LESSON 8/February 1319, 2016

Comrades in Arms
Surveying the Source
Matt. 8:2327; Mark 3:1315; 9:3337; Luke 5:68, 11; 24:1935.

Plotting the Course

Teachers
Guide

The students will:

Identify techniques that Jesus used to

inspire and motivate His followers.
Explore ways to inspire and motivate
Christians who are discouraged.

Share their testimonies, miracles,

and/or inspirational scriptures with each
other.

Preparing to Lead
William Booth preached to prostitutes,
alcoholics, and criminals on the streets of
Londons East End. After rejecting the
metaphor of a volunteer army, Booth
named his mission The Salvation Army,
saying, Im no volunteer, Im a regular!
The Salvation Army adopted a flag
and had marching bands. Booth was the
General, and he gave his ministers mili-

tary titles. Wearing the uniform promoted

adherents to the rank of soldiers.
This weeks lesson employs Pauls military metaphors to rally despondent soldiers in Gods army. Can we adapt this
metaphor to our generation as effectively
as William Booth used it in nineteenth
century Britain?

Getting Started
Materials

Bibles; whiteboard, chalkboard, or flip chart, and

appropriate markers;
hymnals

A. Using the r epr oducible activity (p.

38), ask three class members to read Luke
5:111, with one person reading the narration, one person reading Jesus words,
and a third person reading Simon Peters
words. Then have the class members
share their stories. A sk: How does the
story of Peters call inspire and motivate
you? What made you decide to follow
Christ?
B. Ask class member s to shar e what
they know about The Salvation Army.
Encourage members with smart phones to

search and share the history of this denomination. Share the paragraph in
Preparing to Lead about William
Booth.
Ask class members if they think a military metaphor can be effective in modern
evangelism. Have them think of gospel
songs and hymns that use military metaphors. Ask them to summarize the messages of these lyrics and to share what
they feel when they sing these songs.

Delving Into the Word

A. Ask volunteer s to r ead Luke 24:13
24 aloud. Ask your class to set the scene: What do we know about these two
people walking to Emmaus? Why do

you think we dont know their names?

Do they have any right to feel sad?
What might be some reasons why they
did not recognize Jesus?
Copyright 2016
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

19

Have your class read Luke 24:2531 to

look for the methods Jesus used to restore
the faith of His two unnamed disciples.
List these methods on a whiteboard.
Have your class read Luke 24:3225.
Ask: What method did the two disciples
use to rally the faith of the eleven apostles?
Explain that the texts in this lesson describe ways to encourage us in our spiritual walk. A sk: What other methods
could help you when your faith is faltering?
Review the texts in the Logos article.
Ask your class to summarize how these
examples can lift the spirits of discouraged disciples. Have class members share
their testimonies, inspiring texts from
scriptures, and/or miracles that encourage
them to maintain their walk with Jesus.
B. Read Matthew 10:34 aloud.
Ask your class to brainstorm a list of
groups that currently use a military
model to promote religion-based beliefs.
Assess the effectiveness of these groups.

Ask: Does a military approach to evangelism mean we are forcing people to

join our faith? Why, or why not?
What are the weaknesses and the
strengths of using military metaphors in
the church? Invite the class to turn to
Ephesians 6:1020. Before reading this
text, ask your class to determine the context in which Paul wrote these words
(Eph. 3:1; 4:1; 6:20).
Ask: Why would Paul find inspiration in the lifestyle of the soldiers who
guarded him? In what ways can the
Christian lifestyle be like a battle?
Have the class read Pauls list of armor,
and create a list of ways they can inspire
and motivate each other in their spiritual
lives. List these ideas on a whiteboard.
Ask each class member to share a story
of how one of the pieces of Pauls armor
has inspired and motivated him or her.

Discussing the Ideas

1. What nickname do you think Jesus
might give you, and why? See Mark 3:16,
17.
2. Can you follow Jesus without leaving something behind? See Luke 5:611.
3. Have you ever been in a situation
where you have no control? How did it
compare with the experience of the disciples watching Jesus calm the storm (Matt.
8:2327).

4. Over whom does a Christian soldier

exercise power? How does a Christian
soldier get promoted? See Mark 9:3337.
5. Why do people join the military?
Once they have joined up, why do they
fight battles? How does this compare
with why people become Christians?
6. What can we do to make sure Jesus
joins us on our daily walk? See Luke
24:1335.

Closing the Activity

Ask a class member to read Ephesians
6:19, 20. Then have everyone imagine
themselves in Pauls place in prison. A sk:
What do the shackles feel like on your
wrists and around your ankles? What
do you see? What do you smell?
What do you hear? With whom are
you talking?

With their eyes open, invite them to

imagine a convert visiting Paul. A sk:
How is that Christian feeling? If
you could travel back in time to that prison, and you were allowed to give four
words of encouragement to Paul and that
Christian, what would you tell them?

Jennifer Morgan, St. Johns, Canada

Copyright 2016
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

20

The Call of Peter

(Luke 5:111, NIV)

NARRATOR: One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around
him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the waters edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who
were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a
little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he
said to Simon,
JESUS: Put out into the deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.
NARRATOR: Simon answered,
SIMON: Master, weve worked hard all night and havent caught anything. But because you say so, I will
let down the nets.
NARRATOR: When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to
break. So they signalled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled
both boats so full that they began to sink. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus knees and said,
SIMON: Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!

NARRATOR: For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so
were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simons partners. Then Jesus said to Simon,
JESUS: Dont be afraid; from now on you will catch men.
NARRATOR: So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Copyright 2016
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Lesson 8

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