1. powerpoint presentation designed by claro ruiz vicente www.puca79.com/vicente Adult Sabbath School Lessons Jul Aug Sept 2008 Adult Sabbath School Lessons Jul Aug Sept 2008

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3. Gary Krause Principal Contributor Gary Krause Principal Contributor

4. God’s Great Missionaries Agents of Hope {4} Today millions live in the face of nothingness. They have no faith in God, no hope in anything past the world around them. No wonder then that so many focus on the comfort of this life, seeking solace in pleasure and the various worldly distractions.

5. God’s Great Missionaries Agents of Hope {4} As Christians, we are God’s agents to bring these people hope, to show that there is a God who loves and cares for them, to show that although life has many outrageous horrors, it is not ultimately an outrageous horror but that God will finally make all things right.

6. God’s Great Missionaries Agents of Hope {4} A healthy church is a church focused on mission to others. Sharing God’s love with the community brings fresh life and energy into the church.

7. God’s Great Missionaries Contents 1. For Such a Time As This: The Apostle Paul 2. “All Things to All Men”: Paul Preaches to the World 3. John the Baptist: Preparing the Way for Jesus 4. The Son of God Among Us 5. Matthew 10: Jesus and His Disciples 6. The Compassionate Savior 7. The Apostle John 8. From Folly to Faith: The Apostle Peter 9. A Pillar of Mission: The Apostle Peter 10. Woman of Mission 11. Mission in a Pagan Land: Daniel and Company 12. Gifted for Service: Philip 13. “Here Am I! Send Me”: The Prophet Isaiah 1. For Such a Time As This: The Apostle Paul 2. “All Things to All Men”: Paul Preaches to the World 3. John the Baptist: Preparing the Way for Jesus 4. The Son of God Among Us 5. Matthew 10: Jesus and His Disciples 6. The Compassionate Savior 7. The Apostle John 8. From Folly to Faith: The Apostle Peter 9. A Pillar of Mission: The Apostle Peter 10. Woman of Mission 11. Mission in a Pagan Land: Daniel and Company 12. Gifted for Service: Philip 13. “Here Am I! Send Me”: The Prophet Isaiah

8. God’s Great Missionaries Our Goal {5} It would be a mistake this quarter to study these biblical agents as interesting historical figures and leave it at that. Rather, we need to catch the inspiration of their lives and focus on our mission to this dying world.

9. God’s Great Missionaries Lesson 1, July 5 God’s Great Missionaries Lesson 1, July 5

10. For Such a Time As This: The Apostle Paul Key Text R OMANS 15:17 NIV “ Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.” “In Christ Jesus, then, I have legitimate reason to glory (exult) in my work for God [in what through Christ Jesus I have accomplished concerning the things of God.” Amplified

11. For Such a Time As This: The Apostle Paul Initial Words {7} God’s salvation was for the entire world, not just for Jewish people. The Apostle Paul was a key leader in acting out this revelation. His background, personality, and calling from God made him the right person at the right time to guide the church into this era of mission to all people.

12. For Such a Time As This: The Apostle Paul Quick Look 1. Paul: His Background (Acts 22:3, 4) 2. Paul: His Conversion (Acts 22:6-14) 3. Paul: His Passion (1 Corinthians 2:2)

13. The Apostle Paul 1. His Background A CTS 22:3, 4 NAS “ ‘ I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God…. I persecuted the Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons’.”

14. 1. His Background The Greatest Apostle {8} The apostle Paul is arguably the most influential person in the New Testament, apart from Jesus Himself. He took the good news about Jesus to much of the then-known world. Paul was born in Tarsus, then the capital of Cilicia, a Roman province, in what is present-day Turkey.

15. 1. His Background The Greatest Apostle {8} Roman citizenship by birth was highly prized. Roman citizenship came with certain privileges—safety from scourging and no death penalty without a trial; the right to vote, make contracts, and have legal marriage; and exemption to pay taxes.

16. 1. His Background The Greatest Apostle {8} Paul was also a Jew, one with a rich spiritual heritage. Paul came from the tribe of Benjamin, was reared as a Pharisee, and studied under the great Gamaliel, one of the leading Jewish teachers of the time.

17. The Apostle Paul 2. His Conversion A CTS 22:6-16 NAS “ ‘ Approaching Damascus … a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying … “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” … Ananias … said to me, “Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.” ’ ”

18. 2. His Conversion Dramatic Experience {10} Paul was Saul of Tarsus, persecutor of the early church. Paul did not need any deep theological explanation before surrendering himself to Jesus. The fiery opponent of Jesus was now His humbled and broken servant.

19. 2. His Conversion Not Flawless Saint {12} At times Paul seems impulsive, almost aggressive. He often stood us for his rights. It is a comfort to know that such a giant of faith as the apostle Paul is not perfect. He sometimes made mistakes. He needed the grace and forgiveness of Jesus in his life. Though Paul was not perfect, God used him anyway.

20. The Apostle Paul 3. His Passion 1 C ORINTHIANS 2:2 NIV “ ‘ For I resolve to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.’ ”

21. 3. His Passion Christ Crucified {14} Several major themes dominated and motivated the apostle Paul’s life and mission. At the top of the list was the story of Jesus crucified. This event was the basis of everything he taught and did. For Paul the cross of Christ was the central theme of his whole theology.

22. 3. His Passion Godly Life {16} Paul makes it very clear throughout his writings that salvation is free, a gift we cannot earn or deserve. But salvation does not free us to behave as we did before we met Jesus. In response to His grace, we must live as Jesus asks us to live. We do not do what is right in order that Jesus will save us; we do what is right because we have been saved.

23. For Such a Time As This: The Apostle Paul Final Words {18} Paul provides a wonderful example of the fact that there is no limit to what God can do through us—human and weak though we may be. Paul’s unique background and gifts enabled him to take the good news about Jesus to an entirely new mission field.