Who is your source of power? Have you tapped into the limitless power
that Jesus is willing to give you through His Spirit?
LIFE IN CHRIST
Power
unit4
While You’re Studying
LIFE IN CHRIST:
A
Write the memory verses for the unit on cards and add
them to your file.
B
The Holy Spirit made some miracle-working changes in all
but one of the disciples.
•
To illustrate this, make a comparison of each disciple as he
was before and after his turnaround. You may use the SDA
Bible Commentary, vol. 5, pp. 593–597, a concordance, and
writings of Ellen G. White. Unfortunately, very little is known
about some of Jesus’ disciples.
•
Prepare cutouts of the disciples. On one side write words to
describe the disciple before he turned around. On the other
side, use the information from your research to describe him
after his turnaround.
C
The eight chapters in First and Second Peter point out some
of the concerns the “turned-around” Peter had. Skim these
chapters. Select one chapter and give it a title. Write the
main focus of the chapter and the advice given.
D
The power of the Holy Spirit is demonstrated in various ways:
Authority:
control
influence
supremacy
rule
Strength:
force
might
intensity
vigor
Ability:
capacity
faculty
potential
capability
Right:
entitlement
authorization
license
prerogative
© DARREL TANK
As you study this unit, find Bible stories that fit in these categories.
Write them in the Power of the Spirit chart.
lesson
11
Memory Verse
“Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work
within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than
we would ever dare to ask or hope” (Ephesians 3:20).
JOHN STEEL © PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSN.
Power
LIFE IN CHRIST
BIBLICAL
Spectacular! This week’s narrative tells of one of
the amazing stories showing the power of the Holy
Spirit. What could the Holy Spirit do in your life?
In your school? In your home?
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Unit 4, Lesson 11
Power From Heaven
O
ne hundred twenty people filled the large upper room in Jerusalem. It
was the Day of Pentecost, a holy day on which the Jews celebrated the giving
of the law on Mount Sinai. Seven weeks had passed since Jesus had risen from
the dead. The room had been a busy place ever since. The evening before He
was crucified, Jesus had celebrated the Last Supper here with His disciples. Then
they had hidden here in sorrow and terror while they mourned His death. After
they learned of the Resurrection, the disciples’ tears had turned to shouts of
joy. Jesus Himself had appeared in this room, assuring His beloved ones that
He was truly alive and still with them.
Not only the eleven faithful disciples, but also many more of Jesus’ followers
had spent much of their time in this room and in the temple during those seven
weeks. At the temple, they sang praises to God and told others the news that
Jesus was risen, that He was truly the Son of God. In the upper room, they
eagerly searched the Scriptures. They shared exciting stories of the things
Jesus had said and done since His resurrection. They spent hours in prayer
together. If only they could relive some of the time they had spent with their
Master, they would act differently. Despite these remembrances, they were
encouraged by the knowledge that they were forgiven.
One story was uppermost in their minds. One evening while the disciples
were sharing the events of the day, Jesus suddenly appeared. No one had
seen Him come in, and the door was locked. At first they were frightened, but
Jesus held out His scarred hands and showed them the nail prints in His feet.
“See? I’m not a ghost,” He assured them. He talked with them awhile and
then gave them a special promise. “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as
my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and
fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:39, 49).
Another time, as He ate with them, He repeated, “Do not leave Jerusalem
until the Father sends you what he promised. Remember, I have told you
Unit 4, Lesson 11
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LESSON 11
LIFE IN CHRIST
about this before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be
baptized with the Holy Spirit. . . . When the Holy Spirit has come upon you,
you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in
Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts
1:4–8).
?
Why do receiving power and telling others about Jesus go together?
?
Do you ever feel unequal to what God asks of you?
76
The believers in the upper room discussed at length Jesus’ promise of the
Holy Spirit. They compared it with the promises Jesus had made the last night
before His crucifixion, on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane. They compared it, too, with prophecies in the Old Testament that promised that the
whole earth would learn of God and His love.
“How can we tell the whole world?” they asked one another. “We are so
few!”
“The Lord said the Holy Spirit would bring power,” Peter pointed out. “It’s
like the prophecy in Joel 2. The prophet Joel says God will pour out His Spirit
on all people. ‘Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will
dream dreams. Your young men will see visions. In those days, I will pour out
my Spirit even on servants, men and women alike’ ” (Joel 2:28, 29).
The believers couldn’t help thinking of the times they had doubted Jesus,
argued with each other over who would be greatest in the Messiah’s earthly
kingdom, and run away when Jesus needed them the most. Before He went
up into heaven, Jesus had commanded them to share the gospel with the
whole world. They felt unequal to the task. Again they devoted themselves to
prayer, asking God for His grace, strength, and love.
Unit 4, Lesson 11
Suddenly there was a roar in the sky above the room. Prayers ended in
gasps as the people looked around. The noise came closer until the room was
filled with the sound of a mighty windstorm. Before their astonished eyes,
something that looked like flames of fire appeared in the air, then moved and
hovered over the heads of the believers. Trembling with awe and wonder,
they realized this must be the fulfillment of the promise. They could no longer
see their beloved Master, but the promised Holy Spirit was now in the room
with them. Their prayers arose with renewed praise and joy.
To their amazement, those present realized they were speaking in other languages. While they were still gazing at each other, praising God, and trying to
understand what it all meant, a different sound began to grow. Peter went to
a window and looked out.
“The streets are filled with people!” he exclaimed. “They have heard the
sound and are wondering what it is. There must be hundreds of people out
there, maybe thousands!” He turned to the others in the room. “Jesus said
not to leave until the Spirit came upon us. Then we were to be His witnesses
and tell the whole story. This is the day we begin.” His face shining with joy
and determination, Peter led the way to the door.
All 120 men and women filed out of the upper room. Peter held up his
hands. The crowd in the street looked at him and quieted down. Their wonder
and curiosity were plain to see. They were clearly eager to understand what was
going on. With a prayer in his heart, Peter began to preach. The words came
to him just as if he were a trained and educated man instead of a fisherman.
The people in the crowd listened carefully to his words, and three thousand of
them believed that day.
The believers were conscious of a sense of power and grace they had never
felt before. They committed themselves to spend the rest of their lives sharing
the transforming power of the Holy Spirit offered by Jesus, free for the asking.
Unit 4, Lesson 11
77
LESSON 11
LIFE IN CHRIST
Journal
•
Suppose you had been in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost.
Write what your reactions might have been.
Activities
78
Unit 4, Lesson 11
A.
Fire
• Observe a flame (under adult supervision). List as many observations
as you can in three minutes.
• Why do you think fire is used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit?
Write three sentences to share your response.
B.
Use a concordance to discover what symbols are used in the Bible to
portray the Holy Spirit. Make a poster illustrating one of these symbols.
C.
Label the map of the ancient Roman Empire, to show where the early
Christians were to become missionaries as instructed in Acts 1:8. Color
and label the areas mentioned.
D.
Parts of Speech
• On a sheet of paper make four columns labeled Nouns, Verbs,
Adjectives, Adverbs.
• Using the narrative, your Bible, a thesaurus, and a dictionary, fill in the
columns with words that describe the Pentecost story.
To Learn More
Acts 1; 2.
The Acts of the Apostles, “Pentecost,” pp. 35–46
Dig a Little Deeper
COLs-6
1.
Look up Leviticus 23:16. How long after the Passover was Pentecost?
2.
Read Acts 2:9–11. Compile a list of nationalities and places from where
the believers living in Jerusalem had originally come.
3.
Read Testimonies to Ministers, page 506. Explain the literal meaning of
the former rain and the latter rain in Bible times.
4.
The literal meaning of the former and latter rain points to a spiritual
meaning. Read about the spiritual meaning of the early rain and latter rain
in Testimonies to Ministers, page 506. Compare and contrast the early
and latter rain.
Unit 4, Lesson 11
79
Power
LIFE IN CHRIST
HISTORICAL
Memory Verse
“When I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by
giving me the strength I need” (Psalm 138:3).
CLYDE PROVONSHA © PACIFIC PRESS PUBLISHING ASSN.
lesson
12
“God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to
teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way.”
—Stanley Lindquist
In this narrative we are able to see how God works through
weakness and disappointment to spread the news of His love.
80
Unit 4, Lesson 12
Power for the Powerless
Portland, Maine, early 1840s
I
n a meeting hall filled with curious people, one young girl leaned forward
in her seat, taking in the speaker’s every word. She gazed at the charts of strange
beasts and listened as William Miller explained that the beasts represented the
rise and fall of nations on the earth. Ellen was amazed that God had shown all
these things to the prophet Daniel in visions hundreds of years in advance. All
the prophecies were fulfilled just as God said they would be.
Mr. Miller showed a time chart explaining that the 2,300 days in Daniel’s vision
represented 2,300 years, which would soon end. When they ended, according
to Daniel 9:14, the sanctuary would be cleansed. Gazing intently into the faces
of his hearers, William Miller declared that he believed this verse spoke of the
second coming of Jesus.
Ellen took a deep breath. Could it be possible? She would see Jesus in just a
few months!
How would you have reacted to this announcement?
Ellen Gould Harmon was twelve years old when she first heard this prophecy.
She had suffered much from injury and illness. For a long time she struggled
with the fear that she could not be “good enough” to please God. Through
Ellen’s mother and her minister, she was able to understand that Jesus loved
her just as she was. The minister said he thought God was preparing her for
some great work. Becoming more confident in her growing faith, she was
thankful for the Holy Spirit’s leading.
The Harmon family rejoiced that Jesus would come back soon. Studying for
themselves, they felt the prophecy was clear. The sanctuary would be cleansed
on October 22, 1844. Because they believed that the earth was the sanctuary
of the Lord, they concluded that the prophecy meant Jesus would come back
Unit 4, Lesson 12
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81
LESSON 12
LIFE IN CHRIST
and cleanse the earth.
Losing no time, the Harmons began to share the exciting news with their
neighbors. While some believed, many laughed at them or argued with these
new ideas.
Those who believed William Miller were called Millerites or “adventists.” The
Seventh-day Adventist Church did not yet exist. The Millerite movement spread
through many denominations, though most traditional churches refused to
accept these new ideas. Some believers, including the Harmons, were expelled
from their churches for believing an error.
Ellen couldn’t understand it. Why didn’t believers want to see Jesus come
again? Along with the other Millerites, the Harmon family relied on the power
of the Holy Spirit during this difficult time. Despite the fact that she still felt
timid, Ellen’s growing faith in God enabled her to pray and speak publicly in
prayer meetings. She loved to share what Jesus had done for her.
Believing that Jesus’ coming was so near, these Advent believers set aside
worldly business. Their time was spent in study and prayer. Some even left
crops unharvested in the fields.
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82
How would you spend your time as you counted the days?
Unit 4, Lesson 12
October 22 came and went—but Jesus did not come. No words could describe
their disappointment. Many lost hope. Those who had scoffed were delighted.
Advent believers were ridiculed.
A small number held on to their faith in God.
The day after the Great Disappointment, a farmer, Hiram Edson, was given a
vision of Jesus as High Priest entering into the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary
in heaven. He shared this vision with his friends. Some of the Advent believers
studied the prophecies again. What if Jesus’ coming was not what the cleansing
of the sanctuary meant? That would change everything! As they studied the
prophecies, God helped them to learn what had really happened on October
22, 1844.
The believers understood that this date corresponded to the Day of Atonement,
the solemn day the Israelite high priest went through a ceremony to cleanse
the sanctuary. Two perfect male goats were chosen. One was sacrificed as a
sin offering for the people. This perfect sacrifice represented the sacrifice of
Jesus for the sins of the world. The high priest placed his hands on the head
of the second goat, the scapegoat, representing the transfer of the sins of the
past year. It was led into the wilderness and left there.
Jesus, who had taken our sins on Himself as our perfect Lamb of God was
now moving into a new phase of His ministry as our High Priest. He had gone
into the Most Holy Place to cleanse the sanctuary by transferring the sins He
took on Himself at the Cross to the one who started all sin. Only after this
work was complete would Jesus come back to earth again.
What does it mean to you to know that Jesus is your
Sacrifice and your High Priest?
Soon after the Great Disappointment, Ellen, now seventeen, was kneeling in
prayer with four other women. Suddenly she felt as if she was no longer in
the room. She was lifted up into a vision of heaven so bright and beautiful that
when she opened her eyes and found herself still on earth, it was a terrible
disappointment. Earth seemed so dark and dreary! When she told her friends
about the vision, they rejoiced with her.
In her second vision, Ellen learned about the great work that God had chosen
and prepared her to do. He wanted Ellen to be His special messenger. The angel
told her she was to share with others everything God would reveal to her. This
responsibility terrified Ellen. She was only a teenager, still weak and often sick
and in pain. Even though she had learned to share her faith, she still felt timid
about it. Feeling that this was too great a task, she begged God to take it away
from her and give it to someone more able. The words kept echoing in her head:
“Make known to others what I have revealed to you.”
How would you feel if God called you?
Struggling to accept this assignment, Ellen asked herself how she could
worry about being weak and inadequate to do God’s will when He was the
One who gave power? She decided that she would obey God and allow Him
to work in her. Ellen had only to trust. Peace and joy returned as she made
the decision.
To her surprise, Ellen was asked to speak to a congregation. She accepted
the invitation even though her lungs had been inflamed for weeks and she
could speak only in a whisper. Because there were no sound systems then,
speakers had to project their voices. She didn’t know how she would be able
to preach to a crowd.
When the time came and she began to whisper, the crowd became silent as
Unit 4, Lesson 12
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83
LESSON 12
LIFE IN CHRIST
they tried to hear each word. After a few minutes, Ellen’s voice suddenly grew
strong and clear. When she finished speaking, her voice became a whisper again.
°
°
°
Ellen Harmon married James White in August of 1846. In the custom of the
day, other believers addressed them as Brother and Sister White. By the time
of her death in 1915, Ellen White had written many books and hundreds of
letters and articles, and had preached countless sermons. Her central message
was that God loves us, and she pleaded with her listeners and readers to turn
to Jesus and be ready for His coming.
She, the powerless, had been made powerful in the Spirit.
84
Unit 4, Lesson 12
Journal
•
Write about an event that you looked forward to but were disappointed
when it didn’t happen.
Activities
A.
B.
C.
D.
What does the Holy Spirit do? Look up the texts and fill in the grid on
the activity sheet your teacher will give you.
How are you letting the Holy Spirit lead your life? Write about or list
your responses.
Use one or more of the texts above to make a bookmark about the Holy
Spirit.
Make a rebus of the memory verse using pictures and symbols instead
of words.
To Learn More
Daniel 8:14; 9:24–27
Testimonies to the Church, vol. 1, pp. 1–112
Dig a Little Deeper
1.
Read Daniel 8 and its explanation in the SDA Bible Commentary. On
poster-size paper, create your own time line of the 2,300-day prophecy.
Include dates, captions, and illustrations on your time line.
2.
We are now living in the time of the end. Jesus warned us that many
disasters will take place as His second coming approaches. Read the
following texts to find out what Jesus says will happen in the last days:
Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11. Summarize the events listed.
3.
Collect headlines and recent news stories that correlate to the events
listed in the Bible verses in number 2. Read and share your articles.
Determine how they fit into the categories listed above. Create a bulletin
board using the events as subtitles. Post the related news articles around
each subtitle. Give your bulletin board a title.
4.
As Ellen White felt the assurance of the Holy Spirit, so did the disciples on
the Day of Pentecost. Each text below tells something that the disciples
were to do after Jesus returned to heaven. Read the texts. Then make four
pictures to answer the questions following the texts. Give your page a title.
a. Luke 24:49: When is the work to begin?
b. Matthew 28:19, 20: What work is to be done?
c. Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8: Where is the work to begin?
d. Acts 1:8: To what places was the work to be taken?
Unit 4, Lesson 12
85
Power
LIFE IN CHRIST
CONTEMPORARY
Memory Verse
“The Lord has already told you what is good, and this
is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
worldviewimages.com
lesson
13
“This American showed up at the orphanage,” says Gisimba.
“He said that he was just stopping by to see if anyone here
needed help. I told him what we needed most was water. Carl
Wilkins promised to come back the next day with water and
anything else he could get his hands on. I kept wondering,
‘How will this stranger get past so many checkpoints?’ And
besides the checkpoints, there were bullets flying everywhere.”
From “The Few Who Stayed” by Michael Montgomery and Stephen Smith
<http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/rwanda/segc5.html>
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Unit 4, Lesson 13
An Unexpected Feast
Story as related by Carl Wilkins
E
very time I pulled into the orphanage parking lot, there was another
fresh mound of dirt over a small grave. These children weren’t dying from the
war, the slaughter that was going on around; they were dying from diarrhea.
They didn’t even have enough water to drink, let alone enough to wash with.
I needed to find something bigger than a five-gallon jug to carry water in and
something that could carry more than my little Toyota Corolla could.
How would you solve this problem?
A short time later I was in the office of the colonel in charge of the city of
Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. I was telling him about my water transportation
problems, and as I stood looking out the second-story window of his office, I
spotted a dump truck in the parking lot below. I asked if it worked. “No, it
doesn’t,” he replied. “It belongs to the family doctor of the late president.
They fled the city.”
“If I get it running, may I use it?” I asked.
“Sure,” he said. So I had my truck, and after a bit of tinkering, it ran. Next I
had to find some barrels.
I found the barrels at an abandoned syrup factory. They didn’t have anything
poisonous inside, but they were a gooey mess. Man, how was I going to clean
these up? Well, I loaded them in my truck and went to a water place. It was
jam-packed with lines of people and trucks and all kinds of vehicles. This was
never going to work. I was thinking, Where else might I find a little water? I
thought about the abandoned car garage down the street. It was a little closer
to where gun fighting was going on, but there might be water there.
When I got to the dirty garage and started unloading the barrels, kids started
to show up. There were finally around six, seven, or eight kids standing watching.
Unit 4, Lesson 13
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87
LESSON 13
LIFE IN CHRIST
They didn’t watch long; they started to pitch right in. They helped me finish
unloading, and we looked around to see how we were going to clean them. I
asked them if they would help me set up little stations.
I saw a pile of sand and I said, “Anna, your job is to pour sand in the little
hole in the top of the barrel. Manu, you and your friend roll that barrel over
to the water spigot, and Mulindsi will be in charge of putting the water
inside the barrel. After they have water in them, Daniel and I will roll them
up this little bank—back and forth a couple times—so the sand and water
scrubs the inside. Then we will roll them over to you, Tabitha, and you can
drain them out.”
We had our little assembly line set up, and it was working smoothly until
the distant gunfire came real close and began hitting the garage roof. All of
us dropped what we were doing and ran behind the building for cover. Some
of the kids were even laughing. They had been in war for so long that they
had almost made a game out of it.
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88
Can you imagine what it must be like to live in a war-torn country?
Unit 4, Lesson 13
I looked around to make sure everyone was accounted for and started
wondering, God, is this really what we should be doing? It would be terrible if
somebody got shot. But God had provided the truck. He had provided the
drums. He had provided the helpers, and He was going to watch over us.
When things had been quiet for about ten or fifteen minutes, we all went
back to our work stations.
We worked fast and hard. Everyone was laughing and having fun until the
next shower of gunfire would come. Then we would all dive for cover again.
That’s how we spent the afternoon. Pour in sand and then water. Roll it up
a bank and then back down. Dump it out. More sand and water.
With all the energy and fun, you could easily almost forget that we were in
the middle of a genocide—except for the gunfire. Some of these children no
doubt had seen their own moms or brothers or other family members killed.
They would never forget this, but they were learning. They were learning that
survival has a lot to do with looking out for others. These children didn’t even
know the ones in the orphanage on the other side of town where the water
was headed, but that didn’t matter. What mattered was that they could help.
We were all hot and sweaty when we finished. But we did have water, and I
had a box of nutrition biscuits in the truck. So we all sat down for a feast of
water and nutrition biscuits. You never saw a happier or more content bunch
of children.
Why do you think the children were content?
I never saw them again. I hope they survived. But I often think about their
huge smiles and laughter. Friends, smiles, and God’s hands over us turn work
into fun!
?
___________________________________________
As the director of Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Rwanda,
Carl Wilkins chose to stay during the genocide. He was the only United States
citizen to remain. His wife, Teresa, and their three young children, Mindy, Lisa,
and Shaun, left in a convoy and were airlifted to Nairobi, Kenya. During those
one hundred days, when eight hundred thousand people were slaughtered,
he helped many. Risking his life for others, Carl Wilkins put his faith and trust
in his heavenly Father.
Carl Wilkins received a letter of commendation from the U.S. State Department
for working with the U.S. Embassy to get Americans out. In 2004 he was granted
the Dignitas Humana Award sponsored by Saint John’s School of Theology
Seminary.
His service didn’t stop in Rwanda. Today Carl Wilkins is a pastor. In addition
to that ministry, you might find him leading a mission trip, chopping wood
for a neighbor, organizing academy students for a work bee, playing games
and telling stories to some elementary students, serving on the volunteer fire
department, leading a prayer conference, or maneuvering his kayak down the
swollen river in search of a fisherman whose empty boat was found downstream.
Wherever it is, you will often hear, “How’s it going? . . . Let’s pray.”
“For I have a great sense of obligation to people in our culture and to people
in other cultures, to the educated and the uneducated alike” (Romans 1:14).
Unit 4, Lesson 13
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LESSON 13
LIFE IN CHRIST
Journal
•
Let your mind wander. What could you do, through Christ, that would
show kindness to others?
Activities
90
Unit 4, Lesson 13
A.
Design a banner representing or portraying sources of power. Use a
concordance to find texts about power. Add them to your banner.
B.
Visit the Web site for Adventist Development and Relief Agency at
<http/www.ADRA.org>. What is the mission of ADRA? Find one of the
projects that ADRA is currently involved in. Report on what ADRA is
doing to improve the conditions for the people of that country.
C.
Make an “Alphabet of Power” book. For each letter of the alphabet,
find a verse about power; you may paraphrase texts if you choose. For
example: “A” God gave Noah power over the ANIMALS when he left
the ark (Genesis 9:2). Use a concordance to find texts. Illustrate your
book with graphics or pictures.
D.
After reading Matthew 7:21–23, divide into small groups. Write a roleplay situation of attempting something without God’s power and then
with God’s power.
To Learn More
“Ghost of Rwanda,” PBS Frontline documentary
“The Few Who Stayed: Defying Genocide in Rwanda,” American RadioWorks
“A Bridge in Rwanda,” Adventist Review, October 21, 2004
Dig a Little Deeper
1.
Using several translations/paraphrases of the Bible, look up Romans
1:14. What different ideas did you find?
2.
In your own words, write guidelines based on Romans 1:14 for
Christians to remember when dealing with people of various ethnic
groups and backgrounds.
3.
Pastor Wilkins was in danger when he stayed in Rwanda. List several
Bible characters and tell/write/illustrate how their lives were in danger
as they served God.
4.
Read “A Bridge in Rwanda.” Write your reaction to the article.
Unit 4, Lesson 13
91
lesson
14
Power
LIFE IN CHRIST
ADVENTIST HERITAGE
Memory Verse
“The angel of the Lord guards all those who fear him,
and he rescues them” (Psalm 34:7).
“Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we
would ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in
the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through
endless ages. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20, 21).
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Unit 4, Lesson 14
The Light in the Night
T
he Seventh-day Adventist Church in New Zealand had already held two
camp meetings with Mrs. White in attendance, one in Napier and another in
Wellington. These were the first held south of the equator. Now the church
was planning another one “down under” near Melbourne, Australia, at Brighton
Beach. It was being held during the summer weather, from December 19, 1893
until January 15, 1894. Not many people were expected to attend, so only
thirty-five family sized tents were pitched. However, reservations kept coming
in and additional tents had to be obtained. Finally, 100 tents had been set up
and were available for the 511 people who planned to be there. When Mrs.
White arrived at the camp meeting location, she was met with an impressive
sight, for the rows of tents had been thoughtfully and carefully arranged.
People living in the area were curious about this gathering of tents and the
messages being presented in the large main tent. Mrs. White was one of the
speakers, and her topics were the Ten Commandments, the anticipated second
coming of Christ, and the need to honor the seventh-day Sabbath. Residents
of the community, ministers of other churches, businessmen, physicians, all
crowded into the meeting tent to hear what that little lady had to say.
What topic do you think you would have asked questions about?
The modern conveniences available today were unheard of in her time, so
Mrs. White spoke to large audiences without the assistance of microphones or
any other device to amplify sound. Instead, she spoke with a voice strengthened by God with a message from God—an unequaled combination.
While the crowds were coming to hear Mrs. White’s messages, others were
coming with less honorable intent. Larrikins, an Australian word for vandals,
began to pester this gathering. The leader of these young men was not satisfied with throwing rocks at the people and the tents, so when he learned that
Unit 4, Lesson 14
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LESSON 14
LIFE IN CHRIST
Mrs. White was one of the main speakers, he decided his gang would knock
down her tent while she was sleeping. Up to this time, the camp meeting
organizers had depended on older Bible school students to guard the camp.
But when one of the students, Fairly Masters, learned of the larrikins’ plan, he
informed the people in charge of the camp meeting. They decided to request
the local police to provide protection for Mrs. White.
?
Who was the real leader of the larrikins? Why?
?
What did Mrs. White have that kept her from feeling fear?
Why do you think she allowed protection this time?
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A tall, burly policeman was sent out to the camp meeting to guard her. At
other times, when church leaders had asked for police protection for Mrs. White,
she would not allow it. She believed that she was under God’s protection and
did not fear for her safety. After all, God had kept her safe from disease, accidents,
and violence before—and she saw no need to be fearful. This time, however,
she was impressed by the Holy Spirit to permit the policeman’s presence.
Unit 4, Lesson 14
As usual, after the night’s meeting, Mrs. White walked to her tent and prepared
for bed. After her personal devotions and prayer, she fell asleep on her cot.
Her sleep would have been no less sound if she had not been under police
protection. As for the policeman, he strolled around her tent, watching for
anything out of the ordinary. Other folk, knowing why he was there, curiously
peeked from their tents from time to time at this sturdy guardian.
As the night wore on, the curious campers grew tired and returned to their
beds. With sleepers settled in, the camp was quiet. The policeman began to
question why he was there, for it did not appear a threat to Mrs. White existed.
This gentleman, though possibly sleepy or bored, did not abandon his post.
He guarded Ellen White’s tent as ordered.
Time passed and nothing out of the ordinary occurred. The policeman continued his surveillance, ever alert for any change or movement around the
tent. Suddenly he became aware of something. Light? Movement? What was
it? He thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye—larrikins?
Thinking it a trick of his imagination, he looked around carefully, but nothing
seemed amiss. Wait, again, movement and light. Light? As he watched, a
bright wavering light appeared above the tent of the woman he guarded.
Within the light appeared a greater brightness. A shape? No, only shimmering
light that seemed to come and go but never completely disappeared. Then
the brightness returned. Within it appeared the shape of a figure, an angel!
An angel? Guarding the tent?
What do you think your reaction would have been
if you had been the policeman?
While there was darkness over all the tents and across the campground, there
was one bright beam of shimmering light focused over that tent. In that light,
in that very bright light, the shape of an angel appeared. It took no more than
that sight to convince the policeman, that as an earthly guardian, he was
unnecessary.
Turning away, he left the campground and walked to the police station, no
doubt pondering what he had just witnessed. Arriving at the station, he told
the story of the light over the tent and what had appeared in the light. No
one questioned what he said, no one doubted what he saw, and no one required
him to return to his post. Mrs. White had a guardian unsurpassed on this earth.
Those who have faith in God need no other protection.
Why did no one question the policeman’s reason
for leaving the campground?
This Irish Catholic policeman returned to the campground the next day, not
to protect Mrs. White, but to see the woman the angel guarded and to hear
what she had to say. After that first evening, he seldom missed a meeting and
was convinced of the message he heard her give. Led by the Holy Spirit, he
was baptized and became an active witness, responsible for many coming to
the Lord.
COLs-7
Unit 4, Lesson 14
?
?
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LESSON 14
LIFE IN CHRIST
Journal
•
What kinds of power does God give to His children?
Activities
A.
Invite your chaplain, pastor, or another resource person to come to your classroom to explain how to develop a Bible study. Then prepare a Bible study
about the Holy Spirit. Use the following texts: Psalm 51:11; Nehemiah 9:20; John
14:15–17, 26; John 16:7–15; Romans 8:15–17, 26, 27; 12:14–18; 1 Corinthians 2:10;
Galatians 5:22. This Bible study can be presented at home or at school for worship.
B.
Ellen White had an amazing connection to the power of God. Turn to a
person close to you and answer these questions:
• Who is the most powerful person in the world?
• What is the most powerful force in the world?
• What does 1 Chronicles 29:11, 12 say about power?
Now form a half-circle. Each student takes 6 feet (2 meters) of string and holds
onto one end while the teacher holds the other. Taking turns, tell something
that requires power to work and name the type of power required. Then
trace each type of power back to God. For example, a light bulb needs
electricity, which often comes from flowing water, which was created by
God. End by saying, “All power comes from God—STAY CONNECTED!”
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Unit 4, Lesson 14
C.
William Carey said, “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things
for God.” Brainstorm some problems that students encounter at school
or at home. Imagine what might happen in these situations if the Holy
Spirit worked through you or your class.
D.
Make a tin-punch ornament. Use a can opener that opens the can leaving
no sharp edges, or use the metal top of a frozen juice can. Trace one of
the symbols of the Holy Spirit that you found in Activity 2, Lesson 11.
Using a nail and hammer, punch one of the symbols onto the tin ornament.
Be sure you have a piece of wood under the project. Make a small group
or class mobile with several of the ornaments
To Learn More
John 3:8
Ephesians 3:14–21
Jude 20, 21
Dig a Little Deeper
1.
2.
3.
4.
Use a concordance to search for at least ten references to the Holy Spirit. List
the references and comment on the work of the Holy Spirit in each text.
Organize the above texts into categories of your choice.
Choose five of the above texts. What do these texts mean to you? How
can each help you be a blessing to others in your spiritual journey?
Read Isaiah 40:31 and Colossians 3:23. Look back through this unit and
explain how these texts apply to each story.
Unit 4, Lesson 14
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