Scripture Passages
OVERVIEW
Jesus tells us how to live in expectation of His return.
OPENING ACTIVITY:
End of the World
Supplies needed: Paper, pens
The end of the world is a curious concept in Christianity.
The Bible tells us that Jesus will return, but not before allowing certain spiritual forces to come to full effect. Before the world as we know it ends, a false system of Christianity will deny liberty of conscience, distorting the character of God, even as nature itself spirals out of control.
Many Christians fear the end times—including a lot of Adventists, as our unique concept of the Time of Trouble is often taught with an emphasis on fear and suspicion. But Jesus’ words about the end times remind us that God will always have our back, and even at the worst of times, God’s people have nothing to fear.
How can we live in joyful expectation of Jesus’ return, trusting in God to take care of us no matter what?
Share the following questionnaire with your students. When they have completed the three questions, discuss the answers. (Or just do the questionnaire aloud together.)
- When people talk about the end times, I think (select all that apply):
- People are always predicting the end of the world, so is it really something we should focus on?
- The people I’ve seen who obsess on the end of the world are super weird, so what does that tell you?
- I hope it’s not *too* soon—there’s so much I still need to do before the world ends.
- Am I going to have to run for the hills? Will my phone even work out there?
- Plague, war, famine, people trying to unite church and state—times are pretty troubling right now! Are we living near the end?
- Other: ___________________________________________________________________
2. I imagine the last days will be like (select all that apply):
- Endless chaos, violence and destruction everywhere, people joining cults and false religions performing “signs and wonders.”
- How Jesus described the “days of Noah”—people living out their lives like normal, until suddenly, their world ends.
- One big “reality show.”
- Above all, a spiritual crisis, as you’re forced to take a stand on whether to follow God or the self-centered crowd.
3. If there’s anything I’m looking forward to about the end times, it’s:
- Seeing the whole world reached with the gospel.
- Living totally by faith in Jesus.
- Finding out how much Adventists had “right” about the last days.
- Watching history unfold—and repeat itself.
- The clarity that a crisis brings.
QUESTIONS
- Why do you think the world will go through a final crisis, rather than just Jesus returning?
- How can we prepare spiritually for such a time?
- What makes the difference between a healthy view of the end-times, and an unhealthy one?
TRANSITION
Discussion of the end times zeroes in on people’s sense of uncertainty—especially young people’s.
Talk with your students about how they imagine the end of the world. How have they always pictured it? What have they heard about it from others—church, family, their own impressions? Has anything about the focus they’ve seen it given damaged their faith? Has anything about it strengthened their faith?
BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
Watch Out
The people of ancient Judea took great pride in Jerusalem’s second temple—especially with all the lavish renovations King Herod the Great had made to it, still under construction in Jesus’ day. But when Jesus’ disciples took a moment to revel in some nationalistic pride, pointing out the gleaming structure, Jesus answered with a haunting warning of destruction.
Read Luke 21:5-11.
5 Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6 “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.”
7 “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?”
8 He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.”
10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.
QUESTIONS
- The disciples asked when the temple would be destroyed (which turned out be A.D. 70, about forty years later), yet Jesus’ answer was about not just the destruction of Jerusalem, but His Second Coming (which the disciples still had little concept of, as they did not expect Jesus to leave them). Why didn’t Jesus give a more straightforward answer?
- Verse 8 says that if someone claims to be Jesus already returned to Earth, we shouldn’t follow them. In Matthew 24:26 Jesus declares, “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.” That suggests there are claims or arguments people may make that we shouldn’t even bother to try to prove wrong. How can we know whether to engage with someone about a particular claim they make, or whether to not give it any of our time and energy at all?
- How easy do you find it to follow Jesus’ advice, “When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened”? What does that remind you of in today’s world? What do you think Jesus would say to people facing war and political turmoil today?
- What parallels might there be between the disciples’ pride in the earthly temple and today’s Christians seeking political power?
Not a Hair of Your Head
Read Luke 21:12-19.
12 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13 And so you will bear testimony to me. 14 But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15 For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17 Everyone will hate you because of me. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Stand firm, and you will win life.
QUESTIONS
- Have you ever had an experience in which the Holy Spirit helped you know what to do or say?
- Many Christians feel they must make extensive preparations for the end times. In these verses, however, Jesus tells us to not to worry about how we’ll respond when called to witness for Him in the last days. Is there a lesson here for those who may want to store up physical goods like food or make other preparations for the time of trouble? What spiritual dangers might there be in trying to make physical plans for the end?
- What do you think Jesus means by “you will win life”?
Lift up your heads
Read Luke 21:20-28.
20 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22 For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
QUESTIONS
- If the Roman armies surrounding Jerusalem was the sign of its imminent destruction, what do you think an end-time parallel would be?
- What signs of the end do you see in the world today?
- How can we keep our focus on the promise of Jesus’ return and our “redemption drawing near” rather than being afraid of the end times?
APPLICATION
When will Jesus return? Matthew 24:14 (NKJV) says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” How we can measure whether that’s happened, however, is quite the question, especially as fundamentalist movements in all major religions seek to counter other religions’ influences. It also prompts the question of what it means to follow God. In the last days, how will we recognize God’s people?
As you keep watch for Jesus’ soon return, consider:
- Praying for God to help you live out the principles of His kingdom, that others may see Jesus in you.
- Asking God to help you contribute to His plans in tangible ways.
- Creating an “investment project” with the money raised going to missions.
- Exploring ways to communicate God in today’s hyper-plugged-in world.
- Studying the prophecies of the Bible through books like Secrets of Danie l and Secrets of Revelation by Jacques Doukhan; the Ambassador Group audio study guides at www.ambassadorgroup.org ; or What We Believe: Prophecies of Daniel for Teens and What We Believe: Prophecies of Revelation for Teens by Seth Pierce.
SCRIPTURE PASSAGE
LEADER’S NOTE
For a Relational Bible Study (RBS) you’ll want to get into the Scripture passage and encourage the youth to imagine participating in the story while it’s happening. Then you will be able to better apply it to your own situation today.
You will need to ask God for the Holy Spirit to be present as your small group discusses the questions (no more than 3-6 people in a group is recommended). Start with the opening question. It is a personal question and the answer is unique for each individual. There is no right answer and nobody is an expert here, so don’t be surprised when you hear different responses. You are depending on the Holy Spirit to be present and to speak through your group. Say what God prompts you to say, and listen to what others share.
Take turns reading the chapter out loud. Follow that with giving the students some time to individually mark their responses to the questions (a PDF version of the handout is available as a download). This gives each person a starting point for responding when you start to share as a group. Next, begin the discussion by asking the students to share what they marked and why on each question as you work your way through. Feel free to take more time on some questions than others as discussion warrants.
Encourage each person in the group to apply what is discussed to their personal lives and to share with the group what they believe God wants them to do. Then ask them to pray that God will help each of them to follow through in doing so. Remind them to expect that God will show them ways to live out the message of this passage in the coming week, and that they are free to ask others in the group to help hold them accountable.
OVERVIEW
There is undeniable evidence concerning the second coming of Jesus Christ. However, when it will be and what it will be like are not ours to know. But the one great truth it enshrines is this—that history is going somewhere. The Christian conception of history is that it has a goal and that goal is that Jesus Christ will be Lord of all. That’s all we need to know.
The Christian must never come to think that he or she is living in a settled situation. We are fitting or unfitting ourselves to appear in the presence of God. There can be nothing so thrilling as the Christian life.
Just before His return, there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars bringing warnings. The heavenly signs will cause people to swoon in fear. Jesus said they will have no source to trust and no reason for hope. They will be frightened to death.
Finally, the end comes! The return of Jesus, the Son of Man. You will see the full power and glory of Jesus. Yes, in Jesus God’s full glory will be revealed to the earth. All the earth will see. This will bring greater fear and consternation to those who are unprepared, but not for us because we are constantly looking and waiting for this ultimate event.
Jesus asked how you will react when this occurs. Do not bend over with fear and trembling. Stand up straight. Lift your head high. Why? Now your redemption is near. Persecution is over. Dying for Jesus’ name is past history. The Redeemer has come in full glory. He has your rewards. Now you will know for sure why you endured all you had to endure. No longer must you live by faith. Now you see the Redeemer coming to judge and rule the earth.
“Don’t Stop Looking!”
When have you gotten tired of looking for an object or looking forward to an event?
Read Luke 21:25-28.
25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27 At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
1. After reading Luke 21:25-28 what emotions/feelings come over you?
- Fear.
- Excitement.
- Empowerment.
- Hopelessness.
- Giddiness.
- Being blessed.
- Determination.
- Hopefulness.
- Other.
2. What is John’s main point of Luke 21:25-28?
- People need to recognize that time on this earth is ending.
- Jesus is coming now.
- We better get busy sharing the 3 rd Angel’s message.
- There is no one who can be saved.
- People who are living during the last days are going to have pain.
- Get ready! The greatest show on earth is about to begin.
- Don’t be caught unprepared when Jesus comes.
- Other.
3. Which of the signs listed in Luke 21:25-26 have you witnessed?
- Signs in the sun, moon, and stars.
- Distress of nations.
- Perplexity of nations.
- The sea and the waves roaring.
- People’s hearts failing them for fear.
- The powers of heaven being shaken.
- Your redemption drawing near.
- Other.
4. What does Paul mean when he refers to “dangerous times” in 2 Timothy 3:1?
- There will be national curfews.
- This is referring to lots of people committing violent acts.
- Lots of wars before Jesus comes.
- Governments will have trouble protecting their cabinet members.
- Watch out! People will try to kill you for your religion.
- There will be distinct issues related to decline in relationships.
- Many people will leave the church for favor with pop culture.
- Other.
5. Which of the following have you witnessed in your life or church?
- People as lovers of themselves.
- Covetousness.
- Boasters.
- Pride.
- Blasphemers.
- Disobedience to parents.
- Unthankfulness.
- Unholyness.
- No natural affection.
- Trucebreakers.
- Other.
6. How can you help people who have these traits, even if it is you?
- False accusers; aka liars.
- People struggling with addictions.
- Fierce—people with anger issues.
- People hating those who do good.
- Traitors.
- Passionate people who seldom think before acting.
- Conceited.
- Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.
- Having a form of Godliness.
- Other.
7. Which of these issues do you need to be rid of before Jesus comes?
8. Are you guarding your senses from bad content as you wait for Jesus?
SUMMARY
The early church existed in an age when the time was getting late; they expected the second coming at any moment. Paul shouted, Mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. The “last days” is not some future event to which we look. It is now. Jesus’ life on earth initiated this season and it will continue uninterrupted until His return. Paul defined this expansive time period as “terrible.” God’s extravagant grace also characterizes this era, establishing salvation for all who would take hold of it. But these days unleash Satan’s wild attempts to destroy and undermine God’s redemptive intentions.
In giving us this information, Paul desired that believers maintain a readiness of spirit and life. The battle will rage. What each believer must decide is whether he will prepare for the promised difficulties or given to personal safety and comfort.
APPLICATION
The final condemnation of people who are characterized in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, just before Jesus returns, is that they retain the outward form of religion but deny its power. That is to say, they go through all the correct movements and maintain all the external forms of religion, but they know nothing of Christianity as a dynamic power which changes the lives of people.
Below, find some application activities to interface with this lesson. These are simply to provide ideas for your use, or to invite you to imagine and create some of your own, as you impact the lives of teens for God’s glory.
- Pizza for the Homeless
- Collect money from your Sabbath School class and members of your church and community family to aid this project.
- Study what discounts and what freebies may be available from some of the pizza places that are community-oriented. (You may be surprised.)
- On that night or day buy as many boxes of pizza as you can.
- Take them to a local homeless community. (Keep safety in mind and make sure to provide adequate supervision.)
- Open up a short service that focuses on sharing a bit of the scriptures in this lesson.
- Then share your pizza.
- Have a great time doing so!
- Faith Talk
- Reach out to a trusted friend or a pastor on your staff at church, or even a family member.
- Share what you discussed in this lesson with them.
- Get a sense of their faith journey as they are preparing for Jesus’ return.
- Ask them what points are helpful to them.
- Also, ask them what tips they may have for you as you read both passages from this study for them.
- School Preparedness
As schools get ready for their opening for fall semester, it is a good time to share with them conscious thoughts from Scripture regarding being ready for Jesus to come.
- Find a Christian school in your community and get permission from the administration to share during the worship or chapel time regarding the passages used for this lesson.
- Skits, poems, songs, any original creative content, or activities regarding being ready for Jesus to come can be shared with the school.
- Be sure to couch whatever you share in love. The goal is not to make them afraid, but to help them be conscious about the closeness of Jesus’ return.
You Are a Leader
By Seth Yelorda
Every day when you wake up and look in the mirror, the person staring back at you is your primary follower, and you are their primary leader. That person will do what you tell them to do. They will go where you tell them to go. They will say what you tell them to say. They will follow you up a mountain, through a valley, and even over a cliff. Who that person ultimately becomes and what that person achieves will be dependent on how you lead them? You Are a Leader gives examples of leaders and leadership traits along with exercise that will help develop your leadership ability.
Chapters include:
- The Making of a Leader
- The First Person You Lead
- The 3 C’s of Leadership
- Discovering Your Leadership Shape
- And much more!
As a leader, the influence you have with people is a sacred trust given to you by God. You Are a Leader will help you to maximize your influence.
