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Life Sentence Enter Through It” (Matthew 7:13, NIV)

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Life Sentence Enter Through It” (Matthew 7:13, NIV) makingitreal Sabbath they are not alone. What are some other Bible CORNERSTONECONNECTIONS he What Do You Think? exercise invites passages that you can use in your note of MARCHMARCH26262016 T you to take a side and explain your encouragement? Use a concordance and look response. Jesus said, “Enter through the nar- up the word “alone” to begin your search for As a young person in the church, which pas- row gate. For wide is the gate and broad is those additional verses. sage is the most helpful to you? If you were to the road that leads to destruction, and many choose one passage to apply to your life this life sentence enter through it” (Matthew 7:13, NIV). Do you week, which one would you choose? Why? think this saying is difficult to explain or easy to explain? Why? Scripture Story: 1 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 17–21. List a few examples of what the easy road looks Commentary: Prophets and Kings (or Royalty in Ruins), like in your everyday life as well as what the Why do you think God spoke to Elijah in a chapter 15. narrow way looks like. gentle whisper rather than through a powerful earthquake? What does this tell us about how Thursday Easy Road: _________________________ we seek to hear God in our own life? n what area of your life do you need to make PREPARING TO TEACH will be as they study the story of a great king of Israel. _________________________________ I a decisive stand for God? Write out your _________________________________ commitment below: I. SYNOPSIS II. TARGET Narrow Road: _______________________ cornerstone This lesson focuses on the story of Jehoshaphat’s The students will: _________________________________ _________________________________ reign, a king who sought to do what was right in God’s • Survey the key stories of a great king’s life. eyes. During Jehoshaphat’s 25-year reign he contin- (Know) Sunday Tuesday ued to lead God’s people faithfully in the way his father, • Wrestle with the tension between strengths and connections ead the Into the Story verses about Elijah’s s you read the Flashlight quote from Asa, led. Jehoshaphat took over the throne during a weaknesses, success and failure. (Feel) R struggle and answer the questions listed A Prophets and Kings, notice the simple Friday time of war so his reformation began with reforming • Choose to live an uncompromising life. connections in the Out of the Story section. How would you reminder that when you think very few are even ake time this week to listen for God to the military and fortifying the borders. He also started a (Respond) explain Elijah’s state of mind? What are some paying attention to God, many have given their T speak to you. It may be that He speaks in religious reformation and stood firm against the idolatry other stories in Scripture that portray similar undying allegiance to Him around the world. thunderous ways, but more likely you will hear that seemed to hamstring God’s people in every gen- III. EXPLORE themes as the one in this week’s lesson? How might this encouragement inspire you and His voice in the silence. Journal below what eration. Jehoshaphat started a traveling school headed • Spiritual disciplines cornerstone your church to renewed faithfulness? you have “heard” Him impress on your heart up by 16 well-trained teachers who taught the law of • Learning from failure/mistakes 52 this week. God from place to place (2 Chronicles 17:7-9). The You will find material to help you explore these and result of his leadership was internal peace and security other topics with your students at www.cornerstone (2 Chronicles 17:12; 20:30). connections.net. If Jehoshaphat had a weakness, it was connected In what area of your life might you look “pecu- to his struggle for diplomacy. He made a habit of form- TEACHING liar” to those around you if you were to obey God fully? The next time you hear numbers of people Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International ing alliances with people less devoted to God than he Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. baptized or added to the church, remember was. First, with Ahab, then with Ahab’s son, Ahaziah, I. GETTING STARTED Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. the many who are not counted or even known. and finally with Ahab’s other son Jehoram. In his zeal to do the right thing he sometimes misjudged the evil Activity Wednesday intents of others, and God firmly corrected this ten- Refer the students to the What Do You Think? Monday ead through the Punch Lines carefully and dency over the years (1 Kings 22:44; 2 Chronicles 18:1). section of their lesson. After they have completed it, he Key Text for this week combines Eli- R underline or highlight the key phrases in Most of what people remember about the kings of Israel discuss their responses. jah’s despair and God’s encouragement. each verse. How do these verses relate to the T this week’s reading* are often summed up in a sentence. The Life Sentence Invite the students to share and explain their first As you read the passage in 1 Kings 19:14, story of Elijah’s struggle? that captures Jehoshaphat’s time on earth states: “In choice and the item they chose last in the ranking 15, 18, think of someone you know who feels Prophets and Kings (or Royalty everything he followed the ways of his father Asa and exercise. Ask what elements they would add to this list alone because of their faith in God. Take time in Ruins), chapter 14. did not stray from them; he did what was right in the to make it more comprehensive. today to pray for them and perhaps write a *Royalty in Ruins is a special adaptation of Prophets and Kings, eyes of the Lord” (1 Kings 22:43, NIV). History catego- note or convey the message to them that created for you by the Ellen G. White Estate and Pacific Press. Get more information about it at www.cornerstoneconnections. rizes the kings of Israel into two groups, good and bad. net/article/191/about-us/conflict-of-the-ages-companion-books#. Illustration URlhF1rBO9s. By following the weekly reading plan, you will read Invite the students to consider what their life sentence Share this illustration in your own words: at least one book of the Conflict of the Ages Series each year. www.cornerstoneconnections.net www.cornerstoneconnections.net 107 Timothy is a successful businessman who always students, use the following in your own words to pro- leaves the table a little bit hungry. He can afford to cess it with them. eat to the full, but an unexpected epiphany made • What do you think is the key verse in this such an impact on him that he was never the same. week’s story? Walking home late in the evening from work, he hap- • What are the leadership qualities you see in pened upon a man sitting on his sidewalk rummag- Jehoshaphat that are most noble? ing through a pile of garbage. The beggar scraped • What might be one of Jehoshaphat’s weak- off maggots from rotten pieces of food and shoved nesses as a leader? the pieces of garbage in his mouth with dirty hands. • How do you think his name, the Lord judges, Timothy, shocked by the desperation of that man, fits Jehoshaphat as a king? vowed never to take food for granted. Timothy is not • Jehoshaphat faced an army that far outnum- perfect, but he started a soup kitchen in his commu- bered him, but he trusted the Lord. What nity and volunteers regularly to inspire others to con- stance does God want us to take when we face tribute. Some people are driven by personal expe- challenges beyond our ability? riences that deeply affect them. Examine any great leader for the events and stories that make them so Sharing Context and Background passionate. They are often stories that clearly mark Use the following information to shed more light on what is right and what is wrong, what is good and the story for your students. Share it in your own words. what is bad. 1. Jehoshaphat made his share of mis- Consider one moment in Jehoshaphat’s experi- takes, but the overriding theme of his life ence that made an indelible impact on him as a leader. is summed up as being devoted to God When his enemy in battle, the king of Moab, saw that and His commands. His story includes at he was losing the battle, he took his firstborn son, who least four full chapters in 2 Chronicles, so would have become the next king, to the top of the covering his life might be time-consuming. connections city wall and offered him as a sacrifice as a last ditch One way to maximize time and get the entire attempt for victory (2 Kings 3:26, 27, NIV). Witnessing class involved would be to use a teaching such an act must have made an everlasting impres- strategy known as “jigsaw.” Divide your stu- sion on Jehoshaphat’s mind. Such immorality, he dents into groups and give one or more of the decided, could be met only with passionate, deliberate “snapshots” below to each group. Have each cornerstone obedience to God’s word. group read and then discuss together what they learn from their passage or passages. II. TEACHING THE STORY Then let each group report to everyone, or form other groups made up of at least one Bridge to the Story person from each of the original groups.
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