*🪂👦Junior* – _10-12years_ *⛳GraceLink Sabbath School Lesson 7, 1st Quarter* *🧮 Sabbath 7, February 15 2025* *💠Who Is Jesus?* *⛲🗃️Power Text* “ Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of6 God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). *📲PowerPoint:* We accept God’s grace, acknowledging Jesus as Lord of our lives. *🗝️Key References:* Matthew 16:13-20 The Desire of Ages, chap. 45, pp. 410-418 No corresponding story from The Bible Story Our Beliefs, nos. 4, 10, 11 *⁉️Perhaps you have been a Christian* all your life. Your parents have taken you to Sabbath School and church regularly. You know many Bible memory verses and Scripture songs. You love Jesus very much. But now someone is asking you why you believe Jesus is the Son of God. How will you answer? Jesus asked His disciples a similar question. *🪁⛳Here they were, heading for Caesareaf* Philippi. Jesus and the disciples walked past the familiar sites of Galilee in Judea and entered foreign territory. They could see the signs of idolatry everywhere. Jesus longed to help His disciples understand their responsibility toward the surrounding nations who didn’t believe in the true God. Would TV they be able to understand Jesus’ mission to save everyone, including the Gentiles, whom the Jews despised? Would they understand that Jesus would suffer and die to save them from their sins? The time was fast approaching when their beloved Master would be taken away from them to be nailed to a cross and die. For this reason Jesus wanted to spend time with His disciples. Jesus turned off the dusty road and led the way through a grassy field to some shade trees beside the stream. As Jesus and His disciples sat in the shade, He gave them an opportunity to affirm their belief in Him. He asked them a question: “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Jesus knew that if the disciples acknowledged Him as the Messiah, their faith would be strengthened for the difficult times that were ahead. “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets,” they answered. Jesus sighed. All those answers showed that people believed Him to be a prophet. But they had failed to recognize that He was truly God. Jesus turned to His disciples and asked them, “But who do you say at at I am?” The disciples looked at one another. Peter felt impressed to give an answer. So he answered Jesus, saying, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This answer met the reassuring response of Jesus’ approval. “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven,” Jesus told him (Matthew 16:13-17). Although Peter stated his belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God, the disciples didn’t yet have a clear ideas of Christ’s mission. Their ideas about the mission of the Messiah were still rooted in the false teaching of the scribes and Pharisees. They still hoped that Jesus would declare Himself king and overthrow the Roman government. How far from the truth were these hopes in light of the true purpose of Jesus’ ministry. He didn’t come to be served, but to serve. He didn’t come to conquer through force, but to love unconditionally. He didn’t seek revenge for injustice, but came to heal, forgive, and restore. Jesus didn’t want anyone to perish. His greatest desire was to save from the clutches of sin everyone who would believe in Him. To accomplish our salvation, Jesus was even willing to sacrifice His own life. Jesus gazed into the distance. There was still so much to teach the disciples and His followers here on earth. They didn’t understand yet what was going to happen. He had to go to Jerusalem, and there He would suffer and die on a cross. Then He would rise again on the third day. Think of the disciples and how their life changed after they came to recognize that Jesus was the Son of God. Their entire life received a whole new meaning and purpose. Their life’s mission became focused on sharing that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Think about what it means to you that Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” How has knowing Jesus changed you? Are you willing to trust Him with everything in your life? When you choose to live for Jesus, you will want to share your joy of knowing Him with others. Then, like Peter, you will experience the meaning of Jesus’ reassuring promise: “Blessed are you”! *🪁🔰Sunday* READ Read Matthew 16:13-16 and this week’s story, “Who Is Jesus?” THINK If Peter answered correctly that Jesus is the Son of the living God, why do you think he denied Jesus three times during His trial (Matthew 26:69-75)? REVIEW Review the power text, Philippians 2:9-11. PRAY Ask Jesus to help you dedicate your life to Him. *🪁🔰Monday* READ Read Matthew 16:17-20. ASK Ask some adults to describe who Jesus is to them. Make notes of the answers and then think about them. What is the best way you can explain to others who Jesus is to you? REFLECT When and how did you come to recognize Jesus as your Lord? REVIEW Review the power text. PRAY Thank Jesus for being your Savior and Friend. *🪁🔰Tuesday* READ Read Acts 2:36. THINK Think about how people conduct themselves at a sporting event. How do they show their support for their favorite team? Where is Jesus in your order of priorities? How do you acknowledge Him as your Lord? WRITE In your Bible study journal, write an entry describing the events in Matthew 16:13-20 from the perspective of one of Jesus’ disciples. REVIEW Review the power text. PRAY Ask God to help you to place Him fi rst in your life. *🪁🔰Wednesday* THINK What keeps you from spending time with Jesus? SHARE Think of someone who doesn’t know who Jesus is, and fi nd ways to share His love with that person. REVIEW Review the power text. PRAY Ask Jesus to help you put away anything that is keeping Him from being number one to you. *🪁🔰Thursday* READ Read 2 Peter 3:18. LIST List ways that you can allow Jesus to be fi rst in your life by spending time with Him. Do these today. WALK While on a nature walk, observe how nature tells us that Jesus is the Creator and Lord of everything. LOOK Locate Caesarea Philippi on a biblical map. REVIEW Review the power text. PRAY Commit your life to following Jesus as your Lord. *🪁🔰Friday* READ Read 2 Peter 1:16-18. ACT Act out the story with your family for family worship tonight. SING Sing or play your favorite praise song. DRAW Draw a picture of the power text. SAY Say the power text by memory. PRAY Ask Jesus to prepare you to live in a way that will tell others that you know Jesus as a personal Savior and Friend. Pray that your life and words will be a witness of who Jesus is to you as you share Him with others.