LESSON 4 *April 18–24
Life
SABBATH AFTERNOON
Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 2:7; Ps. 139:13, 14;
John 1:1–3; 3; 10:10; 2 Cor. 5:17; Phil. 2:1–5.
Memory Text: “ ‘I have come that they may have life, and have
it to the full’ ” (John 10:10, NIV).
eople nowadays live much longer than in previous generations,
P especially people in the so-called developed world. And that’s,
of course, good. Yet, it’s one thing to live a long time, but what
about the quality of life itself? Sometimes doctors perform all kinds
of heroic actions to artificially keep a person alive even if the person
has very little, if any, quality of life left.
But quality of life is not restricted to an acceptable level of physical
well-being; it has a wider application. What do we do with the years
that we have been given? Do we live with a purpose and in harmony
with others? Do we live in satisfying relationships with fellow human
beings and, most of all, with our Creator? These are important ques-
tions for all who have been given the gift of life.
The Week at a Glance: Life is a gift from God only. Now
that we have this life, what does it mean for us? How are we to live
it? Because it’s a gift, we are under a divine obligation to take care
of our lives, both physically and spiritually. At the same time, our
belief in Jesus brings us into the community of other believers,
and we become part of a new family, both in heaven and on earth,
all of which should impact the quality of life we have here now.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 25.
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S UNDAY April 19
The Gift of Physical Life
How did life originate? Some people point to a godless evolution-
ary unfolding of human existence. Others argue for a divine role in the
slow process of millions of years during which “simple” forms of life
somehow made their appearance and, subsequently, developed into
more complex organisms, including humans. This theory, however,
creates more questions than it answers (and besides, nothing in the
Bible even hints that God used evolution to create humanity).
Meanwhile, several renowned scholars have in recent years convinc-
ingly argued that this theory is in a deep crisis. But even the staunchest
supporters of evolutionary thinking must admit that life remains as
great a mystery as ever.
At the same time, those who believe in God as the Creator of this
world and of all the universe do not have all the answers either. But
the creationist approach is far more logical and coherent than the
improbable theory that human life resulted from chance.
What does divine revelation tell us about the origin of life? Gen. 2:7,
John 1:1–3.
What is true for the mystery of life in general is also true for each
human life. Although we possess a lot of scientific knowledge about
the processes involved in the conception and growth of human life,
each new parent who holds a newborn child in his or her arms knows
intuitively that this new life is nothing less than a miracle. It is a fun-
damental Christian conviction that life—and human life in a very spe-
cial sense—is sacred.
In what words does David describe the miracle of human life and the
magnificent design of the human body? Ps. 139:13, 14.
Who does not know the words of the well-known song that says
God has “the whole world in His hands”? This applies to the universe
and to our entire planet. But also to each one of us individually; who-
ever we are and wherever we are, God holds us in His hands. We owe
our physical life to Him, all of it—from beginning to end.
What difference does it make that God is the Creator of all life,
including our own? How should our stance on the origin of life
impact our views about things such as the death penalty, abor-
tion, and euthanasia?
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TEACHERS COMMENTS
The Lesson in Brief
Key Text: John 10:10
The Student Will:
Know: That life comes from God and God alone.
Feel: The transformation that occurs when Christ enters your life.
Do: Allow His presence to shape your choices daily.
Lesson Outline:
l
I. The Gift of Life (John 1:1–3)
A God is the Source of life for everything on earth. Does this amazing
gift obligate us to respond in any specific ways? Why or why not?
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__________________________________________________________
B God has given us many guidelines for taking care of our bodies:
dietary recommendations, as well as broader lifestyle instruction. What do
these guidelines say about the value God places on human life?
__________________________________________________________
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II. An Abundant Life (2 Cor. 5:17)
A Just as God gave us life in the beginning, we are born again into a new
life in Christ. What has changed in your life as a result of your relation-
ship with Jesus? Explain.
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B In the memory text for this week, Jesus says He came that we may
have life more abundantly. How has He made your life more fulfilling?
__________________________________________________________
III. A New Life in Christ (2 Pet. 3:18)
With Christ in our lives, we can live with purpose and meaning. Second
Peter urges us to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus. In what tangible
ways can you strive to do that every day?
__________________________________________________________
Summary: Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be reborn (John 3:1–21). Do all you
can to start each day reborn in Christ.
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M ONDAY April 20
Physical Education
If we owe our existence to our Creator, it stands to reason that we
also owe it to Him to be careful with what He has entrusted to us. There
is ample evidence in the Bible that God is interested in our physical
well-being. He manifested His care for the people of Israel time and
again. He gave His people numerous instructions about healthful eat-
ing and sanitation. He gave them manna in the wilderness. He looked
after Elijah when there was famine in the land. These are just a few of
many examples of God’s care for our physical well-being.
This truth becomes even clearer in the ministry of our Lord. Even a
cursory reading of the Gospels leaves us in no doubt that Jesus’ under-
standing of religion was very much practice-oriented.
In what ways did Jesus show interest in His own physical well-being and
that of the people around Him? Take a look at the following pas-
sages and analyze what implications they have for us today.
• healing (Mark 5)
• rest (Mark 6:30–32)
• feeding (Mark 6:33–43; esp. vs. 34)
• Sabbath (Luke 4:16)
In what other areas did Jesus show His concern for the physical well-
being of people?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
The way we treat our body has everything to do with stewardship.
Whether our material possessions, our time, our talents, or our body—
it is all God’s property, and thus, we are required as faithful stewards
to look after these gifts. But care for our body also is intimately
related to the biblical view of the human person. Many Christians
believe that we consist of an immortal soul that inhabits a mortal shell
of flesh and blood. The Bible, however, depicts humanity as a unity of
body, soul, and spirit, which cannot be separated. Our religion, there-
fore, does not concern just an immortal “something” but our entire
being. It impacts all aspects of our existence.
While the Bible indicates that some foods are unsuitable for
human consumption (see, for example, Leviticus 11), the king-
dom is not to be reduced to a question of what we eat and drink
(see Rom. 14:17). How do we strike the right balance, not just in
diet but in all areas of healthy living?
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TEACHERS COMMENTS
Learning Cycle
STEP 1—Motivate
Key Concept for Spiritual Growth: God gives us not only life
but a way of life. He created us and redeemed us. As such, our lives
are not our own. We are responsible to God for the uses to which we
put the life He gives to us.
Just for Teachers: In this week’s lesson, we discuss and explore the
meaning of life itself as a gift from God.
The age-old question What is the meaning of life? has sparked endless debate
and conjecture from the beginning of time. Some scientists say the answer is
survival of the species. Atheist Richard Dawkins, who wrote The Selfish
Gene (1976) proposes that life is just the way genes choose to replicate them-
selves. Other answers to the meaning of life range from the sublime to the
absurd: enlightenment, individual success, power, pleasure, and even the
number 42 (as Douglas Adams humorously proposes in The Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxy). Still other minds question whether the concept of “the
meaning of life” itself has meaning.
When we ask how life came into being, ideas tend to be clearer and more
1 distinct but still mutually contradictory and often full of gaps. Evolutionists,
such as Dawkins, say evolution is as indisputable as gravity, but critics of evo-
lution still persist in casting doubt on it. Theorists closer to the fringe of
acceptable belief suggest that life on earth was seeded by extraterrestrials, but
they don’t generally explain where the extraterrestrials came from. Advocates
2 of intelligent design say there must be an Intelligent Designer, but in the cur-
rent legal climate (at least in America), their lawyers won’t let them say who
that is.
As Christians we turn to the Bible, where we find clear, distinct, and
coherent answers to both these questions. God created us to love and serve
Him and to be loved and served by Him. We don’t have all the answers to the
3 mysteries of life, but His love for us is a very good start.
Discuss With the Class: The Bible says that Christ is the Alpha
4 and Omega—the Beginning and End—of life and time (Rev. 1:11).
What does this belief mean in our individual lives and for life itself?
Consider This: How do you demonstrate that the focus of your life
is to love and serve God?
C O N T I N U E D
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T UESDAY April 21
Spiritual Life
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17).
What is your understanding of what that text means? How are we a
“new creature” in Jesus?
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____________________________________________________________________
All inhabitants of this earth, whether they ever realize it or not, are
God’s by birth. Yet, the life we all share in this world, as we all know,
is very temporary. Sin has brought decay and death not only to every
human being but to all life on the planet. Nothing is immune to the
crushing devastation caused by sin.
The good news, however, is that we have a choice as to whether this
life is all we have or whether we will accept the wonderful gift of eter-
nal life.
This eternal life, however, demands a turning around, a conversion.
The Bible uses several metaphors to describe this crucial experience.
The most graphic is that of a new birth, the image used to depict the
turning point at which a person accepts the gift of eternal life in Christ.
When this happens, the “old person” dies, and a “new person” is born.
Nowhere in the Bible is the need for this new birth described with
greater clarity than in John 3. Read the section (vss. 1–21) that
relates Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus. What does it tell us
about the nature of this new birth? What is your own under-
standing of the new birth?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
The new life of the follower of Jesus, who has turned around from
a life of self-service to a life of commitment to the kingdom, will be
characterized by growth. The newly born spiritual person needs to
feed on the right kind of spiritual food and must gradually mature. The
apostle Peter encourages us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18, NIV).
If someone were to ask you, “Have you been born-again?” what
would you reply? What does your answer say to you about your
walk with Jesus?
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TEACHERS COMMENTS
Learning Cycle C O N T I N U E D
STEP 2—Explore
Just for Teachers: The following passages convey the fact that God
is concerned and involved in all aspects of our lives and that we, in
turn, should be always mindful of His presence in all that we do.
Bible Commentary
Overview: The Bible regards God’s Creatorship as self-evident. God’s
greatness and goodness are proven by the things He has made and the
way He has made them. The evidence includes our own bodies. As such,
our own existence should serve—the Bible suggests—to remind us of
God, His love for us, and His plans for our destiny.
I. Abundant Life (Review with your class John 10:10.)
Ever wonder why God created light before He created a light source? The
1 sun doesn’t show up until day four of Creation week, nearly a hundred
hours after light has been shining without it. Perhaps God wanted us to
remember that before there was anything else, He—the Light of the
world—was already there. His power, love, goodness, and the fullness of
His life are underived; all stem from Him and from His very nature as God.
2 God has given us the fullness of His life through His Son. When Jesus
says that He has come so that we “ ‘may have life, and have it to the full’ ”
(John 10:10, NIV), He is referring not just to physical life in its various
aspects but to spiritual and eternal life, as well. The Gospel of John is quite
emphatic from the beginning that Christ is the Source of that life (John
1:3, 4). John goes on to say that this Life is the “light of all people” (vs. 4,
3 NRSV). Here John equates life with light, God’s first creation, suggesting
that life shares the qualities of light. Even now we use it to symbolize wis-
dom and understanding, revelation and inspiration.
4 Consider This: How has the Lord of light revealed Himself to you in
the events and in the course of your life?
II. Intricately Wrought in the Depths of the Earth (Review with your class
Psalm 139:13, 14.)
C O N T I N U E D
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W EDNESDAY April 22
Social Life
Humans are, by nature, social beings. Of course, there are moments
we like to be alone. We need private time for prayer and contempla-
tion. Some need more private space and private time than do others.
But we tend to feel sorry for people who are always alone, and particu-
larly for those who do not have sufficient social skills to establish
bonds of friendship and who consistently fail to enter into meaningful
relationships.
The Bible pictures people as parts of various social networks. The
family, friendship, ethnicity, community, and church are dominant
themes. The Bible points to Jesus’ Father as the Father of all
humankind, which means we all are brothers and sisters in a very real
sense (Acts 17:26). Living in relationships is the essence of human
life. When Adam was created, God immediately created a partner for
him. Family life was a divinely devised model for human happiness.
The Bible repeatedly underlines the tremendous value of genuine
friendship and the blessings of belonging to a wider community.
What is the key to successfully managing of our social relationships?
How well do you manifest these principles? Phil. 2:1–5.
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
The various aspects of our Christian life are blended in our mem-
bership to the body of Christ: the church. The church is more than a
place where like-minded people meet and enjoy fellowship.
Nonetheless, for many the church is indeed the focal point of their
social life. This has both positive and negative aspects. Without
Christian friends we have few, if any, role models. Associating with
others who also serve God and also have adopted a biblical lifestyle
will help us to remain faithful and to grow in our Christian relation-
ship. But if we have no friends outside the circle of fellow believers,
we will have few opportunities for witnessing. In many parts of the
world friendship evangelism is the most successful method of church
growth.
Studies have shown that most new Adventists lose virtually all
their non-Adventist friends within seven years. Take a look at
yourself. Is this the pattern you see? What are the reasons? Why
is it worth investing time and energy to build friendships with
non-Adventists, or even with non-Christians?
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TEACHERS COMMENTS
Learning Cycle C O N T I N U E D
According to The Interpreter’s Bible, some scholars propose that Psalm
139:15 is possibly “a reflection of the idea that the human fetus was made
by God elsewhere before being introduced into the womb” (vol. 4, p. 716).
It is easy to get caught up in such idle speculation and overlook the larger
purpose of the psalm: to serve as a testimony to God’s omniscience. God
was aware of us and had plans for us even before the physical elements of
our existence had come together in the unique combinations that make us
who we are.
We also can consider that God’s awareness of us is a poetic recognition
of the fact that our “physicality” and “spirituality” are intertwined. Thus,
we are not spirits that come down from some mysterious realm and plant
ourselves in physical bodies. Our physical bodies are us, and we need to
respect them as God’s house.
Consider This: Because God created us as physical beings with bodies,
what should our attitude be toward our bodies, and how should we dis-
play this attitude in all that we do?
III. Life Is With People (Review with your class Philippians 2:1–5.)
1 The harmony and order that still can be seen in life, existence, and the nat-
ural world point to God as their Originator. In the same way, the body of
believers known as the church—God’s new creation—also should display
the harmony that God intended among the beings He created. How do we
display this harmony? The answer is simple. Put aside the self-seeking and
2 self-promotion that the world tells us are necessary for survival. Love others
more than self and seek to do them good. Embrace the selfless life of
Christ as your own.
Consider This: Churches are very similar to families in that members
may have relatively little in common with other members. List the ways
3 in which we can ease the tensions that inevitably arise. How can we pro-
mote harmonious relations with one another?
4 STEP 3—Practice
Just for Teachers: Encourage your students to use the following
C O N T I N U E D
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T HURSDAY April 23
Fullness of Life
John 10:10 records Jesus’ famous statement that He has come to
give us life “to the full” (NIV). Other Bible translations speak of
“abundant life.”
Here is a partial list of important components of this “full” life.
Try to add other components to that list and find scriptural sup-
port for these various aspects:
1. It is a life full of possibilities.
2. It is a life with a purpose.
3. It is a life of inner peace.
4. It is a life with a mission.
As we grow in our Christian life, we become more and more con-
vinced that Christ does indeed offer us life “to the full.” We often
have, however, a hard time explaining this to those who have not com-
mitted themselves to Christ. For them the Christian life appears to be
rather boring. They dislike the fact that it seems to bring all kinds of
restrictions. But Christians have learned that not all experiences one
might have actually make our lives richer. Many things we might do
carry a minus sign rather than a plus sign and contribute to an inner
emptiness rather than a fullness of life.
What are some kinds of experiences we’re all better off without, and
why?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
“Life to the full” is not a combination of good health, good looks,
satisfactory education, and a nice income. And although strong, lov-
ing relationships are certainly part of it, there is considerably more
than these things. Life “to the full” is the kind of life that has mean-
ing. It is a life that issues inner peace. Its happiness does not depend
primarily on external, material circumstances. It is a life that is con-
nected to the Source of life and will, therefore, be eternal.
Why does all this talk of an “abundant life” sound pleasing?
What about those who seem to have an “abundant life” but
don’t know Jesus and don’t seem to have the slightest interest in
knowing Him? How do we understand this phenomenon, espe-
cially when we all know Christians who are suffering terribly
now? See 2 Cor. 4:18.
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TEACHERS COMMENTS
Learning Cycle C O N T I N U E D
questions to think about God in Christ as the Source of life and as
something that directs our attention to God.
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Thought Questions:
1 Most people have at least a passive belief in the existence of a Creator
God. Why is it important to believe in the young-earth creationist account,
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rather than, say, theistic evolutionism?
2 Many or most of Jesus’ miracles deal with healing, which indicated
that both He and His hearers viewed healing as a holy act. What does this
idea suggest for us about the importance of our physical well-being to God?
Application Question:
As Seventh-day Adventists, we know that God intends us to be healthy.
Vibrant health is one aspect of the abundant life He offers. Sadly, the health
message often is perceived as a rigid set of restrictions, or worse, as justi-
fication for those who follow it to consider themselves superior to others
who don’t. How can we present the health message in such a way that peo-
ple understand that God intends it for our happiness and well-being?
STEP 4—Apply
Just for Teachers: This week we have learned that God gives us
not only life but also a way of life. Use the following activity to encour-
age your students to explore and discover what this way of life means
to them.
• Psalm 139:13, 14 states that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”
And it’s true; virtually any of our organs is a marvel of design and
engineering. The possibility of any of them emerging by chance is
extremely remote. Examine one of these organs or systems with your
class. The eye is a popular example (here is a site with reproducible
material on the topic: http://www.bibleprobe.com/humaneye.htm).
• One of the purposes of our lives is to be a blessing to others, partic-
ularly in our own community. Do you know someone in your church
or in your community experiencing difficulty performing basic func-
tions in his or her life? What exactly are the needs of this person, and
how can you help? Example: doing something for the house or yard
of an elderly or ill person; making bag lunches to give to the home-
less. What other examples can you think of? Schedule a time as a
class to help this person or persons.
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F RIDAY April 24
Further Study: Ellen G. White’s famous book Steps to Christ
focuses on our life in Christ. If, in the context of this week’s lesson,
one has to choose one particular chapter, one might well go to chap-
ter 8: “Growing Up Into Christ” (pp. 67–76). “A life in Christ is a life
of restfulness. There may be no ecstasy of feeling, but there should be
an abiding, peaceful trust. Your hope is not in yourself; it is in Christ.
Your weakness is united to His strength, your ignorance to His wis-
dom, your frailty to His enduring might. So you are not to look to
yourself, not to let the mind dwell upon self, but look to Christ. Let
the mind dwell upon His love, upon the beauty, the perfection, of His
character.”—Page 70.
1
Discussion Questions:
●
1 When people are severely disabled or terminally ill, the ques-
tion often asked is whether their life still has “quality.” Should
the quality of life be defined primarily in physical terms, or are
other aspects also important, or possibly even more essential?
2
How, too, does our understanding of the origin of life influence
our answer?
●2 For many people the looming specter of death robs life of all
meaning and purpose. After all, if sooner or later we’ll all be
dead and every memory of us forgotten, what can this life possi-
bly mean? How has Jesus answered that question for us and
eliminated this concern?
3
●
3 What aspects of your contemporary culture rob life of its full
meaning? That is, what kind of ideals and moral values are being
promoted that reduce life to something less than it should be?
How can we as Adventist Christians respond to these challenges?
●
4 In what ways can our health message and principles of better
living play into the promise of an “abundant life”? Might we be
shortchanging ourselves on this promise?
Summary: This week’s lesson focused on the “full” or “abundant” life
found in Jesus Christ. It is a life lived in a responsible way, caring for
our physical life as best we can. It is also a life lived in relationships,
for God designed humans to live in communion with others. Most of
all, it is a life totally renewed in Jesus, a life that will be changed and
growing in God’s grace.
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