Experiencing Jesus Christ as Lord; Spiritual Life

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  Our Lord and Savior
  Jesus Christ


  S ABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 1:26-38, John 1:1-18,
  Acts 9:1-19, Rom. 3:9-26.

        avior and Lord. Many Christians today are looking for a “no

  S     strings attached” Savior. They want deliverance without obliga-
        tion. They may profess the name of Christian but end up with a
  savior of their own making. Though it is true an angel counseled
  Joseph to call the miracle Child “ ‘Jesus, for He will save His people
  from their sins’ ” (Matt. 1:21, NKJV), an angel also announced to the
  shepherds on the hills near Bethlehem that “ ‘there is born to you this
  day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’ ” (Luke 2:11,
  NKJV).
     More New Testament texts refer to Jesus as Lord than as Savior. It
  is impossible to receive Jesus as Savior and reject Him as Lord. Peter
  refers to Jesus as “our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:11,
  NKJV), and Paul encourages us to look for “the Savior, the Lord Jesus
  Christ” (Phil. 3:20, NKJV). This week we will explore both the impor-
  tance and the consequences of the crucial question: Have you received
  Jesus, both as Savior and Lord?

 Our Need for a Savior                     (Rom. 3:9-26).

   The apostle Paul warns the Romans that “the wrath of God is
 revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of
 men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18, NKJV).
 Rebellion against the will of God and the Word of God has conse-
 quences. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23, NKJV).

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    Have you noticed the human tendency to compare ourselves with
 others in order to make ourselves look good? We point to others who
 are worse sinners than ourselves, forgetting that we ourselves also
 stand condemned. Even the act of self-justification is an evidence of
 our fallen condition. The apostle Paul leaves no room for excuses. All
 have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all stand con-
 demned before a holy God. This is not hard to see. All we have to do
 is look at the world around us, and we see so much evidence of our
 sinfulness.

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 ____________________________________________________________________

   There’s no question: Sin and the results of sin exist all around us.
 And in us. We don’t have to point the finger at others; we can find all
 the evidence of sin by looking within ourselves. And that was part of
 Paul’s point. Every mouth is stopped before God, including our own!

  Look at your own life. Do you see anything within yourself that
  could commend you to God? Why is looking at yourself the best
  way to realize there is no hope, unless hope comes from a gra-
  cious, merciful, and forgiving God?




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 Heaven’s Greatest Gift (Luke 1:26-38, John 1:1-18).
   Sunday’s lesson left us with the realization that, unless there was
 divine intervention in our behalf, we would have no hope. The good
 news, of course, is that God has intervened in our behalf: through
 Jesus Christ.
   While many followers of other world religions admire Jesus Christ
 as a holy prophet or a great teacher, few recognize the true signifi-
 cance of Jesus Christ’s entrance into humanity.

    The New Testament writers boldly declare that Jesus Christ was
 conceived by the supernatural inter vention of the Holy Spirit of God.
 “ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest
 will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born
 will be called the Son of God’ ” (Luke 1:35, NKJV). Born of a human
 mother, Jesus could call only God His real Father. He is Son of God
 and Son of man.

   Jesus Christ is more than a holy prophet. He is more than a great
 teacher. He is the Word made flesh. He is God’s thoughts made audi-
 ble. One with the Father from eternity past, the only begotten of the
 Father became human flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. He is
 Immanuel, God with us, and yet He was “with us”—not in the thun-
 der and lightning and clouds of Sinai—but as one of us; that is, He
 was as fully human as we are. What an amazing condescension for
 Him who “was in the beginning with God”!

  It has been said a desperate situation calls for desperate meas-
  ures.What should it tell us about what sin has done to us that it
  would require God Himself becoming a human being and then
  dying in order to save us from the penalty of sin? How should
  this realization help us trust that, however desperate our own
  personal situation, the God who would do this is able to save us
  from whatever challenges we face?

 God’s Perfect Plan (Isa. 53:3-7).
   When Jesus came to the river Jordan to be baptized, John the Baptist
 exclaimed, “ ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the
 world!’ ” (John 1:29, NKJV). In this brief declaration, John the Baptist
 provided a succinct summary of God’s perfect plan of salvation. Jesus
 Christ was the Lamb of God.

 Gen. 22:6-14:
 ____________________________________________________________________


 Isa. 53:4-7:
 ____________________________________________________________________


 Rev.
 _____5:1-14:
      _______________________________________________________________

    We have all gone astray. We have all sinned and fallen short of the
 glory of God. And the wages of that sin is death. We all deserve to die.
 But Jesus Christ, the Son of God, willingly took our punishment upon
 Himself. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for
 our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His
 stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:5, NKJV).
    When Jesus Christ died on the cross, He was laying down His life as
 the Lamb of God. He was fulfilling God’s perfect plan of salvation in
 every detail. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor.
 15:3, NKJV). “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we
 might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21, NKJV).

  “Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as
  He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had
  no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in
  which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours,
  that we might receive the life which was His. ‘With His stripes
  we are healed.’ ”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 25.
  Read this famous quote aloud, but put yourself in there:
  “Christ was treated as I deserve, that I might be treated as He
  deserves. . . .” Read it aloud over and over until the wonderful
  truths it portrays hit home and you realize—for yourself—
  what Christ has done for you.




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 Responding to God’s Grace (1 Cor. 1:18-31).
   Our gracious heavenly Father has made a perfect provision for
 everyone to be saved. We who were dead in our sins can be made alive
 in Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul proclaimed the good news: “If you
 confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that
 God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom. 10:9,
 NKJV). So, when Paul and Silas were asked by the Philippian jailer
 what he needed to do in order to be saved, their answer was simple and
 to the point: “ ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be
 saved, you and your household’ ” (Acts 16:31, NKJV). Salvation is
 available for all who accept God’s perfect plan. When we believe on
 the Lord Jesus Christ, we will be saved.
   Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to accept God’s perfect plan.
 Some view the message of the Cross and blood atonement as a rem-
 nant from humanity’s barbaric past. Others would rather trust in their
 own wisdom rather than the wisdom of God.

    In apostolic times, there were some who viewed the death of Jesus
 Christ on the cross as a scandal, a stumbling block. How could
 Someone who was executed as a criminal be the Messiah? Others
 viewed the message of the Cross as foolishness. How could one Man’s
 death affect the destiny of the human race? Both groups rejected
 God’s perfect plan of salvation and scorned His grace, some because
 it went against their own personal religious views, others because it
 just didn’t seem reasonable, logical, and “scientific.” However, some
 embraced the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. They
 accepted the death of Christ for their sins as the power of God and the
 wisdom of God. In spite of opposition to the gospel, the apostle Paul
 declared, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power
 of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16, NKJV).

  What has your own response been to the gospel? Go back over
  your own experience with Jesus and your response to His saving
  grace. What, more than anything else, moved you to accept His
  salvation? Or are you still making excuses?

  Confessing Jesus Christ as Lord (Acts 9:1-19).
     The apostle John records the sad news that Jesus Christ “came to
  His own, and His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11, NKJV).
  Because He was not the Messiah they were looking for, many rejected
  God’s perfect plan for their salvation. But the apostle John also
  records the good news: “But as many as received Him, to them He
  gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe
  in His name” (John 1:12, NKJV). Many read this testimony and fail to
  grasp its true significance. When we accept God’s perfect plan of sal-
  vation through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, we not only receive
  Jesus Christ as Savior. We receive Him as Lord.

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    When Saul realized he was encountering the risen Christ, the first
  thing he said wasn’t “Lord, what do You want me to believe?” or
  “Lord, what do You want me to say?” but it was “Lord, what do You
  want me to do?” Saul, here, by calling Jesus “Lord,” recognized that
  because of who Jesus was, Saul needed to obey Him. And when the
  Lord said “ ‘Arise and go,’ ” Saul arose and went. We see the same
  response from Ananias. At first he argues with the Lord Jesus Christ,
  questioning His judgment. But when the Lord said “ ‘Go,’ ” Ananias
  went. The message is clear: When we confess Jesus Christ as Lord, we
  recognize His absolute authority over our lives.

    When we receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we will obey
  Him, and, as a result, our lives will be radically transformed. It’s in the
  doing, the obeying, and the living the life of faith that we are changed.

   If Christ were to suddenly appear to you, as He did to Saul,and
   you said “Lord, what do You want me to do?” what do you think
   He would say to you, and why?




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  ●
  2 As a class, what could you do to help members in your local
  church realize the importance of allowing Jesus to be Lord of
  their lives? In other words, what could you do to encourage mem-
  bers to make a total commitment to Jesus?

  ●
  3 What encouragement would you give to a friend who wants to
  experience salvation but who is afraid to totally surrender to
  Jesus Christ as Lord?

  ●4 Go around the classroom and ask each member to answer the
  following question, “What is the gospel?” After each person has
  a turn, analyze the answers. What are the differences and the
  similarities in the various views of the gospel?

                            Priska Chepkwony (left) is a primary school teacher in
                            western Kenya.

  Lord of Our Priorities




  S ABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 2:24, Exod. 19:5, Job
  1:1-5, Rom. 3:24, Eph. 1:7.

          he radical claim of Jesus. Jesus asks us to give Him unrivaled

  T       first place in our lives. To all who would be His disciples, He
          says “ ‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and
  mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life
  also, he cannot be My disciple’ ” (Luke 14:26, NKJV).
     Obviously, this statement of Jesus cannot be taken literally. If we are
  called as followers of Jesus to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44), we
  should certainly love those closest to us, such as our immediate fam-
  ily. Jesus is not asking us to hate our family members; instead, using
  powerful and exaggerated imagery, He’s saying that we must give Him
  first place in our lives. He wants to be our top priority, the recipient of
  our highest devotion. After all, considering who He is—not only our
  Creator but the One who redeemed us with His own blood (see 1 Pet.
  1:18, 19)—we owe Him everything, and He’s asking us to acknowl-
  edge that debt by making Him first in our lives. How could we do any
  less?

 The Earth Is the Lord’s Read the following texts. How do they help us understand the claims
 Jesus has over our lives?

 Gen.
 ______1:1
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 _Exod.
   ______19:5
          _____________________________________________________________


 _Ps.
   ___24:1
      ________________________________________________________________


 _Ps.
   ___50:10,
      _______11
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 Isa.
 _____45:18
       _______________________________________________________________


 Col.
 _____1:16
      _______________________________________________________________

    The whole idea of the Lord having priority in our lives is depend-
 ent upon who He is in contrast to who we are. It’s in the context of this
 relationship that we can understand why the Lord should be given
 complete priority over our priorities. The leader of one nation doesn’t
 have the moral or legal right to make rules for the citizens of another
 country, does he? The president of France, for instance, doesn’t have
 the authority to tell people living in Paraguay how they must live.
    The Lord, as our Creator, is the sovereign Ruler of the universe.
 Whether we acknowledge it or not, He has authority over us, in much
 the same way a ruler in a particular land has authority over the citi-
 zens of that country. Though the Lord has given us stewardship and
 responsibility over the things on the earth, whatever we possess, what-
 ever gifts we have, we have only because God first created these
 things and then gave them to us.
    It’s crucial to keep this realization before us because God does not
 force us to use, for His glory, the gifts He’s given us. He’s made us
 free, free to prioritize as we wish. We can acknowledge His claims
 over us, not just in words but in how we live and how we prioritize, or
 we can go our own way, doing what we want and, of course, reaping
 the sad results of our wrong choices.

  Whatever you have, whatever you are, dwell upon how every-
  thing comes from God. How should this realization help you
  understand how you should set your priorities?

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 Redeemer God
   “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as
 a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee” (Isa.
 44:22).

   Yesterday’s lesson looked at the claims God has over us by virtue of
 the fact He is our Creator. In that sense, He is our Owner. And yet, in
 and of itself, in a fallen world, that might not be enough to get us to want
 to serve Him, to want to surrender our lives and priorities to Him. It
 might oblige us to, in the sense that someone working for his or her
 employer is obliged to work for that person. But God wants us to serve
 Him, not out of some cold, hard obligation but because we love Him for
 what He’s done for us, not just as our Creator but also as our Redeemer.

   The Bible makes it clear the Lord is not only our Creator but our
 Redeemer. Numerous verses talk about Jesus in the role of our
 Redeemer, of having done the work of redemption in our behalf.
 Indeed, it’s impossible to understand His death on the cross apart from
 the notion of redemption.

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 ____________________________________________________________________

   The word for “redeem,” or “redemption,” both in the Old and New
 Testament, comes from various words that mean things like “to buy
 back,” “to ransom,” “to deliver.” These ideas convey the truths of what
 Jesus did for us. Thus, not only is He our Creator; He is our Redeemer.
 He ransomed us from the power and, ultimately, the final legal conse-
 quences of sin (see Rom. 6:23). When we begin to grasp what this
 redemption means for us personally, when we experience for our-
 selves the joy of freedom of this redemption, then it becomes so much
 easier to make Him the Lord of our priorities.

 The Example of the Lord Jesus Christ
   Doing His Father’s will was the number one priority of Jesus. His
 plan for life was simply this: To discover the Father’s will and do it.

 _Luke
  ______22:42
         _____________________________________________________________

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 John
 ______4:34
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 John
 ______6:38
       ______________________________________________________________

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 John
 ______17:8
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 _Phil.
   _____2:8
        ______________________________________________________________

 _______________________________________________________

 _Heb.
   _____10:9
        ______________________________________________________________

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   “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 outworking of His will.”—Ellen G. White, The
 Desire of Ages, p. 208.
   What a powerful example is Christ’s life of complete surrender that
 not only His deeds but His words were from the Father.

  Go back over the texts for today. Put the basic thoughts together
  and ask,What’s the message they have for me? What do I need
  to change in order to move better toward this ideal as personi-
  fied in Jesus?

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 First on Your Agenda (Luke 6:46). What question does Jesus ask His hearers at the end of His Sermon
 on the Mount? Luke 6:46. How different would your life be if you
 did everything Jesus told you to do?


    Obedience is the ultimate evidence that we have accepted Jesus as
 Savior and Lord. His will becomes our will. His plans become our
 plans. As a loving response to His saving grace, we yield ourselves
 completely to Him as Lord of e very aspect of our lives.
    We must avoid at all costs the fatal delusion of calling Jesus “Lord”
 but failing to recognize His lordship over our lives as we plan our
 daily schedules. We can easily become preoccupied with working out
 our own agendas. Instead of asking the Lord to rule and overrule in
 every activity of our day, we ask God to bless the plans we have
 already made. Ellen White suggests a different strategy for those who
 have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord: “Surrender all your plans to
 Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate.
 Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God,
 and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of
 Christ.”—Steps to Christ, p. 70.

 Exod.
 _______2:11-15
         _____________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________
 Jer.
 _____1:4-10
       _______________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 _Matt.
  _____19:16-22
        ______________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 _2_Tim.
    _____4:10
         _____________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

  Who can’t see himself or herself, to some degree, reflected in
  these stories? Some of the stories (as far as we can tell) had a
  good ending, some bad.What made the crucial difference?

 First in Your Day (Ps. 5:1-3, Mark 1:35).
    Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated the importance of seeking God
 first in the day. Mark records that “in the morning, having risen a long
 while before daylight, He [Jesus] went out and departed to a solitary
 place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35, NKJV). “The early morning
 often found Him in some secluded place, meditating, searching the
 Scriptures, or in prayer. From these quiet hours He would return to His
 home to take up His duties again, and to give an example of patient
 toil.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 90.
    We would do well to follow the example of our Lord. While it is
 important to set the Lord always before us (see Ps. 16:8), it also is
 appropriate to set aside special times of prayer. David prayed in the
 morning, at noon, and in the evening (see Ps. 55:17). Daniel followed
 a similar practice (see Dan. 6:10).

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Most Christians agree in principle that it is important to make com-
 munion with the Lord the first priority of the day. However, many
 have difficulty putting this conviction into practice. Late-night activi-
 ties or early morning responsibilities seem to crowd out easily that
 special time of fellowship with the Lord. As a result, our time with
 God often becomes reactive, crying out to Him when things go wrong,
 rather than proactive, seeking Him first before we face any of the
 challenges of the day. Many seriously cripple their spiritual life
 because they don’t take that crucial time to pray, read the Bible, or
 meditate on the Word. In the same way that if you skip breakfast you
 can soon run out of physical fuel, by skipping morning devotion you
 can find the spiritual “fuel” lacking to meet the temptations the enemy
 is always trying to throw in your path (see 1 Pet. 5:8).

  What things are you letting interfere with a consistent morning
  devotional life? Why not, right now, prayerfully resolve in your
  heart to use this precious time when you begin your day to keep
  in communion with the Lord?



                                                                       19

    Note: The idea of yielding our lives under the authority of another
 is not a popular concept in the twenty-first centur y. People want to be
 the masters of their own destinies. They want to be in control.
 Christians have a different perspective. The One who calls us to live
 under His lordship is our loving Savior, who gave His life to redeem
 us. Under His lordship we find freedom, not bondage. We are sons
 and daughters, not slaves.

  ●2 Look at two other important areas of your life, family, and
  finances.What are some practical ways we can acknowledge the
  lordship of Jesus in these two crucial areas?

  ●3 Look up as many texts as you can find that talk about Christ
  as the Sacrifice for our sins and then write down a paragraph
  summarizing what they are saying. As a class, have people read
  aloud what they wrote. How does this great news help motivate
  you to want to serve the Lord and surrender to Him all He’s
  given you? What greater motivation could we possibly have to do
  this?

  Lord of Our Thoughts




  S ABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 Cor. 2:16;
  2 Cor. 10:3-5; Eph. 6:10-18; Col. 3:1, 2.

         he battle of the mind. Many new Christians have the mistaken

  T      idea that once they have received Jesus as Lord and Savior the
         battle is over. In reality, the battle has only just begun. As seen
  in the earthly life of Jesus, it’s often after our baptism that Satan inten-
  sifies his attacks. The battle is fought in our minds, and one of Satan’s
  primary temptations is the sin of remembrance: He tries to lure us
  back to the old, forbidden pathways. Our Lord Jesus Christ, in con-
  trast, wants us to forget what is behind and “be transformed by the
  renewing of [our minds]” (Rom. 12:2, NKJV). The Greek verb trans-
  lated “transformed” comes from the same verb used in Mark 9:2,
  when Jesus was “transfigured.” What a remarkable ideal the Lord
  Jesus Christ has for each of His redeemed children. He desires to so
  renew our minds that the glory of the Lord will shine through us.

 The Power of Thought Read the following texts: Exodus 20:17, Matthew 5:8, 1 Corinthians
 2:16,1 Chronicles 28:9.What’s the one thing they all have in com-
 mon?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   The Bible, of course, has so much to say about our deeds and our
 words, all of which is understandable, because our deeds and words
 can have powerful effects on ourselves and others.
   Yet, the Bible also makes it clear that the Lord cares about our
 thoughts. But why? As long as we don’t act on our thoughts, what
 does it matter? Why should God care what we think? Whoever heard
 of anyone hurting another person with a thought? Thoughts are pri-
 vate, personal things that, in the end, if we don’t express them or act
 upon them, don’t hurt anyone.
   Right?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Because our thoughts are the foundation of all our words and
 actions, it matters what we think. Every evil deed ever committed,
 every evil word, every sin, began first as a thought. How many mil-
 lions of people first harbored thoughts—nothing more than “harm-
 less” thoughts—that eventually sprouted into words or deeds that have
 caused incredible damage? Who can know what thoughts will remain
 only as thoughts, nothing more, and which will bear bitter fruit? We
 can never know for sure, which is why it’s best to control our thoughts
 before they turn into something painful and damaging to ourselves
 and others.

  Try this rather frightful, and horrific, experiment: Imagine if
  your thoughts were suddenly projected on a screen for everyone
  to see! What would be up there? What does this tell you about
  what’s in your mind and what changes need to be made?


                                                                     23

  Bringing Every Thought Into Captivity
  (2 Cor. 10:3-5).

  1.What kind of battle does Paul say we are in?

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  2.What does it mean to be in a spiritual battle? How does it differ
  from a physical battle?

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  3.What is one of the “carnal” (the Greek word means “fleshly”)
  weapons that Christians don’t use? See John 18:36. What are the
  weapons that we need to use? See Eph. 6:10-18.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  4. What are some of the “high things” that exalt themselves
  against the knowledge of God?

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     The word for “strongholds” in 2 Corinthians 10:4 means “castles”
  or “fortresses.” Paul doubtless is thinking of the inner fortresses of our
  hearts, the “castles” of our minds, the habits of sin and self that deter-
  mine our character. The battle is one of truth against error, the knowl-
  edge of God against ignorance and superstition; it is a struggle of true
  worship against all forms of idolatry. In the end, it’s a great contro-
  versy between Christ and Satan for control of the race. All this occurs
  in the mind, in the heart; and only through the power of God working
  in our lives can we uproot the enemy.

   Keeping in mind the context of what you’ve read today, why is con-
   trol of our thoughts so crucial in the battle we are facing? Why, in
   many ways, is keeping control of our thoughts the whole battle?

 Setting Your Mind on Things Above
 (Col. 3:1, 2).

   Even after we have received Jesus as Savior and Lord, it is still pos-
 sible to become distracted by a multitude of earthly attractions. We
 easily can become preoccupied with things of secondary importance
 and forget we are called to set our minds on things above, not on
 things on the earth. After all, we physically live on the earth; we are
 constantly surrounded by things of the earth. And, indeed, many
 things of the earth are not, in and of themselves, bad (see Gen. 1:31).
 The key is to learn to know the difference.

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Let’s look a little closer at what Paul is telling us here. Because we
 have been “raised with [Christ]” (Col. 2:12, NKJV; see also Rom.
 6:4), that we have died to self (Col. 3:3) and now have a new life in
 Him, our thoughts should be on heavenly things, things “above” as
 compared to “things on earth”—the kind of things we thought about
 before we met Jesus. But now, because Jesus Christ died for us (see
 Rom. 5:6), has paid the penalty for our sins (see Isa. 53:6), has cov-
 ered us with His perfect righteousness (see Rom. 4:4-8), and now is
 interceding in our behalf in heaven (see Heb. 9:24), we must now
 dwell upon Him and the great redemption He has wrought out for us
 (see 1 Cor. 1:30).
    Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, is sitting at the right hand of the
 throne of God. We must always remember to focus our attention on
 our great High Priest, who has passed through the heavens and ever
 lives to make intercession for us.
    “Fix your thoughts upon the Saviour. Go apart from the bustle of the
 world and sit under Christ’s shadow. Then, amid the din of daily toil
 and conflict, your strength will be renewed.”—Ellen G. White, In
 Heavenly Places, p. 62.

  Take as much time as possible to dwell upon the plan of salva-
  tion, of Christ’s taking on human flesh, of His substitutionary
  death in your behalf, of His ministry in the sanctuary above.
  Think about what it reveals about the character of God.Think
  about the hope it offers you.Think about the promises that are
  ours because of all this. Now, imagine if, day by day, you lived in
  such a heavenly atmosphere. How different would your life be?

                                                                       25

 Receiving a Sanctified Imagination
 (Rom. 12:1, 2).

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   One of the precious gifts we have all received from our Creator is
 the gift of an imagination. Unfortunately, our imaginations have been
 corrupted by sinful thoughts and desires. We need our imaginations to
 be sanctified. Given the importance the Bible places on our thoughts,
 we should be encouraged to know there is power from above that will
 help us get control of our thoughts and our imaginations.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    These two passages of Scripture contain the only references to the
 Greek noun translated as “renewing” or “renewal.” The radical trans-
 formation of our minds promised in Romans 12:2 can be accom-
 plished only by the power of the Holy Spirit working in those
 Christians who have surrendered themselves to Him. God will work
 in us, even at the level of our imagination, but only to the degree we
 allow Him 10. This surrender can, at times, demand an excruciating
 struggle on our part. As everyone has surely experienced, it’s very
 easy for our minds to wander and focus on forbidden themes, earthly,
 carnal things that are from below and not from above. No wonder that
 in Colossians 3:2 (see yesterday’s study) the literal translation of “set
 your affection” means “continually think of ” heavenly things.
 Perhaps that’s partially why Paul says, too, that we should “pray
 always” (2 Thess. 1:11), because nothing can lift our thoughts as can
 prayer.

  What are the ways you use your imagination? Is it working for
  or against your walk with the Lord? What can you do in order
  to make yourself more receptive to the “renewal” of your mind-
  sthat God promises?

 Influences
    Recently, a nation was horrified. A drunken, bedraggled homeless
 man in a big city was sleeping in an alley. A group of about three
 young men, seeing the unfortunate fellow, found a cannister of gaso-
 line. As the man was sleeping, they doused him with the fuel and set
 him on fire. He died a horrible death.
    When arrested and asked why they did such a terrible thing, one of
 the boys answered that they had seen something similar happen in a
 movie and simply copied what they saw.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   As we’ve seen this week, God cares about our thoughts; and He has
 also promised us strength to change our thoughts. But whatever the
 power promises from above, God isn’t going to just change our
 thoughts supernaturally. We just don’t utter a prayer, “Lord, change
 my thoughts,” and instantly we are pure in heart and mind. However
 nice that would be, it doesn’t work that way. We have a definite role
 in cooperating with the Lord. To a great extent, the things we put in
 our minds will affect what things we think. The more you read about
 Jesus, the more you focus on holy things, then the more your thoughts
 will be about Jesus and holy things; the more you read about earthly,
 unholy things, the more your thoughts will be about unholy and
 earthly things. It is that simple.

  Having trouble controlling your thoughts? Having trouble
  thinking of heavenly rather than earthly, carnal things? The
  answer to your problem could easily be found in what you are
  reading and watching. Only you can make the necessary
  changes.Why not, right now, under the power and influence of
  the Holy Spirit, determine seriously to censor the things that
  come into your mind? Otherwise, you will never have victory in
  this crucial aspect of Christian life.

                                                                   27

  ●
  2 What crucial role does prayer and Bible study have in helping
  us have control of our thoughts?

  ●
  3 What can you do as a church to help other members, particu-
  larly the young, protect themselves from the kind of negative
  influences that can make it very difficult to control their
  thoughts?

  ●
  4 Read Ephesians 6:10-18. In what ways does this help provide
  a formula for victory in this crucial battle for our minds?

                            Maria Tzenova (left) teaches English at a university in
                            Varna, Bulgaria.

  Lord of Our Desires




  S ABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Genesis 1, 2; Rom. 1:3;
  6:1-7; 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:17; Phil. 2:8; Col. 2:12, 13; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Pet.
  1:13-16; 1 John 2:1.

         ubmitting our desires to the will of God. The apostle Paul

  S      warned that in the last days people would be “lovers of pleasure
         rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:4, NKJV). Talk about a per-
  fect description of this generation! The guiding principle for many
  today is: Satisfy your own desires. Christian values are discarded as
  old-fashioned, unreasonable, and hopelessly out-of-date. The basic
  sentiment is: As long as you desire to do something that doesn’t hurt
  anyone else, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it.
     In contrast, those who live under the lordship of Christ are called to
  submit all their desires to the will of God. Our Lord Himself declared,
  “ ‘For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the
  will of Him who sent Me’ ” (John 6:38, NKJV). Jesus set the perfect
  example of submission to the will of God when He prayed, “ ‘Not
  what I will, but what You will’ ” (Mark 14:36, NKJV).This is our man-
  date, as well. Our will, our desires, must be surrendered to the Lord.

 Flesh and Spirit
    The Christian faith began and spread amid Greek culture and phi-
 losophy. Though the Greek Empire itself had fallen to the Romans
 (see Daniel 2), its influence remained long after its political and mil-
 itary dominance faded.
    Sin influences the human body with disease, old age, and so forth.
 But the body cannot be evil, because Jesus put on a human body when
 He came to this earth. Greek culture also taught that the spirit is some-
 thing within us that is always fighting the body. But in Romans 8:4, 5;
 Galatians 5:24, 25; and Galatians 6:8, the spirit is our attitude of sur-
 render and obedience to Jesus. People who live “in the spirit” are peo-
 ple who have surrendered their sinful natures to the Holy Spirit.

   Although now affected by sin, the human body can’t be evil, because
 Jesus Christ assumed a human body. But what about those New
 Testament texts, especially in the writings of Paul, that seem to pit flesh
 against the spirit, such as Romans 8:4, 5; Galatians 5:24, 25; 6:8?
    The basic issue here is not that our body, our flesh, is of itself bad.
 Again, Christ’s humanity proves this point. Paul’s emphasis, instead,
 deals with control of our flesh, the keeping of its desires under the
 control of God. Ephesians 2:3 helps clarify this point: “Among whom
 also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
 fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature
 the children of wrath, even as others.” Paul talks about not letting the
 things of the flesh, that is, the carnal nature of fallen beings, dominate
 the Christian, who has died to this carnal nature, where passion and
 lust rule, and who now lives in the “spirit,” that is, in an attitude of
 faith and submission to Christ.
    Part of the problem stems from the use of the word spirit, which, in
 Paul’s writing, isn’t this eternal holy entity that lives in constant ten-
 sion or battle with the flesh. In the Bible, spirit can mean “mood,”
 “attitude,” or “feelings.” Oftentimes in the New Testament, flesh is
 simply the word used to symbolize the fallen carnal nature, while
 spirit symbolizes the attitude of submission and obedience to Christ.
 Those who live in “the spirit” are those who have yielded themselves
 to the Holy Spirit, which brings the desires of the flesh under control.

  How can you know if you are walking after the “flesh” or after
  the “spirit”?


                                                                         31

 The Creation Review the Genesis Creation account of humanity (Genesis 1 and
 2). What evidences do you find there that God intended for human
 beings to enjoy the physical creation He had made?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   Even the most simple reading of the Creation account reveals noth-
 ing of the notion that the physical world, especially the human body,
 is bad. On the contrary, God created man and woman to interact
 closely with what He had made. Man came directly from the ground,
 which God had just created, and woman came from the man. Thus,
 humankind and the earth are intimately linked. Together, man and
 woman, living on this earth and drawing sustenance from it, were to
 be “fruitful, and multiply” (Gen. 1:28); they were to be involved in the
 process of creating more human beings, more human flesh. God gave
 them “every herb” (Gen. 2:5) for meat, and He gave them every tree
 that “is pleasant to the sight” (Gen. 2:9), and that was “good for food,”
 indicating they were to enjoy what they ate, that it would not only
 nourish but please them. Truly this was a paradise, and what helped
 make it a paradise was how well it pleased their human senses.
    There’s no question: God created us as physical beings, and He gave
 us physical desires, which, in and of themselves, can’t be bad pre-
 cisely because God gave them to us. The problem is not our basic
 desires but rather how we as fallen beings use them, how we keep
 them under control in order that we don’t allow them to take us where
 God never intended us to go. We can do this only through knowing
 what God’s will is for us and then surrendering our sinful selves to
 Him so we can have the power to keep our desires within that will and
 not enter into the paths of self-destruction.

  Despite the ravages of sin, in what ways can you see, even now,
  indications of how wonderful the original creation was? What
  are some of the things we have been given that we should enjoy,
  and how do these reveal to us the Creator’s love?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

  The Fall
     The Lord placed our parents in a paradise, a garden filled with
  things that delighted their senses, things that they, in their physical
  bodies, could enjoy. Unfortunately, some of these same things were
  used against them by Satan in order to cause the Fall.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    It should be a powerful warning to us that, even in their unfallen
  state, Adam and Eve allowed their senses to turn them away from God.
  Satan knows that our senses, our appetites, though God-given, are a
  powerful means to control us. That’s why the Bible tells us to keep
  them under control; otherwise, Satan will use them to destroy us.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     All around us we can see the results of humans who have allowed
  these wonderful God-given gifts to control them and their lives. God
  gave us sex, and we became pornographers. God gave us material pos-
  sessions, and we became greedy and selfish. God gave us music, and
  we became punk rockers. He gave us fire, and we became arsonists.
  He gave us food, and we became gluttons. He gave us words, and we
  lie and we curse. He gave us grapes, and we became drunks. It’s hard,
  really, to think of any God-given gift that we, as humans, haven’t, one
  way or another, perverted or abused because of sin. The effects are
  seen everywhere.

   Try to imagine a world where our God-given senses are in per-
   fect harmony with the world around them (kind of sounds like
   heaven, does it not?). What do you think it would be like? And
   though you can’t have that world now, what changes do you
   need to make in order to bring your desires and senses into
   closer harmony with the world as God originally meant them to
   be? Why would doing that make your life better now?

                                                                      33

  Times of Solitude Read Matthew 4:1, 2 (see also Mark 1:12 and Luke 4:1, 2). Why do you
  think Jesus fasted for so long? What’s the message here for us?

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

      “Many who profess godliness do not inquire into the reason of
  Christ’s long period of fasting and suffering in the wilderness. His
  anguish was not so much from the pangs of hunger as from His sense
  of the fearful result of the indulgence of appetite and passion upon
  the race. He knew that appetite would be man’s idol and would lead
  him to forget God and would stand directly in the way of his salva-
  tion.”—Ellen G. White, Confrontation, p. 51.
     How fascinating that though Satan caused our first parents to sin on
  the issue of appetite, Jesus—in His first major conflict after His bap-
  tism—would go over the same ground and succeed where Adam and
  Eve failed. What a message His self-denial should have for us, we
  who are often enslaved to our appetites and passions.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Amid these exhortations is the call to be holy. That’s a pretty intense
  command for beings who, at their core, are sinful and fallen. And yet,
  it’s obviously an attainable goal; otherwise, why would the Bible more
  than once call us to holiness? And, in this context and others—holi-
  ness, which basically means to “be set apart”—deals with the control
  of our lusts and passions. It says to be holy in all manner of conduct,
  behavior, and lifestyle. Though we have been given these basic desires
  by God, we are to be separate from the world and the world’s indul-
  gences and abuses and per versions of these desires.

   How much self-denial do you allow yourself to go through? In
   other words, when your desires are leading you where you know
   you shouldn’t go, how do you respond? What does your answer
   tell you about how well you’re following what the Lord tells us
   about the control of these desires?

  Yield
    It’s one thing, of course, to read the Bible admonitions to keep our
 desires under control; it’s another to do it. Though we want to do what
 is right, sometimes it’s so easy to surrender, not to the will of God but
 to our lusts and passions. Perhaps this problem was best expressed by
 Augustine, who once prayed, “God give me power over my passions—
 but just not yet!” Who, to some degree, can’t relate?
    Nevertheless, there is great hope for us as Christians. We can have
 victory over the things that can, otherwise, destroy us, but we can have
 that victory only through the power and Spirit of God working in a
 soul that yields to that power. In the end, we all yield: The question
 is—to what? To our passions, which bring death, or to God, who
 brings life? There are no other options.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    Those who have totally surrendered their lives to Christ will, through
 the Spirit of God, die to their old selves and be “born from above”
 (John 3:3, NRSV). They have surrendered to God their whole exis-
 tence, including the desires of the heart and flesh (see Rom. 6:13).
 Now, they live under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit, which
 gives them a new life in Christ (see Gal. 5:25). Unlike before they
 knew the Lord, those who have died to self and live again in Christ can,
 through this power, live with their desires under control.
    This new existence, however, is a day-by-day existence. Though we
 sometimes hear stories of those who, having surrendered to Christ,
 suddenly have their lifelong habit of smoking, drinking, or whatever
 just simply vanish, for most Christians that’s not the case. Plus, too,
 character doesn’t change in an instant. There’s a day-by-day battle with
 sin, with self, with the carnal nature, which, though subdued through
 the power of God, is always there trying to break through. In and of
 ourselves, we can’t win against our fallen flesh; all we can do is,
 moment by moment, surrender our wills to Christ and claim His power
 over our sinful desires. This takes self-denial, vigilance, a struggle, and
 lots of prayer, but victory is promised. Otherwise, defeat is certain.

   How, in your own life, have you experienced what these texts
   listed today have talked about? Why is knowledge of the Cross
   so important for you to understand when, at times, you fail?

                                                                         35

    “You may live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, and bear the fruits of
  the Spirit; you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Then you
  will be living channels of light, having your life hid with Christ in
  God.”—Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 4, p. 49.

   ●
   2 In our struggle to keep our desires under control, why is
   understanding the good news of Christ’s substitutionary death so
   important, especially after we make a mistake and yield to our
   sinful desires?

   ●
   3 In your own community, where do you see businesses exploit-
   ing our fallen condition? Though there are limits, of course, to
   what you could or even should do, is there anything that, as a
   class or a church, you could do to help limit the damage these
   businesses are doing to your community? If so, what?

  Lord of Our Speech




  S ABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Psalm 9; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor.
  2:1-5; Eph. 4:15, 29; Col. 4:6; James 3:5-13; 4:11.

         he gift of speech can be a tremendous blessing or a terrible

  T      curse. When we enter into a newness of life under the lordship
         of Christ, Jesus invites us to let Him be the Lord of our speech.
  Used wisely, our speech can bring glory to God and blessing to those
  around us. Misused, our speech can wreak havoc. Corrupt communi-
  cation causes pain to the heart of God and damage to the lives of those
  within our circle of influence.
    Ellen White reminds us that “the faculty of speech is a precious gift,
  and if the noblest of our faculties, reason, is set to the task of know-
  ing God, then the gift of speech may become a means of grace to oth-
  ers, a channel through which the knowledge of God may be commu-
  nicated.”—Manuscript Releases, vol. 19, p. 277.
    In this week’s study, we will explore some practical ways in which we
  can use our speech for the glory of God and the blessing of others. The
  same appeal that the apostle Paul gave to young Timothy is given to
  each one of us today: “[Be] an example in speech” (1 Tim. 4:12, NRSV).

  Speaking Words of Praise to the Lord
    It is the highest privilege for members of the human family to speak
  words of praise to the Lord. The psalms are full of exhortations to
  praise the Lord. In Psalm 9 the psalmist David declares, “I will praise
  You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous
  works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your
  name, O Most High” (Ps. 9:1, 2, NKJV).

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    Throughout the Scriptures, we find the testimonies of individuals
  who used their gift of speech to express praises to God. For example,
  when the secret of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was revealed to Daniel,
  the young prophet was quick to offer praise to the Lord (see Dan.
  2:20-23). This is seen over and over again in the Bible.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     There’s power in words that impacts not only those who hear or read
  those words but those who speak or write them. Through our own acts
  of praising the Lord for His goodness, His mercy, His divine acts in
  our behalf, we only strengthen our faith and appreciation of the Lord’s
  goodness, mercy, and divine acts in our behalf. Thinking about these
  things is also important, but there’s something about expressing them,
  either through spoken or written words, that increases their impact on
  us. No wonder, then, that the Scriptures have whole sections praising
  the Lord.

   Write your own psalm of praise to the Lord for whatever you
   feel impressed to praise Him for, and then read it aloud. See for
   yourself how such expressions can impact you only for the good.




                                                                      39

 Speaking With Grace (Col. 4:6). Study the apostle Paul’s counsel to the believers in Colosse, as
 recorded in Colossians 4:6.What does it mean to “let your speech
 be always with grace, seasoned with salt” (NKJV)? Keeping in
 mind, too, that salt back then was used as a preservative, what do
 you think “seasoned with salt” means in this context?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   Nowhere in the Scriptures do we find the suggestion that grace can
 originate in the hearts of human beings. Grace always originates in the
 heart of God. Grace cannot be worked up. It must be prayed down
 from heaven. We can speak with grace only if our lives are filled with
 grace. How does that happen? Through a daily living connection with
 the Source of all grace, through understanding how grace has been
 poured out upon us. When we keep this great truth before us, that we
 have been recipients of grace, that we have received from God,
 through Christ, what we absolutely do not deserve—then we can
 begin to speak with grace to others.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    We often face situations where the natural tendency would be to
 speak sharp words, words that don’t reflect grace but anger, judgment,
 or retaliation. Oftentimes, we might be in a position where a firm
 word is needed, but even then it’s how we say it, the manner and the
 tone in which we say it, that can either reflect grace or our own self-
 ish nature. Even when we have been mistreated, the Lord desires that
 we respond with words of grace rather than words of rebuke or retal-
 iation. Christ’s whole passion provides us with a perfect example of
 speaking words of grace, even to those who mistreat us.

  Think about the last time your words were graceless.Though all
  you can do is ask for forgiveness for that past act, what can you
  do now to help prevent yourself from making a similar mistake
  next time?

 Speaking the Truth in Love (Eph. 4:15).
   As we suggested yesterday, there are times when we might need to
 speak words of rebuke, counsel, or admonition to others.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    “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 sensi-
 tive 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. He wept over Jerusalem, the
 city He loved, that refused to receive Him, the Way, the Truth, and the
 Life. They rejected Him, the Saviour, but He regarded them with pity-
 ing tenderness, and sorrow so deep that it broke His heart. Every soul
 was precious in His eyes. While He always bore Himself with divine
 dignity, He bowed with tenderest regard to every member of the fam-
 ily of God. In all men He saw fallen souls whom it was His mission
 to save.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 353.

   Unfortunately, there are times when we fail to speak the truth in
 love. We seem to easily fall into one of two traps. Some are quick to
 speak the truth but fail to speak it in love. Others replace love with a
 sentimentalism that hinders their ability to speak the truth at all.

  So often it’s not what we say but how we say it that can make
  all the difference in the world. Stand before a mirror, or before
  others, and practice saying the same words, once in a loving
  tone, once in a harsh, unkind tone. You will be shocked that,
  though the words themselves are the same, their meanings will
  seem so different. There’s a powerful lesson here for us, if we
  will learn it.

                                                                      41

  Speaking in the Power of the Spirit
  (Acts 1:8, 1 Cor. 2:1-5).

     When someone refers to speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit,
  we generally think of preaching. The testimony of Scripture is clear:
  It is God’s intention that all preaching be delivered in the power of the
  Spirit.

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Powerful preaching is not the product of human wisdom or elo-
  quence. Rather, it is the testimony of one who has entered into a per-
  sonal, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The same Holy
  Spirit who placed His seal of approval upon the preaching of Paul will
  also enable humble servants of Christ in our generation to speak with
  a demonstration of divine power.
     Speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit, however, is not limited to
  preaching. God intends that all our speech be delivered with a demon-
  stration of divine power. Indeed, each one of us who lives in newness
  of life under the lordship of Christ is given the privilege and respon-
  sibility of speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit. Divine power,
  however, doesn’t necessarily mean just eloquence (see Exod. 4:10,
  1 Cor. 2:1). If we are speaking in the Spirit, our words, our tone, our
  message will reflect the attributes of the Spirit that are made manifest
  in lives touched by the Spirit. Our words will reflect the kind of peo-
  ple we are; they will reflect whether we are walking after the flesh or
  after the Spirit.
     Also, we must never confuse grand elocution with speaking in the
  Spirit. Many of history’s worst tyrants were men whose speech was
  very powerful and very effective; one, though, would hardly say they
  were speaking in the Spirit.

   What principles do the following texts give us that help us know
   whether we, or someone else, is speaking under the influence of
   the Holy Spirit? 1 Cor. 12:1, 2; Gal. 5:22; Eph. 5:9, 10; 6:17-19.
   How can you apply these principles in your own life and speech?
  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  Avoiding Corrupt Communication                                   (Eph.
  4:29).

     The apostle Paul admonished the believers in Ephesus to avoid cor-
  rupt communication. Unfortunatel y, many of us live in a social envi-
  ronment where cor rupt communication is considered normal. People
  frequently take the name of the Lord in vain, use profane language,
  and make rude or suggestive comments. Even as Christians, if we
  allow ourselves to be exposed continuously to this kind of language,
  sooner or later it will influence us to where we, ourselves, are more
  likely to use these words. We must constantly be on guard.

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Corrupt communication tears down. The Greek word used in
  1 Timothy 3:11, translated “slanderers”(KJV) or “malicious talkers”
  (NIV), is diabolos, one of the names used for the enemy, Satan. When
  people use corrupt communication, they are actually doing Satan’s
  work. What a testimony to the power that is inherent in our words!
     In contrast, the apostle Paul appeals to believers to use speech that
  is “good for necessary edification” (Eph. 4:29, NKJV). The word used
  here literally means “building up.” One translation puts it this way:
  “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only
  what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it
  may benefit those who listen” (Eph. 4:29, NIV).
      Our words, then, have a powerful influence, either for good or for
  evil, for either building up others in faith or for tearing them down.
  Who hasn’t experienced themselves the power of words, either for
  good or for evil, either for edification or for creating doubt? How cru-
  cial that we watch not just our words but the tone and manner in which
  we express them. Indeed, even the right words in the wrong spirit also
  can be considered “cor rupt communication.”

   How much “corrupt communication” emanates from your own
   lips? We’re not talking just about curse words; we’re talking
   about untruths,slander, exaggeration,being judgmental,and so
   forth. Take a hard look at yourself:What things might you need
   to change regarding your speech?


                                                                       43

  ●2 We tend to think of speech as only an individual thing. But
  what about us as a church? How do we, as a church, use the power
  of speech? Why, in many ways, is our responsibility as a church
  regarding our words more important than as individuals?

  ●3 What counsel would you give to an individual who works in an
  environment where corrupt communication is considered nor-
  mal? When should a person stay to be salt and light? When is it
  wise to leave?

  Lord of Our Prayers




  S ABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Isa. 53:12; John 14:12-
  14; Rom. 8:15, 18, 34; Gal. 4:5, 6; Eph. 1:5; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6,
  12:24.

          he life of our Lord. Christ’s life was a life of prayer. Jesus made

  T       prayer a top priority. Mark records that “in the morning, having
          risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to
  a solitary place; and there He prayed” (Mark 1:35, NKJV). Luke tes-
  tifies that Jesus “went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all
  night in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12, NKJV). “No other life was ever so
  crowded with labor and responsibility as was that of Jesus; yet how
  often He was found in prayer!”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages,
  p. 362.
     If we follow the life and teachings of Jesus, we, too, will devote our-
  selves to prayer, and we will learn from the example of our Lord.
  Prayer is the heart and soul of the Christian life. We would be spiritu-
  ally dead without it.
     When we pray, let us address our prayers to our heavenly Father. Let
  us pray in Jesus’ name. Let us pray according to His will. Let us join
  our Lord in the sacred work of intercession.

 Praying to Our Heavenly Father
   In His personal communion with heaven, Jesus addressed God as
 “Father” (John 17:1), “Holy Father” (John 17:11), and “righteous
 Father” (John 17:25). Even the brief prayer of Jesus recorded in Luke
 10:21 is addressed to “Father, Lord of heaven and earth.” During His
 agony in Gethsemane, Jesus addressed the heavenly Father using the
 Aramaic term Abba (Mark 14:36), an endearing name connoting the
 idea of “my father.” The early Christians apparently followed His
 example, at least on certain occasions (see Rom. 8:15, Gal. 4:6).

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   Ideally, a father is to be someone who is loving, caring, protecting,
 someone whom a child can love, trust, and obey.
   Then there’s also the biblical notion of adoption, that as followers
 of Christ we have been “adopted” into the Father’s household (see
 Rom. 8:15, Gal. 4:5, Eph. 1:5). In Roman times, when a son was
 adopted, he received all the legal rights and privileges that came with
 the new family. As followers of Christ, we receive the fullness of sal-
 vation that comes from being the children of God. “See what love the
 Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so
 we are” (1 John 3:1, RSV).
   Thus, praying the name Father should give us comfort, hope, and
 joy.

  Of course, many earthly fathers have been the opposite of what
  a father should be. What advice can you give to someone for
  whom the idea of father brings painful memories? How can you
  help him or her experience the Father’s love?


                                                                     47

 Praying in Jesus’ Name
   “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men,
 the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 2:5, NKJV).

   In John 14:12-14 Jesus tells us that we should ask for things in His
 name. That is, what we request from the Father, we should request in
 the name of Jesus. What does this mean? So often, when we pray, we
 pray to the Father, and then we often, in our prayer, end with some-
 thing to the effect, “And we ask these things in Jesus’name.” What is
 implied with these words?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   By praying in Jesus’ name, we are declaring before ourselves,
 before other humans, and even before the universe (see 1 Cor. 4:9)
 that we, personally, acknowledge the authority and power of Jesus
 Christ in our lives. By praying in His name we verbalize our personal
 acceptance of Him as our Savior, our Redeemer, as the One who died
 for our sins and the One through whom we have complete access to
 the Father (see Heb. 8:1). By praying in the name of Jesus, we can
 claim the promises of God that we have in and through Him. By pray-
 ing in the name of Jesus, we are openly expressing our faith in Him as
 the One who has closed the gap caused by sin between heaven and
 earth, the One through whom we, as sinners, have been reconciled to
 our heavenly Father. “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled
 us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of rec-
 onciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto
 himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed
 unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18, 19).

  By praying in Jesus’ name, we acknowledge Him and what He
  has done for us. At the same time, what obligations does that
  place on us—we who pray in His name—regarding how we live,
  how we speak, and how we treat others?

  Praying According to the Father’s Will
  (Mark 14:36; John 6:38;1 John 5:14, 15).

    Jesus declared, “ ‘For I have come down from heaven, not to do My
  own will, but the will of Him who sent Me’ ” (John 6:38, NKJV).
  Even in His prayers, Jesus demonstrated His commitment to yield His
  own will to the will of His Father. When we pray, there are certain
  requests we can know for certain are in harmony with the Father’s
  will. For example, when we pray for salvation, Jesus assures us in
  John 3:16 that we are praying in accordance with the Father’s will.

              Request                         Scriptural Support
  ●
  1


  ●
  2


  ●
  3


    In other situations, it may be more difficult to determine the Father’s
  will. For example, have you ever prayed for someone who is sick?
  How do you know the Father’s will for that individual? We are told to
  pray for the sick and to trust that God will bring healing. But we do
  not know the way in which healing will come, nor do we know God’s
  timing. Should we then shrink back from praying for those who are
  feeble and weak? No! “Let your prayer include this thought: ‘Lord,
  Thou knowest every secret of the soul. Thou art acquainted with these
  persons; for Jesus, their advocate, gave His life for them. He loves
  them better than we possibly can. If, therefore, it is for Thy glory and
  the good of these afflicted ones to raise them up to health, we ask Thee
  in the name of Jesus, that health may be given them at this time.’ ”
  —Ellen G. White, Counsels on Health, p. 375.

   Go back and read Jesus’ prayer in Mark 14:36. Notice the
   sequence of thought: (1) His word Abba expresses the close rela-
   tionship with His Father. (2) He acknowledges the Lord’s power.
   (3) He expresses His own personal desire. (4) He surrenders His
   own personal desire to the Father. How does this serve as a
   model for our own prayers? Is there any prayer you need to pray
   right now that reflects this same pattern? Why not get on your
   knees, even now, and pray it in the will of God?



                                                                        49

  Praying for Others
    It is impossible to live under the lordship of Christ and pray only for
  yourself. When Jesus Christ is Lord of your prayers, you will join Him
  in interceding for others. Jesus prayed for groups of people (see John
  17:9, 20) and also for individuals (see Luke 22:31, 32). Several Greek
  verbs are used in the New Testament to describe the prayers of Jesus.
  One such verb means “to beg.” This is the verb used in Luke 22:32 to
  describe the prayer of intercession that Jesus offered on Simon Peter’s
  behalf. “Satan could do nothing against the all-powerful intercession
  of Christ. And the prayer that Christ offered for Peter He offers in
  behalf of all who are humble and contrite in heart.”—Ellen G. White,
  Sons and Daughters of God, p. 91.

      Many times we are asked to pray for others when they are facing
  difficulties and trials. Lists are read in church of people who “need
  our prayers.” On occasion, we may be tempted to feel overwhelmed
  because there are so many people on our prayer list. Nevertheless,
  there are too many mandates and examples in the Bible of God’s faith-
  ful servants praying for others. We can’t neglect doing our part, as
  well. There’s a power in prayer that only those who pray in the Spirit
  and in truth can experience.
    In fact, even science is beginning to understand more about the
  power of prayer. Though the issue is still debated, studies have been
  done that have convinced many “secular” scientists and doctors that
  praying for sick people does, indeed, help the sick get better—a fact
  that from their “scientific” perspective does not make sense. All of
  this simply shows how prayer is something beyond science.

   What are some of the things Satan throws before our minds to
   make us think our prayers are not needed? Or don’t matter?
   What can you do to reject those thoughts and make a personal
   commitment to pray for others in need?

 Prayer Examples
   The Bible is filled with examples of powerful prayers uttered by
 God’s people. None of these folk were perfect, none of their lives sin-
 less, and none had any righteousness in and of themselves to com-
 mend them to God. All of them were—as all of us are—sinners in
 need of divine grace, in need of the incense of Christ’s righteousness
 to mingle with our prayers and make them acceptable to a holy God
 (see Rev. 8:3). Nevertheless, in their great need, in their realization of
 who they were and who God was, they prayed to their Creator, their
 Redeemer, their heavenly Father.
   Prayer is an expression of our realization that we can’t do it our-
 selves, that there are forces beyond our control, and that we are beings
 dependent upon something greater than what we ourselves or what
 our material world could provide for us.

 1__Kings
    _______8:15-61
            ___________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 Psalm
 _______51
        _____________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 _Dan.
   _____9:4-19
        ______________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________




                                                                        51

   Note: Various models for prayer have been helpful for Christians.
 The best-known model is the Lord’s Prayer. It is possible to recite this
 prayer in fewer than 60 seconds. However, if you use the main move-
 ments of this prayer as an outline for prayer, your prayer time can be
 expanded to last for half an hour, an hour, or even all night.
   The earthly sanctuary is also a helpful model for prayer, including
 praise, confession, cleansing, prayer for the baptism of the Holy
 Spirit, empowerment through God’s Word, intercession, and intimate
 communion with the Lord before the ark of the covenant in the Most
 Holy Place.

  ●2 Share in class some personal experiences with prayer. You can
  talk about dramatic answers to prayer or about what prayer does
  for you, or how you understand how prayer works.What can you
  share that can help edify and encourage class members in their
  own prayer life?

  ●
  3 Is there anyone whom you,as a class,know needs pr ayer? Why
  not stop everything and, right now, pray as a group for this per-
  son? Afterward, discuss the experience of praying as a group as
  opposed to praying individually.

  ●
  4 How can you help your children, or children within your cir-
  cle of influence, to experience a meaningful prayer experience
  with their heavenly Father?

                            Jane Bor (left). Charlotte Ishkanian is editor of Mission.

  Lord of Our
  Relationships


  S ABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 20:14, 17; Psalms
  127; 128; Luke 6:27, 28; Acts 2:41-47; Eph. 4:32; 5:25; 6:1-4.

         reated for relationships. After God had created Adam, He said,

  C      “ ‘It is not good that man should be alone’ ” (Gen. 2:18,
         NKJV). Adam was not simply a work of art to be admired by
  his Creator. He was a relational being, created with the innate desire
  to experience intimacy with God and with other created beings. When
  the Lord brought Eve to her companion’s side, Adam gave the follow-
  ing testimony of the intimacy he was already experiencing: “ ‘This is
  now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called
  Woman, because she was taken out of Man’ ” (vs. 23). Moses provides
  a brief description of the intimate relationship that our first parents
  enjoyed: “They were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not
  ashamed” (vs. 25).
     So much has changed since that first relational encounter.
  Relationships have become damaged and fractured by sin. God
  desires that we experience the meaningful intimate relationships that
  were part of His original plan.

 The God of Relationships
    As human beings, we live in relationship with other human beings.
 There’s no escaping it. Nature itself shows we are meant to exist in
 relationships.
    For starters, each one of us is here only because of a relationship
 that resulted in our birth. And even after birth, infants cannot live but
 a few hours on their own. They need a relationship to survive; that is,
 they need at least one other person to take care of their physical needs.
 And almost as important as the physical are the mental needs, as well.
 Infants crave love, attention, and affection. From their youngest days
 infants are aware of, and respond to, human love—to touching, to
 words, to moods, to attitudes. Babies are made to bond, not with toys
 or with the bed, but with other people. The children who have loving,
 close parents to bond with are so much better adjusted than those who
 never had them. And that’s because we were made to be in relation -
 ship with other people.
    And yet, no matter how basic to our existence and identity as humans,
 something has gone wrong with our relationships. All around us we can
 see examples of relationships gone sour. Most of the pain and heartache
 we suffer as humans, we suffer because of bad relationships.
    But because God loves us, He obviously cares about our relation-
 ships, which form such an important part of our existence. Thus, He
 wants us to have good, healthy, affirming relationships. That’s why the
 Bible has so much to say about this crucial topic.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   Here, as we interact with others, the true measure of our walk with
 Christ will be revealed. Thus, as Christians, no aspect of our lives should
 be under the lordship of Jesus Christ more than our relationships.

  How well do your relationships reflect the principles expressed
  in the above texts? In what areas,perhaps,do you need to make
  some radical, even painful, changes?


                                                                         57

 Relationship With God
   Though we all want good, healthy relationships with each other,
 that’s not always so easy to achieve. We are all sinners with defects
 that don’t always make us so easy to get along with.
   Crucial, however, to our relationship with others is our relationship
 with God. He created us, He alone can change us. Only through a
 close connection with the Lord can we have the kind of relationships
 with others that we should, ideally, have.

   When Job declared “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He
 shall stand at last on the earth” (Job 19:25, NKJV, emphasis supplied),
 he was referring to more than simple awareness of a fact. This same
 Hebrew verb yada is used in Genesis 4:1 where Adam “knew” his
 wife, and she conceived and bore a son. Job was testifying concerning
 an intimate personal relationship. In an article entitled “Growth in
 Grace,” Ellen White shared the following insight: “To be living
 Christians, we must have a vital connection with Christ. The true
 believer can say, ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth.’This intimate com-
 munion with our Saviour will take away the desire for earthly and sen-
 sual gratifications. All our powers of body, soul, and spirit should be
 devoted to God.”—Review and Herald, May 30, 1882.

  How has your own relationship with God impacted your rela-
  tionships? Write down the practical, tangible ways in which
  knowing God has impacted how you relate to people. In what
  areas do you need to grow?

 The Gift of Marriage (Eph. 5:22-33).
   Marriage, like the Sabbath, is something we have taken from Eden.
 Sadly, though, many marriages today have hardly been made in para-
 dise. Probably few things better represent the extent of the damage sin
 has caused to human relationships than what it has done to marriage,
 something that was originally designed to bring fulfillment, happi-
 ness, and joy.

   When Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives and Lord of our relation-
 ships, our perspective on marriage will be uniquely Christian. “Men
 and women can reach God’s ideal for them if they will take Christ as
 their helper. What human wisdom cannot do, His grace will accom-
 plish for those who give themselves to Him in loving trust. His prov-
 idence can unite hearts in bonds that are of heavenly origin. Love will
 not be a mere exchange of soft and flattering words. The loom of
 heaven weaves with warp and woof finer, yet more firm, than can be
 woven by the looms of earth. The result is not a tissue fabric, but a tex-
 ture that will bear wear and test and trial.”—Ellen G. White, The
 Adventist Home, pp. 112, 113.

 ●
 1 How are wives to relate to their husbands?


 ____________________________________________________________________

 ●
 2 How should husbands treat their wives?


 ____________________________________________________________________

 ●
 3 How does what Christ did for the church represent what a hus-
 band should do for the wife?

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ●4 What mutual principles of love and respect are seen in these
 texts? How would following these principles greatly enhance any
 marriage?
 ____________________________________________________________________
                                                                        59

  The Gift of Family What insights can we gain from Psalms 127 and 128 about the gift of
  family?

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     God has blessed each one of us with the gift of family. Whether we
  are single or married, with or without children, we are all part of a
  family circle. That family circle is extended exponentially when we
  become a part of God’s family! In all our family relationships, we who
  have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus and now live under
  His lordship should manifest a Christlike spirit and a loving conduct
  that are different from that of unbelievers.
     In the home, perhaps more than anywhere else, parents have a
  sacred obligation to live out the principles of their faith. Love, for-
  giveness, kindness, compassion, care, discipline—these principles are
  especially crucial. So many of the child’s early impressions about God
  are formed early on as a direct result of how the parents interacted
  with the child and with each other. Nothing done in the home occurs
  in a vacuum: The repercussions of our words, our body language, our
  tone, and our deeds are felt throughout the house, whether we realize
  it or not. And long after the deeds and words or even attitudes are past,
  the influences live on, often in the hearts and minds of the children,
  who are so malleable, so tender and sensitive. How crucial that par-
  ents, or anyone interacting with children, deal gently with them.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    When caring for children within our circle of influence, the Lord
  Jesus Christ wants us to avoid two extremes: a harsh, tyrannical dis-
  position and a careless, indifferent attitude. Parents need to find the
  delicate balance between these two extremes, giving discipline and
  guidance when needed, while, at the same time, showing children the
  mercy and love and grace God has shown to them. It’s a sacred, and
  solemn, responsibility. Here, as in all relationships, parents need to
  learn from God at the foot of the Cross.

 The Gift of Community (Acts 2:41-47).
    Those who live under the lordship of Christ experience a unique
 sense of community. The Greek noun used in the New Testament to
 describe this community is koinonia, often translated as “fellowship.”
 Some scholars suggest that the “[koinonia] of the Holy Spirit,” spo-
 ken of by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV), may also be
 translated the “koinonia brought about by the Holy Spirit.” In other
 words, to the degree that we allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives,
 to that degree we will have fellowship with one another.

   1. What kind of practical and theological unity did they manifest?


   2.What kind of fellowship did they have?


   3. In what practical ways did they relate to one another?


  4.What kind of witness did they, in their koinonia, present to the
 world?


    What a beautiful picture of the early church; what a powerful depic-
 tion of the very principles regarding relationships Jesus Himself
 taught and, of course, manifested in His life. Try to imagine what a
 force for good your local church could be were it to manifest such
 koinonia. What a powerful witness it would be (see John 13:35).

  What changes need to be made in your church in order for it to
  reflect better what we’ve learned today? Why, though, must
  those changes begin in the heart of each believer? What is the
  only way these changes can come?




                                                                      61

  ●
  2 List the three most important relationships currently in your
  life. What are you doing to nurture those relationships?

  ●
  3 What are some creative ways you can reach out to people who
  lack meaningful relationships in their lives?

  ●
  4 As a class, read together the Bonhoeffer quote listed above. What
  practical things can you do in order to become a better listener?

  Lord of Our Resources




  S ABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Deut. 8:7-18; Matt.6:19-
  21; 24:45-51; 1 Cor. 9:11-14; Phil. 4:11-13; Heb. 13:5; James 1:16,
  17.

         he psalmist reminds us that “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its

  T      fullness, the world and those who dwell therein” (Ps. 24:1,
         NKJV). Every good and perfect gift we receive comes from the
  Father’s hand. The greatest gift of all was bestowed when God so
  loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. “He poured out
  all heaven to man in that one great gift. And then he completed the
  work by surrounding man with unlimited blessings, f avor upon favor,
  gift upon gift, opening to our view all the treasures of the future
  world.”—Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, August 17, 1891.
     When we have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ, we
  will recognize Him as Lord of all our resources, for all our resources
  have come only from Him and certainly not from ourselves. We, then,
  are stewards, not owners, and as stewards we identify ourselves with
  the Master, whose goods we have been given to oversee. We must
  accept the responsibilities of a steward and act in our Master’s stead.

  Giving Thanks for Every Good and
  Perfect Gift (James 1:16, 17). What important truth does James reaffirm in his letter to the broth-
  ers and sisters in Christ scattered abroad? James 1:16, 17. What
  are some of these gifts? What error is he trying to help them avoid?

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Our culture tells us we get what we earn, and we control what
  belongs to us. The Word of God, however, reminds us we get what we
  don’t deserve and that our possessions belong to God. Every good and
  perfect gift comes from above. Were it not for our loving heavenly
  Father, we would have no life, no meaning, and no future. The apostle
  Paul reminds us that “in Him we live and move and have our being”
  (Acts 17:28, NKJV).
     Think for a moment about the blessings you enjoy on a daily basis.
  Have any of us duly considered how much we have to be thankful for?
  What do you possess that didn’t, ultimately, have its origins in God,
  our Creator? Wealth, power, prestige, whatever you have, at its source
  it didn’t start with you but with God, who created all things. How
  important that we never forget that truth.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

   What are some of the gifts you have been given that mean the
   most to you? Why are they so important? What can you do to
   protect yourself against taking them for granted or thinking you
   somehow deserve them because of your own innate goodness?

                                                                     65

  Returning a Faithful Tithe
    The Lord gave the following command to the children of Israel
  through His servant Moses: “ ‘And all the tithe of the land, whether of
  the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy
  to the Lord’ ” (Lev. 27:30, NKJV). The phrase “holy to the Lord”
  makes more sense when you understand that the idea of holy carries
  with it the notion of “set apart for holy use,” indicating the tithe is to
  be set apart for the Lord, to be used for Him and His purpose specif-
  ically, as opposed to other uses. It is something special, something dif-
  ferent from the rest of our “seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree.”

  ____________________________________________________________________

     We see various aspects of the tithing principle throughout the Bible.
  Abraham gave tithe to the priest of the Most High God, Melchizedek
  (Gen. 14:20), a fact that’s reemphasized in the New Testament book
  of Hebrews (see Heb. 7:2); Jacob, as well, understood the idea of
  tithing (Gen. 28:22); and, after the Exodus, God reaffirmed the law of
  tithing as a divine institution (Lev. 27:30-32; Num. 18:24, 26, 28;
  Deut. 12:6, 11, 17).
     “Because Abraham is the father of all believers, he is the model of
  tithe paying for Christians. As Abraham paid tithe to Melchizedek, the
  priest of the Most High God, so New Testament believers give tithe to
  Christ, our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb.
  5:9, 10; 7:1-22).”—Seventh-day Adventists Believe, p. 272.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  Laying Up Treasure in Heaven (Matt. 6:19-21). Read Matthew 6:19-21. Rewrite the text in your own words, express-
  ing the essential message you believe the Lord is telling us here.


    However simple Christ’s words, the idea behind them is profound.
  Jesus warns us that things of this world are temporal, transitory, unsta-
  ble; why, then, put all your treasure where one day it will be swept
  away or lost forever? Why put your money in a bank that you know is
  going to collapse? The Lord is pointing us to eternal things, to heav-
  enly things, to things that long after this world and all that’s in it pass
  away will still be here.

  ____________________________________________________________________

    Laying up treasure in heaven deals, not just with what we do with
  our money but with our whole lives. What are our priorities? What are
  our biggest concerns? How much of our life is spent on earthly,
  worldly, temporal things as opposed to spiritual and heavenly things?
  For example, how much time do we spend in prayer, Bible study, or
  witnessing as opposed to watching TV? Do our lives reveal that we,
  indeed, are not only preparing to meet Jesus but we are working to
  help others prepare, as well? Those who are laying up treasure in
  heaven are daily making decisions for the Lord; they are choosing
  obedience over sin, love over hatred, and others over self. In short, lay-
  ing up treasure in heaven is living the Christian life, a life marked by
  self-sacrificing love, a life that isn’t dominated by love of the world or
  the things in the world, where moths and thieves and rust exist.

   Dwell on Christ’s words, “ ‘Where your treasure is, there will
   your heart be also.’ ” Where’s your heart? What does your
   answer tell you about yourself and where your treasure is? Is it
   time to transfer your account?

                                                                          67

  Living as Faithful Stewards (Matt. 24:45-51). Read the account in Matthew 24:45-51. What message is the Lord
  giving us here?

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    Look at the characteristics of the faithful and wise servant. He is
  doing what was expected of him. In other words, it wasn’t just that he
  had correct doctrine or theology. Perhaps all that was implicit in his
  actions. The point is, the man was obedient. Hence, the time of the
  master’s return wasn’t all that important; it made no difference when
  he came back, because, at any time, he would find his servant work-
  ing faithfully.
    Meanwhile, in contrast, it is easy for us to pass judgment on the
  unfaithful steward and condemn him for his waywardness. And yet,
  how many of us act in much the same way? We use the resources our
  Master has placed at our disposal to serve ourselves. We preoccupy our-
  selves with our own present desires and agendas, at the expense of what
  the Lord has asked us to do as stewards of the gifts He has given us.

  ____________________________________________________________________

     Notice, too, the unfaithful steward didn’t believe that the Lord
  wasn’t coming back; he thought it was just going to be longer than
  first anticipated. What could better depict a danger that we as
  Adventists face—we who have long been expecting the Lord to come
  and who often talk (rightly or wrongly) about a “delay”? Have we,
  even subconsciously, changed how we live because we think the
  Lord’s coming is delayed?

   Suppose Christ came back yesterday. Would He have found you
   a faithful or an unfaithful steward? If the answer was the latter,
   what would you have done differently yesterday in order to have
   been deemed a faithful servant?

 Learning to Be Content
   “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6, NKJV).

   The noun translated “contentment” in 1 Timothy 6:6 implies self-
 sufficiency, “the state of one who supports himself without aid from
 others.” This state of being was highly valued by some of the philoso-
 phers in Paul’s day. While the apostle Paul also affirms contentment
 as a virtue, he suggests that, for the follower of Jesus, the source of
 contentment does not come from within but from without.

    Our contentment is based upon our confidence in our Lord and
 Savior Jesus Christ. He is the One who strengthens us. He is our Rock,
 when everything else is shifting sand. He is our Surety, when every-
 thing else is uncertain. Apart from Jesus Christ, there is no true con-
 tentment.
    “Paul in this letter to Timothy would impress upon his mind the
 necessity of giving such instruction as should remove the deception
 which so easily steals upon the rich, that because of their riches they
 are superior to those who are in poverty, that because of their ability
 to acquire they are superior in wisdom and judgment—in short, that
 gain is godliness. Here is a fearful deception. How few heed the
 charge which Paul commissioned Timothy to make to the rich! How
 many flatter themselves that their acquisitiveness is godliness! Paul
 declares, ‘Godliness with contentment is great gain.’ Although rich
 persons may devote their whole lives to the one object of getting
 riches, yet as they brought nothing into the world, they can carry noth-
 ing out. They must die and leave that which cost them so much labor
 to obtain. They staked their all, their eternal interest, to obtain this
 property, and have lost both worlds.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies
 for the Church, vol. 1, p. 541.

  Why does one not necessarily need to be rich in order to face the
  dangers Ellen White is talking about? Why is the imbalanced
  pursuit of anything worldly dangerous? What practical steps
  can we take to make sure we don’t get caught up in this trap?


                                                                      69

 The Rich Fool: Luke 12:13-21
    “By the parable of the foolish rich man, Christ showed the folly of
 those who make the world their all. This man had received everything
 from God. . . . He did not realize that God had made him a steward of
 His goods that he might help the needy. He had a blessed opportunity
 of being God’s almoner, but he thought only of ministering to his own
 comfort.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 256.

 Nicodemus: John 3:1, 2; 19:38-40
    “Now, when the Jews were trying to destroy the infant church,
 Nicodemus came forward in its defense. No longer cautious and ques-
 tioning, he encouraged the faith of the disciples and used his wealth
 in helping to sustain the church at Jerusalem and in advancing the
 work of the gospel. Those who in other days had paid him reverence,
 now scorned and persecuted him, and he became poor in this world’s
 goods; yet he faltered not in the defense of his faith.”—Ellen G.
 White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 105.

  ●
  2 How does the act of returning tithes and offerings help keep
  us from being greedy?

  ●3 Suppose someone were to come to your class and say, “Look,
  I just lost my job. I barely have enough money to pay the rent and
  feed my kids. I just can’t possibly return tithe . I can’t get by on
  what I have now.” What would you say to that person? What
  could you do for that person, as well?

  Lord of Our
  Body Temples


  S ABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: John 1:1-4; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20;
  10:31; Gal. 3:13; Col. 1:16, 17; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19.

         ou are the temple of the living God. When the apostle Paul first

  Y      mentioned the word temple to the inhabitants of Corinth, they
         did not think of their own bodies; rather, they thought of the
  temple of Aphrodite, a place where worshipers engaged in sexual
  immorality with temple prostitutes. That’s probably why in his letters to
  the Corinthians Paul goes to great lengths to reeducate the new believ-
  ers concerning the temple where God dwells, which is in the hearts of
  those who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Paul declares,
  “You are the temple of the living God” (2 Cor. 6:16, NKJV), and “Your
  body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 6:19, NKJV). Thus, the
  most compelling reason to care for our bodies is not simply that we
  might extend our lifespan or enjoy better health now, but because we
  choose to honor God with our bodies, which are His gifts to us.

 All Things Were Made by Him (John 1:1-3).
   The New Testament writers boldly proclaim that the Lord Jesus
 Christ is not only the Messiah, the Son of the Highest, but He is also
 the Creator of the world. Thousands of years before the Son of God
 entered into humanity in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, He spoke
 the world into existence.

    The apostle Paul also emphasizes the supremacy of Jesus Christ,
 Son of God, as the Creator of all things, and the One from whom we
 have even our life. Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, the image of the
 invisible God, Paul writes, “For by him all things were created: things
 in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or pow-
 ers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:16,
 17, NIV).

   During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus Christ never explicitly
 claimed to be the Creator of all things. However, as we study His life
 and teachings, we find many evidences that point to His creative
 power. For example, when Jesus calmed the storm on the sea of
 Galilee, the astonished disciples exclaimed, “Who is this? Even the
 wind and the waves obey Him!” (See Mark 4:41, NIV.)

  With the few texts we read for today as background, read
  Genesis 2:7, the account of God making humanity. Notice the
  closeness, the intimacy, of the act, in contrast to how everything
  else in the Genesis account was made. What does that tell us
  about the basic meaning of our own personal existence, about
  who we are, about why we are here? What radically different
  conclusions can we draw about the meaning of our lives in con-
  trast to those who believe we are products of pure chance, noth-
  ing more? (See also Gen. 1:26, 27.)

                                                                       73

  Redeemed
    In yesterday’s study, we saw that the Bible very clearly reveals Jesus
  Christ as the Creator, the One who created all things, the One who
  spoke the world into existence, and the One who in a very intimate act
  breathed “the breath of life” into the first human being. Thus, we are
  not our own, in that we somehow created ourselves or put ourselves
  here out of our own volition, and, therefore, have an absolute claim
  over ourselves. On the contrary. As the objects of His specific act of
  creation, we belong to God, whose claim over us is greater than our
  claim over ourselves.

    We might belong to God because He is our Creator, but, according
  to the Bible, that’s not His only claim over us.

    In the Bible, the idea of being redeemed is to be ransomed, to be
  bought back, to be recovered, to be rescued, or to be set free. Through
  Jesus our Redeemer, all these things have happened to us, which
  means His claims over us are even greater than before, for now we are
  His, by both creation and redemption. And redemption might even be
  a greater claim, because simply being created doesn’t necessarily
  mean something good. After all, some people might curse their own
  existence and wish they had never been born. In contrast, as the One
  who redeemed us in an act that promises us a new existence in a world
  without sin or suffering, Christ has done something wonderful for us
  that nothing can diminish or destroy (see Dan. 2:44).

   Write out a prayer thanking God for what He has done for you
   as your Creator and Redeemer. How, then, do you want to
   respond to Him because of what He has done? What obligations
   do you feel toward God, and what motivates you to fulfill those
   obligations?

  The Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19, 20).
    In his first epistle to the Christians in Corinth, the apostle Paul
  emphasized the importance of honoring God with our bodies. The
  Corinthian believers were facing some intense challenges. They lived
  in a city where sexual immorality was not only prevalent, it was
  encouraged. Satan was marring the image of God in unbelievers and
  believers alike. Promiscuity was not only plaguing the culture, it was
  permeating the church.

     As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we cannot use and abuse our
  bodies with careless indifference. Too often, people say, “This is my
  life, and I can do what I want with it.” The Word of God challenges that
  self-centered philosophy. When Christians engage in harmful activity,
  they damage themselves personally and dishonor God publicly.

     Honoring God with our bodies involves more than refraining from
  sexual immorality. Once we recognize that our bodies are temples of
  the Holy Spirit, redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus, this realiza-
  tion will affect every aspect of our lives. We will not only seek to
  avoid defiling our body temple with any substance or activity that is
  harmful or inappropriate. We will also actively seek to care for our
  body temple and involve ourselves in activities that honor God.

   “What matters for the Christian is only the spiritual, not the
   physical.” How would you, from a biblical perspective, respond
   to this claim? How do you understand the strong link between
   the physical and the spiritual dimensions of humanity?




                                                                       75

 Do All to the Glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).
    Having appealed to the believers in Corinth to avoid defiling their
 body temples through sexual immorality, the apostle Paul shares a
 principle that can guide every aspect of life: “So whether you eat or
 drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31,
 NIV). The Greek noun translated “glory” is the same word used as a
 verb in 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Honor God with your body.” The corre -
 lation between these two passages is clear. Because your body is the
 temple of the Holy Spirit, everything you do, including what you eat
 and what you drink, should be done to the honor of God.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   We are physical beings. In the new heaven and the new earth, we
 will still be physical beings (see Rev. 21:4, 14). The idea that we are
 temples serves to prove even more so how sacred, and important, the
 physical aspect of our being is. No wonder, then, we are admonished
 to take care of ourselves, to use our bodies in ways that glorify the
 One who made them. Any kind of physical indulgence, any kind of
 bodily sin, any kind of abuse of our body simply defiles what God has
 created and given us.
   Also, if God loves and cares about us, then it should be no surprise
 that He wants us to take care of our bodies, which can be a source of
 much joy or so much suffering, often depending upon how we our-
 selves take care of them.

  Read these words of Ellen White: “Since the laws of nature are the
  laws of God, it is plainly our duty to give these laws careful study.
  We should study their requirements in regard to our own bodies
  and conform to them.”—Testimonies for the Church, vo l .6 ,p .3 6 9 .
  What is she telling us here? How do these words reflect the prin-
  ciple Paul gave us in 1 Corinthians 10:31?

 Shalom!
   Many people have heard of the Hebrew word shalom, understood as
 “peace.” It is sometimes used as an informal greeting among Jews today.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    The word shalom itself has a very rich and deep meaning in the Old
 Testament, where it appears in one form or another hundreds of times.
 It carries within it the idea of completeness, good welfare, wholeness,
 soundness, well-being, inner harmony, and health. The word itself
 incorporates every aspect of life, including the physical, mental, and
 the spiritual, whether individually, collectively, or nationally.
    For example, in one of the earliest uses of the word, Jacob inquires
 about the well-being (shalom) of Laban (see Gen. 29:6). The word
 translated “well” both times in the text is shalom. In contrast, in
 Jeremiah 29:7, Jeremiah tells the Jews in captivity to pray for the
 shalom “of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away,”
 because, the Lord says, in the shalom of the city will be the shalom of
 the Hebrew captives.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    The Bible calls Jesus, Sar-Shalom, “the prince of peace,” which
 makes sense because, in Him, through faith in Him, through obedi-
 ence to His law, both moral and physical, we can find “shalom,”
 wholeness, completeness, and well-being in our lives.

  As Adventists, we have been greatly blessed with a health mes-
  sage. How seriously do you take the light we have been given on
  health? What changes might you need to make to have more
  “shalom” in your own life?

                                                                     77

  ●
  2 In what ways, if any, can you see a link between holiness and
  healthful living? Is that idea found anywhere in Scripture?

  ●
  3 As a class, talk about what you might be able to do to help
  your own church members be more conscious regarding the need
  to take care of their bodies.

  ●
  4 What dangers do we face in emphasizing the importance of
  health and its link to faith and spirituality so that we don’t make
  those who are sick feel as if they were somehow facing the judg-
  ment of God?

  ●
  5 What role do dress and adornment have in the question of our
  body temples? What does Scripture say about this topic?

  S ABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 1:27, 28; 2:15;
  3:17-19; Matt. 25:14-30; Acts 10:36-43; Eph. 4:28; 2 Thess. 3:6-12.

         he dignity of labor. We are called, as followers of the Lord Jesus

  T      Christ, to set our minds on things above, not on things on the
         earth. However, at the same time, God also calls us to be pro-
  ductive in our daily labor. Commenting on Christ’s parable of the tal-
  ents, Ellen White notes that “God has called us to serve Him in the
  temporal affairs of life. Diligence in this work is as much a part of true
  religion as is devotion. . . . Every man and woman who is truly con-
  verted will be a diligent worker.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 343.
    In this week’s lesson, we will explore the gift of work for those who
  have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We will discover that
  excellence and productivity in our work are important parts of our
  witness as citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

  The Gift of Labor in Eden (Gen. 1:27, 28; 2:15).
    Contrary to a common notion, daily labor is not one of the negative
  consequences of living in a sinful world (the common notion that
  labor itself is bad, though, is a consequence of sin). Meaningful labor
  for the human family was part of God’s original and perfect plan.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     The Garden of Eden was a flawless environment. All creation
  rejoiced together in perfect harmony. In this idyllic setting, God gave
  Adam and Eve a meaningful work assignment, both for the Garden
  itself and for the world in general. Their whole relationship with the
  created world around them wasn’t limited to just enjoying it; they
  were, rather, to interact with it. In fact, they were to rule over the cre-
  ated world; thus, in a sense, they were gardeners-rulers, working in
  their garden home while ruling over the earth and the things in it.
  Created out of that world, they were distinctly part of it, working in it
  as laborers while at the same time given rule over it, an interesting
  combination of roles, to be sure.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

   In what ways does your labor, whatever kind it is, offer you
   opportunities to grow, to mature, to learn? What could you do
   in order to take advantage of whatever opportunities your work
   does offer you toward growth and maturity?




                                                                          81

 The Challenges of Labor After the Fall
 (Gen. 3:17-19).

   The entrance of sin into our world resulted in numerous negative
 consequences. The most devastating consequence was death. Long
 before Adam and Eve experienced death personally, they would wit-
 ness the horrifying consequence of their sin in the death of Abel at the
 hands of his brother Cain. Sin not only affected the human family; it
 also affected the environment.

 ____________________________________________________________________

   It is not clear how much time elapsed after God created the world
 before sin marred the perfect creation. Undoubtedly, Adam and Eve
 enjoyed the privilege of laboring in that wonderful setting. With the
 entrance of sin, however, the environment became harsh and hostile.
 Our first parents were now compelled to labor by the sweat of their
 brow. The cycle of deterioration and death in the natural environment
 would be a constant reminder of their own mortality as well as a stark
 contrast to the Eden they had once enjoyed.

    “It was God’s purpose to alleviate by toil the evil brought into the
 world by man’s disobedience. By toil the temptations of Satan might
 be made ineffectual, and the tide of evil stayed. And though attended
 with anxiety, weariness, and pain, labor is still a source of happiness
 and development, and a safeguard against temptation. Its discipline
 places a check on self-indulgence, and promotes industry, purity, and
 firmness. Thus it becomes a part of God’s great plan for our recovery
 from the fall.”—Ellen G. White, Messages to Young People, p. 213.

  What examples have you seen, if any, of how work can be used
  for our spiritual benefit?

  Productivity in Our Labor (2 Thess. 3:6-12). Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12 and then answer the following questions:

    1.Whom should the people avoid?______________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    2.Whose example should they follow, and in what?___________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    3.What reason did Paul give for the fact that he and his fellow
  evangelists worked to earn their bread?___________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    4.What was Paul’s attitude toward those who refused to work?

  ____________________________________________________________________

    5. How would you sum up the essence of what Paul is writing
  here? What principles are here that we, today, should apply to our
  own lives and how we relate to work and to those who don’t work?

  ____________________________________________________________________

   6. In what kind of situations might those who are not working
 be excused for not working? What, then, is your responsibility
 toward such a person?_____________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

   When we are productive in our labor, we are blessed in many ways.
 We are able to provide for the needs of our families and loved ones.
 Our productivity also brings honor to the Lord we serve. Whether we
 are ploughing a field, caring for the sick, working in the home, or
 operating a small business, we can use this time of labor for the honor
 of our Lord and the blessing of those around us. Such is the attitude
 of an individual who is living under the lordship of Christ.

   “If any would not work, neither should he eat.” How do you
   relate to this admonition with the whole idea of grace, of for-
   giveness, of treating people better than they deserve, just as
   Christ has treated us better than we deserve?


                                                                     83

 Laboring for the Benefit of Others What principle regarding labor did the apostle Paul share with the
 believers in Ephesus? Eph. 4:28.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   The apostle Paul practiced what he preached. Speaking to the
 Ephesian elders before leaving Miletus, he said, “ ‘I have coveted no
 one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these
 hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with
 me’ ” (Acts 20:33, 34, NKJV, emphasis supplied). Paul’s teaching in
 words and life reminds us of the counsel of another servant of our Lord
 Jesus Christ. John the Baptist challenged his hearers to let the fruits of
 their labors bless the lives of those around them: “ ‘He who has two
 tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him
 do likewise’ ” (Luke 3:11, NKJV).

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    What’s fascinating about James’s words is the kind of works he
 links with faith. We often tend to think of works as not stealing, not
 killing, not breaking the Sabbath, and so forth, which, of course, are
 all part of what it means to follow Christ. Yet, James here talks about
 something else, that of taking care of those around us who are in need.
 Just saying nice things to them or just offering a prayer for them isn’t
 enough. James is giving us an example of the kind of works that reveal
 true faith. As Christians, we need to be careful that we don’t, as did
 the Pharisees, get caught up in “ ‘tithe of mint and anise’ ” while
 ignoring the weightier matters of the law, “ ‘judgment, mercy, and
 faith’ ” (Matt. 23:23).

  Helping the poor requires two things: time and money. How
  much of your time, how much of your money, are you willing to
  spend helping those in need around you? What does your
  answer say about the kind of faith you have?

  L aboring as We Await Our Lord ’s
  R e t u rn (Matt. 25:14-30).
    The Lord Jesus Christ told a parable that emphasized the impor-
  tance of using every resource to its full potential while we await His
  return.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    “There is not one human being to whom is not committed some tal-
  ent, not one but has a work to do for the Lord. Not one is to be
  excused. Not one is to remain in idleness; but every man is required
  to do his best; the talents entrusted to him are to be used in conse-
  crated service for the Master.”—Ellen G. White, “Redeem the Time
  Because the Days Are Evil,” Review and Herald, April 21, 1896.
    What’s fascinating, too, about this parable is that it comes right after
  the parable of the foolish virgins (see Matt. 25:1-13), which has an
  emphasis more on the life of faith, devotion, and prayer, which leads to
  the working of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Right after comes the para-
  ble of the talents, which deals with the active Christian life, not of just
  praying and believing and studying but of outward work for the Master.
    The principle here, though, doesn’t have to be limited only to our
  work for the Lord. In all our work, all our labor, we should seek to go
  about our tasks with faithfulness and diligence as did the faithful serv-
  ants.

     Our faith will be revealed in our works, in what we do with the gifts
  God has given us. We cannot separate our Christianity from how we
  live; and how we live cannot be separated from how we work, how we
  do our job, whatever it is. In the workplace, faithful, thorough, dili-
  gent, and honest labor can be a powerful expression of our faith, as
  well as a powerful witness to the God we serve.

   If all someone knew about your faith was from how you went
   about your work, what impressions would they likely receive
   about your faith?


                                                                          85

    Some individuals are called to full-time service for God. They have
 the privilege and responsibility of devoting their complete attention to
 kingdom business. Ellen White spoke of this call to full-time ministry
 in a letter written at the beginning of the last century: “Many young
 men and women now engaged in secular labor will feel earnestly
 stirred to give themselves to the service of God, to become channels
 of light. . . . Let these be given an opportunity to obtain an education
 for the work of God. And let all God’s workers help and cheer and
 encourage one another with their prayers and faithful conversation,
 impressing one another with the dignity and responsibility of the work
 in which they are engaged.”—Letter 66, 1901, Manuscript Releases,
 p. 44.

  ●
  2 How do you understand the basic message of this week’s study
  with the words in Galatians 6:2?

  ●
  3 In every generation, God raises up women and men who
  honor Him in their labor. Think about your own culture. Who
  comes to mind as an individual whose labor has brought glory to
  God and blessing to others?

  ●4 Is there anyone in your own church family out of work right
  now? If so, what can you do as a church community to help (1) pro-
  vide for his or her family’s immediate needs and (2) find the per-
  son work?

  ●5 “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of
  his own house, he hath denied the faith,and is worse than an infi-
  del” (1 Tim. 5:8). As a class, discuss the implications of this text in
  regard to how you would treat someone who refuses to provide
  for his own family.

  S ABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Psalms 47; 63:1-4; 95:6,
  7; 99:9; 150; John 2:13-16; Acts 4:24-31; Col. 3:16; Rev. 5:8-14;
  14:6, 7.

           od is seeking true worshipers. Every human being will

  G        inevitably worship someone or something. Our choice is not
           whether or not we will worship but rather what or whom we
  will worship. During His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus Christ
  emphasized the importance of worship, both in His actions and also in
  His teachings. Whether in the temple, in a synagogue, or out on a
  mountainside, Jesus took time to worship His heavenly Father. On one
  occasion, when meeting with a woman at Jacob’s well, Jesus shared
  the startling news that God is actively seeking true worshipers.
  According to Jesus, true worshipers are those who worship God “ ‘in
  spirit and truth’ ” (John 4:23, NKJV).
    In this week’s study, we will explore the theme of worship as it
  relates to those who live under the lordship of Christ.

 The Focus of Our Worship
   There is only One who is worthy of worship. When Satan urged
 Jesus to bow down and worship him, our Lord responded:
   “ ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the
 Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” ’ ” (Matt. 4:10, NKJV).

 Ps.
 ____95:6,
     ______7__________________________________________________________

 _Ps.
   ___99:9
      ________________________________________________________________

 Rev.
 _____4:8-11
      _______________________________________________________________

 _Rev.
   ____5:8-14
       _______________________________________________________________

   Even though the Scriptures clearly testify that God alone should be
 the focus of our worship, there are times when individuals attempt to
 direct their worship elsewhere. For example, when the apostle John
 encountered an angelic being, he fell down in worship. He received
 the following rebuke from the heavenly messenger: “ ‘See that you do
 not do that! . . . Worship God!’ ” (Rev. 19:10, NKJV).

   The inhabitants of Lystra brought sacrificial animals and wanted to
 worship Paul and Barnabas, saying, “ ‘The gods have come down to
 us in the likeness of men’ ” (Acts 14:11, NKJV). Ellen White notes
 that even though “Paul endeavored to direct their minds to the true
 God as the only object worthy of worship, it was still most difficult to
 turn them from their purpose.”—Sketches From the Life of Paul, p. 58.

  If someone were to ask you,Why do you worship the God that
  you do, what answer would you give? How do you justify wor-
  shiping a Being you have never seen, whose mere existence even
  you have to take on faith? Write a paragraph or two that clearly
  and simply gives your reasons (read them to one another in class
  on Sabbath).


                                                                      89

 Sabbath and Worship
   It is our privilege to worship our Creator moment by moment. Every
 time we lift our hearts and voices to God in worship, we join with the
 heavenly beings before His throne who worship Him day and night.
 Through silent prayers of thanksgiving and praise, we can worship our
 God anytime, anywhere (see 1 Thess. 5:17). In many ways, our per-
 sonal, private devotion and worship are more important than what we
 might do as part of a community.
    Nevertheless, there are special times for worship, distinct from
 whatever we might do throughout our normal daily routine. This was
 seen, in principle, in the ancient Hebrew feasts, where numerous times
 were set apart for various acts of worship and thanksgiving (see Lev.
 23:4-44).
   Yet, more universal than the Jewish feasts is the seventh-day
 Sabbath, which has been set apart by our Creator as a time for all
 God’s people, Jews or Gentiles.

  1. Whom is the message of the “everlasting gospel” to go to?
 How does this answer fit in with what we’ve just read above in
 Genesis 2:1-4?
 ____________________________________________________________________

  2.Whom are we told to worship? _________________________________
 ____________________________________________________________________

 3. How do your answers to questions 1 and 2 help you understand
 the role of the Sabbath here in the first angel’s message of
 Revelation 14?
 _______________________________________________________

  What is it about the Sabbath commandment itself (Exod. 20:8-
  11) that gives us a special opportunity for worship we might not
  have at any other time? How well do you avail yourself of that
  opportunity? What changes might you need to make to get the
  best out of the Sabbath that it offers?

 A Heart for Worship Read David’s song of thanksgiving in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36. What
 does it mean to “worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (vs.
 29)? Read John 4:23, 24 for further insights.


    Holiness in the Bible gives the idea of something “set apart for holy
 use.” In a real sense, worship is just that, setting aside not just time but
 setting aside ourselves for special communion and interaction with
 God. It’s our way of saying, “How great Thou art, and how unworthy
 I am.” It’s our way of acknowledging our total dependence upon
 Christ’s righteousness as our only means of salvation. It’s a time to
 cease from work, from play, from everything else we do and pour our-
 selves out in praise and adoration of the One who’s the Source of all
 that we are, the One whose death on the cross has opened the door to
 heaven for all who will walk through.
    Yet, true worship is so much more than merely forms, songs, or a
 liturgy. It’s, in a real sense, a work, a human expression of gratitude
 for who God is and the great things He has done for us through Jesus.
 Just as John said, “This is the love of God, that we keep His com-
 mandments” (1 John 5:3, NKJV), we also reveal our love for God by
 worshiping Him. It’s a different kind of expression of love than that of
 keeping His commandments, but it’s an expression nonetheless.
 Certainly this was part of what Jesus talked about when He said we
 would worship the Lord in “spirit and in truth.”

   Worship, like anything that’s repeated, faces the danger of becom-
 ing mechanized, routine. Once we cease worshiping God out of sin-
 cere love for who He is and what He has done for us, our worship can
 go in any one of a number of unhealthy directions. The temple serv-
 ices during Jesus’ time on earth had become cold, formal, and busi-
 nesslike. The same can happen now; or they can become a means of
 entertainment or a social gathering where the Lord could look upon us
 and say: “With their lips [they] do honour me, but [they] have
 removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by
 the precept of men” (Isa. 29:13).

  Think of two different worship experiences you have had: one
  where you left exuberant,uplifted,encouraged in your faith; the
  other, where you left downbeat, discouraged, cold.What caused
  the crucial difference between the two?

                                                                          91

  The Expressions of Our Worship
    As we search the Scriptures, we discover that through the ages wor-
  shipers have expressed their devotion to God in a variety of ways.

    Music has always played an important role in worship. The heav-
 enly courts are filled with songs of praise (see Rev. 5:9, 10; 15:3, 4).
 When we express our worship to God through music, we are privi-
 leged to join in that symphony of praise. “Music forms a part of God’s
 worship in the courts above, and we should endeavor, in our songs of
 praise, to approach as nearly as possible to the harmony of the heav-
 enly choirs. . . . Singing, as a part of religious service, is as much an
 act of worship as is prayer. The heart must feel the spirit of the song,
 to give it right expression.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and
 Prophets, p. 594.

   There are musical performances that may be entertaining or aes-
 thetically pleasing, but they bear no traces of the grace of God. Only
 music that flows forth from a heart that has been touched by the grace
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, is worship that’s “in
 spirit and in truth.”

   What is your favorite worship song, a song that really moves
   your heart? Why not sing it now and offer praises of thanks-
   giving to the Lord?

  The Impact of Our Worship
    When we worship God in spirit and truth, we will experience per-
  sonal transformation. It is impossible to stand in the presence of the
  Holy and remain unchanged.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

     True worship impacts us personally. The psalmist David declared,
  “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the
  LORD’ ” (Ps. 122:1, NKJV). He had discovered that in God’s presence
  “is fulness of joy” (16:11). We experience joy when we worship God
  in spirit and in truth. Though there’s always the danger of getting car-
  ried away with hype and emotionalism (as seen in certain types of
  church services), there’s also the danger of our worship being cold,
  dead, and lifeless worship that’s neither in spirit or in truth.

     The early Christians left their times of worship filled with joy, ready
  to speak the Word of God boldly. They were strengthened and encour-
  aged by the others’ expression of faith, of testimony, and of their love
  for God. This should be our experience, as well. We should draw faith,
  hope, and encouragement from others, just as others should draw these
  things from us. Corporate worship should bring us closer to God and
  to one another; it should fill us with a desire to proclaim the great news
  of Christ and Him crucified. If this isn’t your experience, you haven’t
  worshiped; you’ve just gone through the motions of a religious service.

   Write down your understanding of what true corporate wor-
   ship should be about. Might you have some notions that need to
   be changed? Compare notes in class.



                                                                         93

  ●2 How can our worship reflect more clearly the worship of God
  in the courts above? See Revelation 4, 5, and 19:1-7.

  ●
  3 What changes have you observed in the way people worship?
  To what extent are those changes cultural rather than biblical?
  How much of a role should culture play in worship? Is there any
  one “right” way to worship the Lord?

  ●4 Worship services can either turn crusty, stale, and formal, or
  they can turn into “sanctified” entertainment.In which direction
  does your local church lean? What changes might you need to
  make, and how can you make them?

  S ABBATH AFTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 10:38-42, John 13:1-
  15, Rom. 12:4-8, 1 Cor. 12:28–13:3.

             hen we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, He invites

  W          us to follow in His steps. This is not a call to greatness as the
             world counts greatness. Rather, it is a call to service. It is a
  call to have the mind of Christ, who humbled Himself in the form of a
  servant. Like the disciples, we often find ourselves struggling for the
  place of honor, the position of authority. But Jesus lovingly reminds us,
  both in word and in life, “it shall not be so among you” (Matt. 20:26).
    We are called first and foremost to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus
  Christ and then to serve others in Jesus’ name. We will serve, not out of
  compulsion but out of love for Him, who loved us and gave Himself for
  us. That’s the only service that’s truly acceptable in His eyes, service
  born out of a heart of love for God and others.

 The Example of Jesus (John 13:1-15).
   Only the apostle John records the story. Not a word from Matthew,
 Mark, or Luke. Not a single reference in the writings of Peter or Paul.
 And yet, when you read this story, it reminds you so much of the char-
 acter of Jesus.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    The foot-washing service is an opportunity for Christians to re-
 affirm their need for spiritual cleansing through faith in Jesus Christ
 as their Savior and Lord. Jesus made this point clear when He said
 “ ‘He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely
 clean’ ” (John 13:10, NKJV) and “ ‘If I do not wash you, you have no
 part with Me’ ” (John 13:8, NKJV).
    However, the foot-washing service is not only an opportunity to say
 Yes again to Jesus as your Savior and Lord. It is also an act of serv-
 ice. Jesus provided for the disciples, and for each one of us, a perfect
 example of service. He had every right to sit back and let someone
 else serve, but Jesus humbled Himself. He made Himself of no repu-
 tation, taking the form of a servant.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   Jesus demonstrated, both in word and deed, that He came to serve
 rather than to be served. When He calls you to deny yourself, take up
 your cross, and follow Him; He is calling you to a life of service.

  When was the last time you went out of your way to do a serv-
  ice for someone who had no possibility of repaying you, a serv-
  ice that took your time, your money, or both, a service that
  offered you nothing (at least in tangible goods) in return? What
  does your answer tell you about yourself?


                                                                      97

 Our Greatest Service
   Of all the good things we can do for others, the greatest is to lead
 them into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, the One who, at the
 cross, paid for the sins of every human being. And if we believe that
 every Christian is commissioned to share this good news of Christ’s
 sacrifice with the world, the question is not whether we should witness
 to others, but how. Here again, we can learn from the example of
 Jesus. “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the
 people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good.
 He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won
 their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’ ”—Ellen G.
 White, The Ministry of Healing , p. 143.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    Christ’s method of reaching souls, however, took something that
 many of us, even professed Christians, don’t want to give: And that is
 ourselves. Oftentimes we might be tempted to think that throwing
 some money in a collection plate for a mission offering or handing out
 a few flyers for an evangelistic series is enough. And though these acts
 have their role, they are not the same as mingling with people, spend-
 ing time with people, and ministering to their needs. To do this we
 need to give of ourselves in unselfish service. That’s not always easy;
 it takes a painful death to self and a willingness to serve the Lord by
 serving others. Only through a daily commitment, a daily taking up of
 our own cross, will we be doing what we could for the Lord through
 ministering to others. This is the essence of Christian service, and it
 can open hearts to our message in ways that all the argumentation,
 Bible studies, and prophecy charts could never do.

  Think of individuals within your sphere of influence who need to
  hear the gospel message. What are some practical ways that you
  can use Christ’s method to reach them? Also, are you willing to
  make the personal sacrifices needed in order to reach them?

 Varieties of Service
    “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondar-
 ily prophets,thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of heal-
 ings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues” (1 Cor. 12:28).

   We are all called to share the good news about Jesus Christ with
 others. This is our greatest service, and we will be effective when we
 follow Christ’s method for reaching people. It is important to realize,
 however, that the way in which we serve others will vary, based upon
 our personality and spiritual gifts. We are not all called to do the same
 thing. Part of the death to self required for Christian service is being
 willing to accept just what our gifts and callings are and are not.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   When we consider the various ways Christians are called to serve in
 Jesus’ name, a natural question to ask is this: “In what ways is the
 Lord calling me to serve?” Every follower of Jesus Christ has to
 answer that question personally, but here is a process that might be
 helpful.

 Step 1: Explore the forms of service found in Scripture. The list you
         just made is not exhaustive. Other forms of service can be
         found in narrative passages of Scripture.
 Step 2: Experiment with various forms of service. As you ser ve oth-
         ers in a variety of ways, be attentive to your own thoughts
         and feelings. When you serve others using the gifts the Lord
         has given you, you will experience freedom and joy.
 Step 3: Be attentive to the counsel of brothers and sisters in Christ.
         The Lord frequently uses people either to confirm the fruit-
         fulness of your service or to suggest alternate forms of serv-
         ice that might be more appropriate, based upon the gifts they
         observe in your life.

  How were you able to identify the gifts the Lord has given you?
  How are you using those gifts in service for others? Might you
  need to make changes in how you work, or maybe you should be
  doing something else entirely?


                                                                       99

  Examples of Service
    The New Testament is filled with examples of men and women,
  boys and girls, who served others in Jesus’ name. Some well-known
  examples include Andrew, when he brought his brother Simon to
  Jesus (see John 1:40-42), and Dorcas, who sewed garments for those
  in need (see Acts 9:36-39).
     You may find it interesting and educational to select a book of the
  Bible and read it entirely, looking for examples of service.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    When we serve others in Jesus’name, we are not only following the
  example of our Lord. We are giving evidence of His transforming
  presence in our lives. We are no longer self-centered and self-serving.
  Rather, we find joy in serving others. There is a power in unselfish
  service for others that no force in the world can negate. Again, for sin-
  ful beings who are inherently self-centered and selfish, this doesn’t
  necessarily come easy. Daily surrender to the Lord is crucial.
    What’s so important, too, is to keep the Cross before your eyes, for
  here is the greatest example in all the universe of unselfish service for
  others. As we day by day contemplate the great sacrifice made in our
  behalf, the spotless Son of God, the One through whom the worlds
  were made (see Heb. 1:2), taking upon Himself the sins of the world,
  our hearts will be broken. Before the Cross, nothing Christ asks of us
  will be too much; before the Cross, our service to others will be the
  least we can do for the God who has said to us, “Inasmuch as ye have
  done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto
  me” (Matt. 25:40).

   Take time to dwell on the sacrifice of Christ, the greatest exam-
   ple possible of unselfish service. How does dwelling on the Cross
   impact you and your willingness to serve others?

 Misguided Service (Luke 10:38-42).
    We must be careful not to allow our service in Jesus’ name to hinder
 our relationship with Jesus. Indeed, we need to keep our relationship
 with Jesus as the center, the foundation, of our desire to serve others.
 Otherwise, a number of things can happen. For instance, we can become
 proud, thinking our good works are things we do that add to our salva-
 tion, that are meritorious toward our basic acceptance with God.
    At the same time, it is possible as followers of Jesus to become so
 preoccupied with serving others that we have no time to spend with
 Jesus Himself. A classic example of misguided service is seen when
 Jesus visited the home of Martha. In many ways, Martha is a model
 of devotion. She believed Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God (see
 John 11:27). She was willing to keep trusting, even when she did not
 see the way (see John 11:21, 22). On one occasion, however, when
 Jesus visited Martha’s home in Bethany, she allowed her service to
 hinder her relationship with Jesus.

    Martha is worried. The verb used here in the Greek (translated as
 “careful” in the KJV is a strong one. We find this same verb in
 Philippians 4:6, where Paul exhorts the believers to “be anxious for
 nothing” (NKJV). We find a variation of the word, as a noun, in 1 Peter
 5:7, where Peter appeals to believers to cast all their anxiety, all their
 cares, upon the Lord. But Martha is holding on to all her anxieties.
 She is anxious. There is a division and distraction in her mind. She is
 full of inner turmoil.
    Martha is also troubled. The Greek verb (translated “troubled” in
 the KJV) implies external agitation. Martha is not only full of inner
 turmoil. She is also externally agitated. Her service for Jesus is mis-
 guided. As a result, her relationship with Jesus suffers. Instead of sit-
 ting at His feet and experiencing intimate communion with Him, she
 accosts Him with these words: “ ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister
 has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me’ ” (Luke
 10:40, 41, NKJV).

  How can we avoid this trap, where our preoccupation with serv-
  ing in Jesus’name gets in the way of our relationship with Him?
  Why must we not let anything, even our service for the Lord,
  hinder that relationship?



                                                                       101

    Note: The teaching of Jesus recorded in Matthew 25:31-46 suggests
  that our service for others is an important indicator of our Christian
  experience. This account of the dividing of the sheep and the goats
  suggests that those who are not involved in acts of service to others
  will be sent away into everlasting punishment. How would you explain
  this passage in the context of salvation by grace through faith? Are
  acts of service necessary for salvation? Is it accurate to say that we
  must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for the sick if we
  expect to enter into the kingdom of heaven?

   ●2 What can you do together, as a class, to reveal to others the
   caring and serving spirit that should be the hallmark of all who
   profess to follow Jesus Christ?

   ●3 How can we avoid the trap of believing that our service for
   others somehow earns us merits with God, that somehow good
   works can add to our salvation?

   ●
   4 What contemporary example of serving others has been most
   inspirational to you, and why? Discuss.

  S ABBATH A FTERNOON Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 24:23-51, 7:21-29,
  John 14:1-3, Acts 1:9-11, Phil. 2:9-11, Rev. 20:7-9.

          f all the promises that Jesus, our Savior and Lord, has given us,

  O       the greatest promise is that He will return and take us from this
          sin-sick world. We have this hope, the hope in the coming of
  the Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, as our Savior, reconciled earth
  to heaven and thus paved the way for the great and glorious day of His
  return when—as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS—He
  will bring that reconciliation to its eternal consummation.
     This is the great hope of all whose acknowledgment of Christ as
  Lord has been made manifest in their lives; in contrast, for those
  who—regardless of what they confess—have rejected Jesus as Lord
  of their lives, the Second Coming will be a sad and fearful event.
     Why not, right now, make that complete surrender to the One who,
  at Calvary, surrendered all for us?

 The Certainty of Christ’s Return (John 14:1-3,
 Acts 1:9-11).

   Those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are a peo-
 ple of hope. With joyful expectation we are “looking for the blessed
 hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus
 Christ” (Titus 2:13, NKJV). Our hope concerning the return of our
 Lord Jesus Christ is not wishful thinking. It is based upon the faith-
 fulness of our Lord to honor His promises.

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    We trust in this promise of Jesus: “ ‘I will come again.’ ” This
 phrase might literally be translated “I am coming again.” The verb to
 come is in the present tense. We call this a “futuristic present,” which
 emphasizes the certainty of that which is being described. In this
 promise, Jesus Christ assures us His return is as certain as if it were
 already taking place!

   Seventh-day Adventist Christians have long cherished the blessed
 hope of the glorious return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our
 name, Adventist, reminds us that Jesus Christ, who came once as a
 baby in Bethlehem’s manger, will come again as King of kings and
 Lord of lords. Even though our pioneers expected His return long
 before now, the promise is still sure. “The Lord is not slack concerning
 His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us,
 not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repent-
 ance. But the day of the Lord will come” (2 Pet. 3:9, 10, NKJV). The
 apostle Paul affirms the certainty of our hope in these words: “For the
 Lord Himself will descend from heaven” (1 Thess. 4:16, NKJV). The
 second coming of Jesus is not wishful thinking. It is our certain hope.

  Feeling discouraged, worried, fearful? Prayerfully, read again
  John 14:1-3 and place yourself, your name, in each spot where it’s
  appropriate. Realize that in a very real sense, Jesus is talking to
  you, that those words are for you. What hope do you draw from
  this precious, and intimate, promise of Jesus—to you,personally?

                                                                     105

  The Nature of Christ’s Return
    Our Lord Jesus Christ wants us not only to be certain of His return
  but also to understand the nature of His return. We have already dis-
  covered from yesterday’s study that His coming will be literal. Jesus
  declared, “ ‘I will come again.’ ” We must reject any interpretation that
  would attempt to spiritualize Christ’s second coming as His coming
  into our hearts. While it is true that Christ can dwell in our hearts
  through faith (see Eph. 3:17), this dwelling in our hearts by the Holy
  Spirit does not replace His literal return in glory.

     The second coming of Jesus will not be secret. It will be dramatic,
  visible, and audible. These words of Jesus also imply that a resurrec-
  tion of the dead will occur at the time of His coming. Listen to another
  promise of Jesus: “ ‘And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that
  everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting
  life; and I will raise him up at the last day’ ” (John 6:40, NKJV).

    The apostle Paul reinforces the teaching of Jesus regarding the
  nature of His return. The second coming of Jesus Christ is personal:
  The Lord Himself will descend from heaven. It is dramatic: The Lord
  will shout and the trumpet will sound. There will be a resurrection:
  The dead in Christ will rise first. Finally, all the redeemed will be
  gathered up to meet the Lord in the air.

   Using your imagination, depict in writing what it will be like
   when Jesus returns. Share it with your class.

 The Timing of Christ’s Return
    Almost two thousand years ago, in His last recorded comment in the
 book of Revelation, our risen Lord declared, “ ‘Surely I am coming
 quickly’ ” (Rev. 22:20, NKJV). Christians have wrestled with that dec-
 laration ever since. From our perspective, it doesn’t seem as though
 He is coming quickly. We realize, of course, that the Lord is not
 locked in time as we mere mortals are. The apostle Peter reminds us
 that “with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand
 years as one day” (2 Pet. 3:8, NKJV).

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

    In terms of eternity, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming quickly. And
 yet, many times we find ourselves crying out with the souls under the
 altar, “ ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge
 our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ ” (Rev. 6:10, NKJV).

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________

   There’s been a long-running debate in the church about the question
 of a delay. Is there one? If so, why? If not, then why hasn’t Christ
 returned? And though we probably won’t get all these questions
 resolved this side of eternity, the crucial thing for us is to be ready
 always, regardless of when He comes.


  If someone were to ask you, What does it mean to be ready for
  Jesus’ return,how would you respond? If Christ returned today,
  would you be ready? Justify your answer.


                                                                    107

  The Impact of Christ’s Return
    The glorious return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will impact
  those living on the earth in one of two ways. For those who have
  refused to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, it will be a
  time of terror. Even for many professed followers of Christ, those who
  never let Him be Lord of their lives, it will a time of fearful judgment.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

    Our Savior is very clear: We can’t separate a profession of faith in
  Him from a life of obedience to Him. Notice how Jesus here links
  obedience with actually being in a saving relationship with Him; He
  says He “never knew” those who—though professing Him as Lord,
  and even doing deeds in His name—weren’t obedient to the will of
  God. This has to be one of the strongest statements Jesus ever made
  about the futility of calling oneself a Christian while not living like
  one, and living like one demands that we do the will of the Father in
  heaven. Otherwise, our faith is made out of nothing but sand.

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

  ____________________________________________________________________

 The Cosmic Confession
    For Christians, their profession that Jesus is Lord is matched by a
 life of faithful obedience, not an obedience that saves (it can’t), but an
 obedience that expresses a true faith in God.

    And yet, these people are not the only ones who acknowledge Jesus
 as Lord. According to the apostle Paul, the day is coming when every
 knee will bow and every tongue will make that same confession.

    “At His first coming, Christ was denied and rejected by men, and
 by them dragged as a criminal to Pilate’s bar, where they charged Him
 with blasphemy. He was scourged and crucified. Nails were driven
 through His hands and His feet. . . . At His second coming, the scene
 will be changed. He will be acknowledged by all as the King of glory.
 At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall
 confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. The
 angels will bow in adoration before Him. His enemies will see the
 mistake they have made, and every tongue will confess His divin-
 ity.”—Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, April 19, 1905.
    However, for the wicked, this will not be a saving confession but
 simply a recognition of that which is undeniably true. There is no
 change of heart. No repentance. In fact, according to Revelation 20:7-
 9, they continue their rebellion against the Lord.
    In contrast, there are those who—though sinners, though imperfect,
 though in and of themselves possessing no righteousness—have, nev-
 ertheless, committed their souls to the Lord Jesus by surrendering
 their will to Him. These people will proclaim Jesus as their Lord, and
 their lives will reflect that proclamation. Our praise of the Lord in
 heaven will simply be our picking up where we left off praising Him
 here. If we love and serve Jesus even amid the toil, pain, sin, and cor-
 ruption on earth now, then how much more so in the new heaven and
 a new earth? Our service to Jesus as Lord there will just be the con-
 tinuation of our service to Him here but without the cumbrousness of
 sin, disease, ignorance, and the devil. That’s the victory Jesus won for
 us. We can, by trusting and living by faith with Jesus as Lord, start
 enjoying the fruits of that victory, even now.



                                                                      109

   ●
   2 What do you say to someone who, when the subject of Christ’s
   return is brought up, says, “Look, ever since I was a kid, I was
   told that Christ was coming soon. That was so many years ago.
   Please, don’t bother me with this talk of His ‘soon’ return.”?

   ●
   3 If you read the selection above in Revelation, talk as a class
   about what you think life will be like in the new earth.What will
   the major difference be between life there and life here now?

   ●
   4 As a class, talk about the difference between merely believing
   in Jesus as Lord and experiencing that lordship in your life.

      John M. Fowler, author of this quarter’s lessons, will guide us in
   one of the great love letters of the Bible, the book of Ephesians. It
   is our hope that this study will help each of us experience the life-
   changing power of the gospel as it works in the hearts of sinful
   human beings.

   The Week at a Glance:
   SUNDAY: Ephesus: Jesus Vs. Diana (Acts 19:24-29).
   MONDAY: Ephesus: Aquila and Priscilla
   TUESDAY: Apollos at Ephesus (Acts 18:24-28).
   WEDNESDAY: Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-20).
   THURSDAY: The Depth of Paul’s Ministry (Acts 20:17-38).

   Memory Text—Acts                19:20, NKJV.

   Sabbath Gem: Among those associated with the Ephesian church
   were Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos, Timothy, and the apostle John.
   Each of them had a role to play in the building of this church, one of
   the finest of the first century. What can we learn as we delve into this
   fascinating and instructive moment in early Christian history?

   The Week at a Glance:
   SUNDAY: The Author: Paul (Gal. 1:11-17).
   MONDAY: The Recipients: The Saints in Ephesus (Eph. 1:1, NKJV).
   TUESDAY: Grace and Peace (Eph. 1:2, NKJV).
   WEDNESDAY: The Theme: Unity (Eph. 1:9, 10, RSV).
   THURSDAY: The Key: In Christ (Eph. 3:11, 12).

   Memory Text—Ephesians                   1:3, NKJV.

   Sabbath Gem:        The letter to Ephesians deals with no particular
   problem, doctrinal or social. It celebrates the joy of fellowship, rela-
   tionship, and unity in Christ. It’s also a great expression of thanks-
   giving and praise for what God has done through Christ in the cre-
   ation of His church.

     Lessons for the Visually Impaired The regular Adult Sabbath School
     Bible Study Guide is a vailable free each month in braille and on audiocassette to
     sight-impaired and physically handicapped persons who cannot read normal ink
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     accident, and so forth, cannot hold or focus on normal ink-print publications . Contact
     Christian Record Services, Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506-0097.