist.org Bevan Mark Jenneke Northern Asia-Pacific Division bmjenneke@nsd.adventist.org Areli Barbosa South American Division areli.barbosa@adventista.org.br Busi Khumalo Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division sau.youthdir@adventist.org.za Nickolas Kross South Pacific Division nkross@adventist.org.au Jobbie Yabut Southern Asia-Pacific Division jyabut@ssd.org Ravindra Shankar Southern Asia Division mravis70@hotmail.com Paul Tompkins Trans-European Division ptompkins@ted-adventist.org John Enang Western Africa Division njenang@wad-adventist.org
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Debbonnaire Kovacs has been writing since she could hold a pencil, and sold her first story to Junior Guide when she was eleven years old. By her twenties, she recognized that writing and speaking were not just what she loved to do, but what God wanted her to do. She has written off and on for most of her life, but has been writing full time since 1990, having written twelve books including the first, second, fifth, and sixth grade Bible textbooks used in Adventist schools in North America, and over 150 stories and articles for all ages. She speaks at camp meetings, womens retreats, and other events, and also does copyediting. She urges everyone to take their dreams to God and see whether they are more than just dreams. They may be assignments from the King of Heaven. You can contact Debbonnaire at: www.debbonnaire.com or debbonnaire@debbonnaire.com
editorial
hen you travel by air, What is your IDENTITY as a In Selected the first procedure to Seventh-day Adventist youth? Messages, book go through when you arrive at IDENTITY can be defined as 2, p. 384, Ellen the airport is to go to the check- distinctiveness, uniqueness, White wrote, We in service counter to hand over particularity, character, or inare Seventh-day your baggage and to receive a tegrity. Thus by its definition, Adventists, and boarding pass. At that time, you Seventh-day Adventist youth of this name we will be asked to present your should be distinctive, unique, are never to be ashamed. ID, or IDENTIFICATION card, have a noble character, and which has your picture, name, demonstrate integrity. My dear young people, you date of birth, and address on it. The year 2011has been desig- have your nameSeventhWhen you proceed to the secuday Adventist; you have your nated as The Year of Identity rity checkpoint, again, you have for the Seventh-day Adventist IDENTITYa child of God; to present your ID and boarding youth around the world. The keep it up, hold it tight, raise it pass. When you arrive to your up throughout the year. Be a Encarta Dictionary defines destination in another country, true and faithful Seventh-day IDENTITY as the name or you have to present your ID Adventist, not on the seventhessential character that identicard and passport before you day only, but Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editorsomething. (http://www.cadkas.com). throughout all fies somebody or can leave the airport. seven days. So in this context, our identity Does someone really need an IDENTITY? Is it necessary for you to have an IDENTITY? The answer is, it is absolutely necessary. You have to have an IDENTITY. If you dont have your IDENTIFICATION, you would not be allowed to travel by air or by sea. IDENTIFICATION is a requirement for all travelers. You and I are travelers, and we are on our journey to Heaven. We must have an IDevidence of WHO WE ARE. is found in the name of our church, Seventh-day Adventist. You are a Seventh-day keeper, or in other words, you are a Sabbath keeper. An Adventist is someone who believes in and waits for the Second Advent, the coming of Jesus Christ. So our identity as a church is a group of people who places their hope in Jesus, eagerly awaits the Second Coming, and keeps all of His commandments, including the Seventhday Sabbath.
: our i.d.
This year the world church has been challenged to pray 7 days a week, at either 7 in the morning, or 7 in the evening. I invite you to become a 777 youth! My prayer is that we may all board the vehicle bound for Heaven one day soon, and that we will strive to discover our IDENTITY in Christ on this earth and continue to shine for Him.
Hiskia Missah GC Associate Youth Director
on the web : gcyouthministries.com

http://gcyouthministries.org Youth Week of Prayer
2011
W H O WA S J E S u S ? H O W D I D H E k N O W W H O H E WA S ?
WHO AM I? HOW CAN I kNOW WHO I AM?
ywop
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Editorial Read This First Jesus, The Door
Jesus, The Light of the World
Jesus, The Bread of Life Jesus, The Good Shepherd Jesus, The Way, The Truth, and The Life Jesus, The True Vine Jesus, The Resurrection and The Life Jesus, The Great I Am
SubScription: To order a subscription of Youth Ministry ACCENT, give a gift membership, or change address or make enquiries, visit our website at youth.gc.adventist.org or send subscription order and payment to the address below. youth ministry accent is a quarterly publication of the Youth Ministries Department, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. All rights reserved. Copyright 2010, by The General Conference of SDA Youth Ministries Department. A one-year subscription is US$18.00; Week of Prayer issue US$5.00. If YoUr ISSUE IS DAMAGED or MISSING, call 301-680-6170 or email us at dunchiem@gc.adventist.org. We will replace the issue thats missing. for EDITorIAl MATTErS: Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome, as well as letters to the editor, youth ministry tips, youth volunteer service reports, and programming and story ideas. Send manuscripts to YMA Editor at the address below. CoNTACT INforMATIoN: Telephone: (301) 680-6170 Fax: (301) 680-6155 Email: accent@gc.adventist.org or dunchiem@gc.adventist.org Website: youth.gc.adventist.org. Mailing Address: GC Youth Ministries Department, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600, USA.
read this first
identity
kNOWING WHO YOu ARE IN CHRIST Who are we? Regardless of our earthly relationships and our national/cultural loyalties, we are sons and daughters of God. This fact calls for a kind of loyalty and living that lifts young men and women above the crowd to stand tall for God. But in this hour it means more than just being loyal to God. The purpose of this special week of prayer and spiritual emphasis is to encourage you to reexamine who you are as a Christian. You must know who you are and what you stand forwhat it means to be a Seventh-day Adventist youth. The sermons are written as a conversation you would have with a group. You will see instructions, such as when to have Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). When there are scriptures read aloudthese are always in italics and placed in brackets. specific questions to ask they appear under the section, Discussion Questions, which are open for discussion, so they have no suggested answers. BE PREPARED The most important thing you can do is read over the part you are supposed to do several times in advance, until you become familiar with it. DONT READ!! You can keep your part on a podium in front of you and refer to it when necessary. Make lots of eye contact, move around, speak with expression, and make it yours. For the anecdotal stories, you may want to invite someone to help you role play these. It will make them more interesting and give other people a part. These will usually require only two people; each person can read his or her part. WhAt thE symBols mEAn Whenever you see this symbol you are at the beginning of the anecdotal 3 storyget someone to role play with you.
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Whenever you see this symbol you are at the start of the lesson, the life applicationhow the Bible text and story can be applied to our daily lives.
http://gcyouthministries.org
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WhAt I mEAns I, in these lessons, is you, the speaker. The writer didnt use I much, because shes not you, and she doesnt know what you might say. If there is an I statement that doesnt fit you, change it so it does. If you have a personal experience or insight that works better than one given, use it. you are the speaker. Be humorous. People remember things they laugh about, and laughing together makes them feel a sense of belonging and family.
Another good idea is to make posters of the eight Life Identity Principles and hang the corresponding one each night. If you do that, on the last night you can have all eight of them in front of the group as you review the principles during the presentation. Here are all eight of them: life Identity Principle #1. Because Jesus is the Light of the world, I can be a candle, lighting others paths to Him. life Identity Principle #2. Because Jesus is my Door, I can be a doorkeeper, welcoming others into Gods family. life Identity Principle #3. Because Jesus is the Bread (http://www.cadkas.com). of life, I can be a grain of wheat, giving myself to feed others His Word. life Identity Principle #4. Because Jesus is my Shepherd, I can be a lamb that follows faithfully, and also an undershepherd, helping to care for other lambs. life Identity Principle #5. Because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, I can walk in His Way, hold up His Truth, and share an abundant, full life with those around me. life Identity Principle #6. Because Jesus is the True Vine, I can be a blessed branch, drawing my nourishment from Him and glorifying God with much fruit.
nAmEs This is important. If the names of people in the stories are the same as someone in your audience, it would be a good idea to change them. Remember, these are composite stories, and the names can be changed to anything you Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor like. Just keep them diverse and international, or make them appropriate for where you are. DIscussIon QuEstIons There are some discussion questions at the end of each section. These are better if used in smaller groups of about 3-8 persons, but if need be can also be used with the entire group, if it isnt too big. They can also be used as individual thought questions or for journaling. scRIPtuRE READIngs Within each presentation there are scripture passages. The speaker can read them, especially if you are in a large room, like an assembly hall, but when possible, call on other people to read the texts, or for longer passages take turns reading a verse or two at a time.
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life Identity Principle #7. Because Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, I can rejoice in His newness of life now and trust Him for life eternal. life Identity Principle #8. Because Jesus the Great I AM is, was, and always will be, because He lived out a True and Complete Life here on earth, I can be my true and complete self in Him.
scRIBE It is really good to have someone serve as a scribemaybe a different person each nightand FoRm A WEEK oF PRAyER DEVEloPmEnt/ keep notes on a white board at the front. Some of REVIEW tEAm the lessons are better suited to this than others, but whenever VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-EditorDepending on the size of your church, this group Changed with the DEMOyou can include short comments (http://www.cadkas.com). or suggestions from the audience, thats always can be four to eight persons who will go through helpful. all eight days readings with you. Include on your team only interested and committed young adults and youth ministry leaders (Pathfinder, stARt youR PlAnnIng ImmEDIAtEly Sabbath School, etc., your pastor/s); this is We know that leadership sometimes changes important because it gives ownership to the at the end of the year; but please, if you will no entire group, rather than just you and your longer be the AY leader next year, do not let that stop you from planning for this special week. Start assistant. Ask the group to commit to meeting for at least five weeksat least one week for two your planning, develop your target, get your team lessons, and an extra week to wrap things up. Be together, and make sure your pastor is a part of sure to identify the goal and direction you want that team. to go, preferably at the first meeting, and choose a young person to speak for each day. choosE A thEmE song Involve your youth choir; if your church does not FInD A mEntoR have a youth choir, this is the perfect time to get This year we want to encourage you to do one started. Pick out songs that you all like, and something you may not have done beforefind which fit the topic of each evening or choose a a mentor. Find an experienced youth leader, song for the entire week. 8
stARt A PRAyER JouRnAl Nothing is greater for your personal spiritual growth than time spent in prayer. Your youth group will grow as you grow. Prayer journaling will help you encounter God in new and exciting ways. You will be able to track your walk with God as you go back and review answered prayers, see how He has lead you, step by step, each day. New, fresh, ideas will come to mind as you spend time in His presence journaling your prayers. You can find many ideas online on starting and keeping a prayer journal. Just go to http://www. google.com and type in the words starting a prayer journal.
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one you can trust to be honestsomeone who will have the guts to tell you what you need to change, what you need to keep doing, or what you need to totally do away with in your ministry. Make sure your mentor is also someone who can help guide you spiritually, someone you can turn to for spiritual guidance, who will ask you the tough questions and will help you work through problems. Also, this mentor should be someone who will help you keep Christ at the center of your plans and hold you accountable.
to serve as volunteers. Involve some of these volunteers in your development/review team. scREEnIng thE VoluntEERs While we may not like to admit it, the church is not a perfect place, and all volunteers must be screened. Develop your own screening process, ask the tough questions. Please contact your local conference/union/division and get information/ guidelines on screening volunteers in your area.
tAKE A suRVEy InVolVE youR PAREnts As VoluntEERs Find out who your young people are. Establish I served as the AY leader of a church, where a core group among the young people in your one year, the pastor challenged us to do church, even if they are not attending the youth something different for the Youth Week of meetings. Share your plans and goals for the Prayer. The committee decided to include Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-EditorWeek of Prayer with them. Start slowly, start (http://www.cadkas.com). drama in their Week of Prayer. Every night there small, but begin early. was dramatization before the actual sermons. Everyone made sure they came out early; they did not want to miss anything, and neither did their PlAn A Re-EncountER PRogRAm parents, who after taking them to the rehearsals use the last Sabbath to launch an annual Rewanted to see what the big day would be like. encounter program, spanning three months, This way, the pastor involved the parents in his culminating in a Homecoming Sabbath planning, and the youth involved the parents celebration. Start a prayer list for all inactive by having them bring them to the rehearsals. youth. So, parents can become your greatest fans and expand your ability to reach more people. PlAn A communIon sERVIcE/AgAPE Many times adult volunteers do not realize FEAst how much the youth look up to them, so if you A communion service on Friday evening toward involve more parents, who already know many the end of the service or on Sabbath morning of the youth, they will be more than willing to is a great idea. There are many ways you can serve since they already connect with some of do this to make it memorable for your group. the youth in your group. Try and find at least For more ideas on the Agape Feast visit: www. five adults that most of the youth look up to, gcyouthministries.org then challenge specific youth to ask those adults
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somE ActIVIty IDEAs Activities to go along with this series will make it even more interesting. We tend to do this sort of thing only for children, but adults are still visual, auditory, and kinesthetic, and we need hearing, seeing, and doing to help us remember things and make them a living part of us. You and your friends will be able to think of others when you read the lessons. Here are some ideas: lesson 1. Get votive or small candles and paper candle holders. Have a large candle up front that is already lit, which represents Jesus, the Light of the World. Turn off the overhead lights. Choose one person (who is willing to sing alone) to take his or her candle and light it at the big candle, singing This little light of mine. This person lights two Changed withpeoples candles, and they join in singing. the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor They each light two more and join in singing. Continue this pattern of lighting someone elses candle. Soon everyone will have a light and be singing. The whole room will light up, not only with physical light, but with the light of God, as people sing together to His glory. lesson 2. use a real door or an imaginary one to role play some of the ways doors are used, both positively and negatively. For example, one person could be knocking, and another could say, No! You cant come in here! You arent _______ enough! Then one person could knock and another could open the door and say, Welcome! Come in! Im so glad to see you! Try to think of and share real ways youve seen these attitudes played out in your lives or in the lives of those you know.
lesson 3. Bring some really good homemade bread to share with everyone. Talk about the process (steps) of baking this bread. lesson 4. Find a video clip online of a shepherd and sheep to watch and then discuss. (Visit http://www.wingclips.com/ movie-clips/ten-commandments/the-shepard for usable clips.) lesson 5. use a concordance to find all the places in Proverbs that say in the way. Youll be amazed! You could make posters or lists with what you find, or act them out. lesson 6. This one is old, but still good. Bring celery or Queen Annes Lace blossoms and put them in water that has food coloring in it. Talk about which parts of the plant absorb (http://www.cadkas.com). the colored water and how that relates to the lesson. lesson 7. Write stories or poems or draw pictures of what you think it might be like in the New Earth. (Yes, you can. Pretend youre 10 again if it helps.) lesson 8. Make a poster of all the I Am statements, like the one the kids in the story make. Or have a discussion in small groups, perhaps longer than usual, on individual answers to Who are you really? PRAy A lot! hAVE Fun!
Life identity
PrinciPLe #1 Beca u se Jesu s is the L ig ht of the world , I can be a ca ndl e, l ightin g oth ers p a th s to Him.
the Light of the WorLd

Jesus said, I am the Light of the World
Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). sitting on the table en Chung glowered at the Organic Pineapple Banana Dessert Smoothie
in front of him. He barely noticed the waitress stopping by his table. Something wrong, Wen? Is your smoothie okay?
Wen started. Oh, hi, Andrea. Sorry, I didnt see you. Realizing belatedly what she had said, he looked blankly at the tall, frosted glass, seeing it for the first time. Oh, yeah, yeah, its fine. To tell the truth, I havent even tasted it yet. Andrea glanced around the small caf and then sat down across from him. Its not busy yet. Whats up? Something troubling you? Wen met her concerned eyes. This was the sort of thing that made him like Andrea. He smiled for the first time that morning. Youre amazing, you know? Andrea looked surprised. Me? Why? You have so many worries of your own. Three kids, two jobs, an absentee husband . . . Yada yada, said Andrea, flapping a hand. I asked what was up with you! Thats my point, said Wen. Youre always the first person to notice someone else in trouble. Dont you have enough troubles of your own?
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Maybe thats why I notice, said Andrea with a grin. Other peoples troubles are way more interesting than your own, havent you ever noticed? Come ontalk to me! The doctor is in, and the clock is running. Wen grimaced. Well, for one thing, Im thinking about changing my majoragain! Im in my second year of university already, and I dont know what I want to do when I grow up, if I ever do!
killer homework assignment. Youll never believe it. We have to write a 10-page essay on Who Am I? Ten pages!! Can you believe it? I couldnt use up 10 words on that question!
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
___________________________________________ Andrea grinned again. The If somebody asks, Who are trick might be to ask yourself you? what do you say? The ___________________________________________ what youd want to do if you most PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). obvious answer, of course, Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS ______________________ ______________________ never did grow up! is your name. But thats just what youre called. It doesnt ___________________________________________ What, you mean besides really tell anyone who you are fireman, space alien, or ______________________ ______________________ inside. millionaire software designer? ___________________________________________ Wen started to laugh, then What are some other stopped. He paused a second. answers? Which of these ______________________ ______________________ Hey, thats a really good possibilities could you say? ___________________________________________ idea! I have to think about Im a woman. that! He stirred his smoothie ___________________________________________ absentmindedly. Im a man. ______________________ ______________________ Well, said Andrea, that will Im so-and-sos son or be $250! Ill bill you. She started ___________________________________________ daughter. to get up, but Wen stopped her. ______________________ ______________________ Im a sister or a brother. Oh, no, thats the least of my Im a mom or a dad. ______________________ ______________________ worries!
Andrea sat again. Professor Ellison gave us this 12
= Who am I? Its one of the great questions of life, maybe the greatest question of all. We can spend our entire lives trying to figure out the answer (or answers) to it. Some never do figure it out. Some dont even try.
Im a certain race. Im from a certain state.

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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
Im a Christian. Im a Seventh-day Adventist. Or you may answer by saying what you do: Im an artist. Im the scientific type. Im a computer geek. I work at XYZ company. Im an athlete.
The best answer would be, Im a child of God, but what does that really mean? Does it ___________________________________________ mean we look a certain way or ___________________________________________ behave a certain way? Can you if someone is Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ always tell for sure(http://www.cadkas.com). ways we know One of the _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor God, just by _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ living as a child of who we are is the stories our ___________________________________________ looking at them? Can you even parents and grandparents tell know for sure if you are living as us. Just imagine the ones Jesus _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ a child of God yourself? ______________________ heard! When you were a little ___________________________________________ It seems obvious that the baby, angels sang over you, best way to figure out what that and one of them told me you ______________________ ______________________ would look like is to look at the were going to save your people ___________________________________________ life of the Quintessential Child from their sins! Can you even of God, Jesus of Nazareth. And imagine how it would feel as a ___________________________________________ thats what were going to do 10-year-old to hear stories like _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ during this Week of Prayer. ______________________ that?
was both human and divine (and nobodys going to get that one figured outtheyve been trying for centuries!) But still, as a human, He started life here on earth as a child, the same as we did, right? He grew and learned as a child. Im sure some old Jewish grandmothers or rabbis pinched His cheek and asked Him what He wanted to be when He grew up! What did He say? What did He say about who He was already, even when He was young? Im Marys son, Im Josephs son, Im a Jew, Im from Nazareth, Im a carpenter.
___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________

Think about the ways in which Jesus knew who He was. This is amazingly interesting when you get into it, because we all sort of think Jesus, as the Son of God, just knew. Well, yes, He was the Son of God. He
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But how did Jesus know who He really was? Thats the question were going to look at during this Week of Prayer. Not just what did His parents tell Him, or what did He learn when He studied the prophecies, but
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Then in verse 9, John calls ______________________ ______________________ In the Gospel of John, Jesus the true light, who gives ___________________________________________ there are seven famous I Am light to everyone. To everyone! statements that Jesus made. Not that everyone understands ___________________________________________ We will study all seven of them or accepts it. But thats the basic ___________________________________________ this week, and then well spend promise. Jesus comes into the some time on what that whole I world to live as a human being ___________________________________________ Am thing is about. As a name of and to bring light to everyone. ___________________________________________ God, you have to admit its more His life is the light, so just by creative than most of the ones Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ being here, Hes going to bring ______________________ _______ the gods of this world claim! this light. ___________________________________________ What does it really mean? Now lets look at where Jesus The first I Am statement ______________________ ______________________ actually makes the statement we want to look at is I am the claiming to be the Light of the ___________________________________________ light of the world. world. Turn with me in your ______________________ The first time in this gospel Bibles to John 8:12. When Jesus _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ that Jesus is called the Light spoke again to the people, he ___________________________________________ comes in the very first chapter. said, I am the light of the world. ___________________________________________ John the Beloved, the youngest Whoever follows me will never of Jesus 12 apostles, is most walk in darkness, but will have ______________________ ______________________ famous for calling Jesus the the light of life. ___________________________________________ Word here, but he also calls Him This is a very familiar the Light. Read verses 4 and 5 ______________________ ______________________ saying, but a lot of people dont with me: In Him was life, and realize what was happening that life was the light of men. The ______________________ ______________________ when Jesus said it. Its quite light shines in the darkness, but ______________________ ______________________ surprising. What is the story the darkness has not understood that precedes these words of it. Other versions say the ___________________________________________ 14
how did He really know, deep inside, who He was and what He was sent to do? If we look at those questions and some of the ways He answered them, maybe we can find out some ways we can answer, too. Maybe well learn some things about who we really, truly are on the inside.
darkness cannot overcome it, which is equally true. So its Jesus life itself that is the light. Just by existing, Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit, bring light into the universe. Maybe thats why its the first thing They made at creation.
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
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anything at all, is light to see by? Jesus, and in a way serves as You can hardly even get dressed introduction? Its the story of or eat without at least a little the woman who was caught in ___________________________________________ adultery. The leaders wanted to light. So how can we know how _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ stone her, but Jesus forgave her, to live as children of God if we ______________________ dont have spiritual light to see ___________________________________________ and told her to Go and sin no by? more. We have all been caught ___________________________________________ in sin, whether its big or small, That woman who committed adultery probably did not _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ a few times in our lives. And ______________________ I hope that we have all gone behave that way because she ___________________________________________ to Jesus for forgiveness and just wanted to be bad. She might not have even done it because ___________________________________________ cleansing. Thats hard enough, yet its the easy part. What she was only interested in her ___________________________________________ you do next is the hard part. own pleasure and didnt care about what was right or wrong. ___________________________________________ Go and sin no more. How? Literally for goodness sake, Most likely, she did it because ___________________________________________ how on earth can we go and sin what she most wanted is the Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ no more? same thing _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). every single human _ __ _____ _________ __ being craves, and thats to feel Most of the time, when this ___________________________________________ loved. People try all kinds of story is told, people stop right things to make themselves feel _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ there. I forgive you, now go ______________________ good, worthwhile and loved, ___________________________________________ and be good! And what do we and one really common one go and do? Sin again! is to hang out with somebody ______________________ ______________________ Youll notice Jesus didnt stop who tells you nice things and ___________________________________________ there. compliments you, and so you pretend they really love you ___________________________________________ Consider verse 12 again. when in your heart you know Isnt that a strange thing to ______________________ ______________________ they dont care a thing about say right here? It seems like a you. Have you ever done that? ___________________________________________ complete change of subject! I It feels good for a little while, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ am the light of the world. What but not for long, right? ______________________ does it have to do with go and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ stop sinning? ______________________ Jesus was saying to this lonely woman, Follow Me, and ______________________ ______________________ Dont you think the very first youll live in the true light of My love. I know who you really ___________________________________________ thing we need, before we do
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truly are, deep inside, and I love you! I dont love you for what I can get out of you, or because I want to control you. I love you because you are you and you are Mine. I am the light of this whole world. Come follow Me!
How did Jesus know this about Himself? As we noted before, He was God in human flesh and knew all kinds of In the Sermon on the Mount, things, but the Bible says He Jesus said an astonishing thing. learned, and we know that Its not found in John, but in Jesus knew that the true Mary told Him the stories Matthew. Turn to Matthew light of the world is love. He about His birth and the 5:14. You are the light of the knew what perfect love was announcements the angels world. A city on a hill cannot be like, in heaven with His Father made. We also know that hidden. Neither do people light Changed with theHe wentVERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). and the Spirit, and He knew when DEMO to the temple a lamp and put it under a bowl. how messed up our ideas of when He was 12, He watched Instead they put it on its stand, love are. He knew people tend the sacrifices and began to and it gives light to everyone in to either go around thinking understand fully what His the house. In the same way, let theyre too bad for God to love, mission was in this world. your light shine before men, that or that God owes them love, (Can you imagine figuring they may see your good deeds and because theyre more lovable out a thing like that at 12 praise your Father in heaven. than everybody else. Jesus years old? When I was 12, I What? Who is the light of came to show us what Gods was more interested in what the world? Me? Youre kidding, love is like. He demonstrated the next cool game was.) We right? it every day of His life. He know Jesus spent a lot of time Wen Chung would be touched people others wouldnt studying the scrolls of the Old really surprised if somebody touch, healed the ones nobody Testament and praying all by walked up to him while he was thought deserved it, forgave Himself out in the fields with sitting there worrying over people for all kinds of things, His heavenly Father. It seems his major, and this paper his talked with them, laughed with to me that, since He promised religion professor assigned, them, went to their weddings the Holy Spirit to us, and since and said, Hey, Wen, you are and parties. . . He loved them! we know the Spirit came on the light of the world! Andrea And they knew it. Him in power at His baptism, 16
we can be sure that the same Spirit was present with Him as a child and as a young man, figuring things out by study and prayer the same way we can. Jesus saw that in the Bible, God was the Light Bringer, and promised even as early as to Adam and Eve that He would send a Redeemer to bring back the light that sin had dimmed. Jesus learned that He was that Redeemer.
Then He said, Follow Me. Live in the light. God loves youpass it on! So far, there havent really been any surprises. We all know Jesus is the Light of the world, and we all probably agree that love is another name for that light. But here is where it gets really unexpected.
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But the moon is just a big, round rock. It doesnt have any source of heat or light itself. So But thats what Jesus said. it cant shine or warm anybody Not only did He say to all the So once we accept that Jesus up, and if you could go up and thousands of listeners that were ask it who it is and what good it is the Light of the world, several there that day, You are the things happen. First, we tell is, it might get pretty depressed light of the world, He went on Him, yes, please, we do want and say, I dont knowIm to say that they shouldnt try Him to bring His light and life just a worthless hunk of rock! to hide their lights under bowls Even if the or bushels. They should put moon could them up on lampstands and let see and feel their lights shine on everyone and think, it around. Doesnt that seem kind would have of the bragging? Hey, look CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). Changed with like DEMO VERSION ofat no way of me, Im the light of the world! knowing that when the Do you think thats what sun shines Jesus meant? Luckily, we on it, it glows dont have to discuss what we in our sky think He meantHe tells us and love into our lives. Then we like a jewel. On a full moon right there. He didnt say, Let spend time every day basking people see your good deeds and night, there is enough reflected in His presence through Bible light to cast shadows on the praise you. He said, Let them study and prayer and singing. ground. Back before there was see your good deeds and praise Next we practice reflecting His artificial light, people who had your Father in heaven! love and light onto everyone to travel long distances would Its kind of like the sun and pay attention to the phase of the around us. the moon. The sun is burning moon so they would have light We look to see what Gods and producing huge amounts to travel by. light does. It warms people up, of light and heat, all by itself. it shines, brightens, and cheers And would you believe that Nobody keeps fueling it or all around. So if we want to in the sunshine, the moons relighting it. God set it up and know if were acting like the temperature can get up to 123 started it burning, and there light, we ask, do people feel degrees Celsius or 253 degrees it is, burning ever since. God
http://gcyouthministries.org D Ay 1 Youth Week of Prayer
would probably be even more surprised, even though its clear to onlookers that she is busy passing on that light of love every day, despite the difficulties in her own life.
is like that light. He produces light and love and goodness just by being there.
Fahrenheit? As soon as it rotates away from the sun, on the dark side, it can drop down to as low as -233 C or -387 F at the poles, where it gets the least solar heating (wiki.answers). Thats a big difference!
Who am I? Its one of the great questions of life, maybe the greatest question of all.
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brightened and cheered when theyre around us? We watch for others that make us feel warmed and loved, too, and spend time in their presence, because one of the ways we learn Gods love is from how we relate to each other. We ask ourselves questions, as Ellen White suggests:
you fail to exercise Christian courtesy, forbearance, and love in your families, God and holy angels are grieved away, and instead of being the light of the world, you are bodies of darkness (Australasian Union Conference Record; November 1, 1904 par. 8).
Bodies of darkness! Ouch! The Do you realize that you problem is, if we read that and are the light of the world? take it seriously, we might get Do you, in your words and into looking at ourselves all the deportment at home, leave We are not and could never time, worrying about whether a bright track heavenward? be a source of light to the world, were the light of the world, [We could add, at work, at any more than the moon could or bodies of darkness. But it is Changed with school, wherever we are.] of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). the DEMO VERSION be a source of light, heat, or also possible to look too hard at What is it to be the light of power to earth. But if we let ourselves. If we spend too much the world? It is to have God for your guide, to have Jesus shine His light and love time examining ourselves and the companionship of holy into our lives, we will be lamps our actions, well be like the angels, and to reflect to to His glory, and when others moon rotating away from the others the light that shines see us, they will learn to praise sun and looking at ourselves upon you from above; but if God, too. instead of Jesus. Thats a quick
way to get really cold and dark! When we keep our eyes on Jesus, walking beside Him, looking up at His face, soaking up His love, then that love will reflect on everybody else. Others will notice that we are bright and cheerful, and they may feel better about themselves. Maybe theyll ask why were so happy, and we can say, Because Jesus loves me so much and I just cant help being happy about it! And He loves you, too, you know.
discussion Questions
1. Who are you? No, who are you really? 2. How do you think the woman felt when Jesus forgave her? Why? Have you ever felt that way? 3. Do you agree that love is the light of the world? Why is that so important? Why do we lose track of it so easily? 4. Share some ways God has shone light and love into your life lately. 18
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Life identity
PrinciPLe #2 Beca u se Jesus is my Door, I can b e a doorkeep er, welco min g oth ers into Gods family.
the door
Jesus said, I am the Door
ndrea VERSION of look on Wens face as she walked toward him to take Changed with the DEMOsaw the startledCAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). his order. She started talking before she even got to his table. I know, I know, I look like a domestic abuse case! Everybodys staring. You see that swinging door over there? She pointed, and Wens gaze moved to the door to the kitchen area and back to her face. He grimaced with dawning comprehension and sympathy. Let me give you a little tip. Those doors are made that way so that you can see somebody coming toward you. They dont work as well if two people are walking toward them from opposite sides, both with their arms loaded, and both looking back over their shoulders to say something to someone! Ow, said Wen, his round face comically wrinkled. Andrea tried to grimace back, then winced. Ow is right. She touched her cheek. It looks almost as bad as it feels. Doors are my curse this week! Yesterday morning my toddler gate broke, and I found the dog and Minnie, my 3-year-old, in the kitchen feasting on dry cereal togetherfrom the floor! Wen was laughing, and Andrea rolled her eyes at him. Its not funny! So, what would you like this morning? Well, you know me and the smoothies, said Wen with a grin. Its my personal mission to try them all. So today I want that Banana Crunch Breakfast Smoothie. And do yourself a favor, pleasego through the door carefully! Dont worry! said Andrea. When she got back with Wens smoothie, he had his laptop open and was busily typing away. He looked up and thanked her as she set down the tall glass. And not for just the smoothie, either, he added. You just helped me with a paperagain!
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What, youre writing about clumsy women?
___________________________________________ No, but Professor Ellison is all about doors this week. ______________________ ______________________ Its even stranger when you Like what are they for, do they ___________________________________________ look at the context, that is, the keep things in or out, and what stories and sayings that are right does it mean that Jesus is the ___________________________________________ around it. The last chapter is Door? He said something Id a long, detailed story of a man ______________________ ______________________ never thought about before. Jesus healed from blindness. In Revelation, where it talks ___________________________________________ Interestingly, He first repeated, about Jesus knocking at the I am the light of the world. ___________________________________________ door, its not in the context Then He healed the man. This we always take it for, the door ___________________________________________ man had been blind his whole of the individual heart, its in life, and some of the people ___________________________________________ the context of the church thought God made him blind specifically, to the church of deliberately, because either he or ___________________________________________ Laodicea. What do you think Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ his parents were sinful. Others ______________________ _______ that means? were all upset because Jesus Andrea thought about it, but ___________________________________________ healed him on the Sabbath. Can only for a second. There was you imagine? Youre blind your ______________________ ______________________ a large group coming into the whole life, Jesus miraculously caf. You mean, Hes knocking ___________________________________________ heals you, and instead of joining at the church door and cant get in your incredulous joy, your ______________________ ______________________ in? Wow, thats something to pastor and elders are all frowning think about. Got t-o go, sorry! ___________________________________________ because it happened on the = The second I Am statement Sabbath?! ___________________________________________ of Jesus that well examine this At the end of chapter 9, Jesus ______________________ ______________________ week is found in John 10:9: tells the Pharisees they have a I am the gate; whoever enters problem with spiritual blindness. ___________________________________________ through me will be saved. He Then His very next words, in ______________________ ______________________ will come in and go out, and find John 10:1, are about robbers and pasture. Some Bibles say door, ______________________ ______________________ thieves climbing into a sheep and some say gate, but either pen to steal sheep, rather than ______________________ ______________________ one is kind of strange. For Jesus going through the door. He says to say He is the Light of the ___________________________________________ that the sheep wont listen to
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world makes sense. We can see that He brightens and warms people by His presence. But how can a person be a door or a gate?
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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
people who are not their own shepherd, but that they will listen to Him. You can tell Hes working up to saying He is the Good Shepherd, and He does (well look at that another day), but first He says Hes the door, or the gate, to the sheep pen. Its strange. What does He mean?
Maybe youve heard that in those days, the sheep fold ___________________________________________ sometimes didnt have a door or gate. It just had an open ___________________________________________ doorway, and the shepherd lay Does Jesus do all these ___________________________________________ across that doorway to sleep, things? Lets take a look. predator could get in Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ so no PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and harm his sheep at night. If open: What are some things Jesus opens up to? Obviously ___________________________________________ anything tried, it would wake He opens up to love and light him up, and he would fight _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ it off. So if a thief or robber ______________________ and truth. He always opens up to anyone who wants to talk to ___________________________________________ wanted to steal or harm the Him or to listen to Him. He was sheep, he would have to try to welcoming to Nicodemus, who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ sneak over the wall without ______________________ came in private at night, and He ___________________________________________ waking up the shepherd. A was welcoming to the people person could literally be a door. who ran all the way around the ___________________________________________ What does a door do? Lets Sea of Galilee to find Him, and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ talk about that for a second. ______________________ He was even welcoming to the woman at the well, who didnt ___________________________________________ If Professor Ellison were your religion professor and you had even know what she was looking _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to write this paper, you could ______________________ for. Jesus is open to anything anyone ever wants to tell Him, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ start by listing some of the ______________________ things a door does. [If possible even if its a negative or hurtful _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and practical, get suggestions ______________________ thing that Hes going to ask the person to give up. In the Psalms, ___________________________________________ from the listeners and have a
scribe write them on a board at the front.] It opens and shuts. It keeps people and animals out. It keeps people and animals in. It keeps cold or warm air out or in. It can stand open in welcome, or it can be locked tight. It even shows you where to go. If you want to go in a house, you cant just walk through the wall, you can only get there through the door. (You could go in through the window, but that usually means something bad.)
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we open and opens what ___________________________________________ we shut. Did you know that in the very earliest days of ___________________________________________ Adventism, even before the ______________________ ______________________ church was officially formed, some believed that the door in ___________________________________________ the shut door concept referred ___________________________________________ to in Revelation 22:11,12 had already been shut, and that ______________________ ______________________ there was no possibility of ___________________________________________ salvation for those who did not go through the original Great ___________________________________________ Disappointment. Thank God ___________________________________________ our forebears were still open to shut: What does Jesus God and were able to recognize close the door against? The ___________________________________________ pretty quickly that He didnt whole Bible teaches that one ___________________________________________ want them to think that way. of these days, God will shut And PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Changed with the DEMO and for all on all the door once VERSION of CAD-KASthats a very important ______________________ _______ pointare we open to God and sin, falsehood, hatred, envy, ___________________________________________ His ways, even if they arent idolatry, selfishness, and pride. what we thought, or are we People who are clinging to ______________________ ______________________ those sins will get shut out, too, closed to any ideas we didnt ___________________________________________ and thats just what God doesnt already think of and put our want to happen, so Hes holding name on? Are we willing to ______________________ ______________________ change if it becomes necessary? the door open as long as He ___________________________________________ Are our minds open or shut, can, begging people to come and is it possible to be so openin. It began with God reaching ___________________________________________ minded that our brains fall out, out to our first parents as they ______________________ ______________________ hid from Him after their dismal or locked so tightly shut God cant get in? failure, and it will continue ___________________________________________ until the last day that people Keeps things in: Sometimes ______________________ ______________________ can choose to join Gods side. you want the door shut Then the door will shut, and sin because its winter, and you ______________________ ______________________ will be destroyed forever. want to keep the warm air in. David says some really awful things to God when hes angry or upset. God doesnt encourage David to think that way, but He doesnt shut him away and refuse to listen to him, either. Have you ever heard a boss or employer or pastor say they have an open door policy? That means they are happy to talk to you any time, and you wont be interrupting. Thats how Jesus is. Its worth noting, too, that sometimes Jesus shuts what
Sometimes you want it shut because its summer and you

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want to keep the cool air in. than the ones who jumped over Sometimes you shut the sheep the wall and got caught in a gate because you dont want the bramble hedge! But thats okay, ___________________________________________ sheep to wander. Andrea, the because Jesus goes after them, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ waitress, keeps a gate on the ______________________ too, rescues them from the kitchen opening, not because thorns, carries them back, and ___________________________________________ she doesnt love her kids and gives them another chance. ___________________________________________ her dog, but because she does. Keeps things out: When it _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ At the nursing home where ______________________ comes to hot or cold air, you there is a wing for Alzheimer could look at it either way. In ___________________________________________ or other dementia patients, the winter months, are you ___________________________________________ they have to keep the door keeping the cold air out or the locked so that people who cant ___________________________________________ remember where they are wont warm air in? And in summer, are you keeping the cool air in ___________________________________________ get out and wander away. They or the hot air out? Yesgates could get lost, or get hit by a are like that, too. When the ___________________________________________ car. Sometimes they are angry sheep gate is shut and locked, Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ because they feel locked in, _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com).cant get out, but _ __ _____ _________ __ the sheep but the people who love them also, the hyenas and wolves and ___________________________________________ want to keep them safe. Doing jackals and mountain lions cant this and seeing those you love ______________________ ______________________ get in to eat them! I dont know getting angry when you are about sheep, but I know there ___________________________________________ trying to protect them can be a are different kinds of people heart-wrenching experience. ______________________ ______________________ some whod rather stay in and Does Jesus shut His lambs safe and never go out at all, and ___________________________________________ in sometimes? Abide with Me, some who feel rebellious and ___________________________________________ He says. Stay here with Me, let angry and dont want to be shut Me choose the path. Dont run in everwhere are you on that _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ away. Sometimes we may feel ______________________ continuum? locked in to some circumstance
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___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________
or rule, but in fact, if we stick with Jesus, well be amazed how far well go. Well have higher adventures and wider experience than we ever would have expectedcertainly wider
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In the Bible, Jesus talks about thieves and robbers who climb over the wall. In this world, lets face it: things are not the way God meant them to be when He created it. There is no perfect
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a very long time. Can we trust safety anymore. Even with the ___________________________________________ door closed, bad things can Him even then? happen. People can break into ___________________________________________ Yes. We can. Really. houses and steal things, and shows the way: Jesus not ______________________ ______________________ they can break into hearts and only said He was the door, He steal security and peace. Those ___________________________________________ whose houses have been robbed said He was the only way to the Father. Thats in John 14:6, often say that the worst thing ___________________________________________ right after He said He was the isnt the jewelry or money or ______________________ ______________________ Way, the Truth, and the Life, TVs they lost. The worst thing is not feeling safe anymore. which well examine on another ___________________________________________ Someones been in their room, day. Some people worry that ___________________________________________ handling their things. They feel this means all the millions of betrayed and violated. Hearts people who never heard of ___________________________________________ are like that, too. Someone you Jesus will automatically be ___________________________________________ thought you could trust betrays lost, but the Bible doesnt teach your friendship and hurts you, that. God is the perfect and true ___________________________________________ or someone made promises and Judge, and He knows whether Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ didnt keep them. people are trying to follow the Creator or reject Him in ___________________________________________ Jesus will never do that. He terms of the knowledge that is isnt just someone who wont ______________________ ______________________ accessible to them [Write text out break down the doorHe is - Romans 1:18-20]. These people ___________________________________________ the Door. He is the only way to life and happiness. He can who will receive eternal life ______________________ ______________________ open wide and make you feel and live forever with God will welcome, and He can close do so through Jesus life, death, ___________________________________________ around you, snuggly, and make and resurrection, even if they ___________________________________________ you feel safe. dont know it and never heard of Him. Thats amazing and ______________________ ______________________ We can trust Him. reassuring, isnt it? Sounds simple, doesnt it? The ___________________________________________ Everybody in Gods kingdom fact is, Jesus will never betray ______________________ ______________________ you, but sometimes it might feel would have gone through that door one way or another, as though He has. Your prayers ______________________ ______________________ whether they knew it or not. may be answered in ways you ______________________ ______________________ Jesus says those who knowingly dont even recognize, so you feel unanswered, sometimes for tried to get in another way, ___________________________________________ 24
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mystery. Children ask how Jesus can get tiny enough to live inside of them. They reflect ___________________________________________ the same kind of thinking ______________________ ______________________ Nicodemus disclosed when Jesus told him that he had ___________________________________________ to be born again; he asked ___________________________________________ whether he had to reenter his mothers womb. Secular people, ______________________ ______________________ Like the Light of the world, even when they are honestly this door imagery also goes ___________________________________________ seeking, can find those concepts both ways. Jesus is the Door, confusing. If were honest, we ___________________________________________ the gateway to heaven even for will all admit we wonder just those who dont know Him and ___________________________________________ how it really works. We say maybe never hear of Him until that Jesus, through the Holy ___________________________________________ they get there. But not only Spirit, lives in us, transforms us, do we enter into Him, He also equips us for service, guides us, ___________________________________________ enters into us. We have doors, and helps us make choices and Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ too. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ __ _____ _________ __ do the right things. ___________________________________________ says, Here I am! I stand at the Jesus never knocks down door and knock. If anyone hears doors. He never forces His ways _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ my voice and opens the door, I ______________________ on us. He made our hearts, He ___________________________________________ will come in and eat with him, has called out to us our entire and he with me. lives, and He has every right ______________________ ______________________ Im sure Wens professor and plenty of power over us! ___________________________________________ would agree that the traditional He could make us puppets if interpretation of this text (Jesus He wanted to, but Hes spent ___________________________________________ asking to enter individual thousands of years making it _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ hearts) is also true. Well look at clear that He has no interest in ______________________ it his way shortly. coercing us into acceptance and ___________________________________________ obedience. He never forces His Despite the language we _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ have used for years, Jesus ______________________ way in. He stands politely at the door and knocks, waiting for us _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ wants to live in our hearts, ______________________ to answer. none of us can really describe _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and explain what that means ______________________ What are some of the ways Jesus knocks on our ___________________________________________ or how it works. Its a divine
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climbing over the wall, He calls it, are thieves and robbers, and unless they change their mind and go around to the door, they will be cast out. The greatest blessing is being able to see that Jesus is the Door to life, and enter into Him by choice.
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___________________________________________ Jesus says, Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. Will ______________________ ______________________ we let Him in? He would ___________________________________________ not have us stand at this time, amid the perils of the ___________________________________________ last days, in our own finite ___________________________________________ strength.... It is our privilege to walk in the sunshine of ___________________________________________ The pastor preaches a His presence, and to weave sermon that particularly appeals ___________________________________________ into the characters we are to us and reminds us of eternity Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ forming the golden threads ______________________ _______ and of the powerful life with of cheerfulness, gratitude, God we could have; want to ___________________________________________ forbearance, and love. We have; will have . . . one of these may thus show the power ______________________ ______________________ days . . . Do we call, Just a of divine grace, and reflect minute!? ___________________________________________ light from Heaven amid Even a song, or some loving all the frets and irritations ______________________ ______________________ thing a friend says or does, can that come to us day by day. be a knock. Someone dies, and ___________________________________________ . . . Then why do we go we think about when well see stumbling along without ___________________________________________ them again in the New Earth, light? . . . Our work is to and theres another knock. ______________________ ______________________ open the door of the heart Sometimes we think, Oh, and let Jesus come in. He is ___________________________________________ man! Jesus is at the door! Id knocking for entrance.... Will ______________________ ______________________ better clean up before I let Him you open the door? Jesus in! I wouldnt want Him to see is standing at the door of ______________________ ______________________ what its really like in here! your heart. Let Him in, the ______________________ ______________________ heavenly Guest. (Our High News flashHe knows what its like in there! And Hes Calling, p. 352.2, 6) ___________________________________________
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hearts? We might think of our consciences. We have some more Christian jargon for that, all about seared consciences and so forth. The fact is, most of the time we have a pretty good idea when we are about to do something we shouldnt. Theres this little uncomfortable bump inside. Thats a knock at the door. Do we answer? Or pretend we didnt notice? Or come up with all kinds of arguments and justifications for why its okay this time?
the only one who can clean it up, anyway. If we try to get somehow good enough first, well never let Him in. Theres only one job we have to do, and its plenty hard enough. Ellen White puts it like this:
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________
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Jesus still has plans for us. He Did you hear that? Our doesnt just knock once and work. Opening and letting Him in is the easiest thing everyou never pay attention to us again. ___________________________________________ He has all kinds of great ideas just say yes. Then you get up _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and start doing the same things ______________________ for our lives. If we stick with Him, well start to recognize you ever did, and you realize ___________________________________________ when something as simple as you forgot and shut Him out an ad on TV or a job that opens ___________________________________________ there again. So you apologize up in our neighborhood might and open the door again. This _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ time it lasts for about five ______________________ be a knock from Him. As we grow in Him, we will also grow ___________________________________________ minutes, and then somebody in knowledge of ourselves, annoys you, and you yell, and ___________________________________________ you realize, okay, Hes in, but especially in the ways that we are individuals, and different ___________________________________________ Im not letting Him have any from each other. Well ask what sayIm keeping Him standing ___________________________________________ in the corner, out of my way. He made us to do and listen for the answers. Its work! It will take us the rest ___________________________________________ of our lives, but its so worth it! The main question were Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). during this week of _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Pretty soon, we realize were dealing with ___________________________________________ cooperating with Him, and new prayer and spiritual emphasis things are happening, and its is, How did Jesus know who _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ exciting. ______________________ He was? How did it occur to Him that He was a door or a Then there are different ___________________________________________ gate? I wonder if one way Jesus kinds of knocks for different _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ people. Take livelihood. From ______________________ learned this about Himself is that He found Himself being ___________________________________________ childhood, we start thinking protective. Thats one of the about what we want to do with main things doors doprotect ___________________________________________ our lives. People used to ask, whats on one side from whats _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ What do you want to be when ______________________ on the other. you grow up? When it gets ___________________________________________ really embarrassing is if, like In this story in John, Jesus Wen, youre two or three years had healed the blind man, and ______________________ ______________________ into college, and you still dont then the man had actually been _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ know. Or, like Andrea, you ______________________ kicked out of the synagogue didnt go to college at all and because he maintained that _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ are working at a job where you ______________________ it was Jesus who had healed ___________________________________________ are not finding great fulfillment. him! The Pharisees were saying
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the gate and His own sheep ___________________________________________ knew His voice and would ignore everyone else. Its a good ___________________________________________ thing, too. What if that man ______________________ ______________________ had given in to the synagogue leaders, hanging his head and ___________________________________________ agreeing about how bad he ___________________________________________ was? He would be able to see, but he would have lost some ______________________ ______________________ of the blessings. Instead, he ___________________________________________ stood up for Jesus and what he knew had been done for him. ___________________________________________ His faithfulness was richly When Jesus heard this, John ___________________________________________ rewarded as Jesus met him out 9:35 says He went and found of the synagogue and revealed ___________________________________________ the man. He knew that His that He was indeed the Son of protectiveness was needed. The ___________________________________________ Man. The blind man who could man and his family must have Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KASsee became one of the few now PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ been very confused. Here they people mentioned in the gospels wereon what should be the ___________________________________________ who actually worshipped Jesus happiest day of their livesa as the Messiah during His life ______________________ ______________________ huge miracle has been done for on earth. them, and theyre kicked out of ___________________________________________ the church! Lets see what Jesus Jesus is the Door. The Gate ______________________ ______________________ said to the man. [Read or have to safety. Have you gone in? someone read vs. 35-38.] He also stands at your hearts ___________________________________________ Jesus chose to find this man door. Have you let Him in? ___________________________________________ and reassure him, and through him, his parents, also. It was as Once these two questions ______________________ ______________________ if He closed the angry church have been answered, theres a ___________________________________________ leaders out and closed the man third. Are there ways in which and his family in where it was we can be doors or gates, or ______________________ ______________________ safe. gatekeepers, anyway? It was right after this that He told the story of the sheep and the gate, and said He was 28
Jesus couldnt have the power to heal blindness, and the man just responded, Look, I dont know anything about that. All I know is, I used to be blind and now I can see! Then he got impatient and spoke a little too directly to the Pharisees, so they insulted him and said hed been full of sin from birth, and threw him out of the synagogue.
There is a very interesting story about doors and doorkeepers that youve heard
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a million times, but probably never thought of in this context. Its in almost all the gospels. Lets look at the one in Matthew 19:13, 14. [Read or have someone read.] What story is this? Right Jesus blessing the children. Whats that got to do with doorkeepers?
Psalm 84 is a really great psalm. You should read the ___________________________________________ entire thing when you get the And that brings us back to ___________________________________________ chance. But theres one verse Professor Ellisons comment in particular that were going about Rev. 3:20 being in the ___________________________________________ to look at. keep your finger in context of the Laodicean ___________________________________________ Matthew 19 and look at Psalm church. Have we, do we, ever 84:10. [Read or have someone Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ read.] PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). of Light out of our the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS What do you think this shut the Lord ____ _____ _________ __ _ congregations along with the means? ___________________________________________ least of these? A doorkeeper would not be ______________________ ______________________ The disciples thought they a very high or famous person, knew who should see Jesus, ___________________________________________ would he? He probably was back in Matthew 19. Jesus was considered a pretty lowly ______________________ ______________________ tired and busy, and besides, servant. This is just someone He was starting to get kind of ___________________________________________ who stands there and opens famous and important. People and closes the door all day for ___________________________________________ came from all over to listen to those going in and out. The Him. And the more important _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ psalmist says he loves being at ______________________ He got, the more important Gods house so much that hed the disciples got. Or so they ___________________________________________ rather be a lowly doorkeeper thought. When some mothers _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than live somewhere fancier ______________________ brought children to be blessed, or wealthiermaybebut with they tried to run them off. Get _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ wicked people. ______________________ out of here! What makes you ______________________ ______________________ think the Master has time for Id like to be a doorkeeper you? ___________________________________________ like that.
But there are some people who take it upon themselves not just to open and shut the door of Gods house, but to decide who gets to go in and who has to stay out. Lots of people seem to think they have all the answers as to who is good enough to come to church, or who dresses nicely enough, or who behaves well enough for God to love them.
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And He didnt even stop there. He went on to say, The kingdom of heaven is made up of people like these little children! That was a surprise. Heres a basic principle to So these were the VIPs of Jesus keep in mind: If Jesus was open upside-down kingdom! If the enough to include us, then who Have you known people like disciples (then or now) acted are we to decide somebody else that? as doorkeepers, they would is not acceptable? Well, the disciples had a shut out the right ones and let Open your hearts door. surprise coming their way. in the wrong ones. Heaven, They were not the door. Jesus Go through Jesus door. then, would have been just like was the door, and He was about this messed-up earth, and who And then live as an open door to the DEMO VERSION of Changed with remind them of it. Dont CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). wants that?! to others. you stop those children? Let them come! This was Jesus being the protective door again. The mothers and children had probably started backing sadly away, feeling embarrassed 1. What are some things Jesus has shut out of your life that and apologetic for bothering made you feel safe? the great Teacher. But not for 2. What are some ways Jesus has opened doors in your life long. Jesus smiled and held and made you feel free? out His arms, and you know those children would have run 3. What is one way Jesus has knocked on your hearts door to Him. The mothers, too, were this month? reassured and comforted. 4. Tell about a time when you didnt feel welcome. What
They were being doorkeepers in a negative sense. They thought they knew who was important enough for Jesus to notice. If a synagogue ruler, or a wealthy person, or even a Roman soldier had come, they wouldnt have sent him away! But little kids and women? That was a different story!
wide open to the ones who are humble and innocent, who dont think they deserve Me, but want to be near Me anyway.
If Jesus is the Door, how can we be doorkeepers? Do we open wide in welcome to all those who want to come? Do we think we know who God can or cannot love or accept? Do people feel safe and protected and welcome around us?
Jesus had just said, without words, My door is closed to pride and a judgmental spirit and to people who think they have power and authority. Its
happened? What would you do differently? 5. In what ways are you an open door? In what ways do you keep the door closed? How can you know when to do which?
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Life identity
PrinciPLe #3 Beca u se Jesu s is the Brea d of L ife, I can b e a g ra in of whe at, g iv ing mysel f to fe e d oth ers H is Word .
the BreAd of Life

Jesus said, I am the Bread of Life
must have been crazy! thought Andrea. What on earth made me think I would have the time, even without help from three little maniacs? Can I turn it? Please? Adam, her 10-year-old, was practically dancing up and down in his eagerness. No, me! wailed Jeannie, the 7-year-old. You always get the first turn! Even little Minnie, who had no idea what was going on, was yelling, Me, me! Quiet! yelled Andrea, and miraculously, they all quit. Minnie, sit here and be sure this pan doesnt slide away from the edge, but do not touch the stones when they are turning! You understand? Minnie nodded eagerly from her perch on the edge of the counter, but Andrea said, Adam, you watch her like a hawk. Jeannie, you can have the first turn. Stand right in front of it like this, so you dont overwork one side of yourself. Making a face of extreme concentration, Jeannie began to turn the big crank around and around. This is hard! she exclaimed. Yes, it is, Andrea agreed, but just imagine how Jesus mother had to do it, with two big, flat rocks. Remember the picture we saw?
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how difficult the work was, of course, they stopped begging for turns. Andrea soon figured out an expensive health club membership would not be necessary for her to get a complete upper-body workout. She even got out of breath and had to stop and rest now and then. This was the part everybody liked. They divided the dough into four lumps and everybody kneaded and turned and pounded and punched. Sometimes they added a bit more flour if the dough got sticky. They did their best to prevent Minnie from eating too much of hers.
Over-inspired, she was pretty sure, by the organics, vegans, and health devotees she met at work every day, Andrea had just bought a handcranked grain mill and a can of wheat berries to put in it. The kitchen grew quiet and thick with concentration as all, even Minnie with Andreas hands over hers for a minute, took turns cranking and watching as fine, light brown flour sifted out between the two flat grindstones that the crank rubbed together. It really was like magic.
Id be out doing man stuff. Yeah, like plowing with a stick to grow this wheat! said Andrea with a grin. It took almost an hour for them to grind enough flour to make two loaves of bread. Then they added yeast, a little salt and oil, just a bit of honey, and warm water. The kids stirred with a big wooden spoon until the doughy mass was too tough for them. Then Andrea stirred until it was too tough for her. Then they turned the whole thing out onto the butcher block table.
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Arent you glad you dont have to do it the way they did in Bible times? asked Jeannie. Who, me? Andrea retorted. As daughter of the house, youd have to do it all! Not me, said Adam smugly. 32
Eventually they put their three smooth, spongy balls of dough and Minnies small gray lump into separate bowls with names taped to them, covered them, and set them in a warm place to rise. Surreptitiously, Andrea substituted a new lump for Minnies.
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Adam swiped a hand across his forehead. Whew! he exclaimed. Im sure glad Im not a grain of wheat! Andrea laughed. You just streaked flour across your face, here. She wiped his face with a towel and they all went to the sink to try to scrub the dough off their hands and out from under their fingernails. Why are you glad you arent a grain of wheat? asked Jeannie.
leaves and stuffthats straw, right? Right. People use it for mulch, or animal bedding. Things like that. Then you get bagged up and sit on a store shelf, and just about the time you think all the hard part is over, people put you in a mill and grind you up and do all the stuff we did today. Then they bake you in a hot oven!
Then, said Jeannie, rubbing Well, just think! First, you her stomach, they eat you up! Mmmm!! ___________________________________________ get thrown in the ground and Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ covered up and rained on I really _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com).dont think Id like _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and all that. Then you get all being a grain of wheat! Andrea ___________________________________________ puffy and split open, which I agreed. And Im glad they cant bet would hurt, if wheat could feel anything! _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ feel anything. Then little roots ______________________ =So far in our series, weve ___________________________________________ and leaves come out and you talked about two I Am grow into a nice, big plant. statements Jesus made. First, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ That parts probably pretty ______________________ He said He was the Light of the ___________________________________________ nice, swaying in the breeze and world, offered to everyone on sunshine. earth. Then we learned that ___________________________________________ unless a groundhog comes Jesus said He was the Door, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ along, Andrea put in, and ______________________ or the gate, and you couldnt get into the kingdom except ___________________________________________ Adam made a face while his sisters laughed. through Him. Its almost as if ______________________ ______________________ the light is like a street light Then this big machine shining wherever you are and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ comes and chops you down! ______________________ showing the way to the door, he continued. You go through _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ all kinds of machinery to get ______________________ and then like a porch light so you can see to get to Jesus. ___________________________________________ all the wheat free from all the
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Then you have to make a choice. Are you going to enter in through the only True Door, or are you going to turn back, or try to get in another way? Once you choose to enter the true door and live your life with Jesus, which means both entering His door and opening your hearts door to Him, then there is something that He does first of all before anything else. Lets look at Revelation 3:20 again to find out what. [Read or have someone read.] So what does Jesus do first? RightHe feeds us!
wherever, without breakfast. Maybe some of us did that today. It doesnt work so well, and it doesnt work in our spiritual lives, either. [Note to speaker: Spend a little time with your group on this chapter, going through the following paragraphs, but leaving time for comments and discussion if possible.]
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___________________________________________ Today were going to study a really interesting chapter of ___________________________________________ the Bible. Turn with me to John ___________________________________________ 6. The day before this, Jesus fed a multitude that included ___________________________________________ about 5,000 men. Now crowds Changed with Its amazing VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the DEMO how easy it is ______________________ _______ of people are following Him to forget this step. We think, everywhere, but not because ___________________________________________ Okay! Im a new person in they recognize that Hes the Jesus, and now Hes going to ______________________ ______________________ Messiah. The truth is, theyre lead me and Im going to follow. not sure whether to believe in ___________________________________________ Now, lets see. What would Him or not, as we can see in Jesus do first? I know! Hed go ______________________ ______________________ verses 25 and 26. [Read or have help that person! And off we someone read.] Jesus isnt letting ___________________________________________ go, while Jesus is back in the them get away with anything, kitchen calling, Hey, you forgot is He? Read verse 27. Jesus is ___________________________________________ something! Lets eat first, so trying to change the subject ______________________ ______________________ well be strong enough to work! from things of earth to things of heaven. For about a minute, ___________________________________________ Once upon a time, perhaps He has at least some of them. it could have been said that ______________________ ______________________ They say, What must we do nobody would forget such a to do the works God requires? thing in their physical daily ______________________ ______________________ (Vs. 28). What is Jesus answer lives, but these days life is ______________________ ______________________ so rushed that many people in verse 29? Thats just like dash off to work or school or what we heard yesterday in ___________________________________________
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clearly what it means to eat Jesus. Of course, the people argue. ___________________________________________ Jesus says Hes the judge ______________________ ______________________ of peoples hearts, and they grumble, Who does He think ___________________________________________ He is? Jesus says to stop ___________________________________________ grumbling, and in verses 46 ______________________ ______________________ through 48 He repeats His claim even more strongly: I am the ___________________________________________ bread of life, Im the only bread ___________________________________________ of life, you dont get to God except through Me, and vice ___________________________________________ versa. Then they demand a ___________________________________________ miraculous sign to prove He More sharply than before, is who He says He is. (I dont according to verse 52, they ___________________________________________ know how many miracles they argue. Whats He talking about? Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor In verse 31 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ think they need!) (http://www.cadkas.com). Him! We cant eat ___________________________________________ they hint that manna would be Jesus gets even more a good option. Just thinkno insistent. In the next several _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ more grinding, no more baking, ______________________ verses He says if you dont eat ___________________________________________ just easy food to pick up off the His flesh and drink His blood, ground. Yeah, Jesus, that would you will die eternally, but if you _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ be cool. Then wed believe you ______________________ do, you will live forever. And ___________________________________________ for sure! (Of course, we didnt afterwards, in verses 61 to 65, believe You yesterday. . .) He explains more clearly. Silly ___________________________________________ Again Jesus tries to call them as it seems, the people were _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ back to the things of God. Lets ______________________ acting as if they really thought read through verses 32 to 37. He was talking about eating ___________________________________________ [Read or have someone read.] Him with a knife and fork. In _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Jesus is being pretty clear here, ______________________ verse 63, Jesus says, The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ isnt He? Not that its an easy ______________________ subject! Devoted Christians nothing. The words I have _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ spend their entire lives trying ______________________ spoken to you are spirit and they are life. ___________________________________________ to understand more and more
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our quote from Mrs. White! She said our work was to open the door, and we know sometimes thats easier said than done. Jesus says here that our work is to believe, which is another way of saying the same thing, right? Apparently those people thought this was too complicated a subject. They revert right back to their stomachs, which at least they can see and feel.
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Now we get it! Eating Jesus means chewing on His words, digesting them, making them a part of you the way bread becomes a part of you after you eat it! Heres where one of the most important things in this chapter, maybe one of the most important things in Jesus life, happens. Look at verse 66. [Read or have someone read.]
Can you imagine that? ___________________________________________ This is a watershed moment ___________________________________________ in the thankless life of being So here we are, weve come the Messiah. How sad for ___________________________________________ in through the door, and Jesus Jesus, who loved these people, Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ wants us to eat with Him. What ______________________ _______ argumentative as they were. are some ways we can do that? But most of all, how sad for ___________________________________________ Of course, the first thing that them! How sad for us today, if comes to mind is Bible study. ______________________ ______________________ we decide to turn back. Its too There are lots of ways to do hard. Hearing Jesus words is ___________________________________________ one thing. Reading them over is that. You can get a study or devotional book to follow, or ______________________ ______________________ easy. a set of lessons on some topic Chewing on them? ___________________________________________ you are interested in. Only, Digesting them? make sure you read the Bible, ___________________________________________ not just the book about the Living by them? ______________________ ______________________ topic! Getting all your spiritual Thats hard! food from what other people ___________________________________________ Is it worth it? say about Jesus words is like ______________________ ______________________ All of us, I hope, are choosing eating baby food thats been mashed up and partly digested. to say yes. All of us have seen ______________________ ______________________ Thats good for babies, and it some light (nobodys seen it ______________________ ______________________ can be good for new Christians, all yetits too blinding!) and too, so long as the person doing found the door and entered in, ___________________________________________ 36
and now were sitting down to eat with Jesus. In fact, this Week of Prayer is like a group meallike a feast we eat together, munching on Jesus words. Just like any gathering, each person is eating a little different food, choosing the things they want most, digesting the way their bodies digest. Remember not to just pick the stuff you like. Let Jesus suggest the truths you need, too, just like eating your vegetables!
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the feeding is really feeding talk or write about what you the words of Jesus, and not learned. Thats the digesting some sugared-up substitute. Not part. ___________________________________________ everything that comes in a soft 2. Choose a book of the Bible _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ form is good for babies! ______________________ and study it well and then choose another, or choose a But as soon as possible, new ___________________________________________ topic you are interested in and Christians need to learn to read ___________________________________________ for themselves, study the Bible, use a concordance to find all the passages about that topic _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ understand why they believe ______________________ and study them all together. what they believe, and even be ___________________________________________ able to explain it. So the best This is probably the most solidfood method. You have to be ___________________________________________ thing to do is read the Bible ready to track down verses itself. There are still several ___________________________________________ ways to do it. Here are three: that compare with each other, and pray over some passages ___________________________________________ 1. Just start at Genesis and that seem to go against each ___________________________________________ read to the end. You could use other, and ask God a lot of a Bible-in-a-year chart, but Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ truthfully, youll get more out the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). hard questions. God loves that! ____ _____ _________ __ _ This is where you are really of it (if youre ready for some ___________________________________________ beginning to digest Gods word solid and sometimes difficultand make it a part of your life. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to-digest food) if you do one ______________________ 3. When meditating through of the charts that takes three ___________________________________________ a particular passage of years instead. But its up to Scripture, there is a simple four _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ you. There are sometimes ______________________ step approach that has been advantages to reading it all ___________________________________________ found to be useful and it runs more quickly and seeing as follows: Choose a quiet place ___________________________________________ how the parts fit together. and pray that the Lord will In fact, theres a Bible-in-90______________________ ______________________ speak to you personally in this days program now that some time of meditation. ___________________________________________ people love. It makes a good introduction, especially for a. Read: You can read the ______________________ ______________________ someone who has never read it passage several times asking _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ through before. Pray first, read ______________________ the Spirit to draw your attention with an awareness of Jesus by to a verse, a thought, or even a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ your side helping you, pray ______________________ word that will be of particular ___________________________________________ afterwards, and then either relevance to you.
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b. Reflect: Take some time to alone. We eat best in groups. ___________________________________________ think about that verse, thought, Study with friends or in a small or word, asking God about the group. Study with your Bible ___________________________________________ aspect of your life that this class and your Sabbath School ______________________ ______________________ passage applies to. class. Lean on experienced Christians you trust to be godly c. Respond: Surrender ___________________________________________ and helpful without trying to that part of your life to Gods ___________________________________________ influence and give Him free give you all the answers. access to do His work. ______________________ ______________________ The next thing you know, d. Rest: Trust that God will youll be growing! You wont ___________________________________________ do His work and thank Him for know how it happened, or feel doing so. ___________________________________________ it happening, any more than If you can, find a Bible that you realized it as a kid when ___________________________________________ is arranged chronologically, you suddenly outgrew your ___________________________________________ such as The Narrative Bible in clothes. Youll be an example to Chronological Order. This is others without even meaning ___________________________________________ a really fun and interesting to, and theyll be asking what Changed with theto do. A committee has CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ thing DEMO VERSION of ______________________ _______ youre doing, and youll say, sat down and done their best Im reading Jesus words, and ___________________________________________ to figure out what order things you wouldnt believe what I really happened in. The stories ______________________ ______________________ learned this week! . . . and you of the kings and Chronicles can go on to share with them, ___________________________________________ are put together into one story, unless they dont want you to. and so are the gospels. The ______________________ ______________________ Then be quiet and pray, and prophecies and psalms are put just love them every chance ___________________________________________ in where they really happened, you get. Theres no forceor if we dont know that, theyre ___________________________________________ feeding at Gods table. put in where they fit well. It ______________________ ______________________ really helps you to see the Before you think youre whole sweep of Israels history, ready, youll be the experienced ___________________________________________ and you learn a lot that way. Of Christian someone else is ______________________ ______________________ course, still read it with prayer. looking up to and asking Otherwise, youre just using it questions of. As long as that ______________________ ______________________ like a textbook. makes you feel inadequate and ______________________ ______________________ makes you realize your need to In any of these methods, lean on God, youre all right. ___________________________________________ remember we dont eat all 38
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Here are two quotes from Mrs. Whites writings about this subject:
It is not enough for us to know and respect the words of the Scriptures. We must enter into the understanding This was going to be of them, studying them interesting. Really? How so? earnestly, eating the flesh Well, I remember what I and drinking the blood of read in Bible class not very When [people] submit the Son of God. Christians long agothat unless a grain entirely to God, eating the will reveal the degree to of wheat falls to the ground bread of life and drinking the which they do this by the and dies, it cant bear fruit. I water of salvation, they will healthiness of their spiritual thought that didnt make sense. grow up into Christ. Their character. We must know the If it dies, it wont bear fruit characters are composed of practical application of the either, right? But then today, that which the mind eats Word to our own individual when I was Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). imagining that a and drinks. Through the character-building. We are wheat kernel could feel and Word of life, which they to be holy temples, in which think, I realized if it could, it receive and obey, they God can live and walk and would feel as if it died, wouldnt become partakers of the work. Never must we strive it? Being all buried in the divine nature. Then their to lift ourselves above the dark, and splitting open, and entire service is after the servants whom God has everything. divine similitude, and Christ, chosen to do His work and not man, is exalted. (The I think youre right, said to honor His holy name. SDA Bible Commentary, Andrea. In fact, as a grain of All ye are brethren. Let Ellen G. White Comments, wheat, it does cease to exist. us apply this Word to our vol. 5, p. 1135) She couldnt wait to share this individual selves, comparing with Wen. Hed love it. Maybe 3 At the supper table, Andrea scripture with scripture. Adams deep thoughts would be could see that Adam was in one of Wens college papers. In our daily lives, before thinking hard. She watched Wouldnt that be nice? She our brethren and before the him, chewing on bread she might never make it to college world, we are to be living had to admit was better than herself, but she was determined interpreters of the Scriptures, anything shed ever tried to her kids would have the chance, bake before, his forehead doing honor to Christ by especially Adam, the Thinker. wrinkled. Whats up, Adam? revealing His meekness
and His lowliness of heart. As we eat and digest the bread of life, we shall reveal a symmetrical character. By our unity, by esteeming others better than ourselves, we are to bear to the world a living testimony of the power of the truth. . . . (Lift Him Up, p. 105)
His eyes slowly focused as he came back from wherever hed been. I was just thinking about what I said earlier about not wanting to be wheat. Maybe it wouldnt be so bad.
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Right. So then, it goes They ended their meal them eat on their own as they grow stronger? through all that hard stuff, like laughing together. I talked about earlier, and it =If Jesus is the Bread of Life, Heres Mrs. White again: thinks 10 more times that its maybe we can be little grains of The life spent on self is like the dying for sure this time, and wheat planted by Him. Maybe grain that is eaten. It disappears, finally, it gets eaten. Adam put we can be taught by Him to give but there is no increase. A man his last bite in his mouth and ourselves for others, knowing may gather all he can for self; he wiped his fingers on his pants. that we will, by His grace and may live and think and plan for Andrea held the automatic power, turn into something self; but his life passes away, and frown and waited. Even he has nothing. The law of selfbetter than we could have Jeannie, instead of interrupting serving is the law of self-destruction imagined. If bread nourishes or tattling, was listening. (Desire of Ages, p. 624). and fills, even comforts and makes people feel at home, Adam chewed on his bread Jesus gave all of Himself. then we can ask ourselves, Do and his thoughts together, He fell and died, but rose we warm and nourish others? again greater. His sacrifice then smiled suddenly. Then it Do we try to feed and fill them is multiplied every time one becomes human! with the words of Jesus? Do we of His children gives herself Human?! yelped Jeannie. Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KASto feed them Scriptures help PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). for others, too. or himself What? asked Andrea, So one day, God will have a that we already know, if startled. Adam could always great harvest and well all eat they are feeling weak and surprise her. together at the table of God. undernourished, and then let Yeah! Dont you get it? I just ate that slice of bread, and now its down there in my stomach getting all mashed up with stomach acid, and it gets 1. Have you had any experiences in your life that broken down and sent through felt like you were being ground up by painful my body, and poof! Like magic, circumstances? Do you think there might have been it turns into blood and bone and any good results? muscle. 2. What did you feed your body this morning? What did Magic! parroted Jeannie. you feed your spirit this morning? Andrea grinned. And brain 3. What do you think Jesus meant when He said to eat cells! Thats good thinking, and drink His flesh and blood? Be specific. genius! 4. In what ways has someone given himself or herself Minnie banged her spoon and for you lately? How will you thank this person? yelled Good sinkin, deenus!
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Life identity
PrinciPLe # 4 Beca u se Jesu s is my Shep h erd, I ca n be a lamb th a t fol l ows fa ithfully, a nd a l so a n u nder-she phe rd , helpin g to c are for othe r lam b s.
the good shePherd

Jesus said, I am the Good Shepherd
t was Friday night at the big college church, and a small crowd, both college people and locals, had gathered in the fellowship hall for a short movie and discussion. A student missionary named DeeDee had introduced the video as one she had taken herself in a Middle Eastern country where she and her friend, Ann, had served briefly. The quality wasnt great, but it was still amazing. Wen leaned forward in his seat, munching popcorn without tasting it, watching the screen in fascination. The scene was just outside a large town with the usual startling juxtaposition of ancient, square white houses and apartment blocks straight out of Jeremiahs time, with window airconditioners, antennas, cars, and soldiers with machine guns. But the weird thing was what was happening at the edge of the town. Just as Wen imagined it might have been a thousand years ago, there was a huge flock of milling sheep. There were hundreds of them, like one big, mostly white, woolly pack. The sheep moved and flowed this way and that, and the air was deafening with baas and maas and bellows. Around the outside of the flock were several robed Bedouins, dressed about the same way their ancestors had been when Jesus lived in their area. Would you look at that? A wooden shepherds rod! murmured his friend, Josh.
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I know, cool, huh? whispered Wen. Then the shepherds began making calls that echoed above the noise of the milling, anxious sheep. They put their hands to their mouths and bellowed out strange-sounding yells. Were they words? Or just calls? Wen had no idea.
Oh, poor thing! somebody said. But it only took about 10 seconds before a fat ewe separated from the crowd and mother and baby were happily reunited. Running close by its mother, the lamb raced for the safety of its own flock.
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And just like that, there were ___________________________________________ An amazing thing happened. four separate flocks where there ___________________________________________ The sheep, which had been had been one mob of sheep. milling in pretty much the ___________________________________________ Each flock now pushed and same aimless circle all together, shoved to be nearest to its own ___________________________________________ began to move in different shepherd, and the men began directions. Some shoved ___________________________________________ to move off, heading outside of through each VERSION town PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). Changed with the DEMOother towardof CAD-KAS to find pasture. Not one ______________________ ______________________ the man nearest the gate. sheep accidentally followed the Others pushed past toward the ___________________________________________ wrong man. man farthest from the gate. The movie ended, and the ______________________ ______________________ Still others ran in different lights came on. The group was directions toward a third or a ___________________________________________ leaning back, exclaiming, That fourth man. was awesome! How did they ______________________ ______________________ The men kept calling, and know? The baby was so cute! ___________________________________________ the sheep were clearly dividing. Ann spoke up. You think There was a high-pitched wail ___________________________________________ it was cool hereyou should and the camera swung around have been there! This little ______________________ ______________________ to catch a baby who had lost video really doesnt convey the track of its mother. There was ___________________________________________ wholethe whole . . . I dont laughter in the fellowship hall know what to say. ______________________ ______________________ as the baby leapt as if it had Awesomeness! said DeeDee. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ springs in its feet, high over the ______________________ It was just amazing! I kept other sheep, this way and that, ______________________ ______________________ wondering how those sheep bouncing in worried circles, knew which voices to follow. yelling wildly. ___________________________________________ 42
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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
Theyd heard his voice from the day they were born, Wen volunteered. A young woman chimed in. I think they were even scared of the other voices. If another shepherd tried to take them, I dont think theyd follow. I wonder if that lamb didnt know the shepherds voice very well yet? someone asked. It looked like the mother knew the right shepherd, but the baby just knew its own mother. Right, agreed DeeDee. So
be to begin hearing the Good Shepherds voice for ourselves? Then again, said Wen thoughtfully, Maybe its about community, too. I mean, all the lambs really have to know is to stay with the crowd. But for us, that can be both good and bad. Several voices spoke up in emphatic agreement. How good a job, Josh asked, is our community of faith doing at helping to be sure that the whole flock is following Jesus and no one else?
___________________________________________ after a while, the baby will And how much should Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ know,PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). to individual the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS too, but right now it just that be left ____ _____ _________ __ _ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________
has to follow its mom.
A childs voice made itself heard, and Wen saw that Andrea and her kids were there. I wonder how old they have to be before they know to follow the shepherd by themselves? Ill bet by the time they stop nursing and eat alone, said Andrea. Yeah, but even thats amazing, Ann pointed out. The sheep are just a few months old when they are weaned, and already they know to follow the shepherd. Yet, how old do we humans have to
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consciences? asked DeeDee, and the discussion was off into deep waters. After a few minutes of heavy debate on individuality, peer pressure, groupthink, and personal salvation, Andrea said thoughtfully, Theres another whole issue here, too. Its not just knowing the Shepherds voice and being able to go against the current of the crowd and reach His side. I mean, when those sheep got over there to their own shepherd, they hadnt suddenly arrived at the pasture, right? He has to lead them, maybe a long way.
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helicopters. More than likely, ___________________________________________ nobody has to sit and stand all day with a flock to watch over ___________________________________________ them and drive away hyenas ______________________ ______________________ or wolves or mountain lions, or lead the animals to different ___________________________________________ places to eat, and then to a ___________________________________________ creek to drink. No one has to build a little dam with rocks so And preferably not fall over ______________________ ______________________ sheep will have a still place to any cliffs in the meantime! ___________________________________________ drink, because they dont like Wen added. to drink fast-running water. ___________________________________________ Yes, said DeeDee, and then No one has to lead them back they have to follow him back ___________________________________________ home at night, count each and home that night! every one, and take care of any ___________________________________________ And start all over the next wounds they have with their day, Josh chimed in. ___________________________________________ own hands. Certainly no one sleeps with them, (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Changed with Well, all I have to say is, its the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor lying across ______________________ _______ the gate to the sheep pen so a good thing we have a good ___________________________________________ no predator comes in at night and patient Shepherd! said without waking him up! We Andrea with a rueful laugh. ______________________ ______________________ =Today were going to go back cant even quite conceive of ___________________________________________ living our lives with our flocks and look again at a passage weve already started to study and herds, as they did then. ______________________ ______________________ No one could do these the one where Jesus said He ___________________________________________ things, because herds are huge, was the Door, or gate. Turn in thousands of animals, and often ___________________________________________ your Bibles to John 10:11. [Read the shepherds or ranches dont or have someone read.] What ______________________ ______________________ even know if they have lost does it mean that the good any animals until they round shepherd lays down his life for ___________________________________________ them up and count them once the sheep? ______________________ or twice a year. They herd them _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Nowadays, in most of the through gates and corridors ______________________ ______________________ world, people who have flocks made of metal panels so they and herds take care of them ______________________ ______________________ can give them shots or make using fencing. They herd them walk through a trough them from trucks, or even ___________________________________________ 44
They dont just have to get to his side in the morning. They have to follow him all day, and rest when he says, and go on when he says, and maybe climb mountains and who knows what, to find the grass and water they need.
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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
with medicine for their hooves. In fact, its an interesting side note to think about whether our modern methods of raising flocks and herds is more like the good shepherd in Jesus stories, or more like the hired man, who runs away and leaves the animals to their own devices! At any rate, we dont always get all the lessons a passage like this can teach us. Jesus is talking about a Shepherd like the one in the moviea Shepherd who personally knows each sheep and cares for each one with His own hands. Mrs. White, in the late 19th century, still lived in times when most flocks were small and shepherds did more hands-on care as they had in Jesus time. She describes the good shepherd this way:
If Jesus is the Shepherd and ___________________________________________ we are the sheep, can it also Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ __ _____ _________ __ be true that we are shepherds ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ourselves, in some ways?
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The shepherds life is one full of peril. If he is trustworthy shepherd, he will not be careless and study his own ease, but he will search for the straying sheep amid storm and tempest. Perhaps he will find the lost sheep slipped into some crevice of the rock, where he cannot find his way out. He is beset with fears on every hand. The good shepherd does not come with a harsh voice, scolding the poor frightened sheep, but he speaks in pitiful, soothing, winning tones, so that when the sheep hears his voice, he will follow, unless he is imprisoned in the rocks or tangled in the brambles. Then the only means by which the shepherd can find the sheep is by following up the bleat of distress that the wanderer sends in answer to his call. And when the good shepherd finds the lost one, he puts the weary wanderer upon his shoulder, and
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brings him back to the ourselves out, we got so used to ___________________________________________ fold, rejoicing at every step. living in briars and rocks that (Youths Instructor, April 28, we thought that was normal ___________________________________________ 1886 par. 50) life. We argued and fought ______________________ ______________________ when Jesus tried to rescue We could talk all day of ways us, like a drowning person so in which Jesus does these ___________________________________________ panicked that he almost makes things for us every day of our ___________________________________________ the lifeguard drown, too, by lives. But of course, the most fighting. You know, lifeguards important way in which He ______________________ ______________________ are taught how to knock came searching for His lost ___________________________________________ someone out if they have to, sheep, the one without which to save them. Maybe we have nothing else would matter, is ___________________________________________ some lifeguards here today. when He came here to earth. ___________________________________________ [You could stop for comments if Its as if a shepherd were to you wished.] Ill bet sometimes change himself into a sheep ___________________________________________ Jesus felt like knocking out so that he could talk directly ___________________________________________ some of the Pharisees or some to his flock and they would of His disciples when they Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ understand him. We cant ______________________ _______ insisted He was wrong and they imagine what heaven was like were right! ___________________________________________ any more than sheep could But you can only do that if imagine living in houses and ______________________ ______________________ you know for sure the person eating with silverware and ___________________________________________ really wants to be saved. Jesus using computers. But Jesus wont force the will of anyone gave it all up, became a human ______________________ ______________________ who really insists that He go being with a body that got tired ___________________________________________ away and leave them alone. and hungry and dirty, put up with people being mean to Him Just imagine how He feels ___________________________________________ when He has to turn away and saying bad things about ______________________ ______________________ and leave someone He loves, Him when all He was trying to down over the cliff, tangled in do was love them, and in the ___________________________________________ thorns, about to fall and die, end, He let them torture and ______________________ ______________________ and refusing to come back with kill Him. Him! You could say that this ______________________ ______________________ whole planet was lost and stuck in the prickly bushes of sin. Not only could we not get
Jesus said something else about being the Good Shepherd. He repeats this statement twice
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their texts.] What do these texts say about people as shepherds? Is God the only Shepherd, or ___________________________________________ are human beings sometimes ______________________ ______________________ shepherds, too? In the passage in Numbers, ___________________________________________ God is instructing Moses about ___________________________________________ getting Joshua ready to lead the Thats like the movie the Israelites after Moses dies. It _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ group in our story saw. It used ______________________ doesnt specifically say so, but to be true, and it is still true ___________________________________________ in small flocks today. Sheep Moses was most definitely a ___________________________________________ may be pretty silly, but they do shepherd of his people. In fact, have the ability, if theyre given God had trained Moses for 40 ___________________________________________ the chance, to learn whom to years as an actual shepherd, to get him ready to lead this ___________________________________________ trust and whom not to. Its like unruly crowd. And Moses lay our pets. Do our dogs and cats ___________________________________________ know our voices? Would they down his life for them, and was reviled and Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ go with anyone who asked, or the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). grumbled against ____ _____ _________ __ _ in return for his efforts. Now would they be afraid, or even ___________________________________________ aggressive? Of course, like he was nearing the end of his shift as shepherd, and he asked people, it can depend on the ______________________ ______________________ God for a good leader, one who pet and its personality. ___________________________________________ would go in and come out and The real question is, Do lead the people like a shepherd. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ we know Jesus voice? Do we ______________________ follow where He leads, or go off God told Moses that Joshua was ___________________________________________ on our own? And if Jesus is the His choice. He had a HuGE reward for Moses years of labor, ___________________________________________ Shepherd and we are the sheep, but Moses didnt know it yet. can it also be true that we are _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ shepherds ourselves, in some ______________________ So people can be shepherds over Gods sheep. And they can ___________________________________________ ways? be good . . . or not! Lets look at some different ______________________ ______________________ The texts in Ezekiel and texts in the Bible. Could Isaiah talked about bad _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ someone look up Numbers ______________________ shepherds. They are in 27:16-21, someone else look up _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Isaiah 63:11, and someone look ______________________ prophecies which God gave, ___________________________________________ up Ezekiel 43:8? [Have them read speaking against the priests
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in John 10, and each time He adds something. This time He added that He lays down His life for the sheep. The second time is in verse 14. What does He add this time? [Read or have someone read.]
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and kings of Israel and Judah. Or maybe a teacher? Or can ___________________________________________ These were people to whom anyone be a shepherd? God, the Great Shepherd, gave Lets figure out the answer to ___________________________________________ the task of caring for His sheep, that by determining just what a ______________________ ______________________ and they didnt do a very good good shepherd does. job! Not only did the shepherds ___________________________________________ 1. He knows his sheep by fail to protect the sheep against name. He knows all about ___________________________________________ thieves and robbers like Assyria each of them, whether they and Babylon, they sometimes ______________________ ______________________ have a sore hoof or need a worked with the thieves and particular plant in their diet, ___________________________________________ robbers themselves! or get tired and have to be In the New Testament, carried sometimes. Do we know ___________________________________________ Jesus told Peter to feed our friends that well? Do we ___________________________________________ His lambs, and both Peter pay attention to know when and Paul wrote letters about ___________________________________________ they need a listening ear or a how to be a good leader, or shoulder to cry on? ___________________________________________ shepherd, for the church. Most 2. PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). Changed with us probably VERSION of CAD-KASA good shepherd leads the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the DEMO know the word ______________________ sheep. We are not our friends pastor comes from pasture, leaders. Not even pastors are ___________________________________________ but I think we forget that. We that kind of leader. God is think a good pastor is just a ______________________ ______________________ the leader. But we all have good speaker, and maybe a influence. Do we follow the ___________________________________________ good administrator. Then we shepherd and use our influence wonder why the pastor cant ______________________ ______________________ to encourage others to do so? do all the jobs we give him or Or do we follow the friends ___________________________________________ her. The pastor is supposed to instead, and end up in the be a shepherd, walking beside ___________________________________________ sticker bushes? the people in the congregation, ______________________ ______________________ caring for them, listening to 3. A good shepherd protects them, putting the oil of the the sheep. Do we refuse to ___________________________________________ Holy Spirit on their wounded allow someone to be tormented, ______________________ ______________________ spirits, finding them when they picked on, or called names in lose their way. our presence? Did you know ______________________ ______________________ So what about us? If we want that a study done in 2000 and ______________________ ______________________ to be shepherds for Gods sheep, quoted on Loyola universitys does that mean being a pastor? website, says that 74% of men ___________________________________________ 48
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laborers with Jesus Christ. sinner. He goes after him; would intervene to prevent he does not hesitate at peril, Will the [church] family see sexual assault on a woman?* what they can do to seek self-denial, and self-sacrifice. Seventy-four percent?! Thats and to save the lost sheep? He is intent upon bringing horrifying. One hundred percent (Youths Instructor, April 28, the sin-burdened soul to of people, male and female, 1886) repentance, to salvation, to should be willing to intervene peace, rest, and happiness in such a situation, even if that in his Saviours love. And it intervention is just calling the is the privilege of every one national emergency number! who has experienced the love The same study said that only __________________ of Jesus in his own heart, to 83% of men even claimed to *Source: Fisher BS, Cullen FT, think if there is not someone respect their own spouses & Turner, MG. (2000). The sexual whom he can by personal wishes about sexual activity. victimization of college women. effort, by studied tact and Christians need to lead the way U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of kindness, bring to Jesus, who in this as in all other ways of Justice Programs: NCJ 182369. is ready and willing to accept showing respect and honor and Quoted on http://www.luc. all who will come to him. care for each other. And what if edu/wellness/sexassualt_men. We can all do much through we endanger our own lives in Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). shtml personal effort. We can be the process?
4. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Jesus lay down His life for us in ways we cant even begin to imagine. Do we follow His lead and give our efforts to loving those around us even when its hard or dangerous? What if its just inconvenient? Do we plan to do it someday? Someday never comes. Lets end with a final quote from Ellen White on the subject of good under-shepherds: This is the way the true Shepherd treats the lost
1. How did you learn to recognize and listen to Jesus voice? 2. Share a time when you thought you were listening to God, but found out it wasnt Him after all. What did you do? What was the result? What did you learn? 3. How can you tell if you are learning to hear Jesus voice for yourself? 4. Share some ways in which someone has helped to shepherd your soul. 5. What are some ways in which you would like to help shepherd others? Can you create a shepherds club in your church or group and encourage each other?
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Who are you?

Is one of the most common questIons In lIfe.
thIs DEVotIonAl WIll hElP you DIscoVER somE AnsWERs to thE AgEolD QuEstIon, Who Am I REAlly? Visit biblical characters who first learned who god is and how to relate to him. learn about the heritage and roots Changed withof our faith and of the CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). the DEMO VERSION of seventh-day Adventist denomination. study the 28 Fundamental Beliefs of the seventh-day Adventist church. through all of this we will journey to the heart of godand our own truest, deepest selves.
I am a beloved child of god. I didnt just happen. god made me because he wanted me.
Life identity
PrinciPLe # 5 Because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, I can walk in His Way, hold up His Truth, and share an abundant, full life with those around me.
the WAy, the truth, And the Life

Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life
en was getting frustrated. I know its right around here somewhere! Try turning left on that next street. Josh rolled his eyes. Im about ready to give up on the whole thing! Are you sure its in this neighborhood?
Positive! Wen insisted. And I promised them wed be there to volunteer today. They expect a large crowd because of the cold snap, and they need help registering people for the shelter. Well, why didnt you get directions? Wen made a face. Thats just it. I did get directions, but then I forgot to bring them. I realized it right after we left the dorm, but I was sure I could remember!
=Once youve seen the Light of the world, and its led you to the Door to Gods kingdom, and Jesus has begun to feed you the Bread of Life, and to take care of you and protect you as your Good Shepherd, then its time to travel together. Not before!
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While youre here, waiting for Me to come back, use the hands Ive given you to hug, to work for others, to help, and to do deeds of kindness.
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sure they remembered some Our I Am statement this ___________________________________________ essential things they would time is found in John 14:6. ___________________________________________ need, in order to go on with Will you turn there in your the Holy Spirit instead of Jesus Bibles? This part of the gospel, ___________________________________________ physical presence with them. from near the end of John 13 Changed with the DEMO17, is the story CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ through John VERSION of of the last night Jesus was with ___________________________________________ His apostles. They have just eaten the Last Supper together, ______________________ ______________________ You can probably say the and these four chapters happen ___________________________________________ first few verses of this chapter on the way to the Garden of by heart. [You can stop and try, Gethsemane and in the garden. ______________________ ______________________ if you wish. See if the group can Matthew, Mark, and Luke just ___________________________________________ say something like, And on the say verses 1-3 together, if you get them started with Let not your way He spoke to them of many ___________________________________________ heart be troubled.] The next things. But John remembered ______________________ ______________________ couple of verses arent as wellwhat Jesus said and wrote it known. Jesus goes on to tell His down for us. We can be really ___________________________________________ disciples that they know the glad of this, because some of ______________________ ______________________ the most important things Jesus way where Hes going. This comes as a surprise to taught in His whole earthly ______________________ ______________________ them. Thomas probably speaks ministry are in these chapters. ______________________ ______________________ for all of them when he says in He knew He was leaving them bewilderment, But Lord! We soon, and He wanted to be ___________________________________________
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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
dont even know where youre going! How can we know the way? What does Jesus reply? [Read or have someone read verses 6 and 7.] Now, weve all heard this so many times, in everything from sermons to bumper stickers, that we dont hear it the way they did. Imagine if a friend said to you, Im going away. Okay, you say. And you know the way to the place where Im going, says your friend.
His death for my sins and thank Him for giving me the gift of eternal life. But we know there will be lots of people in Gods kingdom who never even heard of Jesus (most of the Old Testament people to start with; not to mention that there will be people who did say those words, but didnt really get to know or follow Jesus, and are not in the kingdom!) So the truth must be deeper and more powerful than that. What does it mean for a person to be a Way?
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know where youre goinghow can I know the way? And your friend looks at you and says, I am the way. I think your response would probably be something like the disciples responseHuh?
What does it mean when Jesus says He is the Way, and then proceeds to add, No one comes to the Father except through me? Lots of people believe, as weve said before, that it means no one gets to heaven except those who literally, in so many words, say, I believe in Jesus and I accept
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suggest some.] Path, road, trail, highway. . . Then there are other uses for that word. Like a way of doing something, or a way of being, or a way of living. If someone says, Walk this way, he or she might mean, Go in this direction, or might mean Physically imitate this walk. Which do you think Jesus meant? Dont you think He must have meant both? He was saying, Go in the direction Im going. Let your life point always upward, always toward heaven and love and God. This way of life might get twisty and
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to do what He did, try to live wind all over the place, but it will always follow Me! Dont get His way, thats good. Thats way ___________________________________________ turned around and run toward better than the alternative! But ___________________________________________ your own will or desires, or its not the same as walking in ______________________ ______________________ toward hatred and selfishness Jesus, letting Him be the way and pride. And if you do for you. The way you walk or ___________________________________________ discover youve made a u-turn live, no matter how good it is, is ___________________________________________ somewhere and gotten lost, turn not what saves you. Jesus does around! (Thats what the word that. Hes the only One who ______________________ ______________________ repent means, you know. Turn can. And Hes the One who will ___________________________________________ around.) Go with Me again, save those people that never upward to heaven. heard His name until they get ___________________________________________ And He also was saying, to heaven. When they realize ___________________________________________ Imitate the way youve seen what Hes done for them, Me walk. While youre here, theyll fall down and worship ___________________________________________ waiting for Me to come back, and praise Him. ___________________________________________ use the hands Ive given you to All who go there will do Changed with the DEMO VERSION help, hug, to work for others, to of CAD-KAS Because Jesus wants us that. PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ and to do deeds of kindness. use where He is. He said so. And I ___________________________________________ your feet to go on Gods errands. definitely want to go! Do you? use your eyes to watch for the ______________________ ______________________ goodness and love you see in 3 ___________________________________________ others and use your mouth to encourage that. Walk like Me. ______________________ ______________________ Im sorry, Joe. Yes, Its really important to pay tomorrow, for sure. Yes, Ill take ___________________________________________ attention to the fact that Jesus care of myself. Sorry to leave didnt say, Im here to show ___________________________________________ you in the lurch. Andrea hung you the way, although He was; up the phone and rubbed her ______________________ ______________________ He didnt say, Im giving you hand over her face. She felt the way, or Im teaching you ___________________________________________ guilty and ashamed. She really the way, although He did. He wasnt as sick as she claimed ______________________ ______________________ didnt say, Ill help you find to be. She could have worked the way, although He will. He today, but her life was in such ______________________ ______________________ said, I AM the Way! There is a muddle. The kitchen was a ______________________ ______________________ a difference. Because if all we pigsty! You couldnt see the do is read about Jesus and try kids floors, and Adam needed ___________________________________________
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I told her you were sick and I didnt feel good, either. She said we could have the ___________________________________________ weekend, and turn it in next ______________________ ______________________ Monday instead of tomorrow. Adam chose a blue marker ___________________________________________ and leaned over his poster, ___________________________________________ apparently unconcerned, while a cold stone settled into ______________________ ______________________ Andreas stomach. Did I just As she turned to gather ___________________________________________ teach my child to lie? She couldnt up the dishes, she saw Adam think of a single thing to say, so ___________________________________________ watching her, and to her she just got up and went to put increased shame, her guilt ___________________________________________ made her speak crossly to him. Minnie to bed, a helpless prayer floating around in her head. ___________________________________________ I thought I asked you to clear That evening she sat on the this table! I could use a little ___________________________________________ help here! edge of Adams bed. We didnt Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ go over your _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). Sabbath School _ __ _____ _________ __ Adam and Jeannie both lesson yet, and we dont really ___________________________________________ began to help, neither speaking. Andrea turned away to hide her have time now, but you know what its about, right? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ tears. ______________________ Yeah, its when Jesus got Later that evening, she sat ___________________________________________ baptized, and God said, This is down to the table with Adam _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and his 3-fold poster, markers, ______________________ my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased! ___________________________________________ and diagrams of electric Andrea felt tears close to the currents. Adam, I cant believe ___________________________________________ you havent gotten any further surface again. Was God pleased with her today? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ than this! You havent drawn ______________________ any of the circuits, and have Are you getting worse, ___________________________________________ you even begun the working Mom? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ model? ______________________ She took a deep breath. No, Its okay, Mom, Adam honey, the truth is, Im not sick. ______________________ ______________________ said. I got extra time from Ms. Not physically, I mean. I do feel _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Winston. ______________________ pretty sick in my heart. Extra time? Why? You do? Why? ___________________________________________
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extra help with his science project. And she really did have a headache and kind of a sore throat. She might really be getting sick, and after all, a waitress shouldnt expose people to germs. She would work twice as hard tomorrow to make up for it.
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Because I lied today. I Thats right. And I guess if I ___________________________________________ mean, it was true that I didnt can lead you off the path, you feel great, but I really wasnt can lead me back on it. Lets ___________________________________________ sick, and I shouldnt have left tell God were sorry, and then I ______________________ my boss without me at the last think Ill have to talk to Joe and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ minute like that. So that was we can both talk to Ms. Winston ___________________________________________ wrong. Then I realized Id led together. ___________________________________________ you to do wrong, too. After they prayed, she hugged Adams eyes were on his her son fiercely. I love you! ______________________ ______________________ hands, playing with the edge of Adam squeezed her back ___________________________________________ his blanket. even more tightly. You are ___________________________________________ You know youve been my beloved mom in whom I putting off working on that am well pleased! he declared, ___________________________________________ project. You could have finished grinning. it today. One of the tears =In our text, John 14:6, Jesus ___________________________________________ escaped her, and she swiped at it ___________________________________________ hastily. She did her best never to didnt just say He was the Way. Changed with the DEMO VERSIONthink He also said He was the Truth. let the kids see her cry. I of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ And again, its an interesting Ive been a pretty bad mother ___________________________________________ concept. How can a person be lately. Gods probably pretty the truth? What is truth? Pilate ashamed of me. Im sorry. ______________________ ______________________ asked Jesus that question, but Adam sat up and looked at ___________________________________________ he didnt wait for the answer. her earnestly. Youre not a bad Jesus had been showing the ______________________ ______________________ mother! I knew it was wrong. answer to that question for You didnt make me do it! ___________________________________________ three and a half years. He was I didnt help you not to, the truth. He didnt just tell ___________________________________________ either. the truth or point to truth or ______________________ There was silence for a describe truth. He was and is the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ moment. Well, then, said Truth. ___________________________________________ Adam, wed better tell God Obviously, one thing this ______________________ ______________________ were sorry, right? He still loves means is that the story of Jesus us. You always say He loves us and of salvation is the bottom______________________ ______________________ no matter what. line truth of the ages. God made ______________________ ______________________ Andrea gave a shaky laugh. us perfect, we sinned, and God Out of the mouths of babes! sent His Son to live and die for ___________________________________________ 56
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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
They both did wrong. They both lied, they both ___________________________________________ procrastinated, and on top of But its more than that. In ___________________________________________ fact, if it were only that, it would that, Andrea used her influence as a mother to lead her son ___________________________________________ be impossible. Somehow, we astray. Or at least, she didnt pay have to live in Jesus, who is the Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ truth. PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). where her influence _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS We dont really know how attention to _ __ _____ _________ __ was leading Adam. If shed been ___________________________________________ it works. God does. He sends us thinking, she wouldnt have had His Holy Spirit, who is in fact this phone call where he could _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the very presence of the Father ______________________ hear, right? Would that have ___________________________________________ and the Son with us. God has been any better? provided divine assistance to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ live the life of truth (John 14: ______________________ What did they do right? 15-18, 23). What we do know is, They did some of the work ___________________________________________ once we make that choice, Jesus they needed to do. Also, ___________________________________________ starts opening our eyes to truths Andrea didnt speak hastily we knew, and to truths we didnt when she realized what she ______________________ ______________________ know. Often, He uses others to had done. She waited, and ___________________________________________ help us learn this. In the case of even though her prayer felt our story, God is using Andrea formless and helpless, God ______________________ ______________________ and Adam to teach each other. heard it. Most importantly, they _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Have you experienced the truth both recognized their sin and ______________________ that sometimes children can confessed it. And this is where _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ lead us as well or better than we Adam got the chance to help ______________________ his mother. She was tangled up ___________________________________________ can lead them? Thats hard!
us. J. R. R. Tolkien said it was as if the very best possible fantasy or fairytale, too good to be true, turned out to be true after all! Hallelujah! We get to live happily ever after, even though we dont deserve it! All we have to do is say yes and walk through the door, where we will start living a completely new and different kind of adventure. A life of complete truth.
In this story, Andrea felt the more culpable, and that was true in a sense, because she was the adult, the mom, the under shepherd with the responsibility to lead her lambs to God. But she was also in danger of going even further off the path of truth than her son. How was that? [Allow time for discussion and comment.]
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in a falsehood he wasntshe bad feelings about us to other ___________________________________________ people and to God, we are in feared that God was displeased way worse trouble than we with her, that she was bad. ___________________________________________ already were. Now, were not Not only did she feel ashamed, ______________________ ______________________ just doing wrong, were doing she thought God was ashamed Satan, the accusers, work for of her. Do you and I ever tell ___________________________________________ him! Thats a terrible idea! ourselves things like this? Are ___________________________________________ they true? Jesus said, I am the truth. Listen to Me. You are my Here is the truth, the whole ______________________ ______________________ truth, and nothing but the truth: beloved child. I think more of ___________________________________________ you than I do of My own life. I God loves us all the time, no can help you make restitution matter what we do! He is looking ___________________________________________ for wrongs, and do better, for an attitudethe recognition ___________________________________________ but not if you use up all your of our wrongdoing and our energy belittling yourself and confession. Fortunately, most ___________________________________________ beating yourself up. of the time Andrea realized this, ___________________________________________ keep your eyes on Him, and and she had taught it to her thats the life-changing truth Changed with the DEMO VERSION you children. If you have kids, of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ you will see. know its sometimes easier to ___________________________________________ believe God loves them all the Amazing! time, than that He loves you all ______________________ ______________________ 3Wen was whistling as he the time. (Except when theyre entered the caf and sat at his ___________________________________________ driving you nuts, maybe!) She usual table. had taught her child the truth, ______________________ ______________________ What are you so excited and when she needed to hear it, about? Andrea asked, pulling ___________________________________________ it was there for her. her notebook from her apron We are sinful, and we make ___________________________________________ pocket. mistakes, and even do things Nothing in particular, I just ______________________ ______________________ wrong deliberately, and then feel happy. try to cover it up. If we feel ___________________________________________ Any special reason? badly about these things and ______________________ ______________________ You mean, besides the fact try to make them right, thats that midterms are over and Im a good thing. But if we let our ______________________ ______________________ still alive? mistakes and sins make us ______________________ ______________________ feel worthless and ashamed, Andrea laughed. Reason and worse yet, assign those enough, Id say! ___________________________________________ 58
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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________
Andrea grinned and sat down. Let me tell you something my 10-year-old ___________________________________________ taught me! She told the story ___________________________________________ and was surprised and a little I think I understand. embarrassed that tears came ___________________________________________ Andrea tapped her pencil on to her eyes again. So you ___________________________________________ the tablet. Like its a subject see, she concluded briskly, to learn, with right answers, according to my Adam, its ___________________________________________ like the dates of presidents, simple! If you do wrong, you Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ or multiplication tables, or _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ __ _____ _________ __ ask forgiveness, you see if something. I have to admit, I theres anything you can do to ___________________________________________ sort of thought youd have an make restitution, and you move advantage, too, just because ______________________ ______________________ on! No putting yourself down you got to take college-level about it! So, what can I get you ___________________________________________ theology courses. today? Right! Well, what with all ______________________ ______________________ She stood again, and Wen this talk about Jesus being the ___________________________________________ Bread of Life, and the Light, grinned up at her. Surprise me! ___________________________________________ and all that, I decided Id try to read as if I were sort of reading _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Jesus. As if I were putting Him ______________________ ___________________________________________ and His life inside myself just = like I put food inside my body. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ I asked Him to show me, and ______________________ In His discussion with His disciples on the last night of His _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ you know what, Im starting to ______________________ find myself thinking about Him life on earth, Jesus said three _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ beside me all day long. In class ______________________ I AMs in one: I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. ___________________________________________ and everything. Everythings
Well, all those annoying papers Professor Ellison keeps giving us seem to be paying off, though I hate to admit it. You know, I used to sort of just read the Bible. Like a textbook. Like if I memorized enough chapters, or listed the right principles and lived my life by them, Id be okay. A good Christian. Only it never seemed to work out that way.
different! He stopped and thought again. Actually, I dont know if I act that much different. I know I still lost my temper the other day, and I still procrastinate and make excuses way too much.
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Weve talked about the way, and how it may be narrow, and wind around all over the place, and be hard to see sometimes, but you follow the Shepherd, and youll always go upward. Weve talked about the truth, and how its just as bad to believe Satans lies about us as it is to sin in the first place. Now were going to talk about life, and what it really means. At first sight, the word life is an obvious one. It means not dead. It means youre still breathing and living and doing. Jesus is the source of that physical life, the one who, John says, created all things, and nothing was made without Him. But when Jesus said He came to give life, He meant more than that. He explains it more fully in another passage in John, and believe it or not, its in that same chapter weve been to twice before. Lets look up John 10:10. [Read or have someone read.]
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
All we have to do is say yes and ___________________________________________ Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ walk through the door, where we _______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___________________________________________ will start living a completely new ____________________________________________ and different kind of adventure. ___________________________________________
So in this one story, Jesus said He was the Gate or Door, He was the Good Shepherd, and that He came to give life abundant, or a full life. Different Bibles translate it different ways, and they all add up to one thing: Jesus came to give us The Good Life. And He didnt mean riches and mansions and yachts and world travel and all the gourmet food you can make yourself sick with, either. He meant the real Good Life. So what is this full, abundant life? Someone once came up with an acrostic for JOY. It goes like this: [Have a scribe write these three words in a list, one above the other: Jesus, Others, Yourself.] Its an old one, and most of us have seen it plenty of times, but it always bears another look. 60
______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________
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love Godby the fact that we Jesus. An abundant, full life love others. John writes a lot is a life that puts Jesus first. He about that in his first epistle (1 ___________________________________________ is the center and the purpose for everything His child does. John). He points out that God is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ If we know Jesus is smiling at ______________________ invisible. Its easy to say we love Him. If we cant love the people ___________________________________________ us, we can take it when others frown. If we know Jesus is we can see around us, then we ___________________________________________ showing us what to do next, arent really loving God. So what do we do? We go back to number _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ we dont have to worry about ______________________ doing the wrong thing. And if oneput God first. That will ___________________________________________ we do make a mistake, we can grow the love in us wider and know Hell forgive us and help deeper, and well find we can ___________________________________________ us, too. If Jesus is the first one love even who we consider to ___________________________________________ we say good morning to and be unlovable people. It doesnt the last one we say goodnight necessarily mean well be best ___________________________________________ to, if Hes the most important buddies with them. Some people ___________________________________________ person when were trying to arent really safe to spend a lot Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ plan our day, we will find a the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). Sometimes the of time with. ____ _____ _________ __ _ deep source of joyeven in loving thing to do is incredibly ___________________________________________ sadness or difficulty. A full life hard, and includes removing contains all the ingredients of ourselves from close contact ______________________ ______________________ life, and that includes loss and with these people. It definitely ___________________________________________ disappointment and struggle. A means not judging others full life is almost the opposite choices! Loving them anyway ______________________ ______________________ of an easy life. But its a life that means we want the best for ___________________________________________ is worth all the hard work and them, and we hope they will tears, and its a life that doesnt learn to live in Jesus love and ___________________________________________ get swept away by sorrow, but light, too. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ realizes that God is still there, ______________________ yourself. The third ingredient, and this is really ___________________________________________ weeping with us, and will make it all right one day. important, is love for ourselves. ______________________ ______________________ others. The second People have a lot of trouble with this concept. They usually think _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ingredient of joyful, abundant ______________________ life is love of others. In this it means to do anything you _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ same passage, Jesus says thats ______________________ want, and live your life by your whims and desires. How is that ___________________________________________ how people will know if we
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love? Would you call it love if you let a child have get what he can, and he may not even know how absolutely anything they wanted? Why would selfish he is or how much he hurts others. Worse, we think that if we give in to ourselves, spoil he may not care. ourselves, set our desires above everything, that Lets close with an Ellen White quote again: should be called self-love? Thats not love. Christs favorite theme was the paternal Parents who love their children set rules for tenderness and abundant grace of God; He dwelt them. They make sure that they eat healthy much upon the holiness of His character and things and go to bed on time. They pay attention His law; He presented Himself to the people as to what they see on TV, and limit the time they the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let these be the can spend online and which sites they can themes of Christs ministers. Present the truth as visit. So the third person to show healthy love it is in Jesus. Make plain the requirements of the for, in our JOY acrostic, is yourself. We need to law and the gospel. Tell the people of Christs life set sensible rules for ourselves, feed ourselves of self-denial and sacrifice; of His humiliation well both physically and spiritually, and treat and death; of His resurrection and ascension; of ourselves as we believe a beloved child of God His intercession for them in the courts of God; of should be treated. This will not only not lead His promise, I will come again, and receive you to selfishness, its the only effective safeguard Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). unto Myself. John 14:3. (Christs Object Lessons, against it! The person whose deep inner needs are not being met is the one who is always out to p. 40)
Discussion Questions
1. Some of the things a road does are: show the way, keep people together, and make progress. How can you tell if your life is accomplishing these things? 2. Roads need maintenance sometimes, too, or they will get all broken up and overgrown. What are some ways you can maintain Gods Way in your life? 3. What are some things you think and say and do that keep you from seeing that you are the beloved son or daughter of God? What are some things you can do to keep the Truth ever before your eyes, as well as pass on Jesus love and help others see that Truth about themselves? 4. In maintaining the abundant Life Jesus promised: a. What are some specific ways in which you love Jesus first? b. What are some specific ways in which you love others next? c. What are some specific ways in which you love yourself third? 62
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Life identity
PrinciPLe #6 B ec ause J esus is t he True V in e, I c an b e a b lesse d b ran c h, d rawin g my nourishment from Him and glorifying God with much fruit.
Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editorthe True Vine Jesus said, I am (http://www.cadkas.com).
t h e t ru e v i n e
What?
en! Youll never guess what I just did! Andrea exclaimed as soon as he entered the door of the caf.
Got a new job!
You did? Thats great! I meanwait! Does that mean you wont be bringing me my smoothies and helping on papers anymore? How can I get through college without you? Andrea laughed. I somehow suspect youll manage. But no, Ill still be working here, only in the evenings. I gave up my night job cleaning offices, thank God! I especially wanted to tell you, because in a way, its thanks to you. Or maybe to that Professor Ellison of yours. What? How? Well, you know, I got to wondering, who am I really? What do I want to be when I grow up? I realized I really like all this natural, organic stuff. Did you know I bought a hand-cranked grain mill to make my own bread? So when a job at that tree nursery across town opened up, I tried for it. And I got it! I think Ill love working outside. The manager said I can even learn grafting!
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Wow! Im really happy for you! Wen said. Then he pulled a dejected face. Even though it does mean somebody else will be mixing my fruit smoothie for breakfast! It was with great excitement that Andrea and two other new employees gathered around Ed, the nursery owner, to learn about grafting. It was a chilly day in late winter, and time to begin doing the grafting that created the most popular fruit trees they sold.
the join together. This is more durable, but the cutting can be dangerous, because youre cutting toward your fingers. Im going to teach you the graft I prefer, which is called a saddle graft.
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
Ed showed them a row of what he identified as young ______________________ ______________________ apple trees, though they looked like dead sticks to Andrea, a few ___________________________________________ feet high, with three or four tiny ___________________________________________ branches at the top. With his ___________________________________________ knife, and reminding them that their knives must be extremely ___________________________________________ sharp, he cut off the top of a ___________________________________________ There are several ways of young tree at a slant, and then Changed with the DEMO VERSIONtell CAD-KAS PDF-Editor opposite grafting, and Im going to of cut it again in the (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ you about a couple of them, direction, so that it pointed ___________________________________________ but Im only going to teach upward like a sharp, upsidedown V. you the one I prefer, and why ______________________ ______________________ I prefer it. Ed said. The first Andrea couldnt help wincing ___________________________________________ and simplest is called whip for the poor little tree, though grafting. You can just cut the ______________________ ______________________ she knew it was silly. Even top off a young rootstock, at a if a tree could be said to feel ___________________________________________ sharp slant, make a matching anything, Ed had already slanted cut across your scion, explained that grafting was done ___________________________________________ join the two, and tape them while the tree was still dormant ______________________ ______________________ up. Its quick and simple, but for winter. The rootstock is isnt as durable as some other the plant that is strongest. It ___________________________________________ methods. A whip and tongue can take bad weather, or insect ______________________ ______________________ graft is better. You start with the damage, things like that. The same slanted cuts, but make a branch we graft in, the scion, is ______________________ ______________________ from a weaker plant, but with second cut crosswise down into ______________________ ______________________ the slant on each piece, creating the strength of the rootstock it will make beautiful flowers, a tongue on each that will lock ___________________________________________ 64
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Just like the scion taking nourishment from the earth through the rootstock, the Christian who has asked Jesus to live in his or her life through the presence of the Holy Spirit actually takes in the life of Christ
grafts from last year. Ed took bound the two stems together with grafting tape. Each of them on a short tour of grafts you can try a couple. The trees at different stages. But Andrea in this row are not especially kept looking over her shoulder. valuable, he added with a grin, With a laugh, she admitted to Ed had brought a handful of so dont worry about killing the woman next to her, Id scions, plain branches cut from them. Also, I have knives for like to put a ribbon on it, or the variety of tree he wanted to you. At the end of the day, something, so Ill know my own graft onto the tops of the young well have a sharpening class, tree! I hope Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). it grows. apples. The cut on the scion which youll find to be more At home that night, is a little trickier. He showed demanding than the actual describing her day to the kids, them how to carefully rock the grafting process! Andrea snuggled them with sharp knife in a cut into the end Andrea practiced sharp, even more affection than usual. of a tiny branch, turn it, and cut More than anything in life, she in from the other direction. You even cuts on a spare stick, then carefully made her first graft. hoped her attempts to graft still have to be careful of your She took about 10 times as long them into Jesus would hold! fingers, and have a sharp knife. as Ed had, but the others were In seconds, he had a v-shaped = So far, weve studied five I equally as awkward at first, and cut into the end of the scion, Am statements. Weve seen as she wrapped up her graft, she which he slid down over the that Jesus is a Light shining on was pretty sure it would take. top of the tree. It fit exactly. Or everyone, leading them to the When will we know for Andrea thought it did. Ed pulled Door of Himself and urging sure? she asked Ed. it off again and made a slight them to choose to enter. Once a amendment. You have to make Within a couple of weeks, as person enters, Jesus feeds them sure the join is as perfect as with the Bread of His Word, the weather starts to break, the possible, not crooked, or partly then is their Shepherd, leading trees will begin to show new together and partly not. Only them in His Way, Truth, and growth. If you come over here a perfect union will work. Ed Life. This time, we will look at to this row, Ill show you some or fruit, or whatever you want from the particular plant. In this case, we can count on a much better crop of apples!
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another statement He made on that last night, on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane. Its found in John 15:1-8. Lets read it together. [Share the reading of the 8 verses.] Once you know about grafting in the physical world of plants, this is a much more amazing statement, isnt it? Jesus is the rootstock. A gardener chooses a rootstock for its strength, hardiness to different conditions, and resistance to insects and disease. Lets try to figure out some of the ways this is true of Jesus. is a real no-brainer! Its no secret that we are not strong on our own. Every time we think we get something right, we mess it up. What we try to do, we cant do, and what were determined not to do is exactly what we do! Even the strengths we do have were naturally given to us by Jesus, and if we try to use them without Him, it doesnt work out so well. So, a person who is born with great leadership abilities turns into a Hitler, or a person with great musical talent becomes a so-called star and is mostly famous for being drunk or having three marriages 66
___________________________________________ Changed with Jesus has strength. This one the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Jesus has hardiness for ______________________ _______
different conditions. In the plant world, some plants can stand drought, floods, heat, and cold better than others. Sometimes you can graft a fragile rose, for instance, to a stronger rose rootstock, and the fragile rose will be better able to stand difficult conditions. If our lives are grafted into Jesus, we can handle the stresses of life, from ridicule to loneliness, from difficult home lives to illness. Neither we nor the fragile rose will ever be as strong as our rootstock, but well be a lot stronger than we would have been on our own.
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and eight affairs. These natural abilities were given by God, and were meant to be used with His strength. Just imagine if Hitler or those movie stars we hear about invested their abilities for good and positive causes. How would history be different? When we make a decision to become a follower of Jesus and are baptized as a symbol of embracing that new life, God pours out His Spirit upon us and invests in us new strengths or anoints the natural ones we were born with. These are known as the gifts of the Spirit.
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Jesus can resist the bugs and diseases of sin. He lived the life we live and never gave in to Satan, so we know He has the strength to pass along to us. When we are in temptation, if we remember to quickly pray for Him to deal with it, well be given words to say, or strength to get out of the situation. The trick is to remember fast enough. The Bible says to resist, or stand up to the devil, and he will flee from us. Why? Is that because hes afraid of us? No, but he is terrified of Jesus, who lives in us by His Spirit! of God, and intended to produce beautiful flowers and fruit, but by ourselves, we get scorched by stress, drowned by floods of trouble, and eaten alive by temptation and sin. If we dont shrivel up and die, we produce crooked flowers and infested fruit. Worse yet, when that fruit falls from us and is passed on to those around us, they get infested, too! Were in bad shape, and it all started back in the Garden of Eden, or even before that, when Lucifer rebelled in heaven. But God knew what would happen, and He had a plan.
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Jesus would come, plant Himself in this earth, grow strong and tall, and then deliberately allow His life to be chopped off! All this was done so we could be grafted in, and start producing the beautiful flowers and fruit that He intended for us all along. Jesus didnt just say I am the vine, He also said You are the branches. He told the disciples (and us) that if we dont abide in Him, we can bear no fruit. Its a nice word picture, but what does it really mean? in which Jesus is strong and makes a good rootstock. Now lets talk about some ways we can be good branches, or scions. First of all, the main difference between us and the plants is that we have a choice. You can pick any two plants you want, assuming that theyre correct varieties and will go well together, and graft them. The plants have no say in the matter. But Jesus wont graft in any people who dont want to live His life. Just like the scion taking nourishment from the earth through the rootstock, the Christian who has asked Jesus
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soul reaches toward Christ, to live in his or her life through ___________________________________________ the presence of the Holy Spirit there is little danger that he actually takes in the life of will wilt, and droop, and ___________________________________________ Christ, and if that happened by decay. The temptations that ______________________ ______________________ force, it would be an evil thing! may come in like a tempest But we can choose it, and then will not uproot him. The true ___________________________________________ its a miracle. Christian draws his motives ___________________________________________ of action from his deep love Not only that, but even once for his Redeemer. His affection we have made the choice to live ______________________ ______________________ for his Master is true and our lives in Christ, we always ___________________________________________ still have the choice. We can holy. (Sons and Daughters of pull nourishment from the God, p. 288) ___________________________________________ depth of our lives in God, or When Ed taught his new ___________________________________________ we can strike out on our own. employees how to graft, he said Thats why its so important to ___________________________________________ that one of the most important remember to pray the moment things was a perfect union. ___________________________________________ temptation comes. New life The cuts made in both plants Changed with thejust automatically well CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ wont DEMO VERSION of ______________________ _______ have to be carefully matched up in us like sap through a in size and angle, and bound ___________________________________________ cambium layer without our together as if they had grown continued cooperation. ______________________ ______________________ there all along. Here is how Mrs. White ___________________________________________ describes it: How can we have a perfect union with Jesus? Well, as the The root of the tree has ______________________ ______________________ rootstock, He was the one who a double office to fill. It is to ___________________________________________ was cut first. He was cut off hold fast by its tendrils to the entirely, in death, just like the earth, while it takes to itself ___________________________________________ top of the tree was cut off when the nourishment desired. ______________________ ______________________ the grafting was done. Its hard Thus it is with the Christian. for us to even imagine such a When his union with Christ, ___________________________________________ thing. But He did it for us. So, the parent stock, is complete, ______________________ ______________________ in order for our cut to match when he feeds upon Him, His, we have to be completely currents of spiritual strength ______________________ ______________________ cut off from our old way of are given to him. Can the ______________________ ______________________ doing whatever we want, leaves of such a branch whenever we want, or of doing wither?--Never! As long as the ___________________________________________ 68
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We still like to have things our own way, and we still fall into temptation. We still have a ___________________________________________ choice to make every day of our ______________________ ______________________ lives. Do we want to stay grafted in? Do we really want Jesus ___________________________________________ will more than our own? Even If we were brought up in ___________________________________________ in what we read, or watch on a Christian home, with godly TV? Even in which computer _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ parents who inspired us, lived ______________________ games we play, or what we ___________________________________________ the life of Jesus and taught us post online, or how we relate well, we might have naturally to the most annoying person at ___________________________________________ embraced the values of work? There are tendrils of sin ___________________________________________ Christianity as a way of life. In reaching out for us from every that case, it might not be easy to direction, and every day, every ___________________________________________ identify a particular moment in moment, we have decisions to ___________________________________________ our life journey when we were make. Do we want to abide, cut off from our roots of sin. stay in Christ, live in Him? Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ __ _____ _________ __ However, we will identify Then we have to be bound ___________________________________________ a season of our lives when we together as if we were one plant. In the later chapters _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ began to grow to become more ______________________ sensitive to the needs of God in of his book, John describes ___________________________________________ a very personal waywhen the Jesus praying to His Father God of our parents became our in heaven to make all His ______________________ ______________________ personal God. It is also okay if children one. That includes ___________________________________________ you grew up in the church and us. We are to be one in Christ and one in each other. That have been a Christian since a ___________________________________________ doesnt mean were exactly the child and cannot look back to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ any one particular conversion ______________________ same. In fact, if plants were all the same, nobody would point, but instead, grew into ___________________________________________ ever do any grafting, or any a better, deeper and more _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ personal acquaintance with ______________________ gardening, for that matter. Just think how boring it would be! Jesus as your Lord and Savior. ______________________ ______________________ But, regardless of where we How do you get to be one _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ are and how we came to be a ______________________ with somebody? How do a husband and wife become one ___________________________________________ Christian, we are still sinful!
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things to please others and make them like us, or whatever motivations we had before we decided to open the door to Jesus. We have to be cut off from our roots of sin.
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And remember the last verse of the passage we began with? ______________________ ______________________ John 15:8 says that God is ___________________________________________ glorified when we bear much fruit, because thats how we ___________________________________________ show we are disciples of Jesus. ___________________________________________ Okay, so we know how to be This wont mean we lose grafted in, and how to be bound ___________________________________________ anything of our real selves. up with Jesus. But what does it ___________________________________________ In fact, its the only chance mean to bear fruit? Jesus says Changed with the DEMO VERSIONrealCAD-KASHis disciples, (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ we have of ever being our of ______________________ _______ it to PDF-Editor I want you selves. Only Jesus knows what to bear lots of fruit, as if He ___________________________________________ our true, inner selves were expects them to know what He meant to be, and His dreams means, but He really doesnt ______________________ ______________________ for us are even bigger than the explain it in this passage. Since ___________________________________________ ones we dream for ourselves. they were so confused about The closer we get to Him, the the rest of the things He was ______________________ ______________________ more well learn about our gifts, saying, like where He was ___________________________________________ callings, and uniqueness. The going, or how they could know more well be able to bloom the way, or what He meant ___________________________________________ and bear fruit. And thats when when He said He was leaving ______________________ ______________________ well grow into the true beauty and going back to God, we can God meant us to have. Not one probably assume they didnt ___________________________________________ of us will look the same. In understand this right away, ______________________ ______________________ case you cant tell, God likes either. But they figured it out variety! Just look at the different after Jesus left and the Holy ______________________ ______________________ flowers and fruit, not to mention Spirit came to them in power. ______________________ ______________________ the incredible variety of birds, Paul, who became a disciple at animals, and fish. John, the one a later stage and who had never ___________________________________________ 70
flesh, for instance? They live together. They spend a lot of time together. They learn about each other, and about each others interests and hobbies. They learn about each others troubles. If we spend time every single day with Jesus, reading His word, talking to Him, singing His songs, doing His work, well become one with Him. Well be bound with Him until we cant get free without cutting ourselves off.
who wrote all this down for us, says in one of his other books, in 1 John 3:2, that what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
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met Jesus personally while He if you dont love others, it shows lived on earth, but became one you dont love Him either. So of His most faithful followers, if this fruit is missing in your ___________________________________________ wrote a whole passage about life, theres definitely something _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ what this fruit is. Its found in ______________________ wrong with your graft, and you Galatians 5:22, 23. Turn there should check it out, and get help ___________________________________________ with me in your Bibles. [Read from godly people you trust. ___________________________________________ or have someone read. You may Joy. You know what it wish to have a scribe write the feels like when you are doing ______________________ ______________________ fruit of the Spirit on a board.] something you really love to do ___________________________________________ Please note that the word fruit and know you are good at? As is singular. In other words, the if youre more you somehow? ___________________________________________ fruit of the Spirit is expressed Well, thats what its like walking ___________________________________________ by the collective presence of with Jesus, only even better. all the values listed by Paul. Because you really are more ___________________________________________ These virtues do not represent your real self! And as you grow ___________________________________________ different fruits that we can and learn and He teaches you Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ pick and choose from; the sum more and more, the joy grows _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ __ _____ _________ __ of them all represents the fruit deeper into your soul, like roots. ___________________________________________ of the Spirit. But theres one important thing love. This is the first and to understand. All of these facets ______________________ ______________________ clearest expression of the of love are very different than ___________________________________________ fruit. Some have written and the worldly ideas they sound like. So Gods joy, for instance, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ spoken of all the rest of this ______________________ list of virtues as facets of love. isnt the same as just being ___________________________________________ Certainly the Bible teaches happy and having everything go your way. Things will happen. ___________________________________________ that God is love, and love is the only commandment. Love Annoying things. Frustrating _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ God, love everybody, do it with ______________________ things. Frightening things. Even really awful, sorrowful things. ___________________________________________ everything youve got, and youll automatically keep all A Christian doesnt always _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the rest of the commandments ______________________ feel happy. Even Jesus was _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and bear all the rest of this fruit. called, in Isaiah 53:3, a man ______________________ We talked about this in another of sorrows, and familiar with _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ sessionthat you can only love ______________________ suffering. He is more familiar with suffering than we will ___________________________________________ others if you love God first, and
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Lets face it, anybody can be ___________________________________________ patient if things are great. In fact, thats not even patience! ___________________________________________ If you want to really learn ______________________ ______________________ patience, you have to have lots of things happen that will tempt ___________________________________________ you to be impatient. So watch ___________________________________________ out if you actually ask God to make you patient! Who knows Peace. This, too, is not the ______________________ ______________________ how many irritating things you same as quietness, tranquility, ___________________________________________ might suddenly notice! Its not no conflict going on. Thats as if God causes aggravating what we think peace is. In fact, ___________________________________________ things to happen. He doesnt thats what youd find if you ___________________________________________ have tothere are plenty of looked it up in the dictionary. them. But when we pray for But Jesus warned us in this ___________________________________________ patience, the Holy Spirit starts same passage, on His last night ___________________________________________ working on making us more with the disciples, that His aware of our own (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Changed with the is not like the worlds CAD-KAS PDF-Editorreactions to peace DEMO VERSION of ______________________ _______ peace. Look at John 16:33. [Read the things that happen, and ___________________________________________ suddenly it seems like patience or have someone read.] Jesus is impossible! But dont worry _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ actually promises trouble! But ______________________ keep hanging onto that vine, then He says, Cheer up! Ive ___________________________________________ let the gardener prune you if overcome the world. In other words, we cant overcome it, and necessary, and fruit will come. ______________________ ______________________ You cant make it grow by sometimes it seems like were ___________________________________________ thinking about it or wishing for surrounded by trouble, little it. Just by abiding. and big. But we can have peace, ___________________________________________ knowing He not only can, He Kindness. Here is a ______________________ ______________________ already did! That makes us able facet of love that needs no to hang in there. description. Everybody knows ___________________________________________ Patience. Have you ever heard the warning not to pray for patience? The truth is, theres only one way to learn patience, and thats to have lots of things to be impatient about.
ever be. The joy that being His child and abiding in Him brings can be an exciting, wonderful feeling. But often it is more like a quiet inner sense of security knowing that no matter what happens, He is always there, and Hell get you through it.
what kindness is. Everybody recognizes it when it happens to them. Not everybody turns around and practices it. But since the Bible says all good gifts come from God (James
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us, and our faith grows and grows until it fills us up and overflows on those around us. ___________________________________________ Second, it means doing things ______________________ ______________________ faithfully. Completing work assignments well and on time. ___________________________________________ Taking care of the people and ___________________________________________ things you are responsible for. Taking care of yourself, too, goodness. This one is ______________________ ______________________ harder to define. We all think we which you are more responsible ___________________________________________ know what goodness is, but find for than anyone else is. Being kind to others. The most ___________________________________________ it hard to describe and even important thing to be faithful harder to practice. But God ___________________________________________ says it is the fruit of the Spirit, about, though, and the first thing to check if you find you ___________________________________________ so if you have the Holy Spirit are being unfaithful in other living in you, and if you are ___________________________________________ abiding daily in Jesus words things, is faithfully spending time praying and reading the Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ and presence, then goodness _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ __ _____ _________ __ Bible, and being sure when we will grow on you. Heres a hint: pray to leave time for listening, ___________________________________________ if you think youre good, thats too. We speak, and know God _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ not it. If you think youre bad, ______________________ listens. Then we listen, and thats not it, either. If you dont know He will speak, sometime ___________________________________________ think much about you at all, in impressions we receive in _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ but others seem to think youre our hearts, but mostly in either ______________________ good, and that surprises you the Bible or the words of others, ___________________________________________ thats it! And you can reply to like sermons, songs, or even ___________________________________________ compliments and gratitude by something a friend says. smiling and saying, Thank
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1:17), then every time someone is genuinely kind, that comes from God, even if the person doesnt even know it. You can know your union with Jesus is in good shape if you can be kind, even to those who are not kind to you.
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you, but thats all God, not me. Faithfulness. This has two different shades of meaning. First, it literally means full of faith, which is an automatic outgrowth of living daily with Jesus. We begin to see the things He does in us and for
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gentleness. This is not always popular today. You hear a lot about being strong, and standing up for yourself, and knowing what you want and going after it. Men, in particular, are often ridiculed for being gentle, because some people
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think that means to be wimpy. And women who are gentle may open themselves up to accusations of being doormats or old-fashioned and reactive. But the very fact that its so misunderstood might make gentleness one of the most necessary virtues in todays fastpaced world. We are all in this together, we all have troubles, and a little gentleness goes a long way in smoothing the path for everyone around us.
If were grafted into the Vine, Jesus, and the Gardener, His Father, is caring for us . . . if weve begun to grow some love and joy and peace and all the rest of the fruit, self-control goes right along with it. It might not mean never eating cake, but it certainly will mean not eating three pieces! It might not mean never having to express anger, but it will definitely mean not losing our temper or blaming others for our anger. It will not mean giving up play entirely and spending all your time on work for the almighty paycheck, or vice versa; it will mean doing your best at work and play. And there you have it: a word picture from the Bible of the full and abundant life Jesus promises to those who choose to belong to Him, to grow into Him, to take their nourishment from Him, to grow up into all He wants for them, producing abundant blooms and fruit that are a blessing to all around us.
self-control Oh, boy, everybodys favorite! Weve given this a negative definition, Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS too. Self-control, we think, means living in some kind of box, obeying rules like a robot, never having any fun! Is that what Jesus meant? Surely not! Or we give it a narrow definition. 1. We try to be self-controlled about how much we eat, but not about how well we eat. We are 2. temperate about alcohol, but go all-out on sugar, or fatty foods. 3. Or we are careful about our entire diet, but never exercise, or exercise too much, and make 4. our physical health the be-all 5. and end-all of our existence. The truth is, self-control equals temperance, equals moderation in all things. All things! 74
PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com).
What is a sin disease or bug you would like Jesus to give you His resistance to? What are some things you do to build and maintain a more perfect union with Jesus? How can you tell when your union with Him has some gaps in it? What can you do then? Of all these fruits, which one appeals to you today? Why? Tell of a time when someone else demonstrated the fruit of the Spirit in relationship to you. What happened? How did it feel? Did it make you want to be more like Jesus? How?
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Life identity
PrinciPLe #7 Beca u se Jesus is th e Resu rre ctio n a nd th e L ife, I ca n rej oice in H is newne ss o f l ife now an d tru st H im fo r l ife eternal.
the resurrection And the Life

Jesus said, I am the Resurrection and the Life
en and Josh ran down a hallway with a crowd of other people, hurrying toward the exit and across the green to the administration building. Everyone on campus had been called to assemble in the chapel. The entire college was in chaos.
Whats going on? Wen asked Josh. I dont know, but I guess its big. I saw Dr. Willa crying.
When they finally reached the college chapel, it was packed and as noisy as a freeway at rush hour. The president stood and raised her hands, and finally the voices quieted. Ladies and gentlemen, Im very sorry to have to call you together here. Im afraid I have bad news. We thought it might be best if you all heard together, in the hopes that not too much distortion and confusion will occur as the story gets told and retold. The president took off her glasses and polished them.
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Wen and Josh exchanged glances. What on earth? And why didnt she just get on with it? When she spoke again, it was clear that she was having trouble controlling her voice. Was she about to cry? We have just received word that the bus carrying our student missionaries back from overseas has crashed.
talking about getting married after graduation! Oh, God! he whispered. Joshs face turned jerkily toward him. God! God? Where was He? Why would He let this happen? And Wen had no idea what to say. I Am statements that we are studying this week is found in John 11:25. [Read or have someone read.]
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=The last of the seven specific
A rush of shocked sound ___________________________________________ whirred around the room. The ___________________________________________ president held up trembling hands. There areno. She This statement is found in a ___________________________________________ choked up and stopped talking, seriously distressing story, one Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAScan only be understood by PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ but the silence was deafening. that There are no survivors. someone who has been there. ___________________________________________ Lazarus, the only brother of two After a horrified second, ______________________ ______________________ sisters, Mary and Martha, had voices rose again in the chapel. died. All three of them were Wen heard a couple of screams ___________________________________________ friends of Jesus, and worse yet, and then some crying, but they had sent word to Him days _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ his own throat closed up. The ago that Lazarus was sick, but student missionaries! All 10 of ___________________________________________ He had chosen not to come. them? The driver, too? You can see it in verse 4, when ___________________________________________ Josh was perfectly white. Jesus says the sickness will Wen reached over to touch his ______________________ ______________________ not end in death, and in verse shoulder. Are you okay? 6, where He stays where He is ___________________________________________ two more days. Joshs mouth moved, but ______________________ ______________________ no sound came out at first. He We could guess that Mary swallowed convulsively, and ______________________ ______________________ and Martha would be asking, tried again. Nita! he managed, Why? But we dont need to ______________________ ______________________ and Wens heart stopped. Nita! guess. We can know it, because Joshs girlfriend! They had been both of them said to Jesus, If ___________________________________________ 76
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only You had been here! They had seen Jesus heal many people, and they were sure He could have healed Lazarus, too. In other words, why had He let this happen? Have you been there?
Jesus is speaking to Martha But no. Jesus is the when He makes this I Am Resurrection and the Life. He ___________________________________________ statement. Before He has laid His own life on it. done anything at all about the ___________________________________________ sorrowful situation His friends Great. Makes a good sermon, are in, He says to Martha, I doesnt it? But you know if ___________________________________________ am the resurrection and the youve been there, how hollow ___________________________________________ life. He who believes in me that comfort can feel at the will live, even though he dies; time. What do you say when ___________________________________________ and whoever lives and believes a devastated friend asks you Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ in me will never die. Do you Why? Or when you yourself sit believe this? by a seemingly unjust grave ___________________________________________ and ask, Why? If a person dies What is Marthas answer? ______________________ ______________________ old and full of years, as the [Read or have someone read Bible puts it, thats one thing. ___________________________________________ verse 27.] But a young man like Lazarus? That is what God wanted ______________________ ______________________ Young student missionaries to hear. In her sorrow, in her ___________________________________________ disappointment, before she has doing Gods work? A child, even? ___________________________________________ any idea what miracle Jesus What do you say then? has in mind, even though she _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ may feel angry that God (and ______________________ Of course, we know the end of Lazarus story. Jesus ___________________________________________ Jesus) allowed this to happen, raised him, he walked in the Martha says, I believe. I still _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ believe you are the Messiah. I ______________________ triumphal procession when Jesus entered Jerusalem before _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ am not going to stop believing ______________________ His own death, and thenwhat in you because I am hurt and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ confused and devastated with ______________________ then? Is Lazarus still alive? No? So he died again, right? ___________________________________________ sorrow.
She even says she knows her brother will rise again. Martha has the faith that this is not the end. It doesnt stop her grief, but it eases it. Imagine if you really thought everyone who died was dead forever, and you would never see them again!
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When Jesus raised people here on earth, whether it was Lazarus, Jairus daughter, or the widow of Nains son, He didnt give them eternal life. Technically, although His plan of salvation was complete in Gods eyes from before Creation, Jesus had not yet bought back our right to eternal life. Yet He told Martha, and others, as well, that those who believed in Him will never die. He knew it was already a done deal. Why, then, is the famous shortest verse in the Bible right here in this story? Look at verse 35. Jesus wept. Its fatally easy for us, when were not the ones in despair, to just say, maybe not in so many words, Chin up! Its okay! Jesus is the resurrection and the life! But even Jesus cried, and no, I dont believe it was just because of the lack of faith on the part of His friends. Death is sad. Loss is painful. And sometimes the best gift we can give is not to make any attempt to answer why, but just to
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Are weVERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). choosing what to do and say ___________________________________________ Changed with the DEMO ______________________ ______________________ by what effect it has on our eternal ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ lives, and the lives of others?
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cry with the grieving, showing them by our own presence that God is present, too, and that He cares. It was only a short time after Lazarus was raised that Jesus went through His own valley of the shadow of death. Except, the valley He traveled was never, and will never, be traveled by another soul. Somehow (we will never truly understand how) Jesus didnt just die the normal death we dieHe died what we call the Second Deaththe eternal death that is the consequence of sin. He should have stayed dead forever and ever. But He didnt! Lets turn in our Bibles to John 20. First, lets imagine the scene. Think of all the times youve ever lost anyone. Remember the shock and grief in all its power. Now add to that the sorrow you 78
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that He loved them a lot! He would feel if it were your own child or someone very close to even stayed in the graveyard you. Add that all up together, before going back up to visit ___________________________________________ and imagine if you had been a His Father, from whom He had _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ friend of Jesus, and believed ______________________ been separated. with all your heart that He was ___________________________________________ But after reassuring Mary the Son of God, the Messiah. and sending this message to ___________________________________________ And now Hes dead! Hes dead!! the others, Jesus did go right to _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Can you even imagine the grief heaven. Mrs. White says: ______________________ and horror and shock? Jesus refused to receive ___________________________________________ Hes dead. the homage of His people But He cant be dead! ___________________________________________ until He had the assurance But He is. that His sacrifice was ___________________________________________ Now what do we do? accepted by the Father. He ___________________________________________ ascended to the heavenly Mary Magdalene was one of courts, and from God ___________________________________________ the most grief-stricken of Jesus Himself heard the assurance Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ followers. He had rescued her _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS a life of horrors we dont _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ from PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). atonement for the that His sins of [all] had been ample, ___________________________________________ know the half of, and she didnt see how she could go on living that through His blood all _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ without Him. So practically ______________________ might gain eternal life. . . The Father. . . would love ___________________________________________ before light on Sunday morning, she went to the tomb. them even as He loves ______________________ ______________________ His Son. . . . All power in Lets read what happened. heaven and on earth was ___________________________________________ [Taking turns to read, go all the given to the Prince of life, ___________________________________________ way through John 20:1-18. Take and He returned to His time to stop and discuss what followers in a world of sin, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ your emotions would have been ______________________ that He might impart to ___________________________________________ like if you had been there.] them of His power and My Father and your Father; glory. (Desire of Ages, p. ______________________ ______________________ My God and your God. Why do 790) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ you think He said it like that? ______________________ Now Jesus was in truth, once He wanted to reassure them ______________________ ______________________ and for all, the Resurrection once and for all that God loved and the Life. He came to share ___________________________________________ them as much as He did, and
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that with us. With you and me! Amazing!
In all of these I Am ___________________________________________ statements, weve first looked ______________________ ______________________ at what Jesus said He is, and So when we were baptized, then at what that means for us. ___________________________________________ that was the outward sign of a In this case, of course, there whole new life that had already ___________________________________________ is no way that we are either resurrection or life! We just have begun on the inside. Here is ______________________ ______________________ how Mrs. White explains it: to decide if we want in on His ___________________________________________ resurrection and life. However, Baptism is a most we can also use our influence ___________________________________________ solemn renunciation of the either to further Jesus life and world. Self is by profession ___________________________________________ newness, or to spread death and dead to a life of sin. The destruction. Its surprising how ___________________________________________ waters cover the candidate, often even Christians can do and in the presence of the ___________________________________________ and say deadly things. unkind whole heavenly universe the Changed with the DEMO stretching the CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ words, gossip, VERSION of mutual pledge is made. In ______________________ _______ truth (especially to make oneself the name of the Father, and ___________________________________________ look good and someone else Son, and the Holy Spirit, look bad)all these things are man is laid in his watery ______________________ ______________________ actions of death, not of life. On grave, buried with Christ ___________________________________________ the other hand, kind words, in baptism and raised from loving deeds, standing up for the water to live the new life ______________________ ______________________ someone who needs itthese of loyalty to God. The three ___________________________________________ things participate in Gods life great powers in heaven are of love and demonstrate that we witnesses; they are invisible ___________________________________________ have crossed over from death to but present.(The Faith I ______________________ ______________________ life, as Jesus put it in John 5:24. Live By, p. 146) But how can this be true right now? We know that we can believe what Jesus says as soon as He says it, as though it had already happened. But theres more to it than that. There is a real, physical way 80
that we can live out the death and resurrection of Jesus now. Lets see what Paul says. [Read or have someone read Romans 6:4, 5.]
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That was the beginning. The baptized person professes to be dead to sin. As life goes on, the question is answered; did he or she really mean it? Anyone can say they want to follow Jesus. They might even mean
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eternal lives, and the lives of Both of them seemed to sort others? of jerk to life when the pastor said, We may well ask why God Meanwhile, when the would allow such a terrible thing horrible, unexplainable things to happen. These young people happen and we wonder where were at the beginning of their God is, and why He didnt stop lives. Some of them were about them, we will just have to put to graduate. Two were engaged our trust in Him and ask Him to be married. All were working the questions. Its okay to show for God! The pastor paused our true feelings to God, even and shook his head. Working when they are negative ones for God! They were engaged He understands. Who else can in work that was feeding we turn to? He may not, and hundreds of hungry children! probably wont answer us now Shouldnt God have spared their Actually, just before that in any way we can understand, lives? Didnt He know what quote above, Ellen White has but He will be with us now. He great things they might have this to say: will care for us tenderly, cry accomplished for Him? Then Changed with GodDEMO VERSION of CAD-KASus, and finally take us to the asks those who take His PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). with theres the bus driver, who has live forever with Him, where name, How are you using the left a grieving family. How there will be no more tears or powers that have been redeemed could God let this happen? death, forever. by the death of My Son? Are you doing all in your power to rise The Pastor paused and 3 Wen had been to some to a greater height in spiritual looked around the room. Wen funerals, but this memorial understanding? Are you adjusting service had to be the worst ever. slid a sideways look at Josh, your interest and actions in whose eyes seemed riveted to Each person lost in the tragedy harmony with the momentous the pastors face. He held his had a funeral in their own claims of eternity? (ibid.) breath. Josh had been talking home town and church, but the wildly, talking of leaving college had a memorial service So when we want to know if school, of leaving the church, we are living out the resurrected for all of them. The big college of giving up faith altogether. church was packed to the life Jesus has promised us, Wen found himself praying doors. up front, there were10 those are the questions we can wordlessly. ask ourselves. Are we trying enlarged photographs, some of to learn something new every them senior pictures, on easels, I dont know. day about God and His truth? along with a sea of flowers. Wen Wen closed his eyes. Way to Are we choosing what to do and stayed close to Josh, who could go, pastor! Thats helpful! say by what effect it has on our hardly speak. it, but when it gets hard, or discouraging, do they give up? The water of baptism is only a symbolit is not what does the washing of sins. Jesus does that, and He is the only one who can. And it isnt done just onceits done over and over, every day, the rest of your life. No matter how many years its been since your baptism, that newness of life is still available to you. You can still choose daily to live the resurrected life.
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We cant answer questions like this. But Ill tell you what I do know. God hates all the bad things that happen in this world. Sin causes death and sorrow. If Hes going to stop one thing, why not another? Wen opened his eyes and looked up. Why not stop anyone from dying in accidents? Why not stop any children from dying of starvation?
If Hes going to stop one, I think Hed rather stop it all. said the pastor. Dont you think so? Wen saw Josh nod slightly, his lips trembling. Through his tears, Pastor Jake suddenly lit up with a smile. Friends, listen. He will. He will! Thats what Im here to remind us all. Thats the thing to hang onto now. We will see our loved ones again, and one day there will be no more death at all. Wen stopped sliding sideways glances and looked at Josh. A tear was sliding down his cheek. Thank God. until now, Josh had only been furious. As far as Wen knew Josh hadnt cried at all or slept since hearing about the accident. Wen had a feeling that if Josh could just let go and cry like a baby, it might be a good thing.
Wens eyes were stinging, too. He saw Josh put his face in his Wen forgot, for the moment, hands and heard him whisper brokenly, God, Im so mad at You! about Josh, and noticed the Wen sighed. It would take a while. But it would be okay, now. anger hed felt, himself, churning around just below Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). his consciousness. He hadnt thought of it in that light. He remembered thinking, after 9/11, that some people told the 1. Have you had someone close to you die? How did you stories of their friends or family deal with the grief and the questions? members who miraculously 2. What do you think would happen if God stopped letting hadnt died, as if God had anything negative or painful happen to those who somehow loved them more follow Him? than those who had. Should he be so upset just because these 3. Do you know someone who is grieving? It doesnt have were his friends? Werent there to be a death. It can be the loss of a job, or loss of health, accidents every day? Didnt or moving away from friends and feeling lonely. What people die in them? Had he can you do to share Jesus comfort with that person? ever demanded of God why He hadnt stopped those accidents? 4. Did the things you have said and done today share He felt guilty, thinking about it, Gods resurrected life, or did they spread death and and then remembered Josh and destruction? Is there anything you will do to be more felt even guiltier. His loss was aware of sharing life instead of death? nothing to his friends.
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Life identity
PrinciPLe #8 Bec aus e J e s u s t h e G re a t I AM is, wa s, a nd always w i l l b e, b e c a u s e H e l ived ou t a Tru e an d C o m p l e t e l i f e h e re on ea rth, I ca n be my t r u e a n d c o m p l e te sel f in H im.
the greAt i Am
Jesus said, I Am
Yeah, well, its a lot busier in the evening, too, so we wouldnt have much time to talk if you did. How are you doing? Im great! Would you believe Ive finally locked into a major? Pre-med, if you can imagine that. Pre-med! Really? Youre in for the long haul, then. Well, remember when you told me that I ought to think about what Id want to be if I never grew up? You might have just been joking, but the way I took it was to think what I really dreamed of in my heart, what I would do if I didnt have to worry about cost, and time, and all that. And the truth is, Ive always wanted to be a doctor, only it seemed so impossible. Even now, just thinking of the years ahead of me scares me. But when I took it to God and really prayed, asking Him to show me, not just what He wants me to do with my life, but who I truly am inside, that vision just became so clear that I
en was walking down the street, so deep in thought that he almost ran into someone. He jogged to the side automatically, looked up to apologize, then blinked and smiled. Andrea! Hi! I havent seen you in a while. I dont get into the caf as often in the evening.
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couldnt deny it anymore. I and so, of course, I was. Well, ___________________________________________ figure if He wants me to do it, because of the things weve Hell help me find a way. I was talked about, I started taking a ___________________________________________ thinking I could get a nursing prayerful look at who I really ______________________ ______________________ degree first, and maybe work am and what skills or interests my way through medical school I have. One of the results is ___________________________________________ as a nurse, or something like this new job at the nursery, ___________________________________________ that. Or, its possible I may not which I love! And because of it go all the way to becoming Ive realized several thingsI ______________________ ______________________ a doctor, but instead be a love outdoor, natural lifestyle ___________________________________________ Certified Nurse Practitioner. kinds of things. I actually want Im willing to let time make the to move to the country, and ___________________________________________ details clear. And thats another am looking for a place close to ___________________________________________ difference, too. Even though I the nursery and praying about get worried if I think about the ways I might manage a down___________________________________________ future too much, the level of payment. And as for education, ___________________________________________ fear and just. . . I dont know, there are a million ways, you just feeling like I wasnt where I know? If I can get my life a Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ really wanted to be, has passed. little less hectic, I can take ___________________________________________ I owe you one Andrea! a few courses at the college maybe, and in the meantime, Andrea laughed. Thats ______________________ ______________________ theres tons of online stuff, or so great, Wen! But anything even library book clubs. Believe ___________________________________________ you might ever have owed it or not, Ive even started me is more than paid off. Ill ______________________ ______________________ to wonder whether I might have you know that I, too, ___________________________________________ manage some kind of two-year know what I want to be when vocational course on business I grow up, and its because of ___________________________________________ management, because maybe our discussions. See, Ive been ______________________ ______________________ Id like my own greenhouse fixated for so long on a college business, or flowers, or even education. No, thats not even ___________________________________________ bonsai. The possibilities are right. I wasnt fixated on getting ______________________ ______________________ endless! And its all because a college education. I was of our talking, and Professor wasting all my energy being ______________________ ______________________ Ellisons homework! fixated on the impossibility of ______________________ ______________________ getting one. I believed I was Wen grinned, but said a loser from the beginning, seriously, Its all because the ___________________________________________ 84
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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________
great I AM has knocked our heads together a little and got us to realize we too can live significant lives as we remain connected to the Him.
Imagine if you were Moses. Am statements John records What??!! ___________________________________________ Jesus as saying: I am the Light He argued for a while: Im _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of the world; I am the Door ______________________ too shy, I cant talk, and theyll of the sheepfold; I am the never listen. God isnt letting ___________________________________________ Bread of Life; I am the Good him argue his way out of this Shepherd; I am the Way, the ___________________________________________ assignment. Now, Moses asks, Truth, and the Life; I am Well, whom shall I say sent me? ___________________________________________ the True Vine; and I am the Theyll want to know who you Resurrection and the Life. For ___________________________________________ our last session together, were really are. ___________________________________________ going to look more closely at the Now this is an interesting thing. Moses Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ I Am itself. Where did it come the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). just meant, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ from? What does it mean? _ Whats your name? But God ___________________________________________ knew that the question of Who The first time this term was used was in Exodus 3:14, 15. You Really Are is extremely ______________________ ______________________ Lets go there together. What important, and goes way deeper ___________________________________________ story is this? [People will recognize than your name. His answer is it as the story of God calling Moses unexpected and a little strange. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ from the burning bush.] Moses ______________________ [Read or have someone read ___________________________________________ thought the life of leadership he verses 14, 15.] had trained for in Egypt was long I Am Who I Am. Strange ___________________________________________ over. He had been a shepherd name, dont you think? But a _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ for 40 years and had no idea he ______________________ much deeper and truer answer. would ever be anything else. We are almost never exactly ___________________________________________ During that time, he had also who we say we are. In fact, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ been a writer. God had inspired ______________________ we dont even know fully who him to write down the story of we are at heart. But God, in _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Creation and the stories of the ______________________ contrast, is always exactly and first godly leaders, like Abraham _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, ______________________ truly who He says He is. Theres an idea of choice implied, ___________________________________________ and Jacob, Leah, and Rachel.
=We have studied all seven I
Now, his life takes a sudden, shocking turn. God says, I want you to go get the Israelites out of Egypt and lead them to the Promised Land.
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especially in those Bibles that translate this as I will be who I will be. God says, I am who and what I choose to be.
And theres even more than that in the Hebrew. Mrs. White ___________________________________________ says, I AM means an eternal ___________________________________________ presence; the past, present, and Besides these seven times future are alike with God. He ______________________ ______________________ in Johns gospel that Jesus sees the most remote events uses the term I Am as an ___________________________________________ of past history and the far identifying principle, there distant future with as clear a ___________________________________________ are four times recorded in the vision as we do those things gospels that He uses just the ___________________________________________ which are transpiring daily name of God, by itself. We will (That I May Know Him, p. 12). ___________________________________________ look at all four of them. A Jewish rabbi named Marcia All but one is still in Johns ___________________________________________ Prager, a Hebrew scholar gospel. The first two are in one Changed with the DEMO VERSION of to herself, suggests other ways CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _______ chapter, John 8, so please turn translate the Hebrew phrase: I there in your Bibles. If you scan ___________________________________________ am the Eternal Am-ness, or I this chapter quickly, youll see am the Oneness that lives and ______________________ ______________________ that it looks familiar. The first points toward life. Or I am part of the chapter is the story of ___________________________________________ the Eternal Being. I am Being the woman caught in adultery, calling Being into Being each ______________________ ______________________ and right after Jesus forgives moment.* [You could have a her, He makes the statement, I ___________________________________________ scribe put these on a board.] am the Light of the world. ___________________________________________ Thats an interesting one. In At this point, leaders and other words, God is creative not ______________________ ______________________ Pharisees start arguing with just when He first called the Him. You have to admit, if universe, and our world, into ___________________________________________ an ordinary person said that, existence, but all the time. He ______________________ ______________________ youd be tempted to lock him is creating right now. He is reaway and keep the key! Who creating us, as much as we will ______________________ ______________________ did Jesus think He was? And allow, every moment. He gives ______________________ ______________________ that is the essential question, us a choice, too. In many ways right there. Who did He think He ___________________________________________ we are who we believe we are, 86
and who we choose to be. And when we choose to cooperate with Him in that new creation, then in the same way that He is who He truly is, we begin to see and learn and be who we truly are, too.
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________
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you would have to believe that was? Who did He say He was? And was He telling the truth, or He was criminally insane? But He still doesnt stop, ___________________________________________ was He crazy? Because it had to be one or the other, unless even though they keep arguing. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ He was just plain lying, to get ______________________ In verse 28 He tells them that when they lift Him up ___________________________________________ people to follow Him. If it was that, Hed have given it all up meaning the crucifixionthey ___________________________________________ when it started to threaten His will know He really is who He says He is. (They still did not _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ life, right? And this chapter, ______________________ right here, is where it starts believe Him, or at least they ___________________________________________ to threaten His life. Instead of did not admit to it, but the giving up, Jesus gets more and Roman centurion did. Do you ___________________________________________ more direct in His statements. remember what He said after ___________________________________________ When they try to say they need He oversaw the crucifixion of Jesus? Surely this Man was the ___________________________________________ some verification of who He claims to be other than just Son of God!) ___________________________________________ His own words, He actually But lets go on. In verse 56, Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ claims to be the judge and not _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). Abraham rejoiced _ __ _____ _________ __ Jesus says only that, but also the one who at the thought of His day. The ___________________________________________ always judges rightly! people who are arguing with
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Then, look at verse 24: If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. Wow! Thats just how God referred to Himself when speaking to Moses. I am who I claim to be. And here is Jesus, not only claiming that for Himself, but telling them that if they dont believe, theyll die in their sins, which means, die the Second Deathdie forever! Can you see that if you dont believe that He actually is God who came to earth in human flesh,
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him scoff, Youre not even 50 years old! You claim to have seen Abraham?! And here it comes. Read verse 59, and try to imagine what it would have felt like to hear this, if you were in that crowd that day. Remember, this is just an ordinary-looking man, wearing ordinary clothes. He has to eat and sleep, He gets sweaty and tired when He walks all day, and He looks you in the eye and says, I tell you the truth . . . before Abraham was born, I am! (Italics added).
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Throughout His life, Jesus knew very clearly who He was. But He made the deliberate choice to lay aside his divine powers and to live as a man, in complete submission to His Father.
___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________
___________________________________________ The exact name of God, explaining all kinds of things plus the claim to have lived to His disciples that He wants ___________________________________________ forever! As Mrs. White pointsCAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). them to know before He leaves Changed with the DEMO VERSION of ______________________ ______________________ out, Christ was using the great them. In chapter 17, John name of God that was given to records Jesus long prayer to ___________________________________________ Moses to express the idea of the His Father asking that all of His ______________________ ______________________ eternal presence (That I May followers, all over the world Know Him, p. 12). and throughout time, including ___________________________________________ us, may be one in Him and one They only had two choices: ______________________ ______________________ in the Father. Now in the next believe Him, unbelievable chapter, the soldiers are coming ___________________________________________ as it sounded, or label him to arrest Him, and they are a blasphemer and kill him. ___________________________________________ struck by a supernatural force. Which did they choose? [Read ______________________ ______________________ Lets read verses 4 through 6. or have someone read verse 60.] [Read or have someone read.] They didnt succeed in ___________________________________________ Heres what Mrs. White killing Him that day, but they ______________________ ______________________ says about this moment. A kept trying, and eventually, divine light illuminated the they did it. Lets turn to John ______________________ ______________________ Saviours face, and a dovelike 18. This is the last night of ______________________ form overshadowed Him. In the _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Jesus life on earth. In John presence of this divine glory, 14-16, remember, Hes been ___________________________________________
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the murderous throng could I am, says Jesus. And even not stand for a moment. They thats not all. He adds a promise for the corrupted high priest ___________________________________________ staggered back. Priests, elders, soldiers, and even Judas, fell as who has led His people astray. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ dead men to the ground (Desire And you will see the Son of ______________________ of Ages, p. 694). Man sitting at the right hand of ___________________________________________ In Luke 22:47-50 we see the Mighty One and coming on ___________________________________________ a crowd led by Judas, who the clouds of heaven (Verse 62). betrayed him with a kiss, ______________________ ______________________ I wonder what Caiaphas approaching. When the disciples and the rest of those who ___________________________________________ saw what was happening, Peter condemned and killed the Son drew his sword and cut off the ___________________________________________ ear of Malchus, the servant of God will then think. I hope at least some of them came to ___________________________________________ of the high priest. But Jesus saving faith and will be thinking, touched his ear and healed him. ___________________________________________ You would think after witnessing with tears, He did it for me! One thing is clear. ___________________________________________ such a miracle that the soldiers wouldPDF-Editor touch Him, be afraid to (http://www.cadkas.com). His life, Jesus knew Throughout Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS they got back up as if _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ but no, very clearly who He was. But He made the deliberate choice to ___________________________________________ nothing had ever happened, tied His hands again (Jesus had lay aside his divine powers and _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ freed himself, without effort, to ______________________ to live as a man, in complete submission to His Father. In the ___________________________________________ heal Malchus ear), and dragged Him away for beatings and a early stage of His ministry, He _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ couple of mock trials. ______________________ refrained to openly proclaim His The fourth place where He is identity because His time had ___________________________________________ recorded as using Gods name is not yet come as He often said. ___________________________________________ found in Mark 14:62. Please turn It was indeed the revelation _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ there with me. This is the part ______________________ of His identity that led Him of His trial where He is standing to the cross. The one charge ___________________________________________ before the high priest, Caiaphas. against Him at His trial that was He has stood silently, refusing to ______________________ ______________________ actually true was that He made answer any of the manufactured Himself equal with God. charges against Him, until
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Caiaphas asks point blank (in verse 61), Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?
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He came for two purposes. He came to clear up peoples misconceptions about who God
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Then, when someone is ___________________________________________ feeling sad or down and we When we die daily, as Paul ___________________________________________ reach out to listen to them, says, daily making choices to be help them, or cheer them up, who God wants us to be, we are ______________________ ______________________ we are being a candle. When dying to old selves, our old ways, ___________________________________________ and being transformed into new we see that a close friend is in danger of falling into error or selves and embracing new ways ___________________________________________ temptation, and we carefully, of love and light in the power of lovingly, prayerfully give them ___________________________________________ the indwelling Spirit. a warning, we are shining ___________________________________________ Every day this week, weve light into their dark corners. talked about who Jesus said (You cant do this with anyone ___________________________________________ Hethe DEMO VERSION of CAD-KASis not already(http://www.cadkas.com). was, and how He knew and who PDF-Editor a close Changed with ______________________ ______________________ friend who trusts you not to lived by that. Every day weve be judgmental or critical. And added ways in which we can ___________________________________________ you cant do it unless you are reflect that reality in our own ______________________ ______________________ willing to receive this kind of identities. Lets look back at all help in return.) When we visit those ways and give them each ___________________________________________ the sick, help the helpless, some more thought. feed the hungry, and every ______________________ ______________________ [If you have made a poster, time we praise God openly, we ___________________________________________ or power point slides, of these are shining our candles in the identity principles, you will have darkness, pointing others to the ___________________________________________ them to refer to, and perhaps read Door that leads to Life. ______________________ ______________________ aloud together.] Because Jesus is my Because Jesus is the light ___________________________________________ Door, I can be a doorkeeper, of the world, I can be a welcoming others into gods ______________________ ______________________ candle, lighting others paths family. When we choose to to him. When we choose walk through the Door that is ______________________ ______________________ Jesus, we will find that He is to dwell in the light of God, ______________________ ______________________ a gateway to new possibilities, all that is not of God in us is taking us places we never revealed; as we confess them, ___________________________________________ 90
was and show them that God is a God of infinite love and compassion, and to make it possible for all who are willing to become children of God to learn to be who they really are.
we receive forgiveness and grace and the renewed spiritual empowerment to live for Him. Our candles are lit so that we can share light.
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___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ______________________ ______________________ ___________________________________________
God knew that the question of Who You Really Are is extremely important, and goes way deeper than your name.
thought possible (and maybe didnt think we wanted to go!) And when we open our doors to Jesus and let Him live in us, we are open to new ways of serving Him.
keep ourselves fed on the Word every day, and pray for thorough ___________________________________________ digestion of the truths in it, we will be able to pass it out to ___________________________________________ others more effectively. When ___________________________________________ we recognize His spirit of selfsacrifice, and ask for that spirit ___________________________________________ Then, when we are to be reproduced in us, we will Changed with_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _VERSION _ _ _ _ welcoming to outsiders, _ _ the_DEMO _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ of_CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). willing and joyful to _ __ _____ _________ __ learn to be showing them around, give ourselves up for Him. ___________________________________________ inviting them to eat with us
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and sit with us, we are being Jesus doorkeepers. When we welcome visitors to our churches, no matter how they dress or act, we are being godly doorkeepers. When we act to protect others, especially those younger or weaker than we are, from physical or spiritual danger, or when we act publicly for issues of justice with peace, we are being doorkeepers. Because Jesus is the Bread of life, I can be a grain of wheat, giving myself to feed others his Word. When we
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Then, when we physically feed the hungry by our own personal initiative or at a soup kitchen or a Community Services Center, we are passing out the Bread of Life. When people ask us why we are happy or how we can behave so lovingly, especially to those who may not seem very lovable, and we explain that we dont have any special ability, but we have Jesus in our life and are trying to imitate Him, we are passing out the Bread of Life. When we give up
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something we wanted to do or have, in order to do something loving for someone else, we are giving our lives as the grain of wheat does, so that others may grow. And we will grow, too!
Because Jesus is my shepherd, I can be a lamb that follows faithfully, and also an under-shepherd, helping to care for other lambs. When we follow Jesus Because Jesus is the faithfully, trying to go only Resurrection and the life, I where He would have us go, can rejoice in his newness Then, when we are followers we will be faithful lambs. When of life now and trust him of the Way, others may do so we get stuck or lost, if we for life eternal. When we also. When we hold up the immediately call to Jesus for have chosen Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). Jesus and abide Truth (Jesus) even when it is help instead of trying to figure in Him, He promises that we difficult or dangerous, others out a way to save ourselves, we have eternal life beginning right may do the same. And our are wise sheep. now. We will begin to be more lives will grow ever fuller and fearless when we know there is Then, when we use our more abundant as we gain the nothing in this life or in death influence to turn the flock back strength and ability to share it. that can keep us from Jesus. toward the shepherd when The more we give away, the it gets frightened and wants more we will have. Then we will long to find to stampede, well be good new ways to pass that trust and Because Jesus is the and faithful lambs. We may that life on to all we meet. We true Vine, I can be a even be called to be underwill be able to trust Him when blessed branch, drawing my shepherdshired help who dont nourishment from him and sorrow and loss come, and to run away when the flock is in help and grieve with others who glorifying god with much danger, just to save ourselves. suffer or face loss. We will have fruit. When we cling closer When we gently seek to guide a trust in God that will neither and closer to Jesus, learning others, especially younger pretend everything is all right to abide in Him all the time, ones, to follow Jesus, not us, and there is no reason to cry, when we strive for a union for themselves, we are faithful nor rail against God and blame with Him so perfect that our under-shepherds. Him for the losses. And we will souls nourishment comes
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Because Jesus is the Way, the truth, and the life, I can walk in his Way, hold up his truth, and share an abundant, full life with those around me. When we keep our minds trained to recognize Gods way, by studying His word more and more deeply as we grow, when we learn Gods truth inside and out so that we will recognize falsehood when we see it, our lives will be full and abundant.
through Him, we will be fruitful branches. Then we will spend the rest of our lives learning what our particular, unique gifts and talents are, and will begin to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control enough to give away by the basketful!
be able to pass on that attitude to others.
Because Jesus the great I Am is, was, and always will be, because he lived out a true and complete life And we will live in love with here on earth, I can be my God and each other until we true and complete self in live eternally with Him. him. When we keep our eyes on the one and only True and Complete Life that has ever lived, we will begin to see new Well understand that the _______________________ things. We will learn when church is to be united, but Reference and to whom He told the truth not uniform. We are Gods *Prager, Rabbi Marcia, (1998). sternly, and when and to whom child, and we are unique in The Path of Blessing. Woodstock, He told it gently and tenderly. the universe. Well spend time VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, Well watch how He treated asking God what He wants us to Changed with the DEMO VERSION of CAD-KAS PDF-Editor (http://www.cadkas.com). pp. 81, 82. people, and notice which do while we are here, and how
ones He was most drawn to. Well see that He didnt allow Himself to be taken before His time, and that when the time came, He was not ashamed to acknowledge His own anguish or to express it to His Father, but He bravely faced up to it anyway. Then, well begin to seek and understand our own true and complete selves.
to be ready to do that work. While doing the work I am given now, I will be me. While doing the work you are given now, you will be you.
1. Which is your favorite of all the I Am statements weve studied, and why? 2. Name one way you have chosen to discover who you are this week. 3. What are some ways you can help clear up misconceptions about God and show your friends that He is a God of love and compassion?
But the question that matters most is, Who are you? No, who are you really?
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2011 Senior Youth WOP For Website 2

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2011 Senior Youth WOP For Website 2

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Hiskia Missah GC Associate Youth Director

on the web : gcyouthministries.com

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WHO AM I? HOW CAN I kNOW WHO I AM?

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Jesus, The Light of the World

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read this first

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the Light of the WorLd

Youth Week of Prayer

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Im a certain race. Im from a certain state.

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Youth Week of Prayer

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Youth Week of Prayer

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What, youre writing about clumsy women?

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Sometimes you want it shut because its summer and you

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