Treasure in the Street

View this lesson in a browser and print a "take-away" weekly copy. CLICK HERE (see link below)

FRIDAY

June 4

Further Study:  

“The greatest want of the world is the want of men—men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 57. “There is work for us to do—stern, earnest work. All our habits, tastes, and inclinations must be educated in harmony with the laws of life and health. By this means we may secure the very best physical conditions, and have mental clearness to discern between the evil and the good.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 28. “Our danger is not from scarcity, but from abundance. We are constantly tempted to excess. Those who would preserve their powers unimpaired for the service of God, must observe strict temperance in the use of His bounties, as well as total abstinence from every injurious or debasing indulgence.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 29.

Discussion Questions:

Look at the last Ellen G. White quote above. What does she mean when she write that our danger is from excess?      Sunlight is an important component of good health. Here, too, however, we need a balance: a few minutes of sunlight each day can be a great blessing for us; on the other hand, overexposure can lead to health problems. How do we find the right balance here as with everything else?      What can your local church do to help with the problem of HIV-AIDS in your local community? Though in some parts of the world, the problem is greater than in others, we all can do at least a small part.      What can you do to encourage the young people in your church to abstain from sexual activity outside of marriage? Why is this so important? How can the church help, not just in sexuality but in other things, as well that the young struggle with? How can you help the young (or old, for that matter) make the right choices when it comes to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco? It is one thing to give them dire warnings; it is another actually to do things to help them avoid making the wrong choice or to give them help if they do make mistakes.

---

		I N S I D E Story
		Treasure in the Street by HILARIO CATUKU As I walked along the street in Luanda, the capital city of Angola, one day, I noticed a folded paper fluttering on the ground. I picked it up and read the title. "Three Angels' Messages," it said. Later at home I read the tract. It spoke about spiritual Babylon, a term that I didn't know. I asked some church members what "spiritual Babylon" meant, but no one knew. I read the tract again, and asked God to show me what lesson He had for me from this tract. One day I felt impressed to ask a classmate about the Ten Commandments. As we talked, he recited the Ten Commandments. When he got to the fourth commandment, I asked him to tell me more about it. He explained that Jesus kept the Sabbath. I sensed that this was what God was trying to tell me through the tract. But I didn't know of any church that worshiped on Saturday. Then my classmate invited me to worship with him on Sabbath. I was curious, so I went. I was impressed with the way the members talked about the Bible issues. The pastor's message touched my heart too. After the worship service, I met the church elder, who gave me some Bible study guides and information on the Sabbath to read during the week. I continued worshiping with my friend on Sabbath. Several weeks later I told my aunt, with whom I live, that I was attending the Seventh-day Adventist church. She told me that Sabbath is a Jewish tradition; Christians don't keep the Sabbath. I read Hebrews 4:8-10 to her and explained that this was written after Christ died, meaning that the Sabbath is still valid. She felt betrayed and urged me to give up these false beliefs. But I felt I had found something precious. I attended school at night, and my classes didn't end until after sunset on Fridays. I talked to the principal, who allowed me to take my exams earlier on Fridays. But sometimes I still couldn't finish before the sun set. So I left the remaining answers blank. In spite of this, I passed. I know that God used these experiences to lead me to a deeper faith. Angola has more than 300,000 Adventist believers, but many more need to hear God's call out of "spiritual Babylon." Your offerings help us reach more people for Christ in Angola. HILARIO CATUKU is a teenager who lives in Luanda, Angola.
		Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. email:   info@adventistmission.org  website:  www.adventistmission.org