Jesus the Model Man

                            God is still multiplying gifts
                            today. This Sabbath, when
                            the Sabbath School offering
                            is taken, give God
                            something to work with.
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                            gladly, you too can
                            become part of a miracle!




    Open Wall Let God's love show through your giving.

     2nd Quarter, 1977

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                           Contnt1. God With Us
                                 2. God With Us
                           3. Model Child and Youth
                              4. Model Overcomer
                            5. Model Man of Prayer
                                6. Model Witness
                              7. Model of Integrity
                                8. Model Teacher
                           9. Model of Sociableness
                               10. Model of Faith
                             11. Model of Humility
                               12. Model of Love
                   13. The Model Waiting to Be Reproduced

        Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20012

                      Lesson Author: Herbert E. Douglass
                           Editor: W. Richard Lesher
                   Editorial Secretary: Florence L. Wetmore
                     Circulation Manager: Arthur R. Mazat
                 Art and Design: Concerned Communications

                         Braille lessons available. See page 112.

                                        Feast
                   An invitation to dine at God's table

This quarter's lessons will focus on Jesus, God become man. As the "Word" of God, Jesus was concerned about making the mind and heart of God clear to man; as the "Son of man," His chief goal was to convince the universe that the happiest, safest, and healthiest way to live is God's way. Any theological subject worth consid- ering should be some aspect of what Jesus made clear regarding God in His relation to sin and the sinner.    Over the centuries great biblical themes have become isolated from their connec- tion with Jesus. The major reason for this misunderstanding is that Christian thinkers became confused about Jesus. The misunderstanding by Christian thinkers of Jesus' identity, origin, mission, and intercession seems automatically to warp and distort their view of every other biblical topic.    This quarter we shall study Jesus as man's model in every respect. There is nothing that God asks of men and women for which He has not already provided a living demonstration in Jesus Christ. "We are to look to the man Christ Jesus, who is complete in the perfection of righteousness and holiness. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is the pattern man. His experience is the measure of the experience that we are to gain. His character is our model. Let us, then, take our minds off the perplexities and the difficulties of this life, and fix them on Him, that by beholding we may be changed into His likeness. We may behold Christ to good purpose. We may safely look to Him; for He is all-wise. As we look to Him and think of Him, He will be formed within, the hope of glory."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 970.    We should understand the great issues at stake in the universe, the original purpose of God in creating this world, how the great controversy arose, and why sin  was permitted. The plan of redemption, God's part and man's part, should be clear in our minds. We must see the very personal aspect of sin, that it is more than ignorance or poor performance; that it is essentially the rebellious thought and act that asserts self over against the love and holiness of God. Uppermost in our minds must be the  central role that Jesus has played in resolving the great controversy.    Jesus, the Carpenter of Nazareth, came to this earth accepting "the results of the  working of the great law of heredity." He was "subject to the weakness of humanity."  He had "to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure  and eternal loss."—The Desire of Ages, p. 49. He came "as one of us . .. to give an  example of obedience. . . . He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He  exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. . . . His life  testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God."—The Desire of Ages,  p. 24.    His life of obedience was also a life of dignity, joy, integrity, and winsomeness. Men,  women, and children from all ranks of life were happy in His presence—unless they  were uncomfortable with His unselfish purity. He was the example of what His  followers should become. "Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the  divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary  and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church.
" ... The Saviour came to glorify the Father by the demonstration of His love; so the  Spirit was to glorify Christ by revealing His grace to the world. The very image of God  is to be reproduced in humanity."—The Desire of Ages, p. 671.
Let us open our minds and hearts this quarter, imploring the Spirit to help us  become more like our Lord, the model for man.

God is at the center of everything—that is the supreme fact. Life's meaning is either clarified by that conviction or obscured by its denial. The first question to ask about God is not what man thinks about God, but what God thinks about man. It is what God thinks, does, and reveals that gives meaning and purpose to life. Without that

                    John clearly states that, before Creation, Jesus was already
                    there. In fact, before anything that had a beginning began,
                    Jesus already "was." Genesis 1:1 refers to the beginning of this
                    planet, and John declares that Jesus was already there as the
                    Creator. (See John 1:3.) In other words, the second member of
                    the Godhead, the Word of God, always "was." He, as God, never
                    "became." There was no time when the Word was not! He was
                    not created; He was God, this One whom we on earth have
                    known for the last 2000 years as Jesus.
                      Yet, in a special sense, a member of the Godhead "became"
                    Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus always was God in the fullest sense. He
                    "became" man. He was called "Jesus" when He "became"
                    man, an event often referred to as the incarnation.
                      John here grapples with almost impossible thoughts—the
                    eternal God became flesh, cabined within His own creation,
                    subject to time and space that He Himself had made! Wonder, 0
                    heavens! Be astonished, 0 earth!
                      Although the Word was and is everlasting, without beginning
                    or end, He is not a solitary God. The Word was with God before
                    the beginning of all things. The Godhead is a fellowship of three
                    Persons, unified in purpose and spirit. (See Matt. 28:19.)
                      "If Christ made all things, He existed before all things. The
                    words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need
                    be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest
                    sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed
                    forevermore."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Com-
                    mentary, vol. 5, p. 1126.

                       "Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him;
                     His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of
                     Satan. This work only one Being in all the universe could do.
                     Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could
                     make it known."—The Desire of Ages, p. 22.

 FURTHER STUDY         The Desire of Ages, pp. 19-26.

                  Just as speech conveys thought and words give exactness to
                communication, so Jesus, as the Word of God, declared what
                God is like. As man and for man, Jesus was God's thought and
                character made visible and audible.
                  Simply put, Jesus came to show us what God is like. The
                unseen God did not choose to reveal Himself in the voice of
                thunder. Neither did He choose to write His message in
                heavenly penmanship across the blue sky; He knew that
                dreams, visions, and even angels were not adequate. No matter
                how much attention He received during Old Testament times
                through such methods, He was still limited by intermediaries
                and partial revelations. A person can be truly known to human
                beings only in a physical self-revelation. Through God alone
                could God be known. God became man so that man could have
                a fair chance to know Him.
                  Almost everyone has been introduced to new friends through
                intermediaries. Such go-betweens describe the person's physi-
                cal features, hobbies, interests, disposition, dislikes, etc. If the
                intermediary were a son, a daughter, a spouse, or a parent, the
                description would be more accurate. But rarely does this mental
                picture correspond with the information gained through a per-
                sonal meeting. The self-revelation in a personal appearance is
                the only fair way for a person to make himself known.
                   Only the personal appearance of God Himself could eliminate
                questions and fill in the blank spots in man's mind regarding His
                Creator. As the "Word" of God declaring the truth about God,
                what Jesus did was as revealing as what He said.

                  "God saw that a clearer revelation than nature was needed to
                portray both His personality and His character. He sent His Son
                into the world to manifest, so far as could be endured by human
                sight, the nature and the attributes of the invisible God."—The
                Ministry of Healing, p. 419.

                                                                                 11

                    Jesus is the Creator of the universe. He was before all things
                  and was indebted to no one for His own existence. Further, He
                  was the creative Power that organized this marvelous universe
                  in thought and spoke it into existence by command.
                     "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
                       and all their host by the breath of his mouth."
                     "For he spoke, and it came to be;
                       he commanded, and it stood forth."
                                                                 Ps. 33:6, 9, RSV.

                     What do we learn about Jesus when we look at His crea-
                  tion? Rom. 1:20.

                     We learn much about people by the things they do. Charac-
                  teristics of the designer, maker, or creator are expressed by his
                  or her handiwork. So with Jesus and His handiwork.
                     Though marred by the deterioration caused by sin, the world
                  still reflects an awesome order, an enthralling beauty, a remark-
                  able interdependency. Only a Creator who is orderly, not ca-
                  pricious; artistic, not offensive; loving, not self-seeking, could
                  have made a world such as our own. Whenever we see, hear, or
                  feel harmony, order, beauty, goodness, and purpose, we can
                  safely say, "Jesus is like that, and more."

                   "Like our Saviour, we are in this world to do service for God.
                 We are here to become like God in character, and by a life of
                 service to reveal Him to the world. In order to be co-workers with
                 God, in order to become like Him and to reveal His character, we
                 must know Him aright. We must know Him as He reveals
                 Himself."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 409.
                   More often than not we think of God's creation in terms of
                 stars, planets, trees, flowers, animals, etc. But men and women
                 are also God's handiwork, His highest form of earthly creation.
                 Therefore, we can learn much about God by studying man
                 together with the Bible; thus we perceive characteristics about
                 God that we could never discover by analyzing a tree or a bird.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Ministry of Healing, pp. 409-415.

                    Life is completely dependent upon light. Without light there
                could not have been life on this planet, or anywhere else in the
                universe, as far as we know. The first day of Creation Week
                brought light to this earth, making possible the creation of plant
                and animal life (Gen. 1:3-5).
                    Light is a visible form of energy as any lover of houseplants
                soon discovers; no farmer or orchardist could grow his grain or
                trees without ample light. Light converts inorganic elements
                and compounds into food which is necessary for life as we know
                it.
                    Light is powerful. Think of the laser beam that can hit at a
                precise spot on the moon and return in two and one half sec-
                onds, or make clean cuts through hard materials in fractions of
                a second.
                    Jesus said of Himself, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12).
                He did not choose this symbolism without design. Whatever
                power and life-sustaining characteristics we discover about
                physical light are merely a fingertip understanding of our
                Creator who is eternal energy, eternal light, eternal life.
                    Wherever Jesus is, whether present through His personal
                representative, the Holy Spirit, or through His Written Word,
                there is life and power. Spiritual darkness, that strange element
                in the universe that either obscures or falsifies truth, always
                leads to confusion and death.

                  Does every person have an opportunity to see through the
                moral darkness of sin and the mental darkness of spiritual
                ignorance? John 1:9.

                  "As through Christ every human being has life, so also
                through Him every soul receives some ray of divine light. Not
                only intellectual but spiritual power, a perception of right, a
                desire for goodness, exists in every heart."—Education, p. 29.

                                                                                   13

                    Paul adds his witness to John's—Jesus of Nazareth is not only
                  the Creator of the universe but also its continuing Sustainer.
                  The words "hold together" emphasize the continuing mainte-
                  nance of our Lord's creative power as He keeps both the amaz-
                  ing particles within the atom and the awesome stellar bodies in
                  their pinpoint precision orbits.

                    God is not an absentee landlord. He is very involved in every-
                 day events. We don't have to wonder if the sun will appear
                 tomorrow, if the birds will return in the spring, if water will boil at
                 100° Celsius, if the laws of aerodynamics will operate today as
                 they did yesterday. There is no end to the list of remarkable
                 events in the world about us that must function precisely as we
                 have observed them in the past if life on this planet is to be
                 sustained. This universe is so reliable that we take it for granted.
                 But without the holding power of our Lord, it could all blow up in
                 a spectacular explosion.
                   Furthermore, even the results of sin are predictable. Satan
                 and his followers cannot escape the consequences of their
                 cruel and selfish choices. Whether obeying or violating the laws
                 of the universe, the results are predictable. "Do not be de-
                 ceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will
                 also reap" (Gal. 6:7, RSV).
                   There is something profoundly comforting about the fact that
                 a Father's heart is at the center of the universe, that a loving
                 Saviour sustains its operation. Nothing can catch Them by
                 surprise. Nothing is too hard for Them. They can order for each
                 of us that which seems best for our present welfare and for the
                 world to come.
                    "The hand that sustains the worlds in space, the hand that
                 holds in their orderly arrangement and tireless activity all things
                 throughout the universe of God, is the hand that was nailed to
                 the cross for us."—Education, p. 132.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Ministry of Healing, pp. 416, 417.

                  The light in the parable of the ten bridesmaids (Matthew 25)
                symbolized the glory of God's character revealed through His
                people. This will make possible the last demonstration of truth
                before probation closes. "By implanting in their hearts the prin-
                ciples of His word, the Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes
                of God. The light of His glory—His character—is to shine forth in
                His followers."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 414.
                   The gospel that stirred the world 2000 years ago was "the
                knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ"
                (2 Cor. 4:6). It produced men and women who "in mind and
                character ... had become like their Master."—Education, p. 95.
                   Just such a demonstration will be seen the world over before
                Jesus returns. It will be seen through men and women who are
                described as those who "keep the commandments of God, and
                the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12).

                                                                                15

                     What is Paul's description of the humanity of Jesus? Rom.
                   1:3.

                     "Christ did not make believe take human nature; He did verily
                   take it. He did in reality possess human nature.... He was the
                   son of Mary; He was of the seed of David according to human
                   descent. He is declared to be a man, even the Man Christ
                   Jesus."—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 247.

                    God did not come halfway to earth in His attempt to redeem
                  men and women; He did not come as a sympathetic angel, or
                  even as a superman, impregnable to all of humanity's troubles
                  and weaknesses. The ladder from heaven to earth reached all
                  the way down to where sinners are. "If that ladder had failed by a
                  single step of reaching the earth, we should have been lost. But
                  Christ reaches us where we are. He took our nature and over-
                  came, that we through taking His nature might overcome."—
                  The Desire of Ages, pp. 311, 312.
                    Since Jesus came to dwell with us, we know that God is
                  acquainted with our trials, and sympathizes with our griefs.
                  Every son and daughter of Adam may understand that our
                  Creator is the friend of sinners.

 FURTHER STUDY       Selected Messages, bk. 1, pp. 246-251.

                   Jesus entered the human family, taking the same nature as all
                other "descendants of Abraham."
                   "Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened
                by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He
                accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity.
                What these results ware is shown in the history of His earthly
                ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows
                and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless
                life."—The Desire of Ages, p. 49.
                   In order to come close to sinful men and women, Jesus per-
                mitted Himself to enter the human family. In order to be man's
                example He lived a sinless life though beset by the same tempta-
                tions other human beings face. "If we have in any sense a more
                trying conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able to
                succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its
                liabilities."—The Desire of Ages, p. 117.

                  "If Christ had a special power which it is not the privilege of
                man to have, Satan would have made capital of this matter. The
                work of Christ was to take from the claims of Satan his control of
                man, and He could do this only in the way that He came—a man,
                tempted as a man, rendering the obedience of a man."—Ellen
                G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 930.

                                                                               19

                    Jesus became a real man when He entered the human race
                 2000 years ago. He was given no divine insulation that would
                 exempt Him from temptation.
                    This is a crucial point: Biblical writers and Ellen White have
                 made it very clear that Jesus faced those temptations common
                 to man. He did not playact, only appearing to be tempted.
                    There has been confusion within the Christian church over
                 the centuries regarding the person and work of Jesus. Ellen
                 White forthrightly endorsed the idea of our Lord's full humanity.
                 In early 1890, when some church members were troubled by the
                 mind-stretching, heart-melting thought that Jesus really did live
                 victoriously in spite of temptation as a human being, Ellen White
                 wrote: "Letters have been coming in to me, affirming that Christ
                 could not have had the same nature as man, for if He had, He
                 would have fallen under similar temptations. If He did not have
                 man's nature, He could not be our example. If He was not a
                 partaker of our nature, He could not have been tempted as man
                 has been. If it were not possible for Him to yield to temptation,
                 He could not be our helper. It was a solemn reality that Christ
                 came to fight the battles as man, in man's behalf. His temptation
                 and victory tell us that humanity must copy the Pattern; man
                 must become a partaker of the divine nature."—Selected Mes-
                 sages, bk. 1, p. 408.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, p. 24.

                  Jesus developed His character through grace, resisting temp-
                tation and obeying the law of God. A new breath of hope and
                reality sweeps into a person's soul when he grasps for the first
                time the realization that Jesus "knows by experience what are
                the weaknesses of humanity."—The Desire of Ages, p. 329. He
                knows this because He "took upon himself fallen, suffering
                human nature, degraded and defiled by sin."—Ellen G. White,
                The Youth's Instructor, Dec. 20, 1900.

                  When God asks men and women to obey Hini and to live
                above sinning, He is not asking the impossible or merely tan-
                talizing them. Jesus proved what a man or a woman can do.
                  Jesus not only gave mankind "an example of obedience"; He
                also settled the question once and for all that "it is possible for
                us also to obey the law of God."—The Desire of Ages, p. 24.

                   The real Jesus was a real Man, except He did not sin. He was
                hungry, weary, and pressed by friends and foes, as are all men
                and women. He knew the routine of work. He knew the pressure
                of business in order to provide for His mother. He knew what
                slivers and bruised knuckles were.
                   He was no weakling. Both men and women were drawn to
                Him. He enjoyed the fellowship of Martha and Mary as much as
                He did that of Lazarus. Rough fishermen, calloused soldiers,
                and grateful women were counted among His followers. He
                could be firm as well as gentle.

                                                                                 21

       Part 5   How did Jesus describe His need as a human being for
    COMPLETE constant strength and grace from God above?
 DEPENDENCY
 ON HEAVENLY    "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the
      FATHER Father do."
                "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my
              judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will
              of the Father which hath sent me" (John 5:19, 30).

                   When Jesus became flesh, He divested Himself of the powers
                of deity and became absolutely dependent upon the Father and
                the Holy Spirit. The Father promised to assist Jesus in every
                human situation where grace was needed. What an awesome
                thought! Truly Jesus was "a gift" whose value we dimly com-
                prehend. (See John 3:16 and Phil. 2:6, 7.)
                   Although Jesus could have retained the same nature He had
                possessed throughout eternity, He "became" dependent on
                God as all other human beings are.
                   One of the reasons why God became man was to give men
                and women a picture of what it means to be truly human. By His
                life on earth He has shown us what the shadow of sin had
                covered; He pulled back the curtain and showed us the way God
                had meant for men and women to live. To be truly human is to be
                completely dependent upon God for truth, and for the strength
                to do the truth. Such a gloriously free yet dependent person was
                our Lord Jesus Christ.

                  "The Son of God was surrendered to the Father's will, and
                dependent upon His power. So utterly was Christ emptied of self
                that He made no plans for Himself. He accepted God's plans for
                Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans. So should
                we depend upon God, that our lives may be the simple outwork-
                ing of His will."—The Desire of Ages, p. 208.

                  In becoming mankind's High Priest, how did Jesus settle the
                crucial questions in the great controversy between good and
                evil? God became man in order to silence forever Satan's
                charge that He has been unfair with rebels, whether they were
                fallen angels or sinners on earth. "Christ came to the earth ... to
                vindicate the character of God before the universe."—
                Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 68.
                  Several aspects of Satan's charge and lies were exposed by
                the life of Jesus. "In the opening of the great controversy, Satan
                had declared that the law of God could not be obeyed, that
                justice was inconsistent with mercy, and that, should the law be
                broken, it would be impossible for the sinner to be pardoned....
                   "By His life and His death, Christ proved that God's justice did
                not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that
                the law is righteous, and can be perfectly obeyed."—The Desire
                of Ages, pp. 761, 762.
                   If God had come to earth and only appeared to be a man, His
                performance would not have answered Satan's charges; the
                issue was not what God could do. The issue was whether man
                could keep the law and resist sin. Jesus met Satan head on to
                prove that men and women, beset with all the liabilities "of the
                working of the great law of heredity" (The Desire of Ages, p. 49),
                can keep the law of God through grace.
                   "Christ's humanity would demonstrate for eternal ages the
                question which settled the controversy."—Selected Messages,
                bk. 1, pp. 255, 256.

                  "Christ's overcoming and obedience is that of a true human
                being. In our conclusions, we make many mistakes because of
                our erroneous views of the human nature of our Lord. When we
                give to His human nature a power that it is not possible for man
                to have in his conflicts with Satan, we destroy the completeness
                of His humanity."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Com-
                mentary, vol. 7, p. 929.

                                                                                23

    oriel Child and                      "The Father and the Son in


    Youth    "My son, forget not my law; but let
                                      consultation decided that Christ must
                                      come to the world as a babe, and live
                                      the life that human beings must live
                                      from childhood to manhood, bearing
                                      the trials that they must bear, and at thine heart keep my commandments;         the same time living a sinless life, that for length of days, and long life, and    men might see in Him an example of peace, shall they add to thee. Let not    what they can become, and that He mercy and truth forsake thee: bind        might know by experience how to them about thy neck; write them upon      help them in their strugles with the table of thine heart: so shalt thou   sin."—Ellen G. White, Signs of the find favour and good understanding in     Times, May 17, 1905. the sight of God and man" (Prov.             Often we think of Jesus Christ as 3:1-4).                                   mature and experienced. We picture

                                     DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
                                     1. The Laws of Childhood
                                        (Luke 2:40, 52)
                                     2. Increased in Wisdom
                                        (Luke 2:52)
                                     3. Increased in Sense of Life Mission
                                        (Luke 2:49, 50)
                                     4. Obedient Son
                                        (Luke 2:51)
                                     5. Increased in Favor With Men
                                        (Luke 2:52)
                                     6. Years of Preparation
                                        (Matt. 3:17)

                    Because Jesus "was made flesh" (John 1:14) and was "made
                 like his brethren in every respect" (Heb. 2:17, RSV), He was
                 subject to the limitations and susceptibilities of a child and a
                 teen-ager. Even though we most often think of Jesus as a per-
                 fect Man, we must also remember that He developed from in-
                 fancy, "in keeping with the laws of childhood."—The Desire of
                 Ages, p. 68.

                   Did our Lord's sinless life exempt Him from the trials of a
                 growing boy?

                    God did not "rig" the "great controversy" by sheltering Jesus
                 from the temptations that would come to a growing boy or girl.
                 Although "no trace of sin marred the image of God within Him"
                 yet "He was subject to all the conflicts which we have to meet,
                 that He might be an example to us in childhood, youth, and
                 manhood."—The Desire of Ages, p. 71.
                    "Christ was a child; he had the experience of a child; he felt
                 the disappointments and trials that children feel; he knew the
                 temptations of children and youth."—Ellen G. White, Signs of
                 the Times, June 23, 1881.
                    "Let children bear in mind that the child Jesus had taken
                 upon himself human nature, and was in the likeness of sinful
                 flesh, and was tempted of Satan as all children are
                 tempted."—Ellen G. White, Youth's Instructor, Aug. 23, 1894.

                    In writing to a nephew in early manhood, Ellen White coun-
                 seled: "You have not a difficulty that did not press with equal
                 weight upon Him, not a sorrow that His heart has not experi-
                 enced. .. .
                    "... Jesus once stood in age just where you now stand. Your
                 circumstances, your cogitations at this period of your life, Jesus
                 has had. He cannot overlook you at this critical period. He sees
                 your dangers. He is acquainted with your temptations. He in-
                 vites you to follow His example."—Ellen White, letter dated
                 March 14, 1878; quoted in Review and Herald, May 8, 1975.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 68-74.

                    Wisdom is more than knowledge; wisdom is mental excel-
                 lence in its highest form whereby knowledge is properly under-
                 stood and applied. Before He became man, Jesus was omni-
                 scient (that is, all-knowing); when He became man He "did not
                 cling to his privileges as God's equal, but stripped himself of
                 every advantage" (Phil. 2:6, 7, Phillips).

                   The wonderful manifestation of wisdom reflected in the
                 words and acts of Jesus was the result of utilizing the
                 capabilities available to all children. Very sobering is the
                 thought that "every child may gain knowlege as Jesus did."—
                 The Desire of Ages, p. 70.
                   How did He do it? What were His habits? Mary and Joseph
                 were His first teachers, and they followed the Lord's direction
                 "that even from babyhood the children should be taught of His
                 goodness and His greatness, especially as revealed in His law,
                 and shown in the history of Israel. Song and prayer and lessons
                 from the Scriptures were to be adapted to the opening mind.
                 Fathers and mothers were to instruct their children that the law
                 of God is an expression of His character, and that as they
                 received the principles of the law into the heart, the image of
                 God was traced on mind and soul."—The Desire of Ages, p. 69.

                   What incident suggests that Jesus was well educated?
                 John 7:15.

                   The scholars were astounded at our Lord's breadth of knowl-
                 edge, especially when they knew He had not attended their
                 schools. His mental development however was in contrast to
                 what was generally regarded as superior education. He did not
                 study the opinions of men; He sought the truth made known
                 through revelation and the Spirit speaking to His own heart.
                 Instead of a cramped, narrow, worldly-wise spirit, Jesus could
                 think creatively and see truth in its beauty and harmony.

                                                                              27

                   This was the first time Jesus saw the temple in Jerusalem, the
                 bleeding sacrificial animals, the cloud of incense, and all the
                 other solemn and impressive rites of the Passover service. "Day
                 by day He saw their meaning more clearly. Every act seemed to
                 be bound up with His own life. New impulses were awakening
                 within Him. Silent and absorbed, He seemed to be studying out
                 a great problem. The mystery of His mission was opening to the
                 Saviour." —The Desire of Ages, p. 78.
                   Our Lord's reply to His parents "showed for the first time that
                 He understood His relation to God."—The Desire of Ages, p. 81.

                   Since Jesus gained knowledge as does every human being,
                 how did He make it possible for God to reveal more fully His
                 Messianic role?
                   "As He walked among men, He was guided, step by step, by
                 the Father's will. He did not hesitate to act at the appointed time.
                 With the same submission He waited until the time had
                 come."—The Desire of Ages, p. 147.
                   As man, He was as dependent upon the normal laws of acquir-
                 ing information as all other men. Furthermore, as man He was
                 as dependent upon God for special insight and strength to fulfill
                 God's plan for Him as every man or woman of faith must be.
                 "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the
                 Father do" (John 5:19)—this is the open secret of victorious
                 Christian living.

                    "As the human was upon Him, He felt His need of strength
                 from His Father. . . . In this exercise [prayer] His holy, human
                 soul was strengthened for the duties and trials of the day. Our
                 Saviour identifies Himself with our needs and weaknesses, in
                 that He became a suppliant, a nightly petitioner, seeking from
                 His Father fresh supplies of strength, to come forth invigorated
                 and refreshed, braced for duty and trial. He is our example in all
                 things."—Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 201, 202.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 81-83.

                   Even though Jesus was recognized by experts as wise beyond
                His years, He did not assume self-importance or premature
                independence. He did not ignore His responsibilities to His
                earthly parents. He learned well the lessons Joseph taught Him
                in the carpenter's shop; for 18 years He pondered the mystery of
                His mission while He contributed to the financial security of His
                family. In so doing He left an example to all sons and daughters
                that they should share home expenses as long as they live under
                their parents' roof.
                   Apparently sometime after the Jerusalem visit Joseph died,
                adding further responsibilities to Jesus. Besides the burden of
                making a living, Jesus filled out His days and nights studying
                and meditating. His deep perception of the law of God and its
                application to every facet of the daily life set Him apart from His
                brothers and sisters as well as from His contemporaries.
                   Because He placed a high premium on time, natural ability,
                and opportunities, He brought forth resentment in those who
                wanted an easier program. The misunderstandings were em-
                phasized when the rabbis joined with relatives in urging Mary to
                control Jesus with a firmer hand. Her troubled heart would be
                reassured when He quietly presented Scripture to uphold His
                practices.

                  What tender indication of a son's devotion was expressed in
                Jesus' concern for His mother when He was dying on the
                cross? John 19:26, 27.

                  Many sons and daughters forget their parents even when all is
                well with them. They have spare rooms, extra cash, health, and
                ability to make the last few years of their parents easier to bear.
                Yet, a commercial greeting card on a birthday and possibly a
                rare phone call is the measure of gratitude that many today can
                offer weary, lonely parents.

                                                                                29

           Parl 5   How does Luke describe the effect of Jesus' life on His
     INCREASED fellow men?
       IN FAVOR
      WITH MEN      "Jesus Increased ... In favour with God and man" (Luke
                  2:52).

                    As a youth, Jesus so lived that no one could find fault with His
                 high standard of living; He was a credit to His family and
                 neighborhood. For this He was approved.
                    "Through all those secluded years at Nazareth, His life flowed
                 out in currents of sympathy and tenderness. The aged, the
                 sorrowing, and the sin-burdened, the children at play in their
                 innocent joy, the little creatures of the groves, the patient beasts
                 of burden,—all were happier for His presence....
                    " ... He drew the sympathy of all hearts by showing Himself
                 capable of sympathizing with all. The atmosphere of hope and
                 courage that surrounded Him made Him a blessing in every
                 home." —The Desire of Ages, p. 74.
                    Nonbelievers react in different ways when men and women of
                 faith become known for their standard of right living. The be-
                 lievers are commended if they keep to themselves and fail to
                 evangelize actively. Or the believers are openly resented by
                 those whose consciences are condemned.
                    Yet godly living from the time of Abel has always been re-
                 sented by uncommitted people even though they can find no
                 fault with the believer's life habits. The life of faith annoys the
                 commandment breaker.
                    Because He was not exclusive, and because He labored ear-
                 nestly for the well-being of all humanity regardless of one's
                 religious connections, He aroused the enmity of the Pharisees:
                 "He inculcated the principle that Bible religion does not consist
                 in the mortification of the body.... At all times and in all places
                 he manifested a loving interest in men, and shed about Him the
                 light of a cheerful piety. All this was a rebuke to the
                 Pharisees."—The Desire of Ages, p. 86.

                   Jesus was approved in one sense and greatly resented in
                 another. Jealousy, envy, and the competitive spirit are often
                 aroused by the life of faith. "Because the life of Jesus con-
                 demned evil, He was opposed, both at home and abroad. His
                 unselfishness and integrity were commented on with a sneer.
                 His forbearance and kindness were termed cowardice."—The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 88.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 89-92.

                  The Bible is silent in regard to those 18 years between the
               Passover visit and Jesus' baptism by John. But we would be
               making a tragic mistake if we overlooked them. During these
               teen-age and young manhood years, Jesus was getting basic
               training for His public ministry. There would be no Jesus, as the
               Gospel writers knew Him, without the towering record of sin-
               lessness and character development during these difficult
               years.
                  Those 30 years prepared Jesus for the life record we know so
               well—no one can be a leader overnight whatever His calling. For
               this reason, the home education and general schooling
               throughout a person's "silent years" is important beyond
               words. "Jesus is our example. There are many who dwell with
               interest upon the period of His public ministry, while they pass
               unnoticed the teaching of His early years. But it is in His home
               life that He is the pattern for all children and youth.... He was
               doing God's service just as much when laboring at the carpen-
               ter's bench as when working miracles for the multitude. And
               every youth who follows Christ's example of faithfulness and
               obedience in His lowly home may claim those words spoken of
               Him by the Father through the Holy Spirit, 'Behold My Servant,
               whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth.' Isa.
               42:1." —The Desire of Ages, p. 74.
                  What awesome trust is placed on fathers and mothers! Con-
               sider the importance of parental instruction in the development
               of Jesus.
                  "It is in the early years that we have the best opportunity for
               sowing good seed in their [children's] hearts. If we neglect to do
               this work in their childhood, we shall find that Satan will preoc-
               cupy the field. Why not preoccupy the field yourself, and before
               the Evil one has a chance to plant his seeds of evil, fill the mind
               with that which is good and pure?"—Ellen G. White, Signs of
               the Times, May 20, 1889.

                                                                               31

                   We need never tire repeating the good news: Jesus was met
                 by Satan with his worst temptations, but He never gave in. Jesus
                 never sinned.
                   We hasten to add, however, that Jesus was indeed tempted.
                 He experienced the reality of temptation. "For we have not a
                 high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
                 but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet
                 without sinning" (Heb. 4:15, RSV).

                   At what point does sin occur: with enticement or consent?
                 James 1:14, 15.

                    God has placed natural and legitimate desires within man,
                 such as the desire for food, for physical comfort, self-
                 preservation, for parenthood, and for social acceptance. Sin
                 occurs when a person chooses to satisfy these natural drives
                 outside of and contrary to the will of God. "No man can be
                 forced to transgress. His own consent must be first gained; the
                 soul,must purpose the sinful act before passion can dominate
                 over reason or iniquity triumph over conscience. Temptation,
                 however strong, is never an excuse for sin.. . . The Lord . . .
                 knows how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart, and
                 He will help in every time of temptation."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p.
                 177.
                   "Satan showed his knowledge of the weak points of the
                 human heart, and put forth his utmost power to take advantage
                 of the weakness of the humanity which Christ had assumed in
                 order to overcome his temptations on man's account."—Ellen
                 G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7, p. 930.
                   Jesus, as truly man, knew from experience how subtle the
                 appeal is to satisfy legitimate desires by means that appear
                 reasonable to the human mind, yet contrary to the will of God.
                 "Though He had all the strength of passion of humanity, never
                 did He yield to temptation to do one single act which was not
                 pure and elevating and ennobling."—In Heavenly Places, p.
                 155.

 FURTHER STUDY    The Desire of Ages, pp. 114-116.

                 There surely is nothing evil about desiring food, physical
               comfort, and whatever else contributes to self-preservation. But
               these drives, based on physical needs, can be satisfied in ways
               that ultimately destroy the keenness and usefulness of a per-
               son's mental, physical, moral, and spiritual powers.
                 Eve's sin consisted of indulging her appetite in a way that
               manifested distrust in God. Ever since the Fall, indulging the
               appetite for physical satisfaction alone has been one of man's
               basic sins and one of the chief reasons for his deteriorated
               state. "Christ knew that the world was given up to gluttony and
               that this indulgence would pervert the moral powers. If the
               indulgence of appetite was so strong upon the race that, in
               orderto break its power, the divine Son of God, in behalf of man,
               was required to fast nearly six weeks, what a work is before the
               Christian in order that he may overcome even as Christ over-
               came! ...
                 "     In order to impress upon man his obligations to obey the
               law of God, Christ began His work of redemption by reforming
               the physical habits of man. The declension in virtue and the
               degeneracy of the race are chiefly attributable to the indulgence
               of perverted appetite."—Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 486.

                 We cannot answer these questions for someone else. We
               alone know when we pamper our physical desires to that point
               where our mental and moral efficiencies are affected.
               Headaches, upset stomachs, sluggish willpower, irritated and
               impatient attitudes—each may indicate a need to reconsider
               our personal habits of indulging our physical desires.
                 Jesus could withstand the temptations of Satan because He
               was master of His physical inclinations; His mind was not be-
               clouded, nor was His body overworked by physical excess, from
               food, or any other form of physical indulgence.
                  "The Spirit of God cannot come to our help, and assist us in
               perfecting Christian characters, while we are indulging our
               appetites to the injury of health, and while the pride of life
               controls."—Counsels on Diet and Foods, p. 57.

                                                                             35

                    Still appearing as an angel of light, with no observable indica-
                 tions that he indeed was the evil one, Satan tried to invite trust
                  by quoting well-known scripture. He tempted Jesus to reach
                 desirable ends through improper means.
                    For the second time Satan tempted Jesus to doubt His
                 identity—"If you are the Son of God." The devil followed this up
                 with the temptation for Jesus to jump from the highest point in
                 the temple area and to trust in God to preserve His life. Note how
                 Satan reversed reality. He tempted Him to doubt God in what
                 God had declared true—that Jesus was God's Son. On the other
                 hand, Satan tempted Him to believe God in something God had
                 never said—that He would protect a person who willfully risked
                 his life to no purpose but to accept a challenge. Jesus saw
                 through both parts of the temptation. He would believe what
                 God said, and He would not act in a way that was unsupported
                 by God's word.
                    How subtle the appeal! Not food for His hungry body nor
                 wealth and fame to satisfy the lust for power, but simply a way to
                 prove His divine appointment and great faith.
                    Many human beings have fallen for this temptation—we call it
                 spiritual pride, even vanity. But Jesus saw clearly what kind of
                 example He would be presenting to those who were seeking the
                 righteous life if He should try by dazzling feats to prove His
                 identity and faith.

                     "Faith is in no sense allied to presumption. Only he who has
                 true faith is secure against presumption. For presumption is
                 Satan's counterfeit of faith. Faith claims God's promises, and
                 brings forth fruit in obedience. Presumption also claims the
                 promises, but uses them as Satan did, to excuse transgression.
                 ... It is not faith that claims the favor of Heaven without comply-
                 ing with the conditions on which mercy is to be granted."—The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 126.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 124-126.

                 "And the devil ... showed him all the kingdoms of the world
               in a moment of time, and said to him, `To you I will give all this
               authority and their glory' " (Luke 4:5, 6, RSV).

                 Jesus was a poor man without equity or bank account to
               subsidize His new movement. How could He ever get the confi-
               dence of men and women that serving Him would be a prudent
               decision? The Jews thought of the Messiah as the leader of a
               temporal kingdom; they also knew that great happiness and
               health would follow the reign of their Messiah. How best could
               Jesus satisfy the deep wish of His countrymen and appear
               credible?
                 What a subtle temptation! To be given the kingdoms of the
               world immediately would eliminate Calvary. It was a dazzling
               opportunity and an almost overpowering temptation to anyone
               with the best of motives.
                 Christ's rejection of Satan's scheme pointed to the nature of
               the kingdom He was setting up. The kingdom of God was not to
               be advanced by external means; not by d azzl e or force was He to
               intimidate the decision of men and women. Jesus knew that to
               yield to Satan, even though in exchange Satan was giving Him
               the world, would be cooperating with Satan, whose chief
               weapons were intrigue, force, and violence.

                   The allure of the shortcut to reach desirable, legitimate ends
                is perhaps the most successful of all temptations to sin. But the
                end does not justify the means. By using Satan's methods we
                cannot reach those values and goals that God can bless. In an
                age of bribery, common cheating, and ill-conceived pity for the
                criminal, the person who tries to live a holy life will often find
                that it will be a life much like his Saviour's—hardship, conflict,
                and loneliness. "His sensitive nature was tortured, His motives
                were misunderstood, His work was uncomprehended."—The
                Desire of Ages, p. 326.
                   Any appeal that promises honor, success, or fortune without
               •struggle, routine obedience to rules, and self-denial is this third
                great temptation in modern dress.
                   "To men he [Satan] offers the kingdom of this world on
                condition that they will acknowledge his supremacy. He re-
                quires that they sacrifice integrity, disregard conscience, in-
                dulge selfishness."—The Desire of Ages, p. 130.

                                                                                37

                    The temptations presented to Jesus were not academic de-
                 bates. There was nothing in the first two temptations about the
                 physical presence of the angel of light that indicated the pres-
                 ence of Satan. This was genuine temptation; if He knew by just
                 observation that it was Satan confronting Him, there would
                 have been no real temptation, any more than if Eve had known
                 that the beautiful serpent was the devil himself.
                    The physical presence, the beguiling words, the appeal to
                 legitimate human wants—all created genuine temptation that
                 men and women have wrestled with since sin darkened Eden.
                    The first and only line of defense against Satan's most allur-
                 ing temptations is the Bible. Satan wanted Christ to perform
                 miracles to satisfy physical hunger and to prove that He was
                 indeed the Messiah. But the greatest miracle of all was for a
                 human being to thwart Satan by simple trust in the power of the
                 Bible.
                    There is awesome power in the Bible. Jesus proved it during
                 those fearful days in the wilderness. " 'Man shall not live by
                 bread alone, but by every word of God.' Often the follower of
                 Christ is brought where he cannot serve God and carry forward
                 his worldly enterprises. Perhaps it appears that obedience to
                 some plain requirement of God will cut off his means of support.
                 Satan would make him believe that he must sacrifice his con-
                 scientious convictions. But the only thing in our world upon
                 which we can rely is the word of God ... . When we learn the
                 power of His word, we shall not follow the suggestions of Satan
                 in order to obtain food or to save our lives."—The Desire of
                 Ages, p. 121.

                   "Temptations often appear irresistible because, through ne-
                 glect of prayer and the study of the Bible, the tempted one
                 cannot readily remember God's promises and meet Satan with the
                 Scripture weapons. But angels are round about those who are
                 willing to be taught in divine things; and in the time of great
                 necessity they will bring to their remembrance the very truths
                 which are needed."—The Great Controversy, p. 600.

 FURTHER STUDY    The Great Controversy, pp. 593-596.

                  "Christ was tempted by Satan in a hundredfold severer man-
               ner than was Adam, and under circumstances in every way more
               trying. The deceiver presented himself as an angel of light, but
               Christ withstood his temptations. He redeemed Adam's dis-
               graceful fall, and saved the world. . .
                  "Christ's victory was as complete as had been Adam's failure.
               So we may resist temptation, and force Satan to depart from
               us."—My Life Today, p. 323.
                  We can never say it often enough—Jesus never sinned in
               thought or deed. But a song of the ages will be that Jesus never
               sinned while facing and thwarting the temptations common to
               fallen man. "I present before you the great Exemplar. . . . As
               really did He meet and resist the temptations of Satan as any of
               the children of humanity. In this sense alone could He be a
               perfect example for man. He subjected Himself to humanity to
               become acquainted with all the temptations wherewith man is
               beset. He took upon Him the infirmities and bore the sorrows of
               the sons of Adam."—Our High Calling, p. 57.

                  Jesus as man's High Priest is our guarantee that all Heaven
               knows the weight of our temptations. And He is also a standing
               witness that temptations can and must be overcome. " 'Verily,
               verily, I say unto you, ... He that beiieveth on Me, the works that I
               do shall he do also.' The Saviour was deeply anxious for His
               disciples to understand for what purpose His d ivinity was united
               to humanity. He came to the world to display the glory of God,
               that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. God was
               manifested in Him that He might be manifested in them. Jesus
               revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may
               not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which
               all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God
               as He was."—The Desire of Ages, p. 664.

                                                                                 39

                       Our Lord's enemies were forced to confess, "Never man
                    spake like this man" (John 7:46). Why? Because never did a
                    man pray like this man! His example of prayer was not to show
                    us how God would pray but how men and women must pray.
                       "Prayer in secret, prayer while the hands are engaged in
                    labor, prayer while walking by the way, prayer in the night
                    season, the heart's desires ever ascending to God,—this is our
                    only safety. In this manner Enoch walked with God. In this
                    manner our Exemplar obtained strength to tread the thorny
                    path from Nazareth to Calvary.
                       "Christ, the sinless One, upon whom the Holy Spirit was
                    bestowed without measure, constantly acknowledged his de-
                    pendence upon God, and sought fresh supplies from the
                    Source of strength and wisdom. . . .
                       " ... We must look to Christ; we must resist as he resisted; we
                    must pray as he prayed; we must agonize as he agonized, if we
                    would conquer as he conquered."—Ellen G. White, Review and
                    Herald, Nov. 8, 1887.
                       Man that He was, Jesus needed continual supplies of strength
                    from His heavenly Father in order to remain untainted and an
                    overcomer. He needed physical strength to cope with the in-
                    creasing demands upon His time and energy; He needed mental
                    clearness to see without distortion the will of God for Him daily;
                    He needed spiritual strength to remain perceptive and fresh as
                    He shared the insight, hope, and courage with sin-weary con-
                    temporaries.
                       "He was unsullied with corruption, a stranger to sin; yet He
                    prayed, and that often with strong crying and tears. He prayed
                    for His disciples and for Himself, thus identifying Himself with
                    our needs, our weaknesses, and our failings, which are so
                    common with humanity."—Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 508, 509.

                      We all know how easily and almost imperceptibly we neglect
                    prayer because it is so familiar—or become bored after thinking
                    prayer more an obligation than a privilege. Let us watch the
                    Model Man at prayer and discover the secret of His victories.

 FURTHER STUDY       The Ministry of Healing, pp. 51, 52.

                      The disciples had just returned from one of their first mis-
                    sionary journeys apart from Christ. They had devoted them-
                    selves to their labors and were now exhausted. Jesus knew that
                    many dangers arise when men and women try to do personal
                    work for others when they are physically and mentally tired; the
                    will is weaker and temptations more subtle and overpowering.
                      "It is not wise to be always under the strain of work and
                    excitement, even in ministering to men's spiritual needs; for in
                    this way personal piety is neglected, and the powers of mind
                    and soul and body are overtaxed. Self-denial is required of the
                    disciples of Christ, and sacrifices must be made; but care must
                    also be exercised lest through their overzeal Satan take advan-
                    tage of the weakness of humanity, and the work of God be
                    marred."—The Desire of Ages, p. 362.
                      Besides, Jesus knew that without constant spiritual refresh-
                    ment it is very easy for men and women to feel, almost uncon-
                    sciously, that their success is the result of their own skills and
                    perseverance only. Spiritual pride is almost incurable.
                       Special seasons for prayer, in addition to daily devotions,
                    seemed to be as necessary for the disciples as they are for us
                    today; we need special time "to commune with Christ, with
                    nature, and with their [our] own hearts."—The Desire of Ages, p.
                    360.
                      The church needs occasions to come apart and study what
                    God expects from His people, listening as He speaks personally
                    to the heart and not through human intermediaries.

                      What kind of "rest" is most conducive to spiritual renewal?

                      "The rest which Christ and His disciples took was not self-
                    indulgent rest. The time they spent in retirement was not de-
                    voted to pleasure seeking. They talked together regarding the
                    work of God, and the possibility of bringing greater efficiency to
                    the work."—The Desire of Ages, p. 361.

                                                                                   43

                     Christ's prayer at this time was a tremendous demonstration
                  of how near Heaven may come to a person when he prays.
                  Instead of an angel's answering the prayer, the Father Himself
                  sent an acknowledgement—"a dovelike form of purest
                  light."—The Desire of Ages, p. 112.
                     This incident in the life of Christ is only one of many that tell us
                  "of the power of prayer,—how the human voice may reach the
                  ear of God, and our petitions find acceptance in the courts of
                  heaven.... The light which fell from the open portals upon the
                  head of our Saviour will fall upon us as we pray for help to resist
                  temptation."—The Desire of Ages, p. 113.
                     Our Lord's prayer life is an example of how we should be
                  praying amidst our earthly difficulties. "As one with us, a sharer
                  in our needs and weaknesses, He was wholly dependent upon
                  God, and in the secret place of prayer He sought divine strength,
                  that He might go forth braced for duty and trial. In a world of sin
                  Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul. In communion with
                  God He would unburden the sorrows that were crushing Him.
                  Here He found comfort and joy.
                     "In Christ the cry of humanity reached the Father of infinite
                  pity. Asa man He supplicated the throne of God till His humanity
                  was charged with a heavenly current that should connect hu-
                  manity with divinity. Through continual communion He re-
                  ceived life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His
                  experience is to be ours."—The Desire of Ages, p. 363.

                   None of us can be overcomers at last or enjoy spiritual peace
                 now if we live on secondhand information about God or if our
                 faith is rented from someone else. We must discover for our-
                 selves, individually, that the surest evidence for the divinity of
                 Scriptures and the existence of God is the "voice of God"
                 speaking to our souls. (See The Ministry of Healing, pp. 461,
                 462.)

 FURTHER STUDY      The Desire of Ages, pp. 111-113.

                  Gethsemane was no sham affair. All Jesus had with which to
                fend off satanic doubt was the truths of Scripture, prayer, and
                His own experience.
                  The outlook, humanly speaking, was desperately bleak. It
                seemed, from all outward evidence, that Jesus had failed His
                mission. Guilty and ungrateful men and women seemed beyond
                redemption.
                  His humanity cried out three times those chilling, bitter
                words: "If it be possible, let this cup pass." But always He
                added. "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as though wilt." "Terrible
                was the temptation to let the human race bear the conse-
                quences of its own guilt."—The Desire of Ages, p. 688.
                  He prayed "for His own tempted, agonized soul. . . . Three
                times has humanity shrunk from the last crowning
                sacrifice."—The Desire of Ages, p. 690. But always He breathed
                submission—the last stretch of trust when all else seemed lost.
                  In answer to His prayers help came—not that He should be
                taken from that terrible ordeal but that He would be
                strengthened to drink this last cup of self-denial on behalf of
                others.
                  After hours of anguish such as no man has ever yet endured,
                bloodied in the duel with Satan, we find Jesus not prostrate,
                conceding the field to Satan and pliable in the hands of His
                adversaries. Hardly. We find Him in command of the situation,
                awakening His disciples. Then He faced up to the murderous
                mob coming from the city, led byJudas. He stood in dignity and
                glory before the hardened soldiers and calloused priests—the
                product of prayer.

                  For Jesus, prayer was not a procedure whereby God would
                give Him whatever He asked, if He prayed long enough. Neither
                was prayer a mere mental reflex. Jesus did not merely talk to
                Himself in Gethsemane and transform Himself into the Man who
                faced the world as He did at His trial and crucifixion. All through
                His life prayer was communion with His heavenly Father and the
                avenue for receiving heavenly strength.

                                                                                45

                     Loving one's enemies, extending the hand of forgiveness to
                  an offender, is uncommon behavior anywhere, any time. Even
                  to the Jews, God's people, this was a strange admonition; for
                  they cultivated a spirit of retaliation, especially to the Romans.
                     Jesus is not suggesting, however, that by praying for one's
                  enemies, His followers are to accept wrongs done to others
                  without appropriate response. "When they [God's followers]
                  see that God is dishonored, and His service brought into disre-
                  pute, when they see the innocent oppressed, a righteous indig-
                  nation stirs the soul. Such anger, born of sensitive morals, is not
                  a sin. But those who at any supposed provocation feel at liberty
                  to indulge anger or resentment are opening the heart to Satan.
                  Bitterness and animosity must be banished from the soul if we
                  would be in harmony with heaven."—The Desire of Ages, p. 310.
                     To pray for one's enemies requires the Spirit of God; it is
                  almost a reflex action for non-Christians to hate and to seek
                  revenge. But the Spirit of God will help create the character of
                  God; His followers will see others as God does, pitying us all,
                  even when we rebel in the face of His love. "It is only the Spirit of
                  God that gives love for hatred. To be kind to the unthankful and
                  to the evil, to do good hoping for nothing again, is the insignia of
                  the royalty of heaven, the sure token by which the children of the
                  Highest reveal their high estate."—Thoughts From the Mount of
                  Blessing, p. 75.

                    In what experience do we see most clearly Jesus practicing
                  the principles He taught in Matthew 5:44? Luke 23:33, 34.

                     "When trials arise that seem unexplainable, we should not
                  allow our peace to be spoiled. However unjustly we may be
                  treated, let not passion arise. By indulging a spirit of retaliation
                  we injure ourselves. We destroy our own confidence in God,
                  and grieve the Holy Spirit."— Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 171,
                  172.

 FURTHER STUDY     Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, "The Spirituality of the
                  Law" (Matt. 5:44), pp. 73-75.

                  After Jesus outlined a model prayer for His disciples, He
               illustrated His lesson with a parable. The story described a man
               who, when suddenly visited by guests, went to a neighbor and
               implored some bread in order to feed his hungry friends.
                   By contrast Jesus taught that if a selfish man would grant a
               request to a troublesome neighbor, how much more would God
               answer our requests when we ask in order to serve others.
                  The instruction given regarding prayer in Luke 11 is really a
               mirror of our Lord's way of life. He sought help daily in order to
               serve better His fellowmen. But His instruction is not to be
               passed over quickly. "There is a divine science in prayer, and
               His illustration brings to view principles that all need to under-
               stand. He shows what is the true spirit of prayer, He teaches the
               necessity of perseverance in presenting our requests to God,
               and assures us of His willingness to hear and answer
               prayer."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 142.

                 What is the true spirit of prayer that is taught in this parable
               of the host without bread? Luke 11:5-8.

                 "We are to ask that we may give. The principle of Christ's life
               must be the principle of our lives.... The same devotion, the
               same self-sacrifice, the same subjection to the claims of the
               word of God, that were manifest in Christ, must be seen in His
               servants. Our mission to the world is not to serve or please
               ourselves; we are to glorify God by co-operating with Him to
               save sinners. We are to ask blessings from God that we may
               communicate to others."—Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 142,
               143.

                 Are we asking for those specific blessingi that will make us
               more like Jesus? Do we ask for blessings when there are areas
               in our lives that are not reflecting God's will as we know it? Do
               we use prayer to take the place of duty? Do we know the
               difference between genuine prayer and the impulse of the mo-
               ment?

                                                                              47

                   "Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of
                 Israel, and knowest not these things?" (John 3:10).

                     Read verses 1-10.
                     Nicodemus represents a vast number of men and women who
                  have attained a noble, moral character in an immoral society.
                  They have reached this achievement by education, self-
                  discipline, and high religious ideals. Such persons have at-
                  tained life at its best, as this world knows it, and enjoyed its
                  satisfactions and privileges. Nevertheless, Nicodemus, a distin-
                  guished teacher, a leader of respected integrity, a member of
                  the Sanhedrin, was strangely moved by the young Teacher from
                  Nazareth, who aroused serious doubts about what was missing
                  in "the good life."
                     Nicodemus arranged for an uninterrupted inverview at night.
                 He shrank from the scorn that would come if he showed defer-
                 ence to a traveling teacher without proper university degrees.
                 His complimentary address was met by a kind statement that
                  went directly to the point. Nicodemus was looking forward to a
                  keen discussion about truth, but Jesus did not waste his time
                  parrying theory. Although Nicodemus wanted a teacher, Jesus
                  knew that he needed a Saviour. (See John 3:3.)
                     Though a skillful persuader, Jesus did not try to meet argu-
                 ment with argument or force submission. He led Nicodemus
                 from the known to the unknown. He appealed to a great moment
                 in Jewish history (John 3:14) that the learned ruler knew well
                 and led him to ask from his heart, How and Why?
                    Then with expert handling of the human heart, Jesus, appeal-
                 ing to life's highest motivation, answered these questions with
                 "Because—God so loved." Even the brightest minds need more
                 than indoctrination and argument; they must be introduced to
                 the loving, bleeding heart of the Saviour.
                    Although Jesus did not press for a decision in that first inter-
                 view, He did what He could to meet Nicodemus man to man,
                 mind to mind, and heart to heart. Our Lord's confidence was not
                 misplaced. His methods were effective, for Nicodemus became
                 a bulwark of the infant Christian church, confessing freely that
                 life at its best is not good enough without a transforming faith in
                 Jesus.

 FURTHER STUDY    The Desire of Ages, pp. 167-177.

                    The wisdom that is heaven-born and that leads to heaven is
                 not gained by the usual avenues of academic training. Yet, such
                 wisdom must be grasped, appreciated, and assimilated by the
                 educated and uneducated alike.
                    One of the reasons why more educated people did not follow
                 Jesus isthat the truths of Christianity can be understood only by
                 those who distrust themselves and crush pride of opinion, re-
                 nouncing every sin that the Spirit of God reveals. (See The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 455.)
                    But one of the reasons why more uneducated people did not
                 follow Jesus is that truth cannot grow in the heart of an inatten-
                 tive hearer.
                    Jesus did not belittle manual labor. His body showed the
                 ruggedness of a hard-working carpenter. He was able to appeal
                 to the toiling farmer, artisan, or fisherman. From experience He
                 knew the thoughts that cross the mind of those who labor daily
                 for life's necessities. He could speak to their humble concerns,
                 using "the simplest terms and the plainest symbols."—The
                 Ministry of Healing, p. 443.
                    One of the secrets of Christ's effectiveness with the un-
                 schooled is that He could see great potential when others saw
                 nothing special. "In the common walks of life there is many a
                 man patiently treading the round of daily toil, unconscious that
                 he possesses powers which, if called into action, would raise
                 him to an equality with the world's most honored men. The
                 touch of a skillful hand is needed to arouse those dormant
                 faculties."—The Desire of Ages, p. 250.
                    This keen appreciation of unseen qualities, especially in the
                 uneducated, is one of the strongest ties that a soul-winner can
                 develop. Trust begets trust. When a nonbeliever sees that it is
                 the spirit of Jesus that leads church members to spend time and
                 effort in their behalf, the attraction to Jesus as Lord will be deep
                  indeed.

                   "It is the highest work of education ... to impart that vitalizing
                 energy which is received through the contact of mind with
                 mind, and soul with soul. It is only life that can beget life."—The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 250.

                                                                                  51

        Part 3     In what experience did Jesus show His disciples how they
TO SINNERS AT    ought to relate to those whom they might consider "hopeless    THE BOTTOM OF     cases"?  THE SOCIAL SCALE
                   "The Samaritan woman said to him, 'How is it that you, a
                 Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?' " (John 4:9,
                 RSV).

                    Because fellow countrymen were making His ministry dif-
                 ficult, Jesus took the opportunity to show His disciples that the
                 gospel of the kingdom could be appreciated by those of whom
                 the least might be expected—society's apparently hopeless
                 cases. With the Samaritan woman Jesus showed that His saving
                 power could leap over any social, racial, or moral barrier.
                    Jesus was always alert to another's need. "With matchless
                 skill, he arrested her attention by asking for a drink of water;
                 then he aroused her curiosity by making some striking state-
                 ments; and by a process of self-revelation he led her to an
                 intense desire for soul-satisfaction which she had thus far
                 missed."—Gaines S. Dobbins, Evangelism According to Christ,
                 (New York: Harper and Bros., 1949), p. 55.
                    Kindly but firmly Jesus helped the woman to see herself
                 realistically. He did not cover up her sin by offering forgiveness
                 before she saw the depths of her problem and was willing to
                 repent. Although she tried to divert Him, He held to His course.
                 He appealed to those motivations that pull at the deepest wants
                 of men and women: love, worship, truth, fulfillment, salvation.
                 The stirring of her deepest human needs helped her to realize
                 that this Friend of the nonbeliever had something for her.
                    The Samaritan woman reminds us that, though a person may
                 have lived in the mire of sin, there may yet be much that can be
                 salvaged. In that noonday conversation she perceived more
                 about our lord's message than Nicodemus, or the leaders in
                 Jerusalem, or even the disciples had at that point. Somehow the
                 master disciple winner had helped her to take an honest look at
                 herself. He gave her a hope of recovery, believed that she was
                 redeemable, and talked to her, not with scorn, but firmly and
                 compassionately.

                   "The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed down, and pre-
                 sented only to a select few, who, we suppose, will do us honor if
                 they accept it. The message is to be given to all."— The Desire of
                 Ages, p. 194.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 183-195.

                  "So today God is seeking for souls among the high as well as
               the low. There are many like Cornelius, men whom He desires to
               connect with His church. Their sympathies are with the Lord's
               people. But the ties that bind them to the world hold them firmly.
               It requires moral courage for these men to take their position
               with the lowly ones."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 209.
                  Jesus understood the needs and desires of the upper classes
               equally as well as He understood those of the lower. He adapted
               His approach to the rich with no less masterful skill. "He sought
               the acquaintance of the wealthy and cultured Pharisee, the
               Jewish nobleman, and the Roman ruler. He accepted their invi-
               tations, attended their feasts, made Himself familiar with their
               interests and occupations, that He might gain access to their
               hearts, and reveal to them the imperishable riches." —The
               Ministry of Healing, pp. 24, 25.
                   The wealthy are more often neglected than the poor because
               their riches seem to indicate that they lack nothing.
                   The instruction to the church is clear: "Those who belong to
               the higher ranks of society are to be sought out with tender
               affection and brotherly regard. Men in business life, in high
               positions of trust, men with large inventive faculties and scien-
               tific insight, men of genius, teachers of the gospel whose minds
               have not been called to the special truths for this time—these
                should be the first to hear the call."—Christ's Object Lessons,
                p. 230.

                   Although the disciple winners who seek out those higher up
                in the social scale need not embellish themselves with the
                trappings of wealth, "they will have to sharpen up, and be armed
                and equipped in order to present the truth intelligently and to
                reach the higher classes. Their minds must rise higher, and
                show greater strength and clearness."—Evangelism, p. 556.

                                                                              53

                   What remarkable invitation by Jesus gives hope to crass
                  materialists everywhere? Matt. 9:9.

                    Matthew was the fifth man to hear our Lord's call to join His
                  service. Although almost everyone else judged Matthew ac-
                  cording to his occupation, Jesus saw that Matthew recognized
                  his need for spiritual help.

                    What further act, though infuriating the sanctimonious
                  church members, indicates how wide the outreach of the
                  Christian church must be? Matt. 9:10-13.

                    "Jesus sat as an honored guest at the table of the publicans,
                  by His sympathy and social kindliness showing that He recog-
                  nized the dignity of humanity; and men longed to become
                  worthy of His confidence. Upon their thirsty hearts His words
                  fell with blessed, life-giving power. New impulses were
                  awakened, and the possibility of a new life opened to these
                  outcasts of society."—The Desire of Ages, p. 274.

                    "The Pharisees would not consider thatJesus was eating with
                  publicans and sinners in order to bring the light of heaven to
                  those who sat in darkness. They would not see that every word
                  dropped by the divine Teacher was a living seed that would
                  germinate and bear fruit to the glory of God."—The Desire of
                  Ages, p. 276.

 FURTHER STUDY      The Desire of Ages, pp. 272-276.

                 Jesus broke through many social and religious barriers by His
               behavior as well as by His teachings. When He sat at the hon-
               ored seat in Matthew's home, surrounded by the scorned and
               despised of His day, He was signaling that God's heart is big
               enough to receive anyone who senses his need for spiritual
               help, regardless of his social circumstances.
                 Jesus never refused an opportunity to sow the seed of truth.
               Through the art of winning conversation, the gracious consid-
               eration for every person He met, He drew hearts to Himself—no
               one was excluded from fellowship with God.

                 What approach did Jesus use in "telling the truth"?

                 "He did not make a direct attack on the errors of the people.
               He saw the misery of the world on account of sin, yet He did not
               present before them a vivid delineation of their wretchedness.
               He taught them of something infinitely better than they had
               known. Without combating their ideas of the kingdom of God,
               He told them the conditions of entrance therein, leaving them to
               draw their own conclusions as to its nature."—The Desire of
               Ages, p. 299.

                  "In the training of the disciples the example of the Saviour's
               life was far more effective than any mere doctrinal instruction.
               When they were separated from Him, every look and tone and
               word came back to them. Often when in conflict with the
               enemies of the gospel, they repeated His words, and as they saw
               their effect upon the people, they rejoiced greatly."—The Desire
               of Ages, pp. 349, 350.
                  One of the first principles that Jesus made clear is that no one
               is to be considered worthless. "In whatever company He found
               Himself He presented a lesson appropriate to the time and the
               circumstances. Every neglect or insult shown by men to their
               fellow men only made Him more conscious of their need of His
               divine-human sympathy. He sought to inspire with hope the
               roughest and most unpromising."—The Ministry of Healing, pp.
                25, 26.

                                                                               55

                                      The integrity of Jesus was based on
                                      a life in proper perspective; He kept
                                      His priorities clear and the various
                                      facets of life in balance.

                                        DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
                                        1. He Taught Loyalty
                                           (Matt. 6:24)
                                        2. He Refused to Take Advantage
                                           (John 5:41-43)
                                        3. He Was No Policy Man
                                           (Luke 15:1, 2)
                                        4. He Joined Truth, Peace, and
                                           Humility
                                           (Matt. 11:29)
                                        5. He Requires Devotion to Duty
                                           (Luke 9:23)
                                        6. He Paid the Price of Truth
                                           (John 6:66, 67)

         Part 1 What fundamental principle of mental and spiritual health
     HE TAUGHT did Jesus state clearly?
       LOYALTY
                "No man can serve two masters" (Matt. 6:24).

                   The English word "integrity" is derived from the Latin word
                 for "wholeness." We maintain integrity when there is an undi-
                 vided loyalty; integrity exists when there is nothing missing,
                 when all is together and complete. When part of a person's life
                 seems devoted to one set of principles and another phase to
                 conflicting principles, we say that such a person has lost his
                 integrity; he lives a divided life.

                   What did James say about a person who has lost integrity?
                 James 1:8.

                     "We cannot serve God with a divided heart. Bible religion is
                 not one influence among many others; its influence is to be
                 supreme, pervading and controlling every other. It is not to be
                 like a dash of color brushed here and there upon the canvas, but
                 it is to pervade the whole life, as if the canvas were dipped into
                 the color, until every thread of the fabric were dyed a deep,
                 unfading hue."—The Desire of Ages, p. 312.
                     There are many ways to be a rebel, but only one way to be
                 loyal. Jesus, from His earliest experiences where He had to
                 make choices, set the pattern for human integrity. "At a very
                 early age, Jesus had begun to act for Himself in the formation of
                 His character, and not even respect and love for His parents
                 could turn Him from obedience to God's word. 'It is written' was
                 His reason for every act that varied from the family customs. But
                 the influence of the rabbis made His life a bitter one. Even in His
                 youth He had to learn the hard lesson of silence and patient
                 endurance."—The Desire of Ages, p. 86.

                    "Worldly policy and the undeviating principles of righteous-
                 ness do not blend into each other imperceptibly, like the colors
                 of the rainbow. Between the two a broad, clear line is drawn by
                 the eternal God. The likeness of Christ stands out as distinct
                 from that of Satan as midday in contrast with midnight. And only
                 those who live the life of Christ are His co-workers. If one sin is
                 cherished in the soul, or one wrong practice retained in the life,
                 the whole being is contaminated."—The Desire of Ages, p. 313.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Ministry of Healing, pp. 197, 198.

                  "Jesus came by the authority of God, bearing His image,
               fulfilling His word, and seeking His glory; yet He was not ac-
               cepted by the leaders in Israel; but when others should come,
               assuming the character of Christ, but actuated by their own will
               and seeking their own glory, they would be received. And why?
               Because he who is seeking his own glory appeals to the desire
               for self-exaltation in others."—The Desire of Ages, p. 212.
                  If ever there was a man who could have amazed His fellow
               men with brilliant mental excursions, marvelous feats of mem-
               ory, or the most charming graciousness that would have made
               everyone feel that all was well—Jesus was that person. But that
               would not have given us an example of love and integrity. "None
               of the means that men employ to win allegiance or command
               homage did Jesus use."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 31.
                  Jesus did not seek attention by dazzling the senses with His
               glory; He did not seek distinction by purely human achievement
               gained by great mental or physical effort. He turned the atten-
               tion of His listeners to the love of God and away from Himself, to
               give glory to God, not applause for Himself. Such is integrity in
               living the Christian life.

                  The test of integrity comes when we are able to treat all men
               alike, giving courtesies and time to the poor and rich alike.
               There is a difference between courting favor and humbly shar-
               ing truth in the most refined manner possible. "He set at nought
               the artificial distinctions of society. The aristocracy of birth,
               wealth, talent, learning, rank, He ignored."—The Ministry of
               Healing, p. 197.
                  The call to reflect the glory of God (that is, the character of
               Jesus) and the unconsecrated urge to magnify self create a
               division within the church member who professes Christianity.
               All acts to gain applause, even where others gain a blessing,
               reveal a spirit that is yet divided and lacking in integrity.

                                                                              59

         Part 3  What circumstance demonstrated that Jesus would not fol-
     HE WAS NO low a course of action merely because it was generally ex-
    POLICY MAN pected of Him?

                   "Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for
                 to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying,
                 This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them" (Luke
                 15:1, 2).

                    The church leaders insinuated that Jesus preferred to
                 socialize with well-known sinners. "If He were a true prophet,
                 they said, He would harmonize with them [the rabbis], and
                 would treat the publicans and sinners with the indifference they
                 deserved. It angered these guardians of society that He with
                 whom they were continually in controversy, yet whose purity of
                 life awed and condemned them, should meet, in such apparent
                 sympathy, with social outcasts. They did not approve of His
                 methods."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 185.
                    In other words, Jesus was not a policy man; He did not live his
                 life in accordance with mere human expectation but in con-
                 formity with what God wished would be human policy.

                  When Jesus ate with the publicans at Matthew's house,
                 what crisis did He cause? Matt. 9:10-13.

                    "He well knew that this would give offense to the Pharisaic
                 party, and would also compromise Him in the eyes of the
                 people. But no question of policy could influence His move-
                 ments. With Him external distinctions weighed nothing."—The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 274.
                    A man guided merely by policy will in some way recognize
                 distinction of race, or rank, or creed. Instead of perceiving with
                 a clear eye what Jesus would do, a policy man endeavors to
                 please those who can return his favors and guarantee his per-
                 sonal security. But for Jesus, "no question of policy could
                 influence His movements."

                    "The policy principle is one that will assuredly lead into dif-
                 ficulties. He who regards the favor of men as more desirable
                 than the favor of God will fall under the temptation to sacrifice
                 principle for worldly gain or recognition. Thus fidelity to God is
                 constantly being sacrificed. . .. Hold fast your integrity in the
                 strength of the grace of Christ, and He will fulfill His word to
                 you."—Counsels to Teachers, pp. 485, 486.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Ministry of Healing, pp. 452, 453.

                  Learning of Jesus implies truth. His meekness and lowliness
               combine in humility, and peace is the rest that He offers. These
               were combined in His life and offered to His followers.
                  Perfect peace reigned in the heart of Jesus because He was a
               man of integrity; that is, He lived by the truth. There was no
               indecision or division of interest. Truth was His only concern.
               He did not bend His behavior to please others or Himself. This
               we will practice too if we learn of Him.
                   "We cannot follow Christ without wearing His yoke, without
               lifting the cross and bearing it after Him. If our will is not in
               accord with the divine requirements, we are to deny our inclina-
               tions, give up our darling desires, and step in Christ's
               footsteps."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commen-
               tary, vol. 5, pp. 1090, 1091.
                   Peace, humility, and integrity are interdependent virtues.
               Without integrity there can be no peace or humility.
                   The person who looks for recognition every time he does a
               good deed will often look in vain; his peace will often be dis-
               turbed because he feels slighted. Such a person reveals a very
               immature, partial understanding of truth. Truth, as we see it in
               Jesus, brings peace and issues forth in humility.

                 The Jewish leaders, as well as most of the nation, rejected
               Jesus largely because He did not conform to their expectations
               of greatness and truth. Truth "has been unpopular ever since
               Satan gave man a disrelish for it by presenting fables that lead to
               self-exaltation... .
                  "Because their understanding was darkened by selfish prej-
               udice, they could not harmonize the power of Christ's convict-
               ing words with the humility of His life. They did not appreciate
               the fact that real greatness can dispense with outward show....
               They questioned, If He was what He claimed to be, why was He
               so unpretending?"—The Desire of Ages, p. 242.
                  The Pharisees were also offended by His "spotless integrity.
               His blameless life flashed light upon their hearts.... Such a light
               was unwelcome."—The Desire of Ages, p. 243.

                                                                               61

                    It seems natural for the uncommitted or even the partially
                 committed heart to seek self-gratification, to work even noble
                 and spiritual duties into opportunities for selfish reward. But
                 when Jesus tells us to take His yoke and His cross, both symbols
                 of giving up the will to God, He is asking us to face life as He did.
                    "He was never elated by applause, nor dejected by censure or
                 disappointment. Amid the greatest opposition and the most
                 cruel treatment, He was still of good courage. But many who
                 profess to be His followers have an anxious, troubled heart,
                 because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do
                 not make a complete surrender to Him; for they shrink from the
                 consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they
                 do make this surrender, they cannot find peace."—The Desire
                 of Ages, p. 330.
                    When we walk in His steps, we shall not be seeking the
                 highest place. The Christian is more interested in leaving the
                 sweet fragrance of Jesus than having the reward. "We shall
                 understand that the value of our work does not consist in mak-
                 ing a show and noise in the world, and in being active and
                 zealous in our own strength."—The Desire of Ages, p. 331.
                    The burden of life is very heavy when we concern ourselves
                 with seeking proper recognition. Anxiety and stress may largely
                 be due to an excess of concern for personal reward. These
                 afflictions can be immeasurably reduced by recognizing God as
                 the One to whom all credit is due.

                   "We need to beware of self-pity. Never indulge the feeling that
                 you are not esteemed as you should be, that your efforts are not
                 appreciated, that your work is too difficult. Let the memory of
                 what Christ has endured for us silence every murmuring
                 thought. We are treated better than was our Lord. 'Seekest thou
                 great things for thyself? seek them not.' Jeremiah 45:5. The
                 Lord has no place in His work for those who have a greater
                 desire to win the crown than to bear the cross. He wants men
                 who are more intent upon doing their duty than upon receiving
                 their reward—men who are more solicitous for principle than
                 for promotion."—The Ministry of Healing, pp. 476, 477.

 FURTHER STUDY     Christ's Object Lessons, "The Reward of Grace," pp. 398,
                 399.

                   After Jesus fed the 5000 men from a boy's lunch, the people
                 had all kinds of visions regarding this young rabbi who could
                 easily lead them in overthrowing the Roman yoke. They wanted
                 to make Him their king on the spot; they recognized His wisdom
                 and power as extraordinary, and they wanted to capitalize on
                 His abilities. Israel had at last found their Messiah. Jesus, with-
                 out question, had captured the attention and admiration of
                 Israel.
                    But a man of integrity prizes truth and duty above approval,
                 recognition, and peace: "Perceiving then that they were about
                 to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew
                 again to the hills by himself" (John 6:15, RSV).
                    "Praise and flattery would be pleasing to their ears; but the
                 truth is unwelcome; they cannot hear it. When the crowds fol-
                 low, and the multitudes are fed, and the shouts of triumph are
                 heard, their voices are loud in praise; but when the searching of
                 God's Spirit reveals their sin, and bids them leave it, they turn
                 their backs upon the truth, and walk no more with Jesus."—The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 392.

                   "Jesus Himself never purchased peace by compromise. His
                 heart overflowed with love for the whole human race, but He
                 was never indulgent to their sins. He was too much their friend
                 to remain silent while they were pursuing a course that would
                 ruin their souls.. . . Real peace can never be secured by com-
                 promising principle. And no man can be true to principle with-
                 out exciting opposition.... Their [the true believers'] only fear
                 should be lest they surrender the truth, and thus betray the trust
                 with which God has honored them."—The Desire of Ages,
                 p. 356.     •
                    When God looks for leaders today, "they will be humble,
                 God-fearing men, not conservative, not policy men; but men
                 who have moral independence and will move forward in the fear
                 of the Lord. They will be kind, noble, courteous; yet they will not
                 be swayed from the right path, but will proclaim the truth in
                 righteousness whether men will hear or whether they will
                 forbear."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 263.

                                                                                 63

                                      Jesus communicated the truths
                                      of eternal life in terms which were
                                      clear and practical, made so by
                                      illustrations drawn from the real life
                                      of His audience.

                      Teachers should be living illustrations of what they profess. If
                   Jesus had not united words with life, He would not have been
                   long remembered. "What He taught, He lived.... Thus in His life,
                   Christ's words had perfect illustration and support. And more
                   than this; what He taught, He was. His words were the expres-
                   sion, not only of His own life experience, but of His own charac-
                   ter. Not only did He teach the truth, but He was the truth. It was
                   this that gave His teaching power."—Education, pp. 78, 79.
                      Truth is more than a system of belief. It is the basis of a way of
                   life and can be understood only through demonstration. This
                   demonstration makes Christianity's principles convincing.
                      "Christ came to demonstrate the value of the divine principles
                   by revealing their power for the regeneration of humanity. He
                   came to teach how these principles are to be developed and
                   applied."—Education, p. 77.

                     As the modern followers of Jesus fulfill the gospel commis-
                   sion, what principles should guide their witness?

                      "We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through
                   the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the
                   testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as
                   we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine.
                   Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experi-
                   ence differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our
                   praise shall ascend to Him, marked with our own individuality.
                   These precious acknowledgements to the praise of the glory of
                   His grace, when supported by a Christlike life, have an irresist-
                   ible power that works for the salvation of souls."—The Ministry
                   of Healing, p. 100.

                     "Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of
                   Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be
                   perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim
                   them as His own."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 69.

 FURTHER STUDY       The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 22, 23.

                  Jesus related to His followers in a manner much different
               from that of many teachers since—He was interested in the
               personal life and needs of each person who showed the
               slightest interest in His message. Some, like Zacchaeus, have
               been unable to meet at the usual gathering places, such as the
               church or schools, because of geographical, social, or
               economic problems. Many are passed by because they are timid
               or lacking in self-respect. Jesus sought out men and women
               one by one, and they responded to this personal consideration.
                  There is always the tendency for men and women to do Chris-
               tian work "wholesale"; it is easier to lecture to a large group
               than to encourage dialogue and feedback. "Retailing" the mes-
               sage to people, one by one, is more difficult; but it is the surest
               way to determine whether any learning is done.
                  "Everywhere there is a tendency to substitute the work of
               organizations for individual effort. Human wisdom tends to
               consolidation, to centralization, to the building up of great
               churches and institutions. . . .
                  "Christ commits to His followers an individual work—a work
               that cannot be done by proxy."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 147.
                  Jesus talked to the multitudes whenever there was an oppor-
               tunity, but He got farther with the individual audience. "The
               work of Christ was largely composed of personal interviews. He
               had a faithful regard for the one-soul audience; and that one
               soul has carried to thousands the intelligence received."
               —Evangelism, p. 58.
                  Even when Jesus talked to the multitudes, each person felt
               that he was being addressed personally. "Even the crowd that
               so often thronged His steps was not to Christ an indiscriminate
               mass of human beings. He spoke directly to every mind and
               appealed to every heart. He watched the faces of His hearers,
               marked the lighting up of the countenance, the quick, respon-
               sive glance, which told that truth had reached the soul."—
               Education, p. 231.

                                                                               67

                   Christ's method of teaching His disciples furnishes us with
                the most complete case study of how we should teach anyone
                who needs to hear the gospel. "Through personal association
                He impressed Himself upon these chosen colaborers. . . .
                   "Only by such communion—the communion of mind with
                mind and heart with heart, of the human with the divine—can be
                communicated that vitalizing energy which it is the work of true
                education to impart. It is only life that begets life."—Education,
                p. 84.
                   One of the prerequisites for liking those who need what we
                have to teach is to learn all we can about them. The more we
                know about the hopes, fears, and burdens of others, the easier it
                is to sympathize and identify. That was Christ's way. He knew
                what was in man (see John 2:25), not only because He became
                man, but also because He studied the needs and interests of His
                contemporaries. "He taught in a way that made them feel the
                completeness of His identification with their interests and
                happiness."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 24.
                   The story of Peter can be told today only because Jesus never
                gave up. Peter had so much to unlearn as well as to understand.
                "Patiently, with discriminating love, the Saviour dealt with His
                impetuous disciple, seeking to check his self-confidence, and
                to teach him humility, obedience, and trust."—Education, p. 88.
                   The secret of great teachers and soul winners is that they
                know how to awaken interest and inspire perseverance in indi-
                vidual students. Massive supplies of knowledge dispensed
                freely does not, in itself, guarantee great teaching or witness-
                ing. More than dispensing mere information, Jesus awakened
                the hidden potential in individuals, one by one.

                   "In every human being He discerned infinite possibilities. He
                saw men as they might be, transfigured by His grace.... Look-
                ing upon them with hope, He inspired hope. Meeting them with
                confidence, He inspired trust. Revealing in Himself man's true
                ideal, He awakened, for its attainment, both desire and
                faith."—Education, p. 80.

                 Jesus had a freshness and power that only personal ex-
               perience with the truth could give Him. Truth for Jesus was a
               way of life, a life in right relationship with reality, seen and
               unseen.
                 Instead of cold, formal lecturing about what men have said
               regarding the great issues of life, Jesus taught His hearers to
               behold God "as manifested in His works, in His word, and by
               His providences. He brought their minds in contact with the
               mind of the infinite."—Education, p. 81.
                   There is a vast difference in learning what men have said
                about God and what God Himself has said. Too many think they
                are learned when they know only what men and women have
                said about God and life's biggest issues.
                   Our Lord's secret of power was that ','He said nothing to
                gratify curiosity or to stimulate selfish ambition. He did not deal
                in abstract theories, but in that which is essential to the de-
                velopment of character; that which will enlarge man's capacity
                for knowing God, and increase his power to do good. He spoke
                of those truths that relate to the conduct of life and that unite
                man with eternity."—Education, p. 81.
                   Another feature of Christ's teaching power was that He did
                not minimize the common life and the responsibilities of hum-
                ble tasks. "The things of this life He placed in their true relation,
                as subordinate to those of eternal interest; but he did not ignore
               -their importance."—Education, p. 82.
                   The fact that He spoke from personal experience, and not
                from secondhand knowledge gained through studying the
                opinions of men, gave Jesus a special ring of authority. The
                learned men of His day spoke with scholarly doubt and hesita-
                tion; but Jesus knew God and the Scriptures by His own in-
                 volvement and thus possessed a certainty of the divine origin of
                the Bible.

                  Jesus developed confidence and insight regarding truth. He
                is the pattern for all His followers. Through faith, truth can
                become a reality for all.

                                                                                  69

                "You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I
               am" (John 13:13, RSV).

                   If there was no learning when Jesus taught, there would have
                been no Christian church. The success of making the plan of
               salvation known to the world depended on our Lord's effective
               teaching methods.
                   The fact that the high and the low, the scholars and the
               unlettered, young and old all heard Him gladly suggests that He
                knew the art of adapting His messages to the various needs and
               expectations of a great cross section of humanity. The great
               secret of successful disciple makers is their versatility. Without
               it, even a very learned person is terribly limited.
                   "His [our Lord's] messages of mercy were varied to suit His
               audience. . . .
                   " ... The most highly educated were charmed with His words,
               and the uneducated were always profited. He had a message for
               the illiterate; and He made even the heathen to understand that
               He had a message for them."—The Desire of Ages, p. 254.
                   A hallmark of Christ's teaching methods was His effective use
               of parables whereby He awakened incruiry. "He sought to
               arouse the careless, and impress truth upon the heart. Parable
               teaching was popular, and commanded the respect and atten-
               tion, not only of the Jews, but of the people of other nations. No
               more effective method of instruction could He have
               employed."—Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 20, 21.
                  In using parables He was able to draw lessons from all walks
               of life, thus capturing the interest of many different kinds of
               hearers. Illustrations from nature also provided a fresh avenue
               to learning. In His day as well as ours "too often the minds of
               students are occupied with men's theories and speculations,
               falsely called science and philosophy.... Let everything which
               their eyes see or their hands handle be made a lesson in charac-
               ter building."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 25.
                  Illustrations for Christ were not merely attention devices but
               also essential steps in the learning process: "The unknown was
               illustrated by the known; divine truths by earthly things with
               which the people were most familiar."—Christ's Object Les-
               sons, p. 17.

                  "And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him
                to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
                and saw two ships standing by the lake" (Luke 5:1, 2).

                   An essential feature of an effective disciple maker is his voice.
                The best of presentations can be adversely received and often
                rejected because the voice is offensive to the hearer. "The
                ability to speak plainly and clearly, in full, round tones, is invalu-
                able in any line of work. . . . The truth must not be marred by
                being communicated through defective utterance."—
                Evangelism, p. 665.
                  Ellen White learned that loud, rapid talking, with the voice
                raised to an unnatural pitch, is not the way to represent our
                Lord. "Christ was presented before me, and His manner of
                talking; and there was a sweet melody in His voice. His voice, in
                a slow, calm manner, reached those who listened, and His
                words penetrated their hearts, and they were able to catch on to
                what He said before the next sentence was spoken. Some seem
                to think they must race right straight along or else they will lose
                the inspiration and the people will lose the inspiration. If that is
                inspiration, let them lose it, and the sooner the better."—
                Evangelism, p. 670.
                   A teacher's skill is also measured by his directness and
                simplicity. "In Christ's teaching there is no long, far-fetched,
                complicated reasoning. He comes right to the point."—
                Evangelism, p. 171.
                   The manner in which truth is given is just as important as the
                content. "Jesus uttered truth in a plain, direct manner, giving
                vital force and impressiveness to all His utterances."—
                Evangelism, p. 56.
                   Although Jesus knew that He spoke truth and that the well-
                being of His hearers depended upon accepting and assimilating
                His principles into their lives, He never coerced or intimidated
                people into obedience. Think of His patience with Judas. In the
                end, it was Judas who had to make up his own mind.

                                                                                   71

                     In spite of the distortions that have accumulated over the
                   years regarding our Lord, He was indeed a highly social person,
                   one that others wanted in their presence. They would not have
                   wanted Him around if He were not a great contributor to the joy
                   and pleasantness that men and women crave.
                     By His first miracle the proud parents of the bride were saved
                   from great embarrassment. For months, perhaps years, the
                   family had sacrificed, cutting living expenses to the minimum,
                   saving for that one social event in their family's life. But, unfore-
                   seen, the refreshments were depleted, and the dreams of the
                   happy parents crashed. But Mary leaned over to her Son, to that
                   one Person who always seemed to know what to do, and whis-
                   pered, "Son, the wine is gone." Sensitive, perceptive Jesus! "At
                   a household gathering in a little Galilean village His power was
                   put forth to add to the joy of a wedding feast. Thus He showed
                   His sympathy with men, and His desire to minister to their
                   happiness."—The Desire of Ages, p. 144.

                     Do you think that there is a connection between this wed-
                   ding miracle and His life theme: "I am come that they might
                   have life, ... more abundantly" (John 10:10)?

                     It was not a great sermon by which Jesus set the pattern of
                   three years to follow. Nor was it a loving touch of His healing
                   hand. Rather it was the glorious intervention of a Man who tried
                   to show God's attitude toward life's happy moments. He saved a
                   family from embarrassment and a wedding reception from
                   breaking up. Could you imagine that He did it with a stern face
                   or a superior air of condescension?

                     "Jesus began the work of reformation by coming into close
                   sympathy with humanity. . . .
                     "Jesus reproved self-indulgence in all its forms, yet He was
                   social in His nature. He accepted the hospitality of all classes....
                   He gave no license to dissipation, and no shadow of worldly
                   levity marred His conduct; yet He found pleasure in scenes of
                   innocent happiness, and by His presence sanctioned the social
                   gathering."—The Desire of Ages, pp. 150, 151.

 FURTHER STUDY       The Desire of Ages, pp. 144-153.

                  Meeting the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well revealed many
                beautiful aspects of our Lord's humanity. The human inter-
                change was not merely one-way. Jesus was hungry, thirsty, and
                bone-weary. The water was near but inaccessible without a rope
                and a jar. Jesus needed what the Samaritan woman could give
                Him, and she needed what Jesus could give her—more than she
                ever dreamed.
                  The exchange was more than mechanical courtesy. Jesus
                could never do anything halfway or impersonally. He came
                through to the woman as a very special kind of man—a gentle-
                man, a tactful, considerate human being. As Jesus saw that she
                appreciated His spiritual probing, He felt the freedom of open-
                ing up her human potential. He rejoiced in her frankness and in
                seeing her take the first sips of the water of life.
                  When the disciples returned from the village with the noon-
                day lunch, they were surprised with their Master's verve and
                happy contentment. What had made the difference, especially
                without food? Jesus had eaten the food of doing God's work,
                and a needy human being had responded to His invitation to
                salvation. (See The Desire of Ages, p. 191.)
                  "Our Redeemer thirsts for recognition. He hungers for the
                sympathy and love of those whom He has purchased with His
                own blood."—The Desire of Ages, p. 191.

                  What other occasions provided Jesus with spiritual and
                social satisfactions? Luke 10:38-42.

                  To the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Jesus often re-
                turned, not only to provide spiritual growth but to be nurtured
                socially by these wonderful people.
                  "At the home of Lazarus, Jesus had often found rest. The
                Saviour had no home of His own; He was dependent on the
                hospitality of His friends and disciples, and often, when weary,
                thirsting for human fellowship, He had been glad to escape to
                this peaceful household . . . .
                   "Our Saviour appreciated a quiet home and interested listen-
                ers. He longed for human tenderness, courtesy, and
                affection."—The Desire of Ages, p. 524.

                                                                             75

            Part 3     What social occasion demonstrated our Lord's ability to mix
 AN INTERESTING      with social classes other than His own?
 LIST OF FRIENDS
                       "Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a
                     large company of tax collectors and others sitting at table with
                     them" (Luke 5:29, RSV).

                        Perhaps Jesus had the most varied and most interesting list of
                     friends in all Palestine. It seemed that everyone was stimulated
                     by His presence and conversation, even the Pharisees and
                     scribes who were immensely jealous of Him.
                        Sneering as they spoke, the Pharisees derided the disciples
                     for Christ's hearty social life, comparing Jesus with John the
                     Baptist. But our Lord's reply showed again His joyful heart:
                     "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is
                     with them?" (Luke 5:34, RSV). Bridegrooms are not known for
                     their sadness or gloomy looks. By life and words He was telling
                     the world that the kingdom of God belongs to the radiant-
                     hearted.
                        Although John the Baptist had his very special mission, "the
                     austerity and isolation of his life were not an example for the
                     people."—The Desire of Ages, p. 150.
                        Jesus made it very clear that the badge of Christianity is that
                     of the social witness, not that of the ascetic. How tragically the
                     Christian church for centuries perverted the principle of love
                     and service! They emphasized the hermit principle, and cast a
                     cloud over the happy, involved spirit. They made self-imposed
                     discomfort and personal misery the proof of spirituality.

                       "It is through the social relations that Christianity comes in
                     contact with the world. Every man or woman who has received
                     the divine illumination is to shed light on the dark pathway of
                     those who are unacquainted with the better way. Social power,
                     sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, must be improved in bringing
                     souls to the Saviour. Christ is not to be hid away in the heart as a
                     coveted treasure, sacred and sweet, to be enjoyed solely by the
                     possessor. We are to have Christ in us as a well of water,
                     springing up into everlasting life, refreshing all who come in
                     contact with us."—The Ministry of Healing, p. 496.

 FURTHER STUDY         The Desire of Ages, p. 277.

                  Jesus possessed an inner joythat radiated gladness wherever
                He went. That does not mean that He always found something to
                laugh about. A perpetual smile is totally unrealistic in this world
                of misery and heartbreak. There are times when someone else's
                sorrows are too much and the true friend weeps. Friends can be
                made over common pleasures and interests; but the deepest,
                closest friends are those who have cried together.
                   Lazarus was a special friend of Jesus, perhaps in a different
                and closer relationship than any of the Twelve. To learn of his
                death and the despair of his sisters touched Jesus deeply. He
                not only identified with their sorrow, but also with every person
                who has seen his loved ones slip into death.
                   He felt the human hurt caused by death. "In view of this
                human distress, and of the fact that the afflicted friends could
                mourn over the dead while the Saviour of the world stood
                by—`Jesus wept.' Though He was the Son of God, yet He had
                taken human nature upon Him, and He was moved by human
                sorrow. His tender, pitying heart is ever awakened to sympathy
                by suffering. He weeps with those that weep, and rejoices with
                those that rejoice."—The Desire of Ages, p. 533.

                   How did Jesus relate to the imprisonment of John the Bap-
                tist? Matt. 11:4-9.

                  "The Saviour's heart went out in sympathy to the faithful
                witness now buried in Herod's dungeon. He would not leave the
                people to conclude that God had forsaken John, or that his faith
                had failed in the day of trial."—The Desire of Ages, p. 218.

                  There is a difference between mechanically repeating Bible
                promises to a soul whose heart is aching and sharing the human
                hurt as Jesus did. Knowing that a friend truly cares when the
                heart is heavy is perhaps the greatest therapy that a sorrowing
                person can receive. This caring can be shown in many ways,
                such as staying the night while the bereaved sleep, arranging
                meals, and answering the phone. The need is more often for
                quiet companionship than for conversation.

                                                                                 77

                    From earliest times salt has been used as a food preservative;
                  for the want of salt wars have been fought. In fact, salt was one
                 of the chief economic products of the ancient world; many of
                 the great highways of antiquity were built so that salt could be
                 made available to the cities.
                    Salt was so scarce, even in the time of Christ, that it was used
                 as money. Part of the wage of the Roman soldier was paid in
                 salt; in Latin, this payment of salt was called salarium; hence,
                 our English word, salary. When it is said that a person is "not
                 worth his salt," we conclude that he or she is not earning his
                 salary.
                    Jesus selected His analogy well, for salt is an indispensable
                 commodity. The spiritual lesson is obvious: Without the Chris-
                 tian in the world, corruption would be complete. "Were those
                 who served God removed from the earth, and His Spirit with-
                 drawn from among men, this world would be left to desolation
                 and destruction, the fruit of Satan's dominion. Though the
                 wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the
                 presence, in the world, of. God's people whom they despise and
                 oppress. But if Christians are such in name only, they are like
                 the salt that has lost its savor. They have no influence for good in
                 the world. Through their misrepresentation of God they are
                 worse than unbelievers."—The Desire of Ages, p. 306.
                    When Jesus compared His people with salt, He taught a prin-
                 ciple opposite to the hermit principle, that monstrous perver-
                 sion of His way of life. "When God calls His children salt, He
                 would teach them that His purpose in making them the subjects
                 of His grace is that they may become agents in saving others.
                 The object of God in choosing a people before all the world was
                 not only that He might adopt them as His sons and daughters,
                 but that through them the world might receive the grace that
                 bringeth salvation. Titus 2:11. . . .
                    "Salt must be mingled with the substance to which it is
                 added; it must penetrate and infuse in order to preserve. So it is
                 through personal contact and association that men are reached
                 by the saving power of the gospel."—Thoughts From the Mount
                 of Blessing, pp. 35, 36.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, p. 439.

                   Light is a necessity of our existence. Without it there would be
               no life on this planet. Even in modern technology light has some
               very useful applications. For example, since the discovery of the
               laser, a device to increase light intensity, a whole new world of
               technology has been made possible in medicine, communica-
               tion, and other fields.
                   But if light is to be useful, it has to be uncovered and permit-
               ted to shine. Furthermore, light comes from a source of energy;
               it is not self-generating. God makes Himself responsible for the
               existence of light—His first act of creation. (See Gen. 1:3.)
                   The sad fact about human history is that although man did not
               originate light, he is able to keep it from shining—at least for a
               time. Ultimately, light will destroy the darkness; light has a way
               of filtering through all the barriers men and women erect. No
               matter how dark the room, it takes only the smallest crack and a
               wisp of light for a person with normal vision to detect it.
                   Jesus compares His people to light; they are to make the
               difference between life and death in the lives of others; they are
               instruments of great power; they are healing agents in a very
               sick, sad world.
                   "Jesus did not bid the disciples, 'Strive to make your light
               shine;' He said,'Let it shine.' If Christ is dwelling in the heart, it is
               impossible to conceal the light of His presence. If those who
               profess to be followers of Christ are not the light of the world, it
               is because the vital power has left them; if they have no light to
               give, it is because they have no connection with the Source of
               light."—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 41.

                                                                                     79

                    The disciples were desperate as their Lord slept. Their best
                 efforts seemed hopeless; their boat tossed like a cork on the
                 turbulent Sea of Galilee. Awakened by their cry of panic, Jesus
                  stood in that tossing boat, raised His hand to the angry sea, and
                  commanded peace.
                    Although they expressed their gratitude and praise to Jesus, it
                  was evident that He was interested in something far more im-
                 portant: "Where is your faith?" Jesus, as a man among men,
                 was making a very important point to those journeying with
                 Him. He had rested in the stern of the boat, wrapped in peace,
                 without a trace of fear in His heart. But His peace rested in
                 faith—the same faith that all men may experience when they
                 trust in their heavenly Father's love and power.
                    The power that stilled the storm was not His own, but that of
                 His Father in heaven. How He reacted to peril was the way all
                 men may face difficulties—that way is the natural outworking of
                 the life of faith.
                    "As Jesus rested by faith in the Father's care, so we are to rest
                 in the care of our Saviour. If the disciples had trusted in Him,
                 they would have been kept in peace....
                    " ... Living faith in the Redeemer will smooth the sea of life,
                 and will deliver us from danger in the way that He knows to be
                 best."—The Desire of Ages, p. 336.
                    He still reassures men and women when they fear that they
                 cannot be like Him. Any self-serving excuse that we cannot be
                 "like Him" this side of the resurrection receives His rebuke.
                 Such strange defeatism places a low estimate on His grace, a
                 low expectation on what He can do for His friends. If His grace
                 and example are to mean anything, He expects us to develop
                 lives of strength and victory, and not to spend the rest of our
                 lives in some kind of pious apology for failing to do what He says
                 can be done.
                    "Where is your faith?" This is the question that Jesus asks
                 those who are expecting the advent. Out of that group who talk
                 about being ready, there will be a smaller group who will under-
                 stand our Lord's question and will possess His faith.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Desire of Ages, pp. 334-336.

                  "It was in hours of solitary prayer that Jesus in His earth life
               received wisdom and power. Let the youth follow His example in
               finding at dawn and twilight a quiet season for communion with
               their Father in heaven."—Education, p. 259.

                 How necessary was prayer in our Lord's life? John 5:19.

                 Jesus overcame temptation, not by an inherent power pos-
               sessed only by Him and not available to any other human being,
               but by the continual grace given to Him from heaven.
                  "To the consecrated worker there is wonderful consolation in
               the knowledge that even Christ during His life on earth sought
               His Father daily for fresh supplies of needed grace; and from
               this communion with God He went forth to strengthen and bless
               others. Behold the Son of God bowed in prayer to His Father!
               Though He is the Son of God, He strengthens His faith by prayer,
               and by communion with heaven gathers to Himself power to
               resist evil and to minister to the needs of men. . . His own
               example is an assurance that earnest, persevering supplication
               to God in faith—faith that leads to entire dependence upon God,
               and unreserved consecration to His work—will avail to bring to
               men the Holy Spirit's aid in the battle against sin."—The Acts of
               the Apostles, p. 56.

                 Prayer isthe channel through which we see God's plans for us
               daily; this is more than a textbook understanding that the mind
               alone knows. The reality of God's presence comes through
               prayer; and "as a shield from temptation and an inspiration to
               purity and truth, no other influence can equal the sense of God's
               presence."—Education, p. 255.
                 Faith feeds on prayer, and prayer is made possible by faith.
               "Prayer is a necessity; for it is the life of the soul."—Education,
               p. 258.

                                                                               83

                    Out of the crowd one day a weary, suffering woman reached
                 her hand. She had spent all her means upon physicians and
                 medicines. However, this woman was different from most
                 others; she did not capitulate to circumstances but tried her
                 best to remain in charge of her life. In her heart she had re-
                 sponded to what she knew about Jesus; and now, this day, she
                 wanted no more than the opportunity to touch His garment.
                    But "in that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life,
                 and instantly her pain and feebleness gave place to the vigor of
                 perfect health."—The Desire of Ages, p. 343.
                   The fact that a woman was healed was good news, but Jesus
                 was concerned about something even more important. He
                 wanted everyone to learn a lesson of faith, both the woman and
                 the crowd. "The Saviour could distinguish the touch of faith
                 from the casual contact of the careless throng" (The Desire of
                 Ages, p. 344), and He wanted all who saw the cure to know how it
                 happened—by faith and not by superstitious touch.
                   The touch of faith not only heals the body but also makes
                 possible a whole new emotional pattern and mental outlook.
                 The touch of faith kept Jesus Himself alert, fresh, patient, and
                 vigorous—and so it will be for those who follow His example.
                 Even as He trusted His heavenly Father for daily strength, so we
                 all must discover the ennobling power of living faith.

                   "To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul
                 hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ,
                 which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never
                 bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a
                 mere intellectual assent to the truth.... The only faith that will
                 benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour;
                 which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as
                 an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who
                 receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God.
                 Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a
                 confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering
                 power."— The Desire of Ages, p. 347.

 FURTHER STUDY     The Ministry of Healing, pp. 59-62.

                      Within the terrible darkness that shrouded Calvary, Jesus
                   showed the universe how unbowed and undefeated a human
                   being can be when all the evidence shouts the contrary. He had
                   no visible reasons for encouragement and was bereft of evi-
                   dence that His life had been a success. Such is the marvelous
                   power of living faith.
                      No other person will be asked to carry a burden as Jesus did
                   through Gethsemane and on the cross. However, many will bear
                   seemi ng defeat in the face of death—for all practical purposes,
                   failure. Our Lord's conquering faith made all the difference in
                   His life, and only by that same faith will hard-pressed men and.
                   women conquer. (See Rev. 3:21.)
                      "In those dreadful hours He had relied upon the evidence of
                   His Father's acceptance heretofore given Him. He was 'ac-
                   quainted with the character of His Father; He understood His
                   justice, His mercy, and His great love. By faith He rested in Him
                   whom it had ever been His joy to obey. And as in submission He
                   committed Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father's
                   favor was withdrawn. By faith, Christ was victor."—The Desire
                   of Ages, p. 756.
                      The cross ended Satan's claim to leadership in the eyes of the
                   unfallen worlds and loyal angels. It summed tip a remarkable life
                   that Satan said could not be lived on this earth; that life proved
                   that God still reigned, that His love and grace were sufficient to
                   keep a committed person from falling into sin.
                      "By His life and His death, Christ proved that God's justice did
                   not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that
                   the law is righteous, and can be perfectly obeyed. Satan's
                   charges were refuted."—The Desire of Ages, p. 762.

                     Jesus was victorious because He was a man of faith. "Could
                   one sin have been found in Christ, had He in one particular
                   yielded to Satan to escape the terrible torture, the enemy of God
                   and man would have triumphed. Christ bowed His head and
                   died, but He held fast His faith and His submission to God."—
                   The Desire of Ages, p. 761.

                                                                                   85

                   "Faith claims God's promises, and brings forth fruit in obedi-
                ence.... Genuine faith has its foundations in the promises and
                provisions of the Scriptures."—The Desire of Ages, p. 126.
                   In the wilderness experience Jesus revealed His source of
                trust and strength. From His earliest years the Bible had become
                a personal voice to Him, assuring Him that the God of Abraham,
                Isaac, and Jacob was His personal Friend also. "When we learn
                the power of His word, we shall not follow the suggestions of
                Satan in order to obtain food or to save our lives. Our only
                questions will be, What is God's command? and what His prom-
                ise? Knowing these, we shall obey the one, and trust the
                other."—The Desire of Ages, p. 121.
                  There is power in the Word of God. By accepting and as-
                similating the principles of the Bible we are reaching out to
                claim the power of God even as did the sick woman in the noisy
                crowd.

                   "Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of God
                will be opposed and derided. They can stand only in God. In
                order to endure the trial before them, they must understand the
                will of God as revealed in His word; they can honor Him only as
                they have a right conception of His character, government, and
                purposes, and act in accordance with them. None but those
                who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand
                through the last great conflict."—The Great Controversy, pp.
                593, 594.
                   "In order to have true, abiding faith in Christ, we must know
                Him as He is represented in the word. Faith is trustful. It is not a
                matter of fits and starts, according to the impulse and emotion
                of the hour; but it is a principle that has its foundation in Jesus
                Christ. And faith must be kept in constant exercise through the
                diligent, persevering study of the word." —Fundamentals of
                Christian Education, p. 433.

                 "Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me" (John 11:41).
                Read verses 41-44.

                  In the raising of Lazarus, Jesus demonstrated that He was
                acting in cooperation with His heavenly Father. He supplied the
                faith, and the Father supplied the power. "Ever He had been
                careful to make it evident that He did not work independently; it
                was by faith and prayer that He wrought His miracles."—The
                Desire of Ages, p. 536.
                  When Jesus depicted the beautiful analogy of the vine and its
                branches, He was emphasizing the vital necessity of a living
                connection between disciple and Lord. In The Desire of Ages,
                pages 674, 675 it is observed that He was also stating that as the
                vine does not stand alone as the oak but needs a trellis for
                support, so He "in His humanity was dependent upon divine
                power. 'I can of Mine own self do nothing,' He declared. John
                5:30."

                 How did Jesus compare His works with those His followers
                would be able to do? John 14:12, 13.

                   "God was manifested in Him that He might be manifested in
                them. Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers,
                that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect human-
                ity is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in
                subjection to God as He was.
                   " . . . All who will go to work, trusting not in what they
                themselves can do, but in what God can do for and through
                them, will certainly realize the fulfillment of His promise.
                'Greater works than these shall he do.' "—The Desire of Ages,
                pp. 664, 667.

                  "As the Son of God lived by faith in the Father, so are we to live
                by faith in Christ. So fully was Jesus surrendered to the will of
                God that the Father alone appeared in His life. Although
                tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world
                untainted by the evil that surrounded Him. Thus we also are to
                overcome as Christ overcame."—The Desire of Ages, p. 389.

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                                        DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
                                        1. Who Is the Greatest?-1
                                           (Matt. 18:1)
                                        2. Who Is the Greatest?-2
                                           (Matt. 18:4)
                                        3. Not With Outward Show
                                           (Luke 17:20)
                                        4. Came to Serve
                                           (Matt. 20:28)
                                        5. Given You an Example
                                           (John 13:15)
                                        6. Happy Are Ye (John 13:17)

                   The days of Christ's ministry were drawing to a close, the
                shadows of intrigue and doom were settling in. The disciples
                misread the signals that Jesus was giving them, thinking that He
                was about ready to set up His earthly kingdom. Their concern,
                not for their Master's mission, but for their own honor led them
                to argue among themselves over who was best qualified for the
                various offices that would be needed. (See Luke 9:46.)
                   Surely it was disappointing to Jesus to note that the disciples,
                at this late date, did not understand the.nature of His kingdom.
                His answer was that of a great teacher knowing that his students
                were not ready for a theological explanation. A principle, how-
                ever, He did make clear; it is the crux of the "great controversy"
                and the miserable heart of all human misunderstanding and
                grief. (See Mark 9:35.)
                   "The strife for the highest place was the outworking of that
                same spirit which was the beginning of the great controversy in
                the worlds above, and which had brought Christ from heaven to
                die.... Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character. He
                sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is
                actuated by his spirit will do the same. Thus alienation, discord,
                and strife will be inevitable. Dominion becomes the prize of the
                strongest. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force; every
                individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his
                own advancement, or a steppingstone on which he himself may
                climb to a higher place."—The Desire of Ages, pp. 435, 436.

                  "There can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess
                the spirit of Satan than the disposition to hurt and destroy those
                who do not appreciate our work, or who act contrary to our
                ideas."—The Desire of Ages, p. 487.
                  "While you are so eagerly striving to be first, remember that
                you will be last in the favor of God if you fail to cherish a meek
                and lowly spirit. Pride of heart will cause many to fail where they
                might have made a success."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 50.

                  The disciples needed more than instruction regarding the
               kingdom of God—they needed "a change of heart that would
               bring them into harmony with its principles."—The Desire of
               Ages, p. 437.
                  When Jesus used a child as an example of the spirit and
               attributes that would characterize those fit for His kingdom, He
               took for granted that we would not look at the negative features
               of spoiled children. His audience recognized His lesson without
               difficulty, and so should we.
                  What do we see in young children (and older children who
               grow up in the fear of God) that makes them so lovable and
               irresistible? "The simplicity, the self-forgetfulness, and the con-
               fiding love of a little child are the attributes that Heaven values.
               These are the characteristics of real greatness."—The Desire of
               Ages, p. 437.
                  Another aspect of healthy, properly nurtured children is their
               "unreserved obedience" (Christ's Object Lessons, p. 125)
               springing forth from simple trust in their parents and others.
               Their love is pure, without design or measure. "To be great in
               God's kingdom is to be a little child in humility, in simplicity of
               faith, and in the purity of love. All pride must perish, all jealousy
               be overcome, all ambition for supremacy be given up, and the
               meekness and trust of the child be encouraged."—Testimonies,
               vol. 5, p. 130.

                  "Before honor is humility. To fill a high place before men,
               Heaven chooses the worker who, like John the Baptist, takes a
               lowly place before God. The most childlike disciple is the most
               efficient in labor for God. The heavenly intelligences can co-
               operate with him who is seeking, not to exalt self, but to save
               souls. He who feels most deeply his need of divine aid will plead
               for it; and the Holy Spirit will give unto him glimpses of Jesus
               that will strengthen and uplift the soul."—The Desire of Ages,
               p. 436.
                  The Lord can be truly served only by those who desire first His
               character before they want to prove by great feats or heights of
               office that they have His power.

                                                                                  91

         Part 3   How did Jesus indicate the significant difference between
      NOT WITH the power of His kingdom and that of worldly enterprises?
 OUTWARD SHOW
                  "The kingdom of God cometh not with outward shew" (Luke
                17:20, margin).

                   The Jewish mind had expected the Messiah to set up a king-
                 dom that would outshine, outpower, outdazzle that of Rome.
                 Although Jesus had been saying for three years that His king-
                 dom would not possess the trappings of earthly power, even at
                 this late hour His own disciples could not discern a power
                 principle that would perform its missionwithout worldly pomp.
                   Only after the resurrection did they begin to understand that
                 the glory of God is in self-sacrificing love, not in coercive power
                 or in pomp.
                    "It is as true now as in apostolic days, that without the illumi-
                 nation of the divine Spirit, humanity cannot discern the glory of
                 Christ. The truth and the work of God are unappreciated by a
                 world-loving and compromising Christianity. Not in the ways of
                 ease, of earthly honor or worldly conformity, are the followers of
                 the Master found. They are far in advance, in the paths of toil,
                 and humiliation, and reproach."—The Desire of Ages, p. 508.
                   The kingdom of God and the ways of this world are in direct
                 confrontation. Humility and self-abnegation are not the
                 methods by which men and women seek success in business,
                 politics, or in any other line of work where they want the world's
                 attention.
                    "Now, as in Christ's day, the work of God's kingdom lies not
                 with those who are clamoring for recognition and support by
                 earthly rulers and human laws, but with those who are declaring
                 to the people in His name those spiritual truths that will work in
                 the receivers the experience of Paul: 'I am crucified with Christ:
                 nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me' Gal.
                 2:20."—The Desire of Ages, p. 510.

                   It is very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we will
                 convince worldlings that we have the "truth" if we can impress
                 them with the physical aspects of the church.

 FURTHER STUDY     Christ's Object Lessons, "The Sower Went Forth to Sow," pp.
                 34-36.

                "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
               minister" (Matt. 20:28).

                 Our Lord's whole life was a living illustration of loving service.
               Never before in the history of the world had there been such a
               clear example of humble self-sacrifice. But the disciples had not
               yet understood, although only a few days separated them from
               the crucifixion.
                 The disciples had learned some of their lessons well, but the
               elements needed most were lacking. Position, recognition,
               honor still were motivating forces. They were still pressing their
               arguments as to who was the greatest; they were using worldly
               standards, placing their own estimates upon themselves and
               upon one another.

                 What very ordinary circumstance provided Jesus with His
               opportunity to show what godliness is like? John 13:4, 5.

                 The disciples knew that their feet should be washed after their
               dusty journey, but their pride kept them from serving one
               another. The action of Jesus opened the eyes of eleven of the
               disciples to the greatness of humility.

                  Humility has become a very elastic word, especially for Chris-
               tians. It has been used to cover up sloth and negligence. When a
               person avoids responsibility, pleading that others can do the
               job better, the deference is often considered as humility. "To be
               clothed with humility does not mean that we are to be dwarfs in
               intellect, deficient in aspiration, and cowardly in our lives,
               shunning burdens lest we fail to carry them successfully. Real
               humility fulfills God's purposes by depending upon His
               strength."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 363.
                  Another perversion of humility is to feign humility by masking
               pride. Think of the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee, and
               the Laodicean in every age, look, walk, and pray self-praise,
               although clothed with the appearance of humility. But "the lips
               may express a poverty of soul that the heart does not acknowl-
               edge. While speaking to God of poverty of spirit, the heart may
               be swelling with the conceit of its own superior humility and
               exalted righteousness."— Christ's Object Lessons, p. 159.

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          Part 5     How did Jesus link His earthly performance with that ex-
   GIVEN YOU AN    pected of His followers?
       EXAMPLE
                     "I have given you an example, that you also should do as I
                   have done to you" (John 13:15, RSV).

                      Christ made it very clear that washing His disciples' feet did
                   not detract from His dignity. Humble service, rather than de-
                   tracting from greatness, actually establishes it. Jesus knew well
                   how subtle and self-serving the human heart is; He would not
                   leave His followers to define the meaning of humility. "Christ
                   Himself set the example of humility. . . .
                      " ...Jesus was given to stand at the head of humanity, that by
                   His example He might teach what it means to minister. His
                   whole life was under a law of service. He served all, ministerd to
                   all. Thus He lived the law of God, and by His example showed
                   how we are to obey it."—The Desire of Ages, p. 649.
                      He demonstrated that in His kingdom "the principle of prefer-
                   ence and supremacy has no place. The only greatness is the
                   greatness of humility."—The Desire of Ages, p. 650.
                      Jesus was doing more than demonstrating gracious hospital-
                   ity when He washed the feet of His companions; He was institut-
                   ing an ordinance of the Christian church which would be more
                   than a mere memorial of what He once did.
                      "This ordinance is Christ's appointed preparation for the
                   sacramental service. While pride, variance, and strife for
                   supremacy are cherished, the heart cannot enter into fellowship
                   with Christ. We are not prepared to receive the communion of
                   His body and His blood. Therefore it was that Jesus appointed
                   the memorial of His humiliation to be first observed."—The
                   Desire of Ages, p. 650

                     One of the greatest services we can do for children is to teach
                   them that humility is the mark of true greatness.
                     "One of the characteristics that should be especially
                   cherished and cultivated in every child is that self-forgetfulness
                   which imparts to the life such an unconscious grace. . . .
                     "Children need appreciation, sympathy, and encouragement,
                   but care should be taken not to foster in them a love of praise....
                   He who looks higher than himself will be humble; yet he will
                   possess a dignity that is not abashed or disconcerted by out-
                   ward display or human greatness."—Education, p. 237.

 FURTHER STUDY      The Desire of Ages, pp. 642-649.

                   Can anyone think of better reasons for happiness than to
                remember the blessings of the Lord—His forgiveness, His prov-
                idences, His promises for the future? Add to these the realiza-
                tion that all is well between friends, neighbors, and church
                members. Such happiness is grounded on the awareness of
                one's own incapacities to do God's will by sheer willpower or to
                please Him by human performance alone. The ordinance of foot
                washing brings all this into sharp focus. The truly humble can
                be the most willing servants of mankind, the most genuine
                peacemakers, the clearest reflectors of Christ's happy spirit.
                   When the Christian leaves the foot-washing service and sits
                around the table for the Lord's Supper, it is not a time for
                sorrowing, with the record of failure depressing him. "The self-
                examination, the confession of sin, the reconciling of differ-
                ences, has all been done. Now they come to, meet with Christ.
                They are not to stand in the shadow of the cross, but in its saving
                light. They are to open the soul to the bright beams of the Sun of
                Righteousness."—The Desire of Ages, p. 659.
                   The truly humble person is the truly happy person. He is not
                troubled as to whether he is getting all that he deserves; he is
                not comparing himself enviously with those who have more
                than he does. He counts his blessings gratefully, noting with
                concerned sympathy those who are less fortunate.
                   Christians, like their Master, should be the happiest people
                alive. Happiness is the by-product of unselfish ministry for
                others. It is not found in the pursuit or acquirement of those
                worldly goals by which others recognize human achievement.
                Simply put: The only way to find happiness is to follow the
                example of our Lord, a beautiful blend of dignity and humility.

                  "Real happiness is found only in being good and doing good.
                The purest, highest enjoyment comes to those who faithfully
                fulfill their appointed duties."—My Life Today, p. 168.

                                                                                95

                    "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves"
                  (Matt. 10:16).

                    Truth must be made clear; it must make its way in an arena
                 often preoccupied by either gross evil or sinister, devious coun-
                 terfeits. But truth cannot be proclaimed by force or hate. Such
                 methods and spirit cannot abide in the makeup of a person who
                 understands truth. Truth will make its way, not only because its
                  content is irrefutable, but also because its spirit is disarming to
                 those who honestly seek truth.
                    "Christ Himself did not suppress one word of truth, but He
                 spoke it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact, and
                 thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He
                 was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never
                 gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure
                 human weakness. He fearlessly denounced hypocrisy, unbelief,
                 and iniquity, but tears were in His voice as He uttered His
                 scathing rebukes.... While He always bore Himself with divine
                 dignity, He bowed with tenderest regard to every member of the
                 family of God."—The Desire of Ages, p. 353.
                    To represent Jesus is more than to recite His words; it means
                 to "re-present" Him in flesh and blood. Therefore, His followers
                 "need to have close communion with God, lest, under provoca-
                 tion, self rise up, and they pour forth a torrent of words that are
                 unbefitting.... This is what Satan wants them to do; for these
                 are his methods. It is the dragon that is wroth; it is the spirit of
                 Satan that is revealed in anger and accusing. But God's ser-
                 vants are to be representatives of Him.... Then they can present
                 the gospel with divine tact and gentleness. And the spirit that is
                 kept gentle under provocation will speak more effectively in
                 favor of the truth than will any argument, however forcible."—
                 The Desire of Ages, p. 353.
                    The spirit of the church member is more important than his
                 message in attracting others to stop long enough to hear him
                 out. Of Jesus we read: "The beauty of His countenance, the
                 loveliness of His character, above all, the love expressed in look
                 and tone, drew to Him all who were not hardened in unbelief.
                 Had it not been for the sweet, sympathetic spirit that shone out
                 in every look and word, He would not have attracted the large
                 congregations that He did." —The Desire of Ages, p. 254.

 FURTHER STUDY     Testimonies, vol. 9, pp. 235, 236.

                   This simple truth—"love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom.
                13:10)—has been very hard for even Christians to grasp. Chris-
                tians have come up with endless procedures, duties, rules, and
                standards in order to establish grounds for spiritual security—
                but there is only one test that all who will be finally saved will
                have to pass. Did they love genuinely, freely, and spontane-
                ously? (See The Desire of Ages, pp. 637-641.)

                  In what real-life story did Jesus illustrate the principle of
                love? Luke 10:23-37.

                   "In the story of the good Samaritan, Christ illustrates the
                nature of true religion. He shows that it consists not in systems,
                creeds, or rites, but in the performance of loving deeds, in
                bringing the greatest good to others, in genuine goodness."—
                The Desire of Ages, p. 497.
                   The love here described is far different from the diluted con-
                cepts that so often pass for love. Christian love is not a good
                feeling only, not an impulsive gesture of goodwill, not an at-
                titude prompted by the attractive qualities of someone else.
                Genuine love is a principle, not a feeling; it is the fundamental
                principle of the universe, "the law of life for earth and heaven."
                —The Desire of Ages, p. 20.
                   The difference between earthly love and Christian love is that
                the former is manifested toward the lovely, toward that which
                will benefit the lover while the latter "seeketh not her own" and
                even loves the unlovable. That kind of love was clearly man-
                ifested in the mission of the God-man, Jesus Christ, who died
                for us while we were yet sinners. (See Rom. 5:8.)

                  "When love fills the heart, it will flow out to others, not be-
                cause of favors received from them, but because love is the
                principle of action. Love modifies the character, governs the
                impulses, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections."—
                Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 38.

                                                                               99

                    "Then Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou likewise" (Luke
                  10:37).

                    "The lawyer found himself a lawbreaker. He was convicted
                 under Christ's searching words. The righteousness of the law,
                 which he claimed to understand, he had not practiced. He had
                 not manifested love toward his fellow man."—The Desire of
                 Ages, p. 498.
                    "The Samaritan had obeyed the dictates of a kind and loving
                 heart, and in this had proved himself a doer of the law."—The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 504.
                    Something very fundamental about the quality of life is being
                 taught in the story of the Good Samaritan. The lesson was
                 emphasized in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus reminds
                 us that "not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter
                 the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father"
                 (Matt. 7:21, RSV), and also in that sobering story of the judg-
                 ment (Matt. 25:31-46) where Christ "represented its decision as
                 turning upon one point. When the nations are gathered before
                 Him, there will be but two classes, and their eternal destiny will
                 be determined by what they have done or have neglected to do
                 for Him in the person of the poor and the suffering."—The
                 Desire of Ages, p. 637.
                    Faith in Jesus means more than most now understand and, in
                 the judgment, it will be too late to learn. "The faith in Christ
                 which saves the soul is not what it is represented to be by many.
                 ... Belief that does not lead to obedience is presumption....
                    "Obedience is the test of discipleship. It is the keeping of the
                 commandments that proves the sincerity of our professions of
                 love. . . . When benevolence, kindness, tenderheartedness,
                 sympathy, are manifested in our lives; when the joy of right
                 doing is in our hearts; when we exalt Christ, and not self, we may
                 know that our faith is of the right order."—Thoughts From the
                 Mount of Blessing, pp. 146, 147.

                   Genuine love is spontaneous, impartial, and costs time,
                 energy, and resources, without any thought of repayment.

                 "How often would I have gathered your children together as
               a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!"
               (Matt. 23:37, RSV).

                   Jesus early in His life discovered the sting and heaviness. of
               misunderstood, unrequited love—from his brothers, neighbors,
               and church leaders. In His ministry He experienced it too.
                   "With a yearning heart, Jesus saw those who had been His
               disciples departing from Him, the Life and the Light of men. The
               consciousness that His compassion was unappreciated, His
               love unrequited, His mercy slighted, His salvation rejected,
               filled Him with sorrow that was inexpressible."—The Desire of
               Ages, p. 393.
                   Anyone who desires to become like their model of love will
               also experience similar pain. Parents because of Christlike love
               will sense their duty to speak firmly to erring children—and
               children will turn against them as surely as close disciples
               turned from Jesus. ,Love does not always bring peace; often it
               brings the sword of unrequited love.

                 From His farewell to Jerusalem, what do we learn about our
               Lord's quality of life? Luke 19:41, 42.

                  Not easy was it forJesus to recognize unrequited love. "Jesus
               raised His hand,—that had so often blessed the sick and
               suffering,—and waving it toward the doomed city, in broken
               utterances of grief exclaimed: 'if thou hadst known, even
               thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy
               peace!' "—The Desire of Ages, p.576.
                  However, in His last visit to the temple, during the mysterious
               farewell of long-suffering love, Jesus showed us how to man-
               ifest love in the face of hate and unconcern. "Keen and search-
               ing had been His denunciation of sin; but He spoke no word of
               retaliation. He had a holy wrath against the prince of darkness;
               but He manifested no irritated temper.... Even in meeting those
               who are moved by a power from beneath to maintain falsehood,
               in Christ he [the Christian] will still preserve calmness and
               self-possession."—The Desire of Ages, pp. 619, 620.

                                                                             101

                   Especially for His hearers this picture of Jesus as a good
                shepherd summed up all those qualities of thoughtfulness and
                protection that were needed by any helpless and dependent
                flock of sheep.
                   Whatever we say about Jesus in regard to the special qualities
                of a good shepherd applies equally well to those who are called
                to be His undershepherds—all His followers who have heard his
                "Come." We are not called only to receive His blessings but to
                be relay stations of these blessings as we convert them into our
                own life-style and appealingly draw others unto us.
                   Sheep we are—helpless, dependent when on our own. To
                recognize this is to begin to receive the blessings granted to
                those who are "poor in spirit" (Matt. 5:3). But love sent the
                Shepherd looking for us, not because we were lovable, but in
                order that He might make us lovable and so, hopefully, eventu-
                ally worth the effort.
                   As our Good Shepherd, He knows us by name; we were made
                to hear and respond to His voice. Though He may be millions of
                light-years away from us at the throne of the universe, through
                His Spirit He is just as near as He was to Mary or Peter when they
                knew Him. "And they shall never perish, neither shall any man
                pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:28).

                   If I love only when convenient or when I am appreciated, is
                that any more than a pagan would do? The Pharisees scolded
                sinners and heaped scorn upon those who did not accept their
                brand of religion. Yes, they had their hand of fellowship out—
                they were known as proselytizers around the world; but was it
                the hand of the Good Shepherd, extended from the tender,
                loving heart?
                   "How many of the wandering ones have you, reader, sought
                for and brought back to the fold? When you turn from those who
                seem unpromising and unattractive, do you realize that you are
                neglecting the souls for whom Christ is seeking? At the very
                time when you turn from them, they may be in the greatest need
                of your compassion."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 191.

        Part 6   What basic principle of love has been called the golden
 ACTIVE LOVE rule?
  INSTEAD OF   PASSIVE JUSTICE    "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should
               do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the
               prophets" (Matt. 7:12).

                 Simply stated, this principle of the golden rule is "Christ's rule
               of life, by which everyone of us must stand or fall in the
               judgment."—The Desire of Ages, p. 640.
                 For centuries the leading moralists emphasized the negative
               golden rule; that is, "What is distasteful to yourself, do not to
               your neighbor; that is the whole law, the rest is but commen-
               tary." But that was only passive justice; Jesus poured love over
               justice and turned the negative golden rule into its positive
               principle.
                 Embedded in this golden rule is the implicit thought that the
               Christian knows much that the unconverted do not know. The
               Christian should in imagination place himself where the uncon-
               verted are. Knowing what Jesus has taught him, the Christian
               would be compelled by the golden rule to do unto others what
               he would want them to do for him—if the other person did not
               know the truth about God.

                  "Love is the basis of godliness. Whatever the profession, no
               man has pure love to God unless he has unselfish love for his
               brother. . . . When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth
               spontaneously. The completeness of Christian character is at-
               tained when the impulse to help and bless others springs con-
               stantly from within—when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart
               and is revealed in the countenance."—Christ's Object Lessons,
               p. 384.
                 Christlike love is not only a benefit to others. If so, it could
               easily be perverted into a varying measure of spirituality
               whereby we can be proud of our obvious "self-lessness." True
               love cannot be turned on and off according to the cir-
               cumstances; it is the outworking of sanctification.
                  "Love for Him will give vital force to everything that is under-
               taken. Thus through the right use of our talents, we may link
               ourselves by a golden chain to the higher world. This is true
               sanctification; for sanctification consists in the cheerful per-
               formance of daily duties in perfect obedience to the will of
               God."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 360.

                                                                               103

                                       DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
                                       1. The Faith of Jesus
                                          (Rev. 14:12)
                                       2. The Harvest Principle-1
                                          (Mark 4:29)
                                       3. The Harvest Principle-2
                                          (Rev. 14:15, 16)
                                       4. Bear Much Fruit
                                          (John 15:8)
                                       5. Even as He Overcame
                                          (Rev. 3:21)
                                       6. Christ's Representatives
                                          (John 17:18)

       Part 1    What characteristics will set apart God's people in the last
  THE FAITH OF generation?
       JESUS
                 "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep
               the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev.
               14:12).

                   In that awesome fourteenth chapter of Revelation, Jesus out-
                lined to John the earthshaking events that would characterize
                the generation just preceding the second advent. The world will
                be brought to decision by God Himself working through His
                church, specifically those who "keep the commandments of
                God, and the faith of Jesus."
                   The separation and the line of demarcation will become obvi-
                ous; philosophies, theologies, and life-styles will be judged on
                one basis—how faithfully is the character of Jesus being repro-
                duced!.
                   Abundant are the references in the writings of Ellen G. White
                that describe the harvest of the seeds of gospel truth. When
                these shall be in full display, they will contrast with the full-
                grown characteristics of those who have rejected the intent and
                power of the gospel.
                   "The life of Christ on earth was a perfect expression of God's
                law, and when those who claim to be children of God become
                Christlike in character, they will be obedient to God's com-
                mandments. Then the Lord can trust them to be of the number
                who shall compose the family of heaven."—Christ's Object Les-
                sons, p. 315.

                   What is the connection between commandment keeping
                 and the faith of Jesus?

                  "In order to be prepared for the judgment, it is necessary that
                men should keep the law of God. That law will be the standard of
                character in the judgment.... Faith is essential in order to the
                keeping of the law of God; for 'without faith it is impossible to
                please Him.' And 'whatsoever is not of faith is sin.' "—The Great
                Controversy, p. 436.

                   Jesus overcame temptation the same way we must—by faith,
                 by that trusting, obedient relationship with the Father that says
                 Yes to whatever God says is best. The faith of Jesus developed
                 the character of Jesus. Such will be the experience of His
                 people in the last days.

                 Here Jesus refers to the harvest principle that is employed
               often in the Scriptures when the unfolding of God's purposes
               are described. The harvest principle helps explain why the day
               and hour of Christ's return cannot be predicted and what it is for
               which our Lord yet waits.
                  Jesus chose to compare the end of this world to a farmer's
               harvest, because He knew that men everywhere understand, to
               some degree, the hopes and problems connected with harvest-
               ing a field of wheat or tomatoes in a backyard garden. He
               compared the focal point of the plan of salvation to an earthly
               harvest.

                 In what ways are the goals of the kingdom of God and a
               farmer's field of grain the same?

                  Neither is ready to harvest unless the grain has matured. Even
               as the farmer waits for his grain to mature, so Jesus waits until
               the gospel seed has produced a sizable and significant group of
               mature Christians.
                  Developing this biblical concept of the harvest principle,
               Ellen White wrote: "The object of the husbandman in the sow-
               ing of the seed and the culture of the growing plant is the
               production of grain.... So the divine Husbandman looks for a
               harvest as the reward of His labor and sacrifice. Christ is seek-
               ing to reproduce Himself in the hearts of men: and He does this
               through those who believe in Him. The object of the Christian
               life is fruit bearing—the reproduction of Christ's character in
               the believer, that it may be reproduced in others."—Christ's
               Object Lessons, p. 67.

                 Ellen White comments on the biblical principle of the harvest:
               "Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of
               Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be
               perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim
               them as His own."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 69.

                                                                             107

        Part 3   How did Jesus, through John the revelator, describe the
  THE HARVEST fulfillment of the harvest principle?
  PRINCIPLE-2
                 "Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee
               to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on
               the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was
               reaped" (Rev. 14:15, 16).

                  Sadly, while the power of God is maturing Christlike charac-
                ters, there is the parallel development of maturing sinners,
                symbolized elsewhere by the tares. The last days will give evi-
                dence, not only of what the power of God can do for men and
                women, but also of what unrestrained self-indulgence and hate
                will do. The exhibit of a world of greedy, thoughtless, violent
                men and women will stand in stark contrast with those who
                stand for integrity, peace, and hope. The harvest for which
                Jesus waits will separate the end products of faith and of sin—
                commandment keepers who reflect Christ's character from
                those who have fully developed the characteristics of the beast
                and his image.
                  The purpose of the divine Husbandman is to have the divine
                seed—the principles of the gospel—bear fruit. The goal of the
                divine seed sowing is to reproduce men and women like Jesus.
                Such a goal is not visionary; it is the crowning glory of God's
                love and grace and that for which all Heaven waits.
                  "By revealing in our own life the character of Christ we co-
                operate with Him in the work of saving souls. It is only by
                revealing in our life His character that we can co-operate with
                Him. And the wider the sphere of our influence, the more good
                we may do. When those who profess to serve God follow
                Christ's example, practicing the principles of the law in their
                daily life; when every act bears witness that they love God
                supremely and their neighbor as themselves, then will the
                church have power to move the world."—Christ's Object Les-
                sons, p. 340.

                   Someday a generation of advent-oriented Christians will rec-
                 ognize that God waits for a people about whom He can proudly
                 say, "Here they are; everyone look at them carefully. Do you
                 want what they have? Do you want your children to grow up like
                 theirs? Do you want their happiness and hope? If you do, then
                 you must know their secret. They keep My commandments, and
                 they have a faith like Jesus had."

                 "By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and
               so prove to be my disciples" (John 15:8, RSV).

                  Sin is not only distrust and disobedience; it is also robbery. It
               misappropriates that which belongs to God; it is a theft that
               builds up a kingdom over against the kingdom of God. Sin
               matures a character that is in stark contrast with the self-
               sacrificing character of God.
                  One of the reasons why Jesus came to earth was to give men
               and women a model of what the truly human 'Was like; He
               showed us that the sanctified life simply means that God has full
               ownership—mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. The
               rebel misuses and defaces God's original property; but the loyal
               Christian will reflect the glory of God's kingdom.
                  "All who receive Christ as a personal Saviour are to dem-
               onstrate the truth of the gospel and its saving power upon the
               life.... All the riches of heaven are to be revealed through God's
               people."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 301.
                  Reflecting or glorifying Christ is to be the sole goal of Chris-
               tianity, just as reflecting or glorifying the Father was the sole
               goal of our Lord's life.

                  "Of the Spirit Jesus said, 'He shall glorify Me.' The Saviour
               came to glorify the Father by the demonstration of His love; so
               the Spirit was to glorify Christ by revealing His grace to the
               world. The very image of God is to be reproduced in humanity.
               The honor of God, the honor of Christ, is involved in the perfec-
               tion of the character of His people."—The Desire of Ages, p. 671.
                  No other concept is more thrilling or more sobering than this:
               The plan of salvation, as well as the time for the second advent,
               depends upon the quality of glory that Christians reflect. "In His
               people He is glorified. Through them the Sun of Righteousness
               will shine in undimmed luster to the world.... He has bestowed
               upon His people capabilities and blessings that they may repre-
               sent His own sufficiency. The church, endowed with the righ-
               teousness of Christ, is His depositary, in which the riches of His
               mercy, His grace, and His love, are to appear in full and final
               display."—The Desire of Ages, p. 680.

                                                                               109

                   "These are the words of our Substitute and Surety. He who is
                the divine Head of the church, the mightiest of conquerors,
                would point His followers to His life, His toils, His self-denials,
                His struggles and sufferings, through contempt, through rejec-
                tion, ridicule, scorn, insult, mockery, falsehood, up the path of
                Calvary to the scene of the crucifixion, that they might be en-
                couraged to press on toward the mark for the prize and reward
                of the overcomer. Victory is assured through faith and
                obedience."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Commen-
                tary, vol. 7, p. 966.
                   That glorious group in Revelation 14:12—those who keep the
                commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus—are over-
                comers!
                   Constantly we must keep in mind that "Christ's overcoming
                and obedience is that of a true human being. . . .
                   "The obedience of Christ to His Father was the same obedi-
                ence that is required of man. Man cannot overcome Satan's
                temptations without divine power to combine with his instru-
                mentality. So with Jesus Christ; He could lay hold of divine
                power. He came not to our world to give the obedience of a
                lesser God to a greater, but as a man to obey God's holy law, and
                in this way He is our example. The Lord Jesus came to our world,
                not to reveal what a God could do, but what a man could do,
                through faith in God's power to help in every emergency. Man
                is, through faith, to be a partaker in the divine nature, and to
                overcome every temptation wherewith he is beset.
                   "The Lord now demands that every son and daughter of
                Adam, through faith in Jesus Christ, serve Him in human nature
                which we now have.... Jesus, the world's Redeemer, could only
                keep the commandments of God in the same way that humanity
                can keep them."—Ellen G. White Comments, SDA Bible Com-
                mentary, vol. 7, p. 929.

                  Could any news be more needed? What can bring us more
                hope and greater happiness than to believe that we need not
                succumb to temptation, that we need not remain sinners! This is
                good news for honest, struggling men and women everywhere.

                  "As Christ is the channel for the revelation of the Father, so
               we are to be the channel for the revelation of Christ. While our
               Saviour is the great source of illumination, forget not, 0 Chris-
               tian, that He is revealed through humanity. . . . The church of
               Christ, every individual disciple of the Master, is heaven's ap-
               pointed channel for the revelation of God to men. Angels of
               glory wait to communicate through you heaven's light and
               power to souls that are ready to perish."—Thoughts From the
               Mount of Blessing, p. 40.
                  One of the saddest misunderstandings and the most tragic of
               perversities has been for Christians to think that they are reveal-
               ing Christ and His truth by merely talking about Him and reciting
               His words. God could not have revealed His love and holiness by
               writing the message across the clouds; no more can we truly
               reveal His love and power by merely proclaiming it from the
               pulpit or the printing press.
                  Ellen White often describes the forces of heaven as "waiting"
               for church members to grasp the purpose for their lives and why
               Jesus has not returned. (See The Acts of the Apostles, p. 111;
               and The Desire of Ages, p. 297.)

                  "Consider the life of Christ. Standing at the head of humanity,
               serving His Father, He is an example of what every son should
               and may be. The obedience that Christ rendered God requires
               from human beings today."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 282.
                  "By implanting in their [Christ's followers'] hearts the princi-
               ples of His word, the Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes
               of God. The light of His glory—His character—is to shine forth in
               His followers."—Christ's Object Lessons, p. 414.
                  "At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a
               message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power.
               His character is to be made known. . . .
                     .. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own
               life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has
               done for them."—Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 415, 416.

                                                                               111

                           First Lesson
            A COVENANT PEOPLE. Memory text, Gen. 17:7.
                      1. By Faith Alone (Gen. 14:6)
                  2. Grace and Obedience (Ex. 20:2, 3)
              3. A Renewed Fellowship (Joshua 24:24-26)
                4. Israel and the Nations (Ps. 67:1, 2, 7)
                      5. Apostasy (Hosea 8:14; 9:1)
                  6. The Hope of Israel (Jer. 31:32, 33)




                      Second Lesson
              THE TRUE ISRAEL. Memory text, Rom. 9:7, 8.
                    1. Jesus and the Jews (John 1:11)
                   2. The Church and Israel (Gal. 3:29)
                  3. Jesus and the Gentiles (John 3:16)
               4. The Church and the World (Matt. 28:19)
                  5. Jesus and the Apostles (Mark 3:14)
                   6. The Church Apostolic (Eph. 2:20)




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                                              .44

             Division Totals        761,835,560       725    91,655        86,470
             (Figures as of 4th Quarter, 1975)
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