Category / Sabbath School Lessons

by In Light Of The Cross

Why Lucifer Needed to Destroy God’s Perfect Law to Set up his own Government

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; Psalm 19:7 NKJV
Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:97 NKJV

It’s amazing to me how people claim God’s law was done away with when it was absolutely perfect. David loved God’s law. Wouldn’t he be heartbroken to see it done away with?

I have a hard time understanding why some say the law was done away with at the cross. They say Jesus did away with the law when He died for our sins. This does not make sense to me, because since when has a law ever been done away with when someone paid the penalty for breaking that law? Paying for speeding tickets does not do away with speed limits. Serving time in prison for a felony does not do away with the laws of the nation. Never in all eternity has anyone ever paid the penalty for breaking a law and done away with the law at the same time, so why would anyone think Jesus did away with God’s law by paying the penalty for breaking His law? Fact is, if God’s law could be done away with, Jesus would not have needed to die. It was because God’s law could not be done away with that there needed to be a sacrifice to keep us from paying the penalty ourselves.

Also, why do people claim promises in the Old Testament while claiming the Old Testament law was done away with? If the Old Testament is no longer valid, wouldn’t that also mean the promises in the Old Testament are no longer valid either? Including the promises about the Messiah? If the promises in the Old Testament that we love to claim are still valid, then so is the law in the Old Testament.

Many preachers who preach the law was done away with preach themselves out of a job. 1 John 3:4 says sin is breaking God’s law. If there is no law, then I can’t break a law that no longer exists. If I am not breaking any laws (because they no longer exist) then I can’t sin. If I can’t sin why do I need grace ? If I don’t need grace, then I don’t need a Savior. If I don’t need a Savior, then I don’t need a preacher to tell me about the Savior. The fact that I still need a Savior to give me grace demonstrates that the law is still in effect.

After all, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-7 warns us that the man of sin creates the mystery of lawlessness. Lawlessness is not the work of Christ. It is the work of Lucifer and those working under his control. Isaiah 14:13-14 tells us Lucifer wants to overthrow God’s government and set up his own government. In order to remove God from the throne you have to do away with His law. God is no longer reigning over us if we are no longer keeping His laws.

Lucifer thinks to strip God of His authority by rendering His laws invalid. Then Lucifer thinks to set up his own government with his own set of laws. Naturally when a new government takes over, they destroy the seal of the previous government and make their own seal. The Sabbath commandment is like a seal to God’s government. It has His name “The Lord.” It has God’s title, “Created” (Creator), and it states His jurisdiction, “the heavens and the earth. the sea and all that is within them.”

Lucifer seeks to replace God’s seal with a man-made Sabbath. By destroying God’s law and God’s seal or authority, Lucifer thinks to destroy God’s government and thinks to set up his own government. Thus he thinks to achieve his goal stated in Isaiah 14:13-14 of being above God and even taking His throne. Through the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-7, Lucifer thinks to accomplish on earth what he wanted to accomplish in heaven, and that is to get rid of God and take His place.

Revelation 19:16 tells us that Jesus is still Lord of lords and King of Kings. Our God still reigns. Lucifer’s attempt to take over has failed. God is still God. The Sabbath, God’s seal is still in tact. God’s government has not been over thrown. God still has authority. God still reigns, and His law has never been abolished. And His law is perfect. God’s law is still loved by His loyal subjects just as much as it was loved by David in Psalm 119:97.

Do you love God’s law?

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

A Beautiful Message in a Book of the Bible I Almost Didn’t Read

In my current personal devotions I read through the Psalms, and then kept cruising through Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. When I came to Song of Solomon I asked myself if I really needed to continue. After all some people wonder why such a book as Song of Solomon is even in the Bible. It’s a love story that some think gets a little too personal. Nonetheless, I reminded myself that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable, so early this morning I prayed for the Holy Spirit to teach this book to me and I dove in. What I found was a beautiful ending to an ugly story I had already read in Revelation 3:14-21.

About 17 years ago I woke up in the middle of the night and could not get back to sleep. Laying there half awake and half asleep I realized if I left the house now I could make it to Daytona Beach to see the sunrise. I jumped in my car and started listening to the book of Revelation as I drove. I listened as the narrator gave Jesus’ account of how wretched, poor, blind, miserable and naked His last day church is. After such a discouraging message Jesus really woke me up when I head Him say,

To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Revelation 3:21 NKJV

What? Is Jesus talking about the same church He called wretched, poor, blind, miserable and naked one day overcoming just as He overcame? Wow, Jesus just never gives up! I remember years ago when I was working at UPS I made a mistake and my supervisor got really upset and chewed me out. He ended his lecture by saying, “You may think I am making a big deal out of this by being so angry and upset but one day when you become a supervisor you will understand.” I walked away feeling rebuked and encouraged at the same time. My boss just chewed me out and told me I would be promoted one day all in the same breath. This is what Jesus was saying to His last day church. A dire warning that ended with a beautiful promise and hope.

Fast Forward to this morning as I was reading Song of Solomon. Chapter 3 ends with a wedding. Chapter 4 is the groom describing his bride. Further study led me to conclude that this is also symbolic of Jesus describing His bride, the church. The church He once described as wretched, poor, miserable, blind and naked. After being redeemed read how Jesus describes His bride and church now.

You are beautiful, my darling,
    beautiful beyond words.
Your eyes are like doves
    behind your veil.
Your hair falls in waves,
    like a flock of goats winding down the slopes of Gilead.
Your teeth are as white as sheep,
    recently shorn and freshly washed.
Your smile is flawless,
    each tooth matched with its twin.
Your lips are like scarlet ribbon;
    your mouth is inviting.
Your cheeks are like rosy pomegranates
    behind your veil.
Your neck is as beautiful as the tower of David,
    jeweled with the shields of a thousand heroes.
Your breasts are like two fawns,
    twin fawns of a gazelle grazing among the lilies.
 Before the dawn breezes blow
    and the night shadows flee,
I will hurry to the mountain of myrrh
    and to the hill of frankincense. You are altogether beautiful, my darling,
    beautiful in every way. Song of Solomon 4:1-7 NLT

The church Jesus once said was wretched, poor, miserable, blind and naked He has redeemed. Now as He inspects every part of her body He exclaims she is beautiful beyond words and beautiful in every way!

Just as the groom is inspecting every part of his bride’s body so Jesus inspects every aspect or our lives. Some parts of our lives may be downright ugly right now. Just like there are parts of our body we don’t want people looking at there are parts of our lives we really don’t want Jesus to see. We know what sin and ugliness He will find there. Here is the good news. Not just good news, it is beautifully wonderful news. We can turn those ugly parts of our lives over to Jesus. Let Him cleanse us and redeem us. Then the same Jesus who looked at us and said we are wretched, poor, miserable, blind and naked, will inspect every aspect of our being and go on and on about how beautiful we are. Beautiful beyond words. Beautiful in every way!

Jesus is the faithful and True Witness. He is being honest when He tells me how ugly my sins are. Now that He is redeeming me I can’t wait to hear Him say how beautiful I am. And when Jesus raves on and on about how beautiful we are-even too beautiful for words and beautiful in every way-He will still be just as honest, faithful and true as He has ever been!

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

The Mortal Soul in Psalms

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”For in death there is no remembrance of You; In the grave who will give You thanks?“ Psalms‬ ‭6‬:‭5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I have seen Christian music videos illustrating someone dying and immediately going to heaven and singing in the heavenly choir. But David in the Psalms is quite clear along with the rest of Scripture that the dead know nothing and rest in their graves until Jesus comes.

”You hide Your face, they are troubled; You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.“ Psalms‬ ‭104‬:‭29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

”The dead do not praise the Lord, Nor any who go down into silence.“

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭115‬:‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Furthermore New Testament Scripture resonates David’s theology about resting in the grave instead of going straight to heaven when we die.

”Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand,“ Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭29‬, ‭34‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Scripture is very consistent from beginning to end that the dead know nothing and rest in their graves until Christ returns. David, Jesus, Peter and Paul never once say anyone dies and goes straight to heaven. But you know who does? The lying serpent in Genesis 3:4, who claims we don’t really die.

Let’s believe the Word of God instead of the lying serpent. Some lies may be fun to believe, but they are never safe to believe. The serpent never tells a harmless lie. Every lie from the serpent is intended for deception and destruction. Yet no one who believes in the Word of God will be deceived. God‘s Word which is truth will keep us safe.

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Why did Jesus Tell the Demons not to Tell Everyone He was the Son of God?

Monday’s section in this week’s lesson asks the question, “What circumstances might you think of where it could be prudent not to be overt about our faith? Or should we never do that? And if not, why not?” This question reminded me about the story about the unclean spirits and why Jesus told them to be quiet when they revealed Him as the Son of God.

And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God. And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known. Mark 3:11-12

Many people, even in our own ranks, accuse Seventh-day Adventists of being dishonest, when we cover up our church sign when holding evangelistic meetings. Often we drape a makeshift sign over the name “Seventh-day Adventist” with the speaker’s name, or the theme of the meetings. Maybe we start the meetings in a neutral meeting hall and announce later, after a few meetings, that we are Seventh-day Adventists. Why be so secretive? I have heard people say, “I am not ashamed to be an Adventist so why do I need to hide it?”

Well Jesus was not ashamed to be the Son of God, but He still told the demons to be quiet when they announced it to the world. You see, for four thousand years, Satan had been telling humanity all kinds of lies about God and His character. Satan had even worked through un-Godlike priests and teachers to make God look stern, unforgiving and tyrant like. Jesus came with humanity draped over His divinity, to give people a chance to get to know Him first, before He revealed Himself to humanity as the Son of God. Thanks to Satan, there was too much prejudice against Him to just come right and say He was God, from the very beginning. People would have never given Him a chance with all their preconceived ideas about God. With humanity draped over His divinity, like a makeshift sign draped over a church sign, Jesus let the people find out how warm, caring and compassionate He was, and then once He had their confidence, He could let them know He was God.

Satan also told many lies about God’s remnant church. Many think we are a cult, or legalistic, so while being careful not to lie, some evangelists like to reveal that they are Adventists, after being given time to show that the Adventist church is a Bible based, Christian, compassionate church. It has nothing to do with being ashamed or deceptive. It is the same principle Jesus used when telling the demons not to tell who He was.

Of course as we spend more effort reaching out to unchurched people, we find less prejudice. After all, it was mostly “religious” people who were prejudiced against Jesus. It is often other denominations that are prejudice against Adventists, but not so much the unchurched community. I understand the principles of evangelists, who do not like to announce upfront that they are Adventists. However, if asked directly what denomination I represent, I do not stutter or stammer. I say confidently that I am a Seventh-day Adventist. I then assure them that we are Christian Bible-based believers. I tell them, we believe Jesus is our only hope of salvation and our only example, therefore we go to church on the Bible Sabbath just like Jesus. Just like the woman at the well was receptive, when Jesus revealed Himself to her, I find many unchurched people receptive when I reveal our Bible based and Jesus centered beliefs.

While Jesus told the demons not to announce to the whole world who He was, He used wisdom in deciding when and to whom to reveal Himself. I do not always know who is prejudiced and who is not, so I pray for God to give me wisdom and the right words to say to each individual.

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Letting God use Humor and Figure of Speech

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In Tuesday’s lesson this week, many find Jesus being rather rude to the woman in Matthew 15:22-28. However, just like when people text or e-mail us, we do not see the expressions on their face or sense the tone of their voice. Likewise in this passage we may not have seen the wink in Jesus’ eye or his smile, letting her know He was only testing her, or wanting to see the reaction of his disciples. We need to let Jesus use “figure of speech,” which is when a word or phrase is used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect. Maybe even allow for God to use a little irony or sarcasm at times? I want to be careful how I make this next comment. It is good for us to study and diligently search the Scriptures instead of just casually reading them. At the same time I think we sometimes make mistakes by being a little too intense in interpreting Scripture. Does that make sense? Here is an example of where some people in Jesus’ day were a little too intense with something He told Peter. 

Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will betray you?”  Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.”  So the rumor spread among the community of believers that this disciple wouldn’t die. But that isn’t what Jesus said at all. He only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” John 21:20-23 NLT

See what I mean? The people took Jesus’ expression “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” to mean way more than Jesus intended. They were way too intense about a simple expression Jesus made. While searching and studying Scripture, we need to be careful to not let our imagination get the best of us to where we see things that simply are not there. My mother used to say she thought some people would get off-track theologically (especially those trying to destroy the sanctuary message) by making some things more complicated than they really were. I see a lot of wisdom in her words. 

Another example of needing to allow God to use figure of speech and even sarcasm comes in a story in 1 Kings where Ahab had a history of not listening to God’s prophets and only wanting to hear from false or true prophets whatever it was he wanted to hear. In 1 Kings 22:15 Ahab asks one of God’s prophets if he should go to battle. 

So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king. 1 Kings 22;15 KJV

God’s prophet Micaiah tells Ahab to go ahead and go prosper. But later Ahab suffers a terrible defeat and is killed in the battle. Did Micaiah lie? I don’t think so. I think he was being sarcastic because he knew how Ahab only wanted to hear what he wanted to hear. The NLT makes it clear. 

When Micaiah arrived before the king, Ahab asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should we hold back?” Micaiah replied sarcastically, “Yes, go up and be victorious, for the Lord will give the king victory!” 1 Kings 22:15 NLT 

I believe Jesus is using irony in Luke 8. 

He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they look, they won’t really see. When they hear, they won’t understand.’ Luke 8:10 NLT 

 Jesus is referring to a phrase in Isaiah 6:9 where He tells the people to not understand. Did Jesus really want the people to not understand? Of course not. He was being sarcastic. Like a teacher saying, “heaven forbid my students actually read this lesson and get a passing grade” the teacher is only being sarcastic because she knows her students aren’t going to read the lesson. 

John 7 gives us another example of where people are too intense with Jesus’ words. 

You go on. I’m not going to this festival, because my time has not yet come.” John 7:8 NLT 

I actually had a Facebook friend use this verse to expose the lies of the New Living Translation. He told us this verse makes Jesus look like a liar because later He does indeed go to the festival. My friend shared how the New King James Version got it right. 

“You go up to this feast. I am not [b]yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.” John 7:8 NKJV 

My friend said the NKJV was correct because it uses the word “yet” therefore not making Jesus look like a liar since He later goes to the feast. Only one problem. Do you see the little “b” next to the word “yet”? That footnote tells us the word “yet” was not in the original manuscript. The NLT actually is more accurate with this verse than the KJV or NKJV.  Obviously Jesus was not trying to mislead anyone about Him going to the festival. Did Jesus have a right to change His mind? Sure, though I doubt that was the case. He did not go up with his brothers, and that is all He was saying. My Facebook friend was being way too intense with this passage and in doing so claimed some versions were making Jesus out to be a liar when in reality my friend needed to just not be so intense with Jesus’ words. 

Jesus had a personality. He was not a drab and dreary individual. Some try to rob Jesus of His personality and even humorous personality by being way too intense with His words at times. I imagine when Jesus told the disciples that they were worth more than a whole flock of sparrows that there must have been a chuckle in His voice as He probably even laughed at the comparison. In Luke 24 Jesus calls the young men he met on the road “fools” for not knowing He would be resurrected. Do you think there was anger in His voice when He called them fools? I don’t believe so. In Matthew 5:22 Jesus says those who use the word “fool” in anger will be in danger of hell fire. Jesus would never contradict His own words. I can see Jesus telling these disappointed disciples with a big smile on His face and joy in his voice, “You fools! Have I got some good news for you!” Likewise when Jesus told the woman begging for His help that He was only sent to help the sheep of Israel. I can see a twinkle in His eye as He told her that, as He really just wanted to see what His disciple’s reaction would be. 

Let’s allow Jesus to have a personality and even a healthy sense of humor. Let’s allow Jesus to use sarcasm and figure of speech. With the Holy Spirit’s help this will help us not only understand God’s word better but even the loving character and personality of God. 

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Being Creative in Reaching the Unreached

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Mary, an elderly lady in the Tampa First Seventh-day Adventist Church, where I served as a Bible Worker years ago, told me how she became a Seventh-day Adventist in the early ’30s in British Honduras, now Belize. She was school age, when her little brother noticed a huge tent going up in town. He told their mother he wanted to go to the circus. His mother told him there was no circus, as nothing was said about a circus in the papers or radio.

Still, little brother would not relent, so mother took the family on a walk to make sure there was no circus in the tent. At the tent, the mother told the boy to go look inside. It only took a moment for him to come back out and inform the family, “We can go home now. They are just having church in there!”

The mother said, “I am too tired to walk any more now. Let’s go inside and rest a while.” The family then heard the gospel message which changed their lives forever. This is how my friend Mary, became a Seventh-day Adventist Christian and married a Seventh-day Adventist pastor. 

In addition to all my small group Bible studies, I also have a golf group that meets every month. I have formed a real camaraderie with the other guys over 18 holes, searching for golf balls in the woods and creek beds. While this group does not study the Bible on the golf course, we do have some in-depth discussions sometimes, waiting for the groups in front of us to tee off. One discussion resulted in some Bible studies after the game, which led to a father and son baptism. One Sunday after a round of golf, I went with one of the guys to lunch. He had been visiting our church and commented that he wished the other guys would have had time to join us for lunch as he is really enjoying getting to know them. Hence, our golf group is bonding us not just to woods and sand traps, but to those who need Jesus. As a result, during our discussions, people are learning more than just how to improve their swing, but also how to improve their walk with God. 

Some people may complain that our approach to evangelism is becoming too worldly. They say we should not try to imitate the world to win people to Jesus. I agree. I have even heard a couple of people say, we need to go back to our roots and those old-fashioned tent meetings. Old-fashioned tent meetings? Those old-fashioned tent meetings looked like the worldly circuses of the day! And because of the circus-like tent meetings, my friend Mary spent over 50 years of ministry as an Adventist pastor’s wife.  She was also a very “traditional,” balanced, well-versed-in-the-Bible lady. 

When people say we need to go back to the old-fashioned forms of evangelism, they often forget that at the time, those were actually pretty “modern” forms of evangelism – to arrest the attention of the people in that era. So today we need to do likewise. 

Let every worker in the Master’s vineyard, study, plan, devise methods, to reach the people where they are. We must do something out of the common course of things. We must arrest the attention. We must be deadly in earnest. We are on the very verge of times of trouble and perplexities that are scarcely dreamed of.–Letter 20, 1893.
From Christ’s methods of labor we may learn many valuable lessons. He did not follow merely one method; in various ways He sought to gain the attention of the multitude; and then He proclaimed to them the truths of the gospel.–Ellen White, Evangelism, Pages 122-123

Sure, there are boundaries to everything, even evangelism, but when you hear someone say that a current form of evangelism is not traditional enough, remember we have been counselled to do “something out of the common course of things.” We have been counseled to be non-traditional! We must try various methods to gain the attention of the multitudes who so desperately need to hear about Jesus. Back in the day, we used “old-fashioned” tent meetings because they looked like “old-fashioned” circuses, which always drew a crowd. Today old-fashioned tents and circuses no longer draw crowds, so we must find new ways to draw people to hear about Jesus in our day, just like the tent people did in their day. 

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

We too, Must be Born Again

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Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 NKJV

Recently while studying the third chapter of John I turned to The Desire of Ages and found a sentence about Nicodemus being startled that also startled me.

He was startled at the thought of a kingdom too pure for him to see in his present state. –Ellen White, Desire of Ages, Page 171.

Now this is a very simple sentence but it spoke volumes to me. It explained to me why I am experiencing all the trials and tribulations I am going through. Even though I am a good pharisee like good ole Nicodemus, after all I am a 5th generation Seventh-day Adventist and minister of the Gospel, but God is still working on my character. He is still fitting me for His kingdom. If God were to remove all my trials and tribulations my character would never be developed to fit me for His kingdom.

Fact is God has not called me to be a pastor because I have it all together,-I clearly don’t have it all together. He has not called me into ministry because I have arrived. Rather God has called me to be a pastor so through the trials and tribulations of a pastor He can discipline me, and recreate me in order to be able to fit and save me into His kingdom. I love being a pastor. I love my job, but lets be real. We all have had moments when we wish we could quit whatever it is we are doing and just run away to a deserted island way off in the South Pacific. We just want to escape all our trials, tribulations and challenges. Problem is, we wont be living alone on little islands in God’s kingdom. God gives us jobs and positions, not to promote us but to humble us and recreate us into His image. The trials, tribulations and challenges we face in our life’s calling are there to humble us so that we will be born again and converted to the kingdom of God.

Those who know me know I love people and have a lot of friends, but again lets be real. Some people just rub us the wrong way. Well I remember a dear old lady years ago in a group Bible study saying, “When someone rubs you the wrong way God is just using them to polish your character.” So I am reminded I don’t need to run away when I face challenging people or situations. Fact is, like Nicodemus, the kingdom of God is too pure for me to enter in my present sate. God knows my character will never be fitted for His kingdom while living on a deserted island in the South Pacific. God has put challenging people and situations in my life in order to convert not them but me!

One night around two thousand years ago a religious leader was told by Jesus, you must be born again. You cannot see the kingdom of God in your present state. You need to be converted. Just a few nights ago, while reading the same story, Jesus told this 5th generation Adventist pastor, you must be born again. You cannot see the kingdom of God in your present state. You need to be converted. Now I know why James said to be happy when we have trials. Those trials are humbling us so we will be willing to be born again and converted. Those trials are fitting us for the kingdom of God. Those trials and tribulations are our salvation! Without them we will never be fitted for the kingdom of God.

“We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22 NKJV

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
by In Light Of The Cross

Is the Story of the Good Samaritan Still Practical Today?

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 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. John 15:13 NKJV

Years ago I was sitting in a Sabbath School class where we were talking about the Good Samaritan. Someone commented that we need to be careful stopping to help strangers today, because now it could be dangerous. I thought, wait a minute? Was it not dangerous back then too? After all the man the Samaritan was helping had just been robbed. beaten and left for dead. That sounds pretty dangerous to me. What if it was set up? What if the robbers were waiting to attack the Good Samaritan when he stopped to help? Was it wroth the risk? The Good Samaritan thought so. He took that risk. Is it practical for us to take that risk today as well? In the story of the Good Samaritan is Jesus teaching us only to stop and help people if we feel it is safe to do so?

Besides, what if the person we are helping doesn’t even like us? I’ve heard people say, “Don’t cross the ocean for someone who would not even cross the street for you.” But did the Good Samaritan have that attitude? More importantly, did Jesus have that attitude when He left heaven to come die for ungrateful sinners?

The story of the Good Samaritan is about a man who risked his life to save someone who never would have helped him had the situation been reversed.

“A certain Samaritan, in his journey, came where the sufferer was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him. He did not question whether the stranger was a Jew or a Gentile. If a Jew, the Samaritan well knew that, were their condition reversed, the man would spit in his face, and pass him by with contempt. But he did not hesitate on account of this. He did not consider that he himself might be in danger of violence by tarrying in the place. It was enough that there was before him a human being in need and suffering. He took off his own garment with which to cover him. The oil and wine provided for his own journey he used to heal and refresh the wounded man. He lifted him on his own beast, and moved slowly along with even pace, so that the stranger might not be jarred, and made to suffer increased pain. He brought him to an inn, and cared for him through the night, watching him tenderly. In the morning, as the sick man had improved, the Samaritan ventured to go on his way. But before doing this, he placed him in the care of the innkeeper, paid the charges, and left a deposit for his benefit; and not satisfied even with this, he made provision for any further need, saying to the host, “Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.”

In the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus gave a picture of Himself and His mission. Man had been deceived, bruised, robbed, and ruined by Satan, and left to perish; but the Saviour had compassion on our helpless condition. He left His glory, to come to our rescue. He found us ready to die, and He undertook our case. He healed our wounds. He covered us with His robe of righteousness. He opened to us a refuge of safety, and made complete provision for us at His own charges. He died to redeem us. Pointing to His own example, He says to His followers, “These things I command you, that ye love one another.” “As I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 15:17; 13:34. -Ellen White, Desire of Ages, Pages 503-504.

So, is the story of the Good Samaritan still practical today? Is it still practical to cross the ocean to help someone who would not even cross the street to help you? Is it practical today to help someone even if it puts us in danger? What parts of the story of the Good Samaritan help us answer these questions?

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

Speaking in Tongues in the Bible

Early in my ministry I found myself talking to a man who felt he was led by the Spirit because he spoke in tongues. However, it was not the Bible version of speaking in tongues, where “every man heard in his own language.” He was speaking things no one understood. He told me about a Pentecostal prayer meeting he recently attended, where he was “filled with the spirit,” spoke in tongues and ended up at a hotel with a lady he met at the meeting! I assured Him the Holy Spirit would not have led him to do such a thing. He would not listen to me. He was on an emotional high, going strictly by feelings.

This man was not the only one who put emotions and feelings above Scripture. Not long after, I began studying with three members of a 7th-day Pentecostal church in west Texas. They explained the wonderful emotions that overtakes them when speaking in tongues. Interestingly enough, I preached in their church a handful of times, but they never spoke in tongues while I was there. Still, for years, they put their emotions over Scripture, telling me they knew it was real because they felt it. I sure am glad Jesus did not put feelings above the Word of God, after fasting 40 days in the wilderness, when Satan questioned if He was really the Son of God. I am glad I don’t put need to consult my emotions before the Scripture, when John tells me if I confess my sins, God is faithful to forgive me, even though I still feel terrible about what I have done. It took me several years of study and friendship before this trio were convicted and put God’s Word above their feelings and were baptized and joined my local Seventh-day Adventist Church.

What I find ironic, is how many people sincerely believe that a church has to speak in tongues in order to be spirit-filled, while at the same time scoffing at the Seventh-day Adventist Church for claiming to have the Spirit of Prophecy. Fact is, though, that the Spirit of Prophecy is an identifying mark of God’s last day church, and not speaking in tongues.

And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.  Revelation 12:17 NKJV

the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10 NKJV

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 1 Corinthians 14:1 NKJV

God’s church has the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Spirit of prophecy is the gift the Bible tells us to pursue above all others, and not speaking in tongues. Why?

Because…

Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 1 Corinthians 14:22 NKJV

According to Acts 2:6 Biblical speaking in tongues is when people hear the gospel in their own language.

About ten years ago I heard a young lady preaching. She was a student at Southern Adventist university near Chattanooga Tennessee. She spoke of a mother she knew who was at a local park with her 6-year-old English-speaking daughter. The daughter met a little Spanish girl at the swings, and started talking to her about Jesus. The two little girls continued talking, and both of the girls’ mothers were amazed to hear them  speaking to each other, because the English girl only knew English and the Spanish girl only knew Spanish! God created a miracle so the little girl could hear about Jesus in her own language just like on the day of Pentecost. According to 1 Corinthians 14:22 speaking in tongues is for the unbelievers to hear the gospel in their own language. It is not for the believers in church, because they have already heard the gospel. That’s why they are there.

By contrast, prophesying is for those who already believe. This is very important to understand. We are not supposed to use the Spirit of Prophecy to convince unbelievers. The Testimonies for the church are directed to the church, not unbelievers. It was the same in Isaiah’s day.

Tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Isaiah 58:1 NKJV

Isaiah was given the Spirit of Prophecy to show the church its sins, not the world. The world is to be told there is a Savior, and then they can be instructed through the Spirit of Prophecy, not before. What that means to us today is that we need to be telling our neighbors that Jesus loves and died for them, and not that they need to stop eating cheese or drinking with their meals. But I digress…

So Biblical speaking in tongues is when someone hears the gospel in their own language. Speaking in tongues does not need to be used in the church. It needs to be used outside the church to share the gospel with unbelievers in their own language. When unbelievers accept the gospel and become believers, they are welcomed into the church, where the gift of prophecy is shared with them.

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

“That’s Why I’m Here”

Photo by Guy Kawasaki on Pexels.com

The late evangelist Ron Halverson told a story of him knocking on a door one night in Harlem, New York. A young woman answered the door. She had grown up a pastor’s daughter, but had become a prostitute. The woman looked at the Bible in Halverson’s hand and said, “I’m not interested!” Quick-witted Halverson responded as she tried to slam the door, “I know you’re not interested! That’s why I’m here!”

Granted, such an approach would not normally work, but this time it woke the young lady up to a need she had been neglecting. Sometimes we look at our mission field and think the grass is greener in other mission fields. Fact is, the green mission fields don’t need us as much as the parched fields do. The young lady, who answered the door to Pastor Halverson, may not have looked promising, but she actually needed his message more than anyone else in Harlem that night.

Once I was working in a church that seemed just as worldly as the … well, world! The youth teachers openly confessed to me that they entertained the kids instead of teaching them, because they themselves did not know anything about the Bible. When I held evangelistic meetings, the greeters were never around to hand out lesson outlines, because they went home when the meetings started! The musicians would come in and play before my presentation, and everyone would watch as they walked out and went home as soon as they were through playing. An elder in the church told me that his neighbor wanted to come to the meetings and would I please give him a ride. I asked the elder why he could not just bring his neighbor to the meetings himself, since, after all, they lived right next-door. The elder told me he would not be coming to the meetings since he had already heard it all before. It was very discouraging!

I asked God why he sent me to such a spiritually parched church. God told me that it was because the church was my mission field just as much as the community. This changed my attitude, and instead of getting upset because the youth leaders did not know their Bibles, I took advantage of the opportunity to teach them about the Bible and Jesus. The leaders in the church became my mission field. Before long God sent other missionaries more skilled than myself, to help turn the church around. When I left, the church was not at all like I first found it. Thanks to God and the other missionaries He sent, the youth leaders grew (and sadly some left) and there was a totally different spiritual climate in the entire church family.

I would rather have been in a church where the youth teachers knew their Bibles and the members were are on fire to do evangelism, but you know what? A church like that would not have needed me as much as this one did. While it may be easier and a lot more fun to work with people who are spiritually mature and on fire for the Lord, Pastor Halverson realized he was needed where people did not seem interested. I learned the same lesson.

When I was 11, I started piano lessons but quit after just a few weeks. A few years ago, at the age of 48 I started taking lessons again. So I don’t like to say I actually quit when I was 11. I just took a 37-year sabbatical. When I started again, my teacher just happened to be a college musician who I actually met a few years ago when she was only 11. She is more than young enough to be my daughter. Fact is, if I had stayed with my piano lessons when I was 11, I might  have been able to teach her instead of her teaching me. Instead, at the age of 48 I began taking piano lessons from a 19-year-old. She’s never said anything like, “You are almost 50. You should know all this by now.” She never said, “Look at how old you are. You should be teaching me, but instead I am teaching you.” Instead she enthusiastically seized the opportunity to teach me in the here and now.

Sometimes we get discouraged when we see people in the church who we think should know more by now. Maybe they should, but instead of getting discouraged, let’s seize the opportunity to teach. I need a good teacher like my piano teacher, because I don’t have it all together. I struggle with my timing, among other things, so I need a good teacher. If I was a polished musician I would not need her. If everyone in the church already knew their Bibles and had it all together they would not need me. There may be more gifted musicians in the world that are easier to teach than I am, but it is because I am not a gifted musician that I need my piano teacher so much.

So if your mission field looks parched and pitiful, and you are tempted to think the grass would be greener in another mission field, remember, a greener mission field would not need you, like the parched pitiful mission field does. If you look around your mission field and don’t see much potential or interest just remember what Pastor Halverson remembered – that’s why you’re here!

You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.