Junior and/or Junior and/or Earliteen Earliteen

Sabbath SchoolSabbath School

November 29, 2008November 29, 2008

This Quarter the Thirteenth Sabbath This Quarter the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering is going to the Offering is going to the

Northern Asia-Pacific DivisionNorthern Asia-Pacific Division

Information adapted from Adventist Mission, Youth and Adult Magazine and the SDA Encyclopedia.

Mongolia

China

North Korea

This quarter the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering This quarter the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will be used to help:will be used to help:

build a dormitory for Adventist build a dormitory for Adventist students in Ulaanbaatar, Mongoliastudents in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

fund Chinese-language television and fund Chinese-language television and Internet broadcasts from Taiwan Internet broadcasts from Taiwan

plant a Chinese-language church in plant a Chinese-language church in the heart of Tokyo, Japanthe heart of Tokyo, Japan

Almost 1.5 billion people live in the countries that make up the Northern Asia-Pacific Division. Among this huge population 97% are Buddhists, Shintoists, Muslims, Shamans, and Atheists while only 3% are Christians (nearly 563,000 or one in every 2,600 are Seventh-day Adventists). Challenges are everywhere in this area.

Shinto Ceremony in Kyoto

Encarta

Focus on Japan

The islands of Japan are located The islands of Japan are located in the North Pacific just east of in the North Pacific just east of Korea and China. Japan Korea and China. Japan currently boasts the third currently boasts the third strongest economy in the world strongest economy in the world and is at the forefront of the and is at the forefront of the modern technological age. Shinto modern technological age. Shinto is the traditional Japanese is the traditional Japanese religion and until the end of religion and until the end of World War II it was the official World War II it was the official state religion.state religion.

The Japanese people are a study in contrast. While the older The Japanese people are a study in contrast. While the older generation still cherishes the traditions of ancestor worship, generation still cherishes the traditions of ancestor worship, hard work, and loyalty, young people reach out and grasp hard work, and loyalty, young people reach out and grasp modern materialism and embrace technology. modern materialism and embrace technology.

Young women in traditional kimonos

Osaka Shoman Castle

Japanese who do not claim to be Christian do not Japanese who do not claim to be Christian do not seem interested in learning that Jesus loves them. seem interested in learning that Jesus loves them. When Adventist missionaries first entered Japan more When Adventist missionaries first entered Japan more than 100 years ago, the people responded and the than 100 years ago, the people responded and the church grew rapidly. But as the Japanese economy church grew rapidly. But as the Japanese economy prospered after World War II, interest in religion prospered after World War II, interest in religion waned. Materialism became the god of the Japanese. waned. Materialism became the god of the Japanese.

Business district in Tokyo

Christians remain a very small Christians remain a very small percentage of the population percentage of the population and there are only some 15,000 and there are only some 15,000 Seventh-day Adventist Seventh-day Adventist members scattered among the members scattered among the islands. Several new initiatives, islands. Several new initiatives, such as Hope for Big Cities, such as Hope for Big Cities, have been started to help reach have been started to help reach the millions of Japanese people the millions of Japanese people with the saving grace of Jesus. with the saving grace of Jesus. Pray that soon all of Japan will Pray that soon all of Japan will hear of the God whose love is hear of the God whose love is the same in every language.the same in every language.

Japanese girl paints banner for Vacation Bible School

Most of the new believers in Most of the new believers in Japan learn about the church Japan learn about the church through one of the Adventist through one of the Adventist schools in the country. That schools in the country. That makes Adventist schools truly makes Adventist schools truly mission schools. Pray that the mission schools. Pray that the teachers and Adventist students teachers and Adventist students in the Adventist schools in in the Adventist schools in Japan will share their faith with Japan will share their faith with students who are not Christians. students who are not Christians. Pray that the children from non-Pray that the children from non-Christian homes will give their Christian homes will give their hearts to God and share what hearts to God and share what they are learning with their they are learning with their families. This will help the families. This will help the church in Japan to grow. church in Japan to grow.

Toshimichi Wakui

Growth is occurring among the non-Growth is occurring among the non-Japanese in Japan. Churches have been Japanese in Japan. Churches have been planted among the 450,000 ethnic Japanese planted among the 450,000 ethnic Japanese from Brazil and Peru who now speak from Brazil and Peru who now speak Portuguese or Spanish as their first Portuguese or Spanish as their first language. Two Korean congregations and language. Two Korean congregations and several English speaking congregations also several English speaking congregations also are thriving But the largest ethnic minority in are thriving But the largest ethnic minority in Japan, the Mandarin Chinese-speaking Japan, the Mandarin Chinese-speaking people, are virtually unreached. Part of this people, are virtually unreached. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help establish the first Chinese-language help establish the first Chinese-language Adventist church in Tokyo, Japan. Please Adventist church in Tokyo, Japan. Please give generously this Thirteenth Sabbath.give generously this Thirteenth Sabbath.Bo Gao

Collect OfferingCollect Offering

Exploring God’s WorldExploring God’s World

In this section we study one of the countries in the division where our Thirteenth Sabbath offering is going.

Today we are going to Today we are going to learn about Japan.learn about Japan.

Where is JapanWhere is Japan

Japan’s FlagJapan’s Flag

Time for the Mission Time for the Mission StoryStory

We are taking the good news to We are taking the good news to the entire world.the entire world.

Read the Mission Story on pages 20 and 21 of the Fourth Quarter Read the Mission Story on pages 20 and 21 of the Fourth Quarter Adventist Mission Youth and Adult MagazineAdventist Mission Youth and Adult Magazine

while slowly progressing through the next 3 slides.while slowly progressing through the next 3 slides.

The name of The name of the person the person in the story in the story is “Bo Gao.” is “Bo Gao.”

This story is from Japan.This story is from Japan.

The title of the story is “Finding Answers in God.”The title of the story is “Finding Answers in God.”

Lesson Study Lesson Study TimeTime

NO R00M?NO R00M?

Today we will discuss:Today we will discuss:

Photo by Neva MacPheePhoto by Neva MacPhee

A lot of details are left out A lot of details are left out of the story of Jesus’ birth.of the story of Jesus’ birth.

We don’t know who lived at We don’t know who lived at the inn where Joseph and the inn where Joseph and Mary were denied a room. Mary were denied a room.

Perhaps a daughter, near to Perhaps a daughter, near to Mary’s age, persuaded her Mary’s age, persuaded her father to offer them the stable father to offer them the stable where they would at least be where they would at least be out of the night. We don’t out of the night. We don’t know. know.

But let’s use a little But let’s use a little imagination about what imagination about what could have happened.could have happened.

Photo by Neva MacPheePhoto by Neva MacPhee

Power TextPower Text

Galatians 4:4, 5, NIVGalatians 4:4, 5, NIV

““But when the time had fully But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, to redeem those under law, that we might that we might receive the fullreceive the fullrights of sons.”rights of sons.”

We worship God when we accept We worship God when we accept the gift of His Son and make the gift of His Son and make room for Him in our lives.room for Him in our lives.

P O W E R P O I N TP O W E R P O I N T

““Daughter, come here,” her Daughter, come here,” her father called, frowning.father called, frowning.

Pushing through the crowded Pushing through the crowded lobby, the girl hurried to lobby, the girl hurried to where her father stood at the where her father stood at the front desk.front desk.

““What What do you do you need, need, Abba?”Abba?”

““There’s a couple out in the There’s a couple out in the courtyard. They say they courtyard. They say they have come all the way from have come all the way from Nazareth.”Nazareth.”

““That’s That’s 80 miles! 80 miles! And the And the woman is woman is going to going to have a have a baby any baby any minute.” minute.”

““We’re completely out of space, We’re completely out of space, thanks to Caesar’s annoying thanks to Caesar’s annoying census. And there’s not another census. And there’s not another room anywhere inroom anywhere inBethlehem!”Bethlehem!”

““We can’t just send We can’t just send them away,” the them away,” the daughter protested. daughter protested.

““How about How about the stables, the stables, Abba? At least Abba? At least those are those are warm and dry. warm and dry. They’ll have a They’ll have a place to lie place to lie down and down and some privacy.”some privacy.”

““OK, they can stay there,” OK, they can stay there,” sighed Abba. “You show sighed Abba. “You show them where it is. Andthem where it is. Andhurry. I don’t want that hurry. I don’t want that baby being born in my baby being born in my courtyard.”courtyard.”

The girl quickly The girl quickly pointed the pointed the husband toward husband toward the stable and the stable and watched him help watched him help the young mother-the young mother-to-be dismount to-be dismount stiffly from the stiffly from the donkey.donkey.

Then she went back to the Then she went back to the shadows at the corner of the shadows at the corner of the inn and watched as the inn and watched as the husband led his young wife husband led his young wife into the stable and began to into the stable and began to make her comfortable on the make her comfortable on the clean straw.clean straw.

The innkeeper's The innkeeper's daughter settled in daughter settled in against the cooling against the cooling mud wall of the mud wall of the inn. She didn’t feel inn. She didn’t feel like going back like going back inside.inside.

It was crowded and noisy, It was crowded and noisy, and she somehow didn’t and she somehow didn’t want to take her attentionwant to take her attentiontoo far away from the stable too far away from the stable and what was happening and what was happening there.there.

She wondered to herself, She wondered to herself, They must have come forThey must have come forthe census. Why else the census. Why else would anyone travel inwould anyone travel inher condition? her condition?

Abba said they had come Abba said they had come from Nazareth, 80 miles from Nazareth, 80 miles away. Imagine coming on aaway. Imagine coming on adonkey all that way and in donkey all that way and in the last month of your the last month of your pregnancy.pregnancy.

The girl leaned her head The girl leaned her head against the wall and dozed.against the wall and dozed.Meanwhile in the stable one Meanwhile in the stable one of the most of the most significant eventssignificant eventsin the history ofin the history ofthis planet was this planet was taking place.taking place.

A very young mother, A very young mother, probably squeezing the hand probably squeezing the hand of her attentive husband, of her attentive husband, gave birth to a baby boy who gave birth to a baby boy who attracted a lot of attention.attracted a lot of attention.

But not from anyone in or But not from anyone in or near the noisy inn. All the near the noisy inn. All the celebration and the fanfarecelebration and the fanfarethat accompanied His birth that accompanied His birth were happening in another were happening in another dimension altogether.dimension altogether.

The girl leaning The girl leaning against the inn against the inn wall didn’t see wall didn’t see or hear any of it. or hear any of it. All she heard as All she heard as she shook herself she shook herself awake was a awake was a baby’s cry. baby’s cry.

And all she saw was that the And all she saw was that the night sky suddenly seemed a night sky suddenly seemed a whole lot brighter. whole lot brighter.

I must be imagining it, I must be imagining it, sheshethought to herself as she got thought to herself as she got up to go back inside the inn up to go back inside the inn for the night. for the night.

She was wondering what She was wondering what would become of this would become of this seemingly insignificant little seemingly insignificant little child born in the barn child born in the barn tonight.tonight.

Let’s read the following texts: Ezekiel 16:4 and Luke 2:12, in a variety of Bible versions, if available. Be sure to read it in the King James version.

Notice that the King James version uses the terms swaddled in Ezekiel 16:4, and swaddling

clothes in Luke 2:12.

Does anybody know what “swaddling” means?

Swaddling was not just a matter of wrapping a Swaddling was not just a matter of wrapping a child in warm clothing. It was a way of child in warm clothing. It was a way of restraining a baby’s movements to ensure that restraining a baby’s movements to ensure that its arms and legs grew. We believe differently its arms and legs grew. We believe differently today, but in those days, for at least the first six today, but in those days, for at least the first six months of life, long linen strips were tightly months of life, long linen strips were tightly wound around a baby’s body, preventing the wound around a baby’s body, preventing the baby from thrashing its arms and legs. About baby from thrashing its arms and legs. About once a day the baby was loosed from the once a day the baby was loosed from the swaddling, washed, and gently rubbed with olive swaddling, washed, and gently rubbed with olive oil or dusted with dried myrtle leaves, and then oil or dusted with dried myrtle leaves, and then securely wrapped again.securely wrapped again.

If you have the materials, try this.If you have the materials, try this.

Attach the strips together end to end, making one long swathing Attach the strips together end to end, making one long swathing band.band.

Lay the doll diagonally on the square with its arms down. Turn the Lay the doll diagonally on the square with its arms down. Turn the corner above the head back and bring the opposite corner over the corner above the head back and bring the opposite corner over the feet, as illustrated. Fold the other two corners over.feet, as illustrated. Fold the other two corners over.

Lay one end of the long strip over the front of the doll and begin Lay one end of the long strip over the front of the doll and begin wrapping it around the body.wrapping it around the body.

Continue over the feet and tuck in the free end of the strip.Continue over the feet and tuck in the free end of the strip. Let several people try it!Let several people try it!

When God covers us with His righteousness, how is that similar to being swaddled?

(We are restrained from sinning and we experience growth.)

When we accept Jesus and make room for Him in our life, what habits need to grow strong and straight, like the

baby’s arms and legs?

(Worshiping God, reading the Word, telling others about Him, avoiding evil.)

Applying the LessonApplying the Lesson

Imagine that Jonathan is a member of your Imagine that Jonathan is a member of your church or that he goes to your school. He church or that he goes to your school. He comes to church about once a month. He comes to church about once a month. He has told you that he is usually pretty busy has told you that he is usually pretty busy on Saturday or tired from the week. He on Saturday or tired from the week. He studies hard and plays on several sports studies hard and plays on several sports teams. He is a great guy and he believes in teams. He is a great guy and he believes in God. But he doesn’t think he has time for God. But he doesn’t think he has time for much “religious stuff.”much “religious stuff.”

He asks you why you hang out at church He asks you why you hang out at church so much and study your Bible.so much and study your Bible.

What would you say to Jonathan? Share your thoughts with the class.

Making RoomMaking Room(Have class members work in small groups to answer the (Have class members work in small groups to answer the

following questions, then share their answers with following questions, then share their answers with everyone.)everyone.)

What are some of the things that keep What are some of the things that keep people from accepting Jesus?people from accepting Jesus?

Did anyone come up with these answers? People don’t think they need a Savior, they’re too busy, their family or friends are against it.

What are some of the things that What are some of the things that keep people from worshiping Jesus?keep people from worshiping Jesus?

Did you come up with the same answers or some different ones, such as “other things are more important to them” or “too busy”?

How can people make room for How can people make room for Jesus in their lives?Jesus in their lives?

Did you come up with these ideas? By putting Him first, by getting rid of the things that keep them away from Him.

Let’s Review the Power Text and Let’s Review the Power Text and Power PointPower Point

“But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” Galatians 4:4, 5, NIV

WeWe worship God when we accept the worship God when we accept the gift of His Son and accept Him into gift of His Son and accept Him into our lives.our lives.

Important InformationImportant Information

PowerPointsPowerPoints® art copyrighted © 2003 by the Review and ® art copyrighted © 2003 by the Review and Herald® Publishing Association.Herald® Publishing Association.

Text and illustrations from Text and illustrations from Adventist Mission Youth and Adventist Mission Youth and Adult MagazineAdult Magazine is copyright © by the General is copyright © by the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists.Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists.

Scriptures quoted from NIV are from the Scriptures quoted from NIV are from the Holy Bible, New Holy Bible, New International VersionInternational Version, copyright © 1973, 1980, 1984, , copyright © 1973, 1980, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.Zondervan Bible Publishers.

ClickArt Infinity by Broderbund, © 1999 TLC Multimedia ClickArt Infinity by Broderbund, © 1999 TLC Multimedia Inc.Inc.

You will want to have a hard copy of the Mission Story ready to You will want to have a hard copy of the Mission Story ready to read during the Mission Story section. You can find the story on read during the Mission Story section. You can find the story on pages 20 and 21 of the Fourth Quarter pages 20 and 21 of the Fourth Quarter Adventist Mission Youth Adventist Mission Youth and Adult Magazine.and Adult Magazine. The title of the story is “Finding Answers The title of the story is “Finding Answers in God.” You can go to the website in God.” You can go to the website http://www.adventistmission.org/http://www.adventistmission.org/ and find the link titled “Publications” to download the and find the link titled “Publications” to download the Adventist Adventist Mission Youth and Adult Magazine.Mission Youth and Adult Magazine.

Notes to TeachersNotes to Teachers

Copyright Grants Pass Seventh-day Copyright Grants Pass Seventh-day Adventist SchoolAdventist School

Art and graphics copyrighted by the General Conference and the Review and Herald® are included on slides 45-49, 50, 52, 53, 55, 57, 59 and 65.

Images and artwork are copyrighted by the Pacific Press Publishing Assoc., Review and Herald Publishing Assoc., It Is Written and others. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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