Friday August 29

Further Study: Ellen G. White, Go Teach All Nations, pp. 818-828, in The Desire of Ages; The Great Commission, pp. 25-34, in The Acts of the Apostles. Every true disciple is born into the kingdom of God as a missionary. He who drinks of the living water becomes a fountain of life. The receiver becomes a giver. The grace of Christ in the soul is like a spring in the desert, welling up to refresh all, and making those who are ready to perish eager to drink of the water of life. — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 195. The Saviour’s commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time. It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister. . . . All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men. For this work the church was established, and all who take upon themselves its sacred vows are thereby pledged to be co-workers with Christ. -Page 822.
Discussion Questions:

Not everyone is able to travel the world preaching the gospel. What, though, are ways that each one of us can be involved in the task of spreading the gospel to the world in the context of the three angels’ messages?
In what ways is your local church continuing Jesus’ ministry in your community? How could you help to improve the church’s missionary service?
Jesus said that the gospel would go to all the world. For the vast majority of human history since He spoke those words, methods of communication had not changed. Two hundred years ago communication wasn’t much faster than it was 2,000 years ago, when Jesus gave us the gospel commission. Of course, all of that has changed, especially in the last 50 years, in which we have developed methods of communication that are amazing. How can we better learn to use the incredible technology we have been given in order to do the work that we have been promised will be done?
In class, based on the question at the end of Monday’s lesson, let those who are willing to share their own personal experience with Jesus. How can we use our own testimony as a witness to others? Why should we use our own experience?

Actually, they labeled Him a demon-possessed blasphemer, IIRC.

I remember sitting in rapt attention as a pastor spoke of his great struggle over tofu. After much effort, he finally overcame it and now eats the soy beans directly... Said nobody ever.

Tales of victory over real sins is a help to those of us who are serious sinners.

Tofu. Too funny. Still, spare me the dirty details. Say just enough to honor and glorify Jesus. Elaborate on His power to redeem and to restore.

I believe you're right here Arnold.
Those with a true personal victory may be the only qualified leaders.

You may recall that our message is to tell others what Christ has done for us,
though few will receive it.
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I can understand your point MM,
I've heard "testimonies" that glorify evil far more than they glorify the power of God to overcome. People would be laughing as the person giving the "testimony" gave enthusiastic and vivid descriptions of their exploits in the world of sin. The last minutes or so of the testimony would be like an anti-climax, almost a let down -- the fun is over, I've been converted, now life is peaceful. (the implication is "boring")

What effect does that give? What is the real message of such "testimonies"?
Go out and sow your wild oats, experience the fun of the world for indeed it is exciting, and when you are older you can settle down and get on with the Christian life. It induces the desire to experience the worldly life especially in the hearts of the young.

On the other hand there is definitely a place for a true testimony of God's saving grace from the grips of sin. I've heard those as well, but they do not glorify evil, they emphasize the destructive nature, the total failure of these things meeting the real needs of the heart, and spend much more time on how God lifted them up and showed them real joy and fulfilment.

Those who experience God's power in lifting them from the controlling power of specific sin do appreciate and love the truth of salvation much more than those who just coast along on the cultural norms of Christian living.

This "overcoming" is usually more obvious and more visually dramatic in people who have lived in some subculture of sin and escaped from it, yet it can be equally powerful in people who have never really left "the truth" but still have found themselves controlled by some powerful sins.

One does NOT have to experience the "wild side" in order to powerfully experience God's grace and power to overcome sin, and to have a convincing testimony to glorify God.

The Lesson for this week seems to take us back to last quarter's theme:
What did Jesus teach concerning God's Law?

We are to read the following scripture in preparation for the study.

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. 19 Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 5:17-19,

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment...
27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart....
31 “Furthermore it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery....
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, Matt. 5:21-44,

7:9 "You reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’
11. But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban” (that is, a gift to God), 12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” Mark 7:9-13,

"If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18 He said to Him, “Which ones?”
Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ 19 ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
20 The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”
Matt. 19:16-22.

Amen, Dedication!

Here is the direct link to this week's study:

http://www.ssnet.org/lessons/14c/less10.html

Many of the leaders in Israel highly exalted the law.

Today, however, many leaders of Christianity say that the law has been done away with.

What about Jesus? He exalted the Ten Commandments, clearly affirming the perpetuity of the Decalogue and explaining its meaning and purpose. Christ Himself said that He had come to fulfill the law (Matt. 5:17). In many ways, His death was the ultimate revelation of the continued validity of God’s law.