Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pp. 31, 32

1. Highlight the paragraph that begins, “There was never one who walked among men more cruelly slandered than the Son of man. . . .”
2. Underline the sentence that starts, “A man whose heart is stayed upon God . . . .”

Matthew 24:13-15 (Contemporary English Version)

“But if you keep on being faithful right to the end, you will be saved. When the good news about the kingdom has been preached all over the world and told to all nations, the end will come.  Someday you will see that ‘Horrible Thing’ in the holy place, just as the prophet Daniel said. Everyone who reads this must try to understand!”

Matthew 5:10-12 (Contemporary English Version)

“God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven. God will bless you when people insult you, mistreat you, and tell all kinds of evil lies about you because of me. Be happy and excited! You will have a great reward in heaven. People did these same things to the prophets who lived long ago.”

IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU!

“Guess what I have,” Ahamd said, opening his backpack and showing his two friends a magazine they were sure to get in trouble for. Their eyes got big. “Meet me in my garage after school.” They could hardly wait. This was beginning to be a habit—the sneaking around, the secret meetings, and the full-color magazines.

Some of the boys were so captivated, they told their friends. Word continued to seep out and, more and more boys would join Ahmad in his garage to take a peek. Nevertheless, they were careful about who they told, because they knew that they could get in serious trouble for looking at such a thing.

One time, someone was waiting for Ahmad in his garage, but he didn’t know it. As usual, the boys came over, and they all gathered around to see the magazine.

“Aha! You are all caught! You know you should not have this. And you definitely should not be reading it. You are all going to jail!” The officer gathered them together, and shoved the boys into a police van. They were driven downtown for questioning. One by one, they were interrogated.

“Where did he get the magazine from? Why were you reading such trash? Why did you tell others about it? Don’t you know this stuff is against the law?”

One by one, they were questioned, but nobody said a word. Their parents showed up. They were angry and ashamed. To scare them, the boys were shuffled into a cell with thieves and murderers. They were told they would be going on trial, and they could spend the rest of their lives in jail if the didn’t start talking. The boys were unmoved.

Ahmad’s mother could not understand why they would give their lives away for a silly magazine. “It’s not a silly magazine, Mother. It has power. It talks about God and His Son, Jesus, and how He came to save us from our sins. He did not deny us, and now, even though we might have to spend our lives in jail, we will not deny Him.”

His mother pleaded, “Ahmad, stop this foolish talk. You have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t throw it away.”

“I won’t, Mother,” Ahmad assured her. “Since I have learned about my Savior, I now have begun to live, and I realize it is not about me. There is something. . . Someone bigger. I will tell everyone I can about Him, whether it is at school, in town, or in jail.”

1. What sort of magazine do you suppose the boys were looking at?
2. What seemed to be the problem with the magazine?
3. Could someone truly be put in jail nowadays for this type of magazine?
4. Would you leave the magazine at home, or would you share it?
5. How would the situation in the story be compared to Jesus’ life on this earth?
6. In your life, have you ever felt persecuted? If so, how did you respond? Could today’s lesson help you in the future?

“As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” John 17:18.

“Will separation from the world, in obedience to the divine command, unfit us for the work the Lord has left us? Will it hinder us from doing good to those around us? No; the firmer hold we have on heaven, the greater will be our power of usefulness. We should study the Pattern, that the spirit which dwelt in Christ may dwell in us. The Saviour was not found among the exalted and honorable of the world. He did not spend His time among those who were seeking their ease and pleasure. He worked to help those who needed help, to save the lost and perishing, to lift up the bowed down, to break the yoke of oppression from those in bondage, to heal the afflicted, and to speak words of sympathy and consolation to the distressed and sorrowing. We are required to follow this example. The more we partake of the spirit of Christ, the more we shall seek to do for our fellow men. We shall bless the needy and comfort the distressed. . . .

“Probation is about to close. . . . Soon the last prayer for sinners will have been offered, the last tear shed, the last warning given, the last entreaty made, and the sweet voice of mercy will be heard no more. This is why Satan is making such mighty efforts to secure men and women in his snare. . . . The enemy is playing the game of life for every soul. He is working to remove from us everything of a spiritual nature, and in the place of the precious graces of Christ to crowd our hearts with the evil traits of the carnal nature-hatred, evil surmising, jealousy, love of the world, love of self, love of pleasure, and the pride of life. We need to be fortified against the incoming foe, . . . for unless we are watchful and prayerful these evils will enter the heart and crowd out all that is good.

“How great is the responsibility placed upon the disciple of Christ. How imperative the duty to reflect the light of heaven upon a world enshrouded in darkness. The deeper the surrounding gloom, the brighter should shine out the light of Christian faith and Christian example” (In Heavenly Places, p. 312).

HERE’S WHAT I THINK

Several churches in your community have donated food, money, and clothing for people overseas. Your youth group has been chosen to distribute these supplies in a Muslim country. The government says that while you are there, you cannot talk about Christianity or Jesus. Some people think the trip should be cancelled. The feel it is not a mission trip if you cannot share Jesus.

Do you think the trip should be cancelled? Why or why not? Can you have a mission trip without sharing Jesus? Would you still go and share Jesus even though the government told you not to?

Log on to www.guidemagazine.org/rtf  to post your responses. Be up-front and honest. Say what you think. The lines below are provided as an alternative to posting. You also may wish to record your thoughts to share with your class later.

Missionaries

Complete the puzzle using the clues shown below.

Across
6. In 1929, he began the oldest continuously run radio program in America
7. Wrote the Bedtime Stories and The Bible Story books.
8. Some people called him Dr. Rabbit. He traveled to Burma as a missionary and later became a writer of children’s stories.
9. First Seventh Day Adventist missionary to Pitcairn Island, August 4, 1891.
10. African-American nurse who served as a missionary to India.

Down
1. God has used this African-American evangelist to bring thousands to Christ all over the world.
2. A community service-oriented youth organization.
3. With her husband, she served as a pioneering missionary in Bolivia, Peru, and Brazil.
4. The doctor who founded the Taiwan Adventist Hospital in 1955.
5. Who was the first Adventist missionary?

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing,p. 33

1. Highlight the paragraph that begins, “In every age God’s chosen messengers have been reviled and persecuted. . . .”
2. Underline the sentence that starts, “The minds of the people must be agitated.  . . .”

SO WHAT?

In a world of “got to get mine” and “me first,” God calls for us to look a little farther. If we would take some time to get off the phone, change the channel, or get out of the mirror, we would see that there is a whole world out there. And many of its people do not know about Jesus and the joy He brings. This is true in faraway lands and right in your school and neighborhood.

The problem is that the world is becoming increasingly hostile to Jesus “freaks.” It is just not cool to be a Christian. Furthermore, we could get in trouble with the law or our school for sharing our faith in certain situations. So why risk it?

People desperately need to know about Jesus. And Jesus has asked us to tell them, (I’m not going to tell the King of the universe NO, are you?) If might not be the easiest, coolest, or even safest task, but we have to think beyond ourselves and do it. And when we do, God has promised to give us power, protection, and a prize.

You could go on living life the way you have been, but it just won’t be as fun or fulfilling as living life the way God wants you to.

God’s love can be shared in words and in more practical, tangible ways such as feeding the hungry or helping those who have fallen victim to natural disasters, war, and poverty. When we kick our commitment to God up a notch, He kicks up the power and allows us to see miracles that others only hear about during mission story time. When you decide to live beyond yourself, you decide to really live!

1. 1. If you love Jesus, shouldn’t you tell others about Him?
2. Did Jesus always preach a sermon to tell people about His Father? Explain.
3. Do you know any missionary stories that prove God watches over those who are faithful to Him? Can you share your story with your class?

Please match the Bible verse with the phrase from the text.

1. Matthew 24:14 (NKJV) ________
2. Romans 15:20 (NLT) ________
3. Colossians 4:5, 6 (TEV) ________
4. 1 Peter 3:14 (NLT) ________
5. 1 Chronicles 16:23, 24 (NLT) _______
6. 1 Peter 4:16 (TLB) ________
7. 1 Peter 5:10 (TLB) ________
8. 2 Corinthians 4:8, 9 (KJV) _______

1. “ We are troubled on every side. . . .”
2. “ ‘And this gospel of the kingdom. . . .’ ”
3. “After you have suffered a little while. . . .”
4. “My ambition has always been to preach the Good News. . . .”
5. “But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian toward those. . . .”
6. “Be wise in the way you act toward those who are not believers. . . . “
7. “Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! . . .”
8. “But even if you suffer for doing what is right. . . .”

After matching the texts with the phrases, choose one of the texts in its entirety. Write it on the lines below, and then memorize it to share with your friends in class.

Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 34

1. Highlight the paragraph that begins, “Great is the reward in heaven of those who are witnesses for Christ through persecution and reproach.”
2. Highlight the sentence that begins, “It was this joy that filled the hearts of Paul and Silas. . . .”

The greatest want of the world is the want of those men and women who will not be bought or sold, those who in their inmost souls are true and honest, those who do not fear to call sin by its right name, those whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, those who will stand for the right though the heavens fall” (True Education, pp. 38, 39).

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ME?

Wanted: an adventurous, brave young person who will answer the call of the gospel, to go! Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to go into the highways and byways, the halls and the malls, and share Jesus. You can share Him as you dare to be different and live a life pleasing to God. You can share Him as you tell others about Jesus when the subject comes up. You can share Him as you make it come up.

This call to share is not just with our friends and neighbors, but it may take you to faraway, exotic, and not-so exotic places. Everybody needs to hear the gospel, and many need your help. There are so many people who have not been as blessed as you are. For some people, you will be the blessing. Giving of your time, your money, and your heart will be worth more to them than anything money can buy.

It is not going to be easy, but God promises to send His Holy Spirit to give you the words to say. He promises that His love will take away your fear, and His grace will make up whatever you lack. You just have to be bold enough to trust Him and crazy enough to obey Him! If you do, God will make it more than worth your while.

Acts 16: 16-36 (Contemporary English Version)

“One day on our way to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl. She had a spirit in her that gave her the power to tell the future. By doing this she made a lot of money for her owners. The girl followed Paul and the rest of us and kept yelling, ‘These men are servants of the Most High God! They are telling you how to be saved.’

 “This went on for several days. Finally, Paul got so upset that he turned and said to the spirit, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, I order you to leave this girl alone!’ At once the evil spirit left her.

“When the girl's owners realized that they had lost all chances for making more money, they grabbed Paul and Silas and dragged them into court. They told the officials, ‘These Jews are upsetting our city! They are telling us to do things we Romans are not allowed to do.’

“The crowd joined in the attack on Paul and Silas. Then the officials tore the clothes off the two men and ordered them to be beaten with a whip. After they had been badly beaten, they were put in jail, and the jailer was told to guard them carefully. The jailer did as he was told. He put them deep inside the jail and chained their feet to heavy blocks of wood.

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the jail to its foundations. The doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners.

“When the jailer woke up and saw that the doors were open, he thought that the prisoners had escaped. He pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul shouted, ‘Don't harm yourself! No one has escaped.’

“The jailer asked for a torch and went into the jail. He was shaking all over as he knelt down in front of Paul and Silas. After he had led them out of the jail, he asked, ‘What must I do to be saved?’

They replied, ‘Have faith in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved! This is also true for everyone who lives in your home.’

“Then Paul and Silas told him and everyone else in his house about the Lord. While it was still night, the jailer took them to a place where he could wash their cuts and bruises. Then he and everyone in his home were baptized. They were very glad that they had put their faith in God. After this, the jailer took Paul and Silas to his home and gave them something to eat.

“The next morning the officials sent some police with orders for the jailer to let Paul and Silas go. The jailer told Paul, ‘The officials have ordered me to set you free. Now you can leave in peace.’ ”

1. Could this story of Paul and Silas be an example to you and your mission work? If so how?
2. Did it look as though Paul and Silas were all alone when they were beaten and put in prison?
3. What was the outcome of the experience?

HOW DOES IT WORK?

It is time to get started with your mission work right now. Although there are some places you can’t reach on your feet, you can reach them on your knees. Take some time and write a prayer for a place where the people need the gospel. Pray for those who are being persecuted for their faith. Also, pray that God will show you how He wants you to work for Him.