Tag / God’s Mission My Mission

by In Light Of The Cross

The Three Angel’s Message in Light of the Cross

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people” Revelation 14:6.

Who is this first angel and who are the three angels?

Revelation 1:20 says that the seven stars are the seven angels of the seven churches. So an angel would be like a leader or messenger to a church. Jesus begins His message to each church with, “Write unto the angel of the church of…” so He must be referring to an angel as being a terrestrial leader. When John saw the seven stars in Jesus’ hand, those stars were the angels, or ministers and leaders of the church.

Jesus calls us all to have a ministry in the church and a message to share with the world, and it’s comforting to know, that while we are messengers for Jesus, He holds all of us in His hand. Wherever in the world you are reading this – whether in a country with few Christian churches, and even persecution, or whether you are trying to share Jesus with your family members who all seem opposed to your message – rest assured, Jesus has you right in His hand and you are very special to Him! He will take care of you and make your ministry prosperous. You may find your ministry in a difficult place, but it is right in Jesus’ hands.

I believe the three angels in Revelation 14 make up the message that the Seventh-day Adventist church has to give to the world. These angels are sent out after the rise of the United States in Revelation 13, so this would fit the time prophecy. Thus I believe that the members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church are the three angels in Revelation 14, and, even more specifically, the three angels are you and I.

The Seventh-day Adventist church has a very important message to give to the world, so let’s see what it is.

The First Angel’s Message is all about the cross.

Now don’t all churches have the gospel? Yes, many people will be in the Kingdom because a Baptist, Methodist, Catholic or Lutheran etc. missionary shared the love of God with them. However, as the book of Revelation changes scenes from the Dark Ages to the earth being “lightened with His glory” the gospel will be shining brighter than ever before.

The everlasting gospel which the Seventh-day Adventist church shares overcomes the legalism of Babylon. This last message is filled with grace and the glory of God and not the works of man. It shows the love of God more clearly than the gospel presented by most other churches.

Many churches preach that Jesus died for us, and then they turn around and tell us people don’t really die. If that is the case, then Jesus did not really die, and if He did not really die, then He did not die for us.

Many churches preach that sinners will be eternally tormented in hell while John 3:16, which is the crux of the gospel, says that sinners will perish. Romans 6:23 says the wages of sin is death, not eternal torment in hell. It’s impossible to fall in love with a God who has a “love-me-or-I’ll-torment-you-for-eternity-in-hell” mentality. While sin and those who cling to it at any cost must perish, God will not be delighting in their eternal torture. The punishment, which is death, is eternal; the punishing is not.

Many churches focus on the physical torture Jesus endured. The physical torture was terrible, but Jesus suffered way more than a six-hour pain endurance marathon. Hebrews 2:9 tells us Jesus “tasted death” for all men. It obviously was not the death of the righteous that He tasted; we all taste that first death for ourselves. Obadiah 16 tells us the wicked will be as though they never were. Jesus faced more than nail-scarred hands and feet on the cross. He tasted the death of the wicked, which means He experienced total separation from God. This could be why He was crying out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” instead of singing hymns of praise while He died, like John Huss did. You see, Jesus died a totally different death than John Huss. John Huss died the death of the righteous while he burned at the stake for his faith. Jesus was dying the death of the wicked.

Many teach that Jesus saves us in our sins while Matthew 1:21 tells us clearly that Jesus will save us from our sins. We can’t call Jesus a Savior unless He actually saves us, and according to Ephesians 2:1-10 we are saved by grace. What His grace saves us from is our sinful life.

So we see, Seventh-day Adventists not only teach a different day of worship, we also teach the fullness of the gospel. Our job description, in being messengers for Jesus, is to let the whole world know the love of Jesus.

You don’t have to be a TV evangelist to have a ministry and share this message. This gospel is so amazing that many will not even believe it when they hear or read about it. However, they will believe it when they see these principles of self-sacrificing love manifested in your life.

I remember a story about a man who was married for 50 years. At breakfast he always insisted on having the heel of the bread loaf for toast. He acted as though it was his favorite part of the bread. Fifty years later after his wife died, he stopped eating the heel. His nephew asked him why he didn’t like it any more. The old man explained that he never did like it. He just knew his wife did not like it either, so for fifty years he pretended he loved it so she would not have to eat it. That made a great impact on the nephew, and it helped him understand the gospel better than any evangelist preacher ever could.

The first angel tells us how the cross prepares us for judgment,

Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. Revelation 14:7

This angel is telling us of the judgment which began in 1844. Interestingly the angel says the hour of His judgment has come. What does this mean? It means God is the one being judged!

The judgment is not to see if God will accept us, Ephesians 1:6 tells us we are already accepted in the Beloved. The judgment is to see if we will accept God and let Him write His law on our hearts. Seventh-day Adventists preach a time of probation, but many do not realize that it is actually God who is on probation. God is being judged by the universe: Is God the mean control freak and tyrant that Satan makes Him out to be, or is He a God of love? Is God a good God or some psychopath saying, “Love me or I’ll kill you?”

Satan first attacked the character of God in heaven. Revelation 12 says there was war in heaven, but not with machine guns and tanks; it was a battle of the minds. Satan wanted God’s power but not his character.

I can see Satan playing mind games with the angels. I can see him going up to one of the other angels and saying, “You did a great job on that project God gave you. Did God give you any special recognition for it? He didn’t? Why that’s too bad. You know if I was God I would have thrown a banquet in your honor.”

And so Satan started these mind games trying to make the angels believe that he should be God and that God was not a God of love who was interested in their welfare.

Satan got a third of the angels to buy his lie. There may have been some angels who stayed in heaven but were not convinced who was right or wrong, until the cross. Then the whole universe saw the true character of Satan, who was willing to kill anyone who got in his way of being number one, contrasted with the true character of God who was willing to die on a cross and say goodbye to life forever to save others.

This is why Satan does not want us to understand the everlasting gospel. The everlasting gospel tells the truth about the character of God and the character of Satan. In the hour of His judgment those who clearly understand the everlasting gospel, free of legalism, will demonstrate that God is indeed a God of love. When we accept God we accept more than eternal life, we accept God Himself, along with all of His righteousness and goodness and power to live a victorious life.

The second half of this verse – “and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters” – reminds us of the language used in the fourth commandment about the Sabbath. Many times we quote the fourth commandment from Exodus 20: 8-11 but let’s take a look at it in Deuteronomy 5:12-15.

“Keep the sabbath day to sanctify it, as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee. Six days thou shalt labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day [is] the sabbath of the LORD thy God: [in it] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thine ox, nor thine ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger that [is] within thy gates; that thy manservant and thy maidservant may rest as well as thou. And remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and [that] the LORD thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the sabbath day.”

In Egypt the king made all the Hebrew slaves work so he could rest. God delivered the Hebrews from their works and gave them the Sabbath, explaining that it was God who created and made everything and did all the work so they could rest. God is reminding Israel that He saved them from the slavery of the Egyptians, and that it was not their works that saved them. Likewise God Himself will save us from the slavery of sin, by His grace and not by our works. The Sabbath is clearly a sign that it is God who sanctifies us and not our own works. We see this also in Exodus 31:13. We rest from our works on the Sabbath, remembering that our salvation comes from resting our faith in His amazing grace and not in trusting our works to save us.

The Sabbath also reminds us of our Creator whom Satan wants us to forget. If the Sabbath had never been forgotten, atheism would never exist. For example we use the sun to mark a year, the moon marks a month and the earth’s rotation marks a day, but what do we have to mark a week? The only thing we have to mark a week is the creation week which ends with the seventh-day Sabbath. So how do atheists explain the seven-day week?

During the reign of terror the French tried to do away with the seven-day week and replace it with a ten-day week. This did not work.

The Sabbath reminds us that we have a Creator who did all the work in creating us. It reminds us that we did not make ourselves by our own works. Even more, the Sabbath reminds us that we were redeemed by the works and sacrifice of our Creator and not by our own works. By resting on the Sabbath we show that the gospel is practical and not just a theory. He literally rested, and we literally rest our faith in Jesus, believing that He literally saves us.

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Revelation 14:8

The second angel warns us against trusting man made laws and traditions instead of trusting Jesus to save us by grace.

Many say that Babylon means confusion. Well it may, but it is not so much confusion about certain doctrines as much as it is about the gospel itself. When legalism mixes our works with God’s grace, it gets confusing. In Galatians 2:20 Paul gives us the pure gospel when he says, “Not I but Christ.” So many of us want to make it a combination of me plus Christ. Problem is, any time I make “me” a part of the gospel I have a corrupt gospel because “me” is corrupt. Does this mean doing away with good works? Not at all! It just means realizing that it is God who is working in us and not us. Philippians 2:13

Seventh-day Adventists teach that Babylon is a religious system which it is, but it is more than that. It is an attitude – an attitude that can be found in any system. Babylon is the attitude that I can save myself by my own works. It began with the tower of Babel.

Babel meaning “gate” and El meaning “God.” At the tower of Babel man decided they could work and build their own way to heaven. They did not think they could trust God to save them from another flood so they decided to build a tower and by their works save themselves. Thus Babylon symbolizes salvation by our own works, or legalism. Cain had the attitude of Babylon when he brought the works of his field and offered his own system of worship. But God could only accept Abel’s sacrifice – a lamb which pointed to the Lamb of God who could only save. Since then man has been presenting his own system of worship and even day of worship thinking he can save himself by inventing his own religion instead of accepting the gospel.

Years later Daniel 1 tells us that God gave Jerusalem into Nebuchadnezzar’s hands, but in Daniel 4 Nebuchadnezzar says “is this not Babylon which I have made?” And God says, “No! I made it and gave it to you.” But here is the attitude of Babylon again – that it is my works that save me.

During the Dark Ages people were taught that their works would save them. They could buy and work their way to heaven. They were also given a work day to worship instead of the Sabbath day of rest. So they were like Cain, worshiping their works instead of our Creator and Redeemer. When the everlasting gospel is proclaimed in all its glory, Babylon will fall! Man will see that we are not saved by our own religious works and inventions but rather are saved by the grace of God alone!

The third angel’s message encourages us to trust Jesus to save us instead of man. The third angel’s message encourages us to trust God’s grace instead of our won works.

Ellen White comments:

Several have written to me, inquiring if the message of justification by faith is the third angel’s message, and I have answered, “It is the third angel’s message, in verity.”– The Review and Herald, April 1, 1890. {1SM 372.2}

If you are like me, your first glance at the third angel’s message does not make you think of justification by faith. As a matter of fact many people get wrapped up in works over this passage. Let’s take another look and see why it’s not about works but rather justification by faith.

Revelation 14:9-12 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

The third angel’s message is justification by faith in verity because those who refuse the mark of the beast will not be allowed to buy or sell or do any business to provide for themselves or their families. They will be resting on the Sabbath and not working. Therefore they trust God to provide for them, and not their own works. This is justification by faith. Those who accept the mark so that they can buy and sell are not resting in Jesus or trusting Him to provide for them. Rather they are saying, “I do not trust Jesus to provide for me, so I am accepting the mark so that I can work and provide for myself.” This is salvation by works.

It is very important to notice that the ones who accept the mark and are trying to be saved by their works are rejecting the cross of Christ. The “cup of His indignation” is the cup that Jesus asked to be passed from Him, in Gethsemane. However, He drank that cup for us, at Calvary. Those who reject the seal of God, and the Sabbath are really rejecting the cross. They say, “I will accept the mark of the beast and provide my own salvation.” When they do this they reject the Salvation provided at Calvary, and instead of letting Jesus drink that cup for them, they must drink it themselves!

After all, if you do not trust Jesus enough to provide your daily bread, but rather accept the mark so that you can do business and put bread on the table yourself, how can you trust Him to provide for your eternal salvation? On the other hand, by rejecting the mark (works) and keeping the Sabbath and seal of God we are accepting the cross and justification by faith. Jesus drinks the cup mentioned in the third angel’s message so we don’t have to! We can all exclaim with Abraham at Moriah, “Jehovahjireh” My Lord Will provide!”

The third angel’s message is the climax of the battle between faith and works. For centuries man has been taught by tradition to save himself by worshiping a man made religion and even a man made Sabbath which is Sunday. Those who put their faith in Jesus triumph over the legalism of man made religions as they rest their faith in the One who gave all to save them. They cherish His Sabbath which is a sign that we are not saved by works but rather by His amazing grace!

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

by In Light Of The Cross

12: Esther and Mordecai-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, December 23, 2023.

Main Theme: The story of Esther shows how God’s people, even in foreign environments, can witness for truth.

Read in Class: Esther 2:5-10. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What do these verses tell us about the situation of Mordecai and Esther? Why did Mordecai tell Esther not to reveal her Jewish identity?

Apply: What circumstances would it be prudent not to be open about your faith? Or should we never hide who we are? See Why did Jesus tell the Demons not to Tell Everyone He was the Son of God?

Share: Your friend says that Mordecai not wanting people to know who Esther was showed a lack of faith. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Esther 3:1-15. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What is happening here and why?

Apply: In what ways, even now, might we be tested, like Mordecai? 

Share: Your friend says the it seems like Mordecai was escalating the situation between him and Haman? Why couldn’t Mordecai have been a peace maker and just humbly bowed to Haman to show a little respect? Why did he have to create such a huge confrontation and put the lives of his people in peril? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Esther 4:8-14. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: Why was it considered appropriate at this time for Esther to identify herself as a Jew?

Apply: For the Jews in such a situation as described above, prayer would certainly accompany fasting. That is, though they acted in their own behalf, prayer was central to their response. What obvious lesson can we take from this?

Share: Your friend asks why Mordecai would put Esther in such a dangerous situation? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Esther 9:1-12. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What was the result of Esther’s effort?

Challenge: Pray that God will give you the courage to share something He has done for you with one of the people on your prayer list this week.

Challenge Up: Begin a diary or journal of special little things (or big things) that God does for you. Review it and pray that God will bring these things to your mind at just the right time so you can share them with someone.

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

11: Mission to the Unreached-Part 2 Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt, for Sabbath School class, December 16, 2023.

Main Theme: If we humbly seek them, we can find people in the cities interested in the Gospel.

Read in Class: Matthew 9:35-38. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What does this teach us about mission to the multitudes, wherever we find them?

Apply: How can we help people see just how futile, in and of themselves, “their magnificent palaces and marts of trade” are, and why they need Jesus?

Share: Your friend asks, “What are the needs of those in your community and how is your church meeting those needs? What are your challenges in reaching the unreached in your community?” What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Matthew 15:22-28 and Mark 7:24-30. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study:  What differences do you see in how the woman was depicted?

Apply: Read 1 John 2:2. How does this text tell us about how we are all the same before God? How does this shape our attitude towards the unreached?

Share: Your friend asks you why Jesus was so harsh with the woman? What do you tell your friend? Should we allow God to use figure of speech?

Read in Class: Acts 10:9-16, 28, 34-35. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: How would you summarize the lesson taught here by the Holy Spirit?

Apply: Read Galatians 2:11-13. What should this teach us about how hard it can be to be purged of the prejudices we have been taught since childhood?

Share: Your friend asks, how do we reach out to people who hate us? Especially those who want to destroy us? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Matthew 8:10, 13, Matthew 9:2 and Mark 2:5. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: In these passages, whom does Jesus describe as having faith?

Challenge: Open your heart in prayer for a greater portion of faith with which to share your love for those near and far.

Challenge up: How did you come to know Jesus and the precious three angels’ messages? List three spiritual blessings that you have experienced from Jesus in your personal life.

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

10:God’s Mission to the Unreached Part 1-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath school class, December 9, 2023.

Main Theme: Paul shows us how to reach people for Jesus.

Read in Class: Acts 17:10-16. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: How did Paul wind up in Athens, and how did he respond to what he found there?

Apply: What kind of idols are people worshiping in your society, and how can you open their eyes to how worthless it all is?

Share: Your friend says that the Jews stirred up the crowd and made Paul leave Berea. In early Adventism a crowd was stirred up over opposition to the 1888 message forcing Ellen White to have to leave the United States. Your friend asks why God allows so much opposition? What do you tell your friend? What were the results of Paul leaving Berrea for Athens and Ellen White leaving the United States for Australia?

Read in Class: Acts 17:18-21. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What were some of the different ways that the pagans in the marketplace reacted to Paul’s speaking and ques­tioning?

Apply: After Paul’s experience in Athens with these pagans and philosophers, he wrote to the Corinthians that “I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). What lesson is there for us about how central Christ must be to our message regardless of whom we are preaching to?

Share: Your friend says, just like with Paul at Athens, many today just enjoy talking about new ideas about the Bible and prophecy all the time but that’s all they want to do is talk. There seems to be no real conviction. How do we help people become convicted of truth? How again might 1 Corinthians 2:2 help you answer your friend?

Read in Class: Acts 17:22-23. Define the main idead of this passage.

Study: What was Paul doing here in his attempt to reach these people with the gospel?

Apply: What bridges and points of contact can you think of that would open opportunities for deeper conversation with others with whom you come in contact?

Share: Your friend notices that Paul said these people were very religious even though they were worshiping false gods and therefore had a false religion. your friend asks you, which is easier, reaching someone who has no religion or reaching someone who has a false religion? What strategies do you use for reaching people with a false religion as opposed to people with no religion? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Acts 17:24-34. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What approach was Paul taking here in an attempt to reach these people?

Paul probably spoke longer at the Areopagus than just the few words Luke shared in this story. It seems reasonable for the sake of space that Luke just summarized Paul’s speech. If that is true, then each of the concepts we have read so far Paul probably fleshed out in more detail. Then we break down Paul’s speech into concepts:

  1. Paul first complimented their current spiritual awareness and sincerity.
  2. Next he showed that he had studied their belief and that he found some things that he respected from what he had learned.
  3. He then told them about one particular thing that he had discovered in his study of their religion that they admitted they did not understand.
  4. After that, he shared the aspect of God that he knew they desperately needed, which is the fact that God exists and that He loves them and is not far away.
  5. Finally, at the end of his speech, Paul moved to warning them of what it means to reject the knowledge of this God they did not yet know.

Apply: Notice Paul’s appeal to the created world and to God as the Creator (see also Romans 1:18-25). Why is this such a good approach to take, at least as a start, with most people? What is it about the created world that points so powerfully to God?

Challenge:  In prayer, ask for God’s specific guidance in knowing how best to witness to someone you know. Explore social media as a possible “Areopagus” for you to represent the gospel—with Paul’s clarity and ­discretion—to unbelievers.

by In Light Of The Cross

9: Mission to the Powerful-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, Sabbath, Sabbath December 2, 2023.

Main Theme: God can and will use humble people to bring powerful people to Jesus.

Read in Class: Daniel 4:19-37. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What happened to the king here, and what does this tell us about salvation coming to one of the world’s most powerful men?

Apply: Even if we are not rich and powerful by the world’s standards, why must we be careful to avoid the kind of arrogance that this king had manifested? Why might that attitude be easier to have than we might think?

Share: Your friend says our political world is being so corrupt and polarized, there is no hope. Your friend says the leaders are so corrupt there is no hope for their eternal salvation. In light of Daniel 4, what do you say to your friend about the corrupt leaders today?

Read in Class: 2 Kings 5:1-19. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What can we take from this story about reaching people for the Lord?

Apply: What lessons should we learn from this story about not pushing people too quickly, especially those who come from a non-­Christian background?

Share: Your friend says if she had been the servant girl, she would never had told Naaman about the prophet who could heal him. Instead she would pray he would die so she could escape and be free to go back home. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: John 3:1-12. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What does this story reveal about Nicodemus’s spiritual needs and how Jesus addressed them right away?

Apply: Why must we be careful of the trap of thinking that because “we have the truth” (which we do), then the knowledge of this truth alone is enough to save us? How many souls will be lost who had more than enough knowledge, even of the three angels’ messages, to be saved?

Share: Your friend asks if you think Nicodemus ever heeded Jesus’ invitation to be born again? How might John 7:43-52 and John 19:39 help you answer your friend?

Read in Class: Matthew 19:16-22, Luke 19:1-10 and Mark 15:43-47. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: Talk about the contrasts between the stories in Matthew 19:16-22 and Luke 19:1-10. What do think made the differences? What does Mark 15:43-47 tell us about how God uses rich people?

Challenge: Add someone to your daily prayer list who is in a position of power, is not a believer, and is someone you could come in contact with from time to time. Remember Daniel 4. No one is so powerfully corrupt that they are beyond hope!

Challenge Up: Address a letter or email to someone in a position of power—even if it is someone you may never have met—and tell that person that you are praying for him or her.

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

8: Mission to the Needy-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School Class, November 25, 2023.

Main Theme: God has a plan to reach those who might be needy in any number of ways. Their needs might be physical, emotional, financial, or even social: that is, some might be deemed as outcasts from their community or family. Whatever the needs are, we must be ready to do what we can to help. This is a central part of what it means to be a Christian and what mission must include.

Read in Class: Luke 5:17-26. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What are some of the lessons we can take from this story about mission and ministry?

Apply: Who around you, right now, needs some help? What are you going to do for them?

Share: Your friend points out that the pharisees and teachers were already in the house listening to Jesus when the men brought their friend to Jesus. The Bible does not say that the men were teachers or had any kind of a title or position in the church. Your friend asks, which is better? To be a pharisee or teacher sitting in the church, or a regular lay member actively bringing people to Jesus? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: John 5:1-9. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What does this story teach us about ministry to the needy?

Apply: How might this statement help us find ways to minister to those who need our help? ” “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.” —The Ministry of Healing, p. 143.

Share: Your friend asks how we can mingle with people of the world without becoming like the world? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Deuteronomy 10:19, Psalm 146:9, Romans 12:13, and Leviticus 23:22. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: What is the important theme here to remember?

Apply: Even if it’s only a small amount, what can you do to help any immigrants or refugees you know about?

Share: Your friend says that there is a difference between legal and illegal immigrants. If we help illegal immigrants it only hurts those who are trying to enter legally. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Matthew 25:34-40 and John 15:13. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: What is the message here for us? How do we apply these principles in our ministry to others?

Challenge: Learn about foreigners or non-Christians who live in your country. Joshuaprojects.net is a good place to survey unreached people groups in your culture.

Challenge Up: Identify someone within your sphere of influence. Begin regularly praying for the person after answering the following questions: Is this person my friend—according to Jesus’ model of friendship? Do I know the needs of his or her life? How can I lead him or her to Jesus for healing?