Thursday, August 17
Read 2 Corinthians 12:1–4.

“How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (v. 4).

In a somewhat enigmatic style, Paul gives us a glimpse into the glory that awaits the faithful child of God. So glorious is the vision which Christ gave him that Paul finds it impossible to describe; it is a revelation of what it is like, and what it will be like, to be in such closeness to Christ that the experience is indescribable. I read somewhere that this vision resulted from a restless pursuit of Christ when the seer becomes one with the Seen.
Paul’s experience might be compared to the sublime meeting of Peter, James, and John with the glorified Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. So profound was the excellence that Christ prohibited the apostles from even talking about it until He was resurrected.

For us: the narrative of a place and an experience, so “other- worldly” as impossible to describe, should be a compelling vision urging us into intimacy with Christ now in anticipation of an eternity with Him in the indescribable glory that awaits. (LLS)
“Just to be near the dear Lord, I adore, Will through the ages be glory for me.”
--- Charles H. Gabriel

*THE NEED
Last week we discussed the fact that God can work with little. This week, we are told that God can even work when all is lost. If it seems that the situation is hopeless, this lesson serves as a reminder that God works when all is lost — including life itself. The truth is that we all come to God “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), and yet He gives life where there is none.

Discussion: In addition to salvation, when h s God brought something from nothing in your life?

In this story, the dead son could not come to Jesus on his own; someone had to bring him to Jesus. Some men brought the boy to Jesus, but it was a loving mother already weakened by the loss of her husband that moved Jesus with compassion. She could have made excuses or asked someone else to take her son to Jesus, but she took it upon herself.

THE NEED
The songwriter wrote, “Little is much when God is in it.” How many times have we looked at ourselves and asked, “Can God use me?” Or, we look at the few dollars we have and ask, “Can God use this?” Yet when just one person is willing to give what he has, God can do great things. This lesson reminds us that God can work with little. How much is “a little”? Could it be that having “little” is more about our attitude toward what we have rather than what we actually have? Surely in light of the vastness of God’s infinite resources, all we have is “a little.”

Discuss: Why is it that God, in His infinite wisdom, chooses to use what little we have? What does this say about God? What does it say about His people? I am reminded of Zechariah 4:10, “For who hath despised the day of small things?”

Discussion: How is our attitude toward little things sometimes different from God’s?

For the rest of this feature section, please refer to your copy of the Adult Teacher Insights or purchase the PowerPoint presentations that go with this quarter's lessons.