And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Ephesians 6:17 NKJV
I am so happy we will be studying Ephesians, one of my favorite books of the Bible this quarter. There are many things I love about the book. I love how Paul teaches in Ephesians 1:1-6 that we are accepted in the Beloved and destined by God’s grace to be formed in His image. I love how Ephesians 1:6 and Ephesians 2:6 brings out that we are justified in Christ and how Ephesians 3:14-21 teaches how we are sanctified by Christ being in us. I love how Ephesians 2:1-10 shows how grace saves us from the penalty of sin and the power of sin. I love how Ephesians Chapters 4-6 shows us the obedient lifestyle of a grace filled Christian. I could go on and on but you probably have your own favorite passages in Ephesians as well which brings me to my challenge for all of us this quarter.
Our weekly Sabbath School lessons are designed to explore different ideas in the book of Ephesians as well as covering those same ideas elsewhere in Scripture. This approach is very beneficial. I also believe since Paul wrote this book as a letter, He intended for it to be read verse by verse as a whole and complete message within itself, just like we read a letter today. Therefore I would like to encourage all my friends and fellow Bible students around the world to take some time to read the book of Ephesians from beginning to end just like when you receive a letter today or a personal e-mail. The book or letter is only six chapters and could be read in one sitting but I do not want to encourage you to rush through. Take your time and let Paul’s ideas soak into your mind and heart. I appreciate how our lesson authors have divided the lesson topics, but I also believe a rich blessing is in store for those who read Ephesians verse by verse as a whole passage, just the way it was written.
Will you join me in reading the entire book of Ephesians verse by verse from beginning to end this week?
Main Theme: In the book of Ephesians Paul tells us how God’s grace protects us against the wicked powers in our community.
Read in Class: Acts 19:13-20. Discuss the main idea of this passage.
Study: What strange event leads to widespread reverence for “the Lord Jesus” in Ephesus?
Apply: What did the burning of their own books signify, even at such an expense to themselves? What does that say about a total commitment to the Lord?
Share: Your friend asks why the demons were able to overpower the people using the name of Jesus? What clues from the passage itself can you share with your friend? Also see Matthew 7:21-23.
Apply: At the end of his third missionary journey, Paul meets with elders of the Ephesian church. How would you summarize Paul’s concerns? (See Acts 20:17-38)
Share: After reading these warnings, you friend asks, “What do you think Paul would warn our church today about, and why?” What do you tell your friend?
Study: How does Paul begin and end his letter to the believers in Ephesus? What do we learn about his deepest desires for them? How does Paul worry about the effect his imprisonment will have on believers in Ephesus? See Eph. 3:13.
Apply: How can you use your personal tribulations as a witness to others about the goodness of God?
Share: Your friend says, “I thought the whole point of accepting Jesus as our Savior was so He would bless us and make us prosperous? If we still have tribulations what’s the point of having Jesus in our lives? How has God’s grace protected us from the evil in our community if we still suffer harm?” What do you tell your friend?
Read in Class: Ephesians 1:9-10. Discuss the main idea of this passage.
Study: How does Paul announce the theme of his letter?
Apply: In the church of which you are a part, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, God is drawing together a transnational, multilingual, multiracial, cross-cultural community (Rev. 14:6, 7) that points the way to the fulfillment of His plan to unite all things in Jesus (Eph. 1:9, 10). How can we work in concert with God’s grand plan?
Share: Can you think of a friend who would enjoy these studies on Ephesians? Can you invite your friend to Sabbath School?
A few years ago I was visiting family and friends in an Adventist community. Various friends and family members attend various Adventist churches in the area. On Sabbath, I decided to join a particular friend at his church. The sermon was on how we are not to judge others. As I sat and listened to the sermon, I could not help, but in my mind think of texts that say we are to judge, Like 1 Corinthians 5- 6. I thought the sermon was very much one-sided. Then I believe the Holy Spirit spoke to me. William there are about 20 Adventist churches in the area God could have sent you to this morning, but I sent you to this church so you could hear this particular message. This is the side of the topic that you need to hear.
Often instead of bringing up opposing views, we need to just hear what the other person has to say. We don’t have to exhaust both sides of the topic in one conversation. Often the person has a single valid point, and we take away from that point by bringing up “the other side.”
For example, suppose I have a friend in New Zealand who has been battling depression, because she misses her home in South Africa. One morning she gets up and is trying to look at the bright side of the situation, so she posts a picture of a beautiful New Zealand sunrise on Facebook, with the message, “New Zealand sure has some beautiful scenery.” Then suppose all of her friends in America and South Africa start commenting back about how beautiful their land is too. No doubt South Africa and America are beautiful too, but wouldn’t that distract from the point that is relevant to my friend in New Zealand? My friend in New Zealand is already aware that America and South Africa are beautiful. But that is not the point. Instead of commenting back with, “True, but…..America is beautiful too!” maybe I should just agree, “Yes! That is a very beautiful sunrise. You live in a wonderful land” and just leave it at that. It is not going to help my NZ friend battle depression by totally exhausting the subject of beautiful places to live on her post. She needs affirmation, not competition. I have an older friend, who told me when she was younger and would get carried away thinking about all the different ways people might be interpreting her actions, her mother would tell her, “stop trying to play every instrument in the band.” Occasionally I will finish a sermon and some “helpful” saint will try to remind me of all the points on the topic that I left out. Fact is I left them out on purpose. Its not that I did not consider them to be true or even important, its just that in a 20 minute, wait who am I kidding? In a 40 minute sermon I can’t play every instrument in the band. I can’t cover every single point of truth in one presentation. Remember we will be studying the Gospel throughout all eternity and will be learning the entire time, so please do not expect me to cover every point of truth in a 30 or 40 minute sermon.
Believe it or not Jesus Himself did not exhaust every subject in every discourse. He spoke words that needed to be heard in that particular situation. Over time and by cross-examining Scripture we get the big picture. Jesus’ sermon in Luke 4 is an example of how Jesus purposely left out certain points because they were not relevant to the specific group He was addressing.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come. Luke 4:18-19 NLT
Jesus was quoting from Isaiah 61:1-2 which went on to read, “and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies.” But Jesus left that part out!. Jesus knew the crowd He was talking to would become a little too happy about God’s anger on their enemies, so He left that out. It was totally true but not a truth that they needed to hear. So when we accuse a preacher or Sabbath school teacher of not preaching truth, because they leave out the morsel of truth we enjoy feasting on, we are making an unwarranted judgment of “heresy.” We can have unity by listening to what others have to say without constantly bickering and arguing, even with a “true….but.” Sometimes those “true….buts” are a distraction from what God wants us to see. Often times the point in the “true….but” has already been well established, and the other person is not trying to disagree, but just give the topic a proper balance, and if we reply back with a “true…but,” we throw the topic off balance again.
For example we all know the emphases the church has placed on marriage over the years. Considering that my congregation already knew full well how sanctified and blessed marriage is, I decided to encourage some of my widowed, single and divorced friends by sharing the encouraging things Jesus said in Matthew 19, and Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7 regarding the blessings of being single. I affirmed our married members and our single members. After my sermon an elderly lady came up to me and complained that I did not talk about the blessings of being married as much as I did the blessings of being single. The reason I spent 25 minutes on the blessings of being single and only 15 minutes on the blessings of being married is because over the years pastors have preached thousands of sermons on the blessings of being married while rarely if ever preaching about the blessings of being single. I was simply trying to share the teachings of Jesus and Paul that are rarely if ever shared behind the pulpit. Like my illustration with my friend in New Zealand, I did not need a rebuttal. I did not need to hear the other side of the story I have already heard a trillion times. I just needed my single friends to hear an encouraging word from Scripture without everyone protesting about the parts I left out. The goal of my sermon was not to play every instrument in the band.
We can encourage oneness and promote unity by listening to understand instead of just listening to reply with our opinion. We don’t always have to bring up the other side of the topic. Maybe God knows you are already grounded on one side and now need a more balanced understanding of the topic by hearing some other truths on the topic. That is what I realized God was telling me while listening to the sermon in my friend’s church that Sabbath.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
As Adventists we understand from the book of Revelation that the anti-Christ is the papacy putting itself in the place of God. Of course any system putting itself in the place of God is an anti-Christ. In 1 John 2:18, John writes, “even now are there many anti-Christs; whereby we know that it is the last time.” So was John implying their were more anti-Christs besides just the papacy? If so could you or I have anti-Christ characteristics?
To answer this question, let’s back up a little. In studying the Three Angels Message, we see that a so-called religious system, Babylon, falls. Again we know from studying Revelation that this is a specific system. However, we also see that this system has an attitude. That attitude is legalism. Man-made laws and a man-made day of worship combine to make a man-made way of salvation, outside of trusting in the merits of Jesus. While Revelation pinpoints this system, it is clear that this attitude can be found in other systems as well, and history has demonstrated it. Were not the Sadducees and Pharisees making their own laws and trusting their own works for salvation? Yet they were not Babylon. So could it be that if I am not careful to crucify self and die daily, that this same attitude of Babylon could be found in my heart too?
So, if it is possible for me to have the attitude of Babylon, would it also be possible for me to have the same attitude as the anti-Christ, thus making me one of many anti-Christs? An anti-Christ is someone who sets himself up as Christ, just as the man of sin mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” Here we see that the man of sin, or anti-Christ sits in the place of God. So how could I possibly be an anti-Christ, sitting in the place of God? Isaiah 33:22 tells us; “For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver.” Our Lord God is our lawgiver and judge. So, when I set myself up as judge of other people’s motives, or think that I can interpret the law for everybody, I am usurping the seat of God and setting myself up as God, and thus becoming an anti-Christ!
Like Babylon, Anti-Christ is more than a system. It is an attitude. Ellen White explains, that while the pilgrims came to the new world, to escape the anti-Christ, that they carried the attitude of anti-Christ with them to the New World:
“It was the desire for liberty of conscience that inspired the Pilgrims to brave the perils of the long journey across the sea, to endure the hardships and dangers of the wilderness, and with God’s blessing to lay, on the shores of America, the foundation of a mighty nation. Yet honest and God-fearing as they were, the Pilgrims did not yet comprehend the great principle of religious liberty. The freedom which they sacrificed so much to secure for themselves, they were not equally ready to grant to others. “Very few, even of the foremost thinkers and moralists of the seventeenth century, had any just conception of that grand principle, the outgrowth of the New Testament, which acknowledges God as the sole judge of human faith.” (W. Carlos Martyn, The Life and Times of Luther, Vol. 5, p. 297.) The doctrine that God has committed to the church the right to control the conscience and to define and punish heresy, is one of the most deeply rooted of papal errors.-Ellen White, The Great Controversy, pp. 292-3
2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that the Scriptures are profitable for doctrine and correction. I can only define God’s law by what is in the Scriptures , but not by my personal opinions or traditions, like the Pharisees in Christ’s time and religious leaders in the Dark Ages did. I am not the interpreter of the Law for the whole world, nor, can I think to change times and laws to meet with my own opinions or inclinations. Since I am not the Lawgiver, I cannot judge people by my own standards.
While open sin must be dealt with by the community of believers, according to 1 Corinthians 6, I as an individual cannot judge inward motives. In judging outward actions we must still be careful. Joseph almost put poor Mary away thinking he had all the evidence of an affair. Even with his overwhelming evidence, he was wrong! Even with all his evidence, he tried to put her away privately, without any public embarrassment. What a great example for us to imitate. Even with his incontrovertible evidence, Joseph was not going to judge Mary’s heart.
In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul teaches that churches, not individuals, to judge open and outward actions very carefully. He teaches no one to judge the heart and inward motives. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us God and the Scriptures alone tell us what is right and wrong. I am not the Lawgiver or the interpreter of the law for the rest of the world.
Only the Lord our God is our Lawgiver and Judge, and when we judge people according to our own standards, opinions and understanding, we usurp the throne of God and become an anti-Christ.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
Main Theme: God’s people will be loyal to Jesus because they love Him because He first loved them.
Read in Class: Revelation 14:12. Define the main idea of this passage.
Study: What two characteristics do we discover in this passage about God’s last-day people? Why are both important?
Apply: How faithful are you in the little things? What might that tell you about how you will be when the real trial comes? (See Luke 16:10).
Share: Your friend tells you the church focuses too much on commandment keeping instead of faith. How would Revelation 14:12 help you answer your friend?
Study: Where does the beast come from, and who gives the beast his authority? What contrast do you see in these verses?
Apply: “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved“ (Matt. 10:22, NKJV). How ready are you to endure to the end?
Share: Your friend asks you what the Biblical meaning of “blasphemy” is? What do you tell your friend?
Study: What identifying marks of the beast power do we discover in these verses? What will God’s end-time people face in the final crisis?
Apply: Read Galatians 6:7-9. Though this is not written in the context of last-day events, why is the principle there so relevant to issues over the mark of the beast, and how we can stand faithful?
Share: Your friend asks if the mark on the hand or forehead is literal or symbolic? What do you tell your friend?
Read in Class: Matthew 27:45-50. Define the main idea of this passage.
Study: What does this teach us about what Christ had experienced on the cross? What did Jesus mean by asking God why He had forsaken Him, and how does this scene help us understand what it means to have “the faith of Jesus”?
Apply and share: Your friend asks how you have shown the faith of Jesus in your own life? How has the faith of Jesus helped you get by even in the worst of times? What do you tell your friend? See When the Faithfulness of Jesus carried me Through.
Shortly after my mother died, I went to a restaurant alone, to write in my journal about my thoughts about my recent loss. My mother’s name was “Sara,” so I thought it interesting when the waitress came to my table and told me her name was “Sara.” I ordered my usual favorite beverage, but the waitress brought my mother’s favorite beverage instead, by mistake. Even in my grief I could not help but see the humor. I told a friend who I used to go to church with, about the irony of the waitress having my mother’s name and bringing me my mother’s soda. I was surprised when my friend assured me it was my mother who caused all those ironies, to let me know she was still with me. I had to remind my friend what we learned in the Bible about what happens when a person dies.
For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, their hatred, and their envy have now perished; Nevermore will they have a share In anything done under the sun. Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 NKJV.
By things my Adventist friends are telling me, and things they share on their Facebook pages, like wishing their dead loved ones a “happy heavenly birthday” and so on, is showing me that even many Adventists are falling for the deception of spiritualism. It gives them a false sense of comfort to think that their dead loved one is still watching over them. Does God not do a good job of watching over us? Can we not trust God so we trust our dead loved ones to care for us instead? They want to believe in signs letting them know their dead loved one still loves them. This would not be a temptation if they realized how much God loves them. When my mother died there were so many miracles letting me know that God cared. A friend sent me a substantial amount of money, totally unsolicited, which was greatly needed. When I pleaded with God He woke my mother up from unconsciousness one last time so I could tell her I loved her before she fell asleep in Jesus. Shortly after my mother died I was suddenly hit with an overwhelming sense of loneliness and cried out to God that I was all alone in the world. At that same moment when I cried out to God, I received a text message from a friend from out of state, with whom I had not spoken in ages. He texted me to remind me that God loves me, and so do my friends. These were not miracles from my mother letting me know she cared. These were greater and more wonderful miracles from God showing me God cares.
When people are more comforted by a supposed miracle from a dead loved one than from God Himself, it shows that they love their dead loved one more than God. That is making an idol of their dead loved one. Why should it mean more to get a “heavenly message” from a dead loved one than from God Himself? God is constantly showering us with love and miracles. When we credit those miracles to our dead loved ones we are now putting our dead loved ones in the place of God. A gentle breeze brushing my face means a lot more to me, coming from God, than it would even if it could come from a dead loved one. Why should a dead loved one, or even a living being, mean more to me than God?
I knew an elderly Adventist woman who lived in a small Adventist community. Her husband died and was buried in a cemetery just a block or so from her house. About every day, she would visit his grave and “talk” to him. One day she looked out her front window and perceived him walking up the sidewalk. He stopped at the window and stared at her through the glass. Being an Adventist and knowing the state of the dead, she knew it was not her husband, but a demon. This scared her into realizing she had been putting herself on the devil’s playground by her excessive visits, talking to her dead husband at his grave. After this experience she never returned to his grave. After all, she did not need to talk to her dead husband. She needed to be talking to Jesus, who could hear what she was saying, just like Saul did not need to be talking to dead Samuel. He should have been talking to God. I don’t know if a demon really personified itself as this woman’s husband, or if it was just her imagination. She claimed it was real and not just her imagination. Either way, it was a direct result of her acting like she was talking to the dead – which spiritualism teaches to be a real possibility, but the Bible teaches is an impossibility.
Years ago, a friend came back from vacation with a terrible story. While he was visiting his in-laws, his wife’s sister’s toddler drowned in the pool. On the way to the hospital, the wife’s sister was pleading with the virgin Mary to save her son. Mary is dead. There was nothing Mary could do anyway. The elderly Adventist woman, and my friend’s sister-in-law should not have been talking to dead people. That is a waste of time. They know nothing. We need to be talking to Jesus who can hear us, and does love us and constantly provides miracles, showering us with love.
I attended a wedding where the groom had lost his father a couple of years before the wedding. All through the wedding and reception it was repeated over and over that the groom’s father was dead and could not be at the wedding. So much emphasis was placed on the father not being there that it was almost like all the living people there did not matter. I am not one to tell people how to grieve, and forgive me, I am not trying to sound cold, but this seems like another form of idol worship. What was to be a joyous and sacred service turned out to be all about the groom’s dead loved one. What about his new bride? What about all the family and friends who were there? Did they mean nothing? Did our heavenly Father’s presence mean nothing? When we spend all our time grieving those who are gone, we fail to appreciate our loved ones who are still with us. We fail to appreciate God’s love.
Of course we all grieve, and that is healthy and natural. But excessive grief, which does not allow us to be in the moment and appreciate God and those still living, could be a form of idolatry. Feeling the need to credit dead loved ones for miracles and answered prayers is idolatry. Even thinking that we need a dead family member’s love more than we need God’s love is idolatry. As much as my family loves me, God loves me more. As much as I need my family, I need God more. As much as I love my family, I love God more. I can’t allow any loved one, living or dead, to take God’s place in my life. Spiritualism teaches us to put dead loved ones in the place of God. By giving dead loved ones excessive attention and adoration it becomes worship and idolatry. Only God Himself deserves that much attention and adoration. By wishing to pray or communicate with dead loved ones supposedly in heaven is to put them in God’s place. God is in heaven and I can pray and communicate with Him. We don’t need to talk to our dead loved ones when we can talk to God Himself. We don’t need spiritualism or idolatry which puts dead loved ones in God’s place in heaven. We have a God in heaven who loves and cares for us more than any loved one can. We have a God in heaven who can take care of us better than any family member. Let’s give our sleeping loved ones the rest they deserve and worship God who is Worthy of our trust and worship.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
As Adventists, we believe that in the last days there will be a showdown between spiritual Babylon and those who have the seal of God, who reflect the character of Jesus. While Daniel had his haters, it amazes me how he seemed to thrive and even find favor among the leaders of Babylon and Persia. Daniel was not one to compromise his standards. The life of Daniel shows us that it is possible to live a life of uncompromising integrity and still get along with those of different beliefs and lifestyles. Years later, Paul wrote,
For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, Titus 2:11-12 NLT
We can’t wait for heaven to live a righteous life. God’s grace empowers us to reflect Christ’s character in this evil world. Daniel is an example of how we can be like Jesus in the midst of corruption. Let’s take a look.
Then Daniel went in to see Arioch, whom the king had ordered to execute the wise men of Babylon. Daniel said to him, “Don’t kill the wise men. Take me to the king, and I will tell him the meaning of his dream.” Daniel 2:24 NLT
When Daniel received the vision the king had dreamed, his first thought was to save the lives of the wicked wise men. Jesus always put the salvation of others first, and did Daniel too. The wise men in Daniel’s day were preserved by the integrity of Daniel. In Genesis 12:3, God said all the families of the earth (not just believers) would be blessed by the Messiah. Likewise, even the unbelievers of Daniel’s day were blessed by Daniel’s integrity. In the last days, I believe men and women of God will be a blessing to the evil world around them.
I marvel at Daniel’s humility. In Daniel 1:20, Daniel and his friends were found to be ten times wiser than the other wise men, but look at what Daniel says when he tells the king his dream.
And it is not because I am wiser than anyone else that I know the secret of your dream, but because God wants you to understand what was in your heart. Daniel 2:30 NLT
Daniel did not claim to have any special wisdom, and neither did Jesus. Jesus always pointed people to the Scriptures, instead of spouting off like a know-it-all. Daniel did not claim to have any special abilities, and neither did Jesus. Look at what Jesus says about Himself,
“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. John 5:19 NLT
Look at what Jesus says about others who believe.
I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. John 14:12 NLT
Daniel lived a life of uncompromising integrity in the midst of Babylon and Persia. Amidst his haters, he more than survived; he thrived and found favor, even among wicked rulers. Some blame corruption in the workplace for why they were passed over for promotions, but God promoted Daniel right in the heart of all the corruption. God can promote you too, anytime, anywhere.
Jesus lived a life of uncompromising integrity, in the heart of the Roman Empire and a corrupt religious system. He too had His haters, but He too found favor “with both God and man” and was able to tell His Father,
I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. John 17:4
Daniel lived a life of uncompromising integrity, and thrived among all the corruption of Babylon. Jesus lived a life of uncompromising integrity, and thrived amid pagan Rome and a religious system that left a lot to be desired. So today, in the midst of spiritual Babylon, by God’s grace, we can live a life of uncompromising integrity, and make friends along the way, if we will depend fully on our Father God, just as Daniel and Jesus did.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
A while back, I had a conversation with a former Sabbath keeping friend who had first turned away from the Sabbath, and then gradually started turning away from other Bible teachings as well. Sadly, this confirmed for me that the same logic some Christians use to do away with the Spirit of Prophecy and the Sabbath, is the same logic atheists use to do away with the entire Bible.
My friend told me that the Sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday in the Bible, without giving me any Scripture to back up his claim. In another breath, he told me the Sabbath was done away with altogether. I asked him why Constantine changed the Sabbath from Saturday to Sunday in the third century, if it had already been done away with or changed, centuries earlier? He gave me no reply.
He told me the Sabbath was only given to the Jews, yet here is what I found in my Bible.
So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation. Genesis 2:1-3 NLT
My friend told me that God kept the Sabbath at creation but Adam and Eve didn’t. He told me the Sabbath was never kept by man until Exodus 20:8-11. I answered with the question: Did God Tell Adam and Eve to Keep the Sabbath, by pointing out that the Sabbath was made, when it was made at creation for all mankind, according to Jesus in Mark 2:27? Also, the Sabbath was already an institution in Exodus 16, before the law was given. As a matter of fact, while some argue that the law was done away with, which it was not, you still have the Sabbath at creation, before there was ever a Jew or the law was given to Moses. So, even if you could argue that the ten commandments were done away with, you still have the Sabbath long before the ten commandments were given.
The argument came up, that the Sabbath was only given to the Jews, because it was a sign to them that they were God’s people, to which I replied, “I want to be a part of God’s people too!” Does that mean that I also need to keep the Sabbath? Was the Sabbath given to Jews only?
“I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve him and love his name, who worship him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fast to my covenant.” Isaiah 56:6 NLT
Clearly, the Sabbath was not only given to the Jews, but is for everyone who wants in on the everlasting covenant. The Sabbath was not given as a sign that anyone was a Jew. It was a sign given to anyone who was a part of God’s people.
The claim was presented that the Sabbath was changed to Sunday as a memorial to the resurrection. While such a claim is found nowhere in Scripture, the book of Romans gives us a memorial to the resurrection. Baptism is the memorial to the resurrection, and not Sunday observance.
Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. Romans 6:3-7 NLT
It was then said, that Jesus is our rest. If Jesus is our Rest, do we Still Need a Weekly Sabbath? The fact is that Jesus has always been our rest. We have never been saved by works or by the law. Just like we do not throw our country’s flag away because we have the country it represents, likewise we do not do away with the weekly Sabbath, which is a weekly reminder that Jesus is our rest.
Exodus 20:8-11 tells us the Sabbath is a weekly reminder of our Creator.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. Exodus 20:8-11 NLT
Deuteronomy 5:12-15 tells us the Sabbath is a weekly reminder of our deliverance from bondage.
“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and female servants may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. Deuteronomy 5:12-15 NLT
God has given us the weekly Sabbath as a constant reminder that we are twice His. First, at creation he made us, and then, at the cross He bought us. While atheism is gaining ground in much of the world, we need the weekly Sabbath now more than ever as a constant reminder of our Creator. As we battle legalism in the world, and even in the church, we need the weekly Sabbath now more than ever as a constant reminder that only God’s grace can save us from the bondage of sin. We need that weekly reminder that Jesus is our Sabbath rest.
We also need the Sabbath for physical as well as spiritual rest. People talk about how much longer health-conscious Seventh-day Adventists live because of our diet, but I believe our longevity is also due to the fact that we have a weekly Sabbath rest. We need a break from worldly cares and stress, as we rest on the Sabbath and devote time to God and His family. It is interesting to me that many people who want to say that we are not “bound” to keeping the Sabbath, say so as if that is good news. I am wondering why it would be good news to someone who loves Jesus to say that we don’t “have” to spend an entire day with Him? If we can’t be happy dedicating an entire day to God, how could we possibly be happy spending all eternity with Him? Why would someone who loves God consider the Sabbath a burden? Do people tell their spouse that going on a date with them is a burden?
They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s gift to you… Exodus 16:29 NLT
God has given the Sabbath as a sign that we are His people. The Sabbath was never a sign given to the Jews that they were Jews. It was a sign given to the Jews and everyone else choosing to be in on the everlasting covenant that we are all His people. Satan would love to have us forget the Sabbath, so that we will forget God. If Satan can make us forget God, then he can set up his own counterfeit Sabbath. We need the weekly Sabbath today, more than ever, as a weekly constant reminder that we have a Creator who loves us. We need the weekly Sabbath now, more than ever, to remind us that we are not saved by our works or by legalism. The Sabbath is a constant reminder of salvation by grace and the rest we have in Jesus. We need the weekly Sabbath now, more than ever, to give us a weekly rest from all the stress and cares of this life.
Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. Jonah 2:8 NLT
Over the last 30 years of studying the Bible with people I have had a few conversations that have have gone like this.
Friend: I am so bored right now I wish there was something to do, anything! I am just tired of being bored.
Me: Hey would this be a good time for a Bible study?
Friend: Maybe when things settle down a little bit. My life is a whirlwind right now.
Granted the last time this happened was during the COVID quarantine but it has happened other times also. It is sad people will do everything they can to avoid worshipping God, while He is the only One who can bring true purpose and satisfaction. In John 4:1-42, Jesus tells the woman at the well that He is the Living Water which will never make her thirsty again. After 5 failed relationships she needed to know that a relationship with Jesus is the only relationship that brings true satisfaction. So today, many worship immoral sex, and other addictive vices such as drugs that never quench their thirst and never satisfy. You have heard the definition for insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time. I believe the reason many of us have addictive vices is not because the addictions satisfy but rather because the addictive behavior does not satisfy, but we keep expectingit to satisfy each time we repeat the behavior even though it never does. So we keep repeating the addiction over and over expecting it to bring us satisfaction that we can only obtain by worshiping God. This is insanity. I had a pastor back home in Oklahoma who would often say, “sin is insanity.” I believe he is right. When I get thirsty my body needs water, but sometimes I may try to tell myself what I really need is a cold glass of iced sweet tea or a soda. Reality is those other drinks dehydrate me and leave me even more thirsty. Thinking that tea and colas will quench my thirst is insanity. Only water will quench my thirst. My taste and cravings may make me think I need a cola but my tastes and cravings are a lie. They are insanity. Logic tells me what my body needs is water.
Many worship immoral sex and drugs and such thinking that it will bring satisfaction but it never does, and thus the repeated addictive behavior, expecting drugs and sex to do for us what it has never done before. By the way, later in the story in John 4:1-42 Jesus tells His disciples that His food is to do the will of His Father. I think what Jesus meant was that His satisfaction does not come from food, or drugs or immoral sex for that matter. His satisfaction comes from worshiping the Father and doing His will. Sure Jesus repeats this behavior of worship, but not as an addiction but rather because it is truly satisfying and exactly what He needs. After all God always gives us free will and free choice when it comes to worship. Worshiping God is a choice we make every day, and not an addiction. This is why Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23 to take up the cross every day, because every day we have to make that choice. It will never become an addiction. Only Satan uses addictions. Jesus died to free us from all addictions and only accepts worship done every day by free choice, as we choose every day to take up our cross and follow and worship Him.
God knows worshiping Him really does bring true satisfaction and purpose so there is no reason for Him to make it addictive. God knows if we taste and see that the Lord is good we will freely choose to worship Him every day. He does not have to trick us by making it addictive. Satan on the other hand knows sin does not satisfy or give us purpose. Murder, lying, stealing, lust, coveting and so forth have never been a logical solution for any problem. Thus Satan has to make these behaviors addictive in order to make us repeat them, because the fact is they do not bring satisfaction or purpose. Sin and sinful addictions are insanity like my pastor said. If that sounds too harsh, then lets just say sinful addictions are not a logical solution for any craving. Only Jesus satisfies.
We worship because we are created to worship by nature. The only question is what or who do we worship? Like in my illustration at the beginning of this article, many people will do all they can to avoid worshiping God-even when they are bored and feel a void. I’ve had people tell me they don’t have time to study their Bible or worship God because they are too busy making money, or practicing other hobbies or just too busy watching sports and TV. Fact is they have plenty of time to worship. Its just that they are so busy worshiping everything else that they don’t have time to worship God. By the way do you know how I know that worshiping God truly satisfies? Sometimes I will plan on watching a ball game and will tell myself that I can do my Bible study before the game, but I often fall so in love with what and Who I am studying that by the time the game comes on I don’t desire to watch the game anymore. I want to keep studying, because I chooseto because worshiping God is truly quenching my thirst, and giving me satisfaction so that I feel no need to watch the ball game. I am not addicted to the Bible. I keep studying because I want to and not because I am addicted. Again God does not want us to worship Him because we are addicted. We can stop worshiping Him anytime we want. He is not an addiction. He only accepts worship that comes by choice and not by addiction. But when I find how satisfying God is and how unsatisfying my addictions are, I then choose to worship God instead of my addictions, and God gives me the freedom to choose Him instead of my addictions when it is my sincere choice.
In closing, I believe in my heart the reason many make themselves drunk with the cares of this life or with literal drugs and alcohol is so they can ignore the sobriety of life. They use drugs and alcohol which leads to death as a way to escape this world. Oh how I pray they find out soon there is a better way to escape the pains of this world and life. Jesus, offers us a way out of this world of misery, but His way out is not drinking yourself to death. His way out is the opposite of death, it is eternal life. A more fulfilling and satisfying life that will remove us from this world of misery and sin and give us eternal life in paradise with Him. Satan wants us to get so drunk with our addictions that we no longer think about life. He wants us to be numb to the realities of life and just drift away to a peaceful death. Let’s all wake up! instead of being drunk and numb to the realities of life and drifting off into a peaceful death, let’s be sober and worship God and accept the everlasting Gospel which will help us drift into a peaceful eternal life.
PS Earlier I mentioned that our sinful addictive cravings are a lie. I want to help make this idea practical. Many times I have walked into a convenience store thinking I needed a cola, but walked out with a bottled water instead, after praying and telling myself that my desire for soda was a lie. When I think I need a soda, I have found myself drinking water instead by praying and then telling myself I was lying to myself when I told myself I needed a cola. I tell myself the truth is I want water. It also helps to stop and ask myself, did drinking cola really satisfy anything last time I drank it? No. Did water satisfy my thirst last time I drank it? Yes! Now I am free to make a sane and logical choice.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
Study: What’s the message here for all who seek to follow Jesus in this world?
Apply: Have you ever been persecuted or inconvenienced because of your beliefs? If faithful servants of God, like John, face suffering and tribulation, what makes us think we, ourselves, won’t face trouble either? (See 1 Pet. 4:12-15).
Share: Your friend says, the reason the church does not see more persecution is because the church fits right in with the rest of the world. Is your friend right? Why, or why not?
Study: What do these verses teach us about the closeness of God?
Apply: How can we learn to draw hope and comfort from understanding the immanence of God? Or does it scare you, because God knows your darkest secrets? How should the gospel give you peace in that context?
Share: Your friend asks you how you know God is real? Have you seen Him actually work in your won life where you knew without a doubt it was God? What do you tell your friend?
Read in Class: Revelation 14:6-7. What is the main idea of this passage?
Study: What does worship have to do with the everlasting Gospel? What reason does the angel give for worshipping God and what commandment do these words remind us of? How is that commandment linked with the everlasting Gospel?
Apply: Earlier we talked about being persecuted for our beliefs, but is it always just beliefs we are persecuted for? How do your actions and acts of worship set you apart from the rest of the world?
Share: How can you share the everlasting Gospel with your actions as well as words this week?
In Light of The Cross 
