If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1 NKJV
There is a mean prank golfers will play on their opponents when they are encountering water on the course. They will warn them about the water. “Don’t go in the water.” Don’t let that water bother you.” They will even keep repeating, “Don’t think about the water.”
Sounds like genuine concern, but in reality, by repeatedly mentioning the water, they are hoping the water will be fixed in their opponent’s mind, thus making them hit into the water.
Satan does the same thing with us. “You really messed up yesterday when you smoked that cigarette. Don’t smoke that cigarette today. How long has it been now since your last cigarette?” And just like a golfer hitting into the water because he had water on his mind, so the smoker falls back into smoking because she has smoking on her mind.
While a golfer needs to be aware of his surroundings, he needs to have his eyes and mind focused on the green. Sure, I may be focused on the green and still accidentally hit into the water. That is where forgiveness comes in.
Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 NLT
However, I have never ever hit the green while looking at and thinking about the water in the way. I only hit the green when I am thinking about the green. So, may I suggest instead of thinking about what you are not going to do, think about what you are going to do. Instead of dwelling on not doing unhealthy things, think and plan to do healthy things. Today, I am going to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I am going to drink plenty of water. Instead of constantly thinking about avoiding inappropriate forms of entertainment you are trying to avoid, think about all the good things you plan to do, like studying your Bible, reading your Sabbath School lesson, and writing that thank-you letter to your friend.
The goal is not to dwell on our past failures and sins, but to dwell on Jesus. This is why Paul tells us,
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT
This is also why it is good to cultivate the habit of speaking well of others and seeing the good in them, rather than faultfinding.
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. Romans 2:1 NLT
Years ago, a married couple joined my church during a Revelation Seminar. They brought their neighbor, who also joined the church. The married couple told me that their neighbor was phony and would probably leave the church in just a few months. Well, just a few months later the married couple were gone. Years later, the neighbor is still in the church and is even an elder now. I came to realize that when people are talking negatively about others, they are often talking about themselves. We emulate what we look for in others, whether it be good or bad.
Instead of looking at the water traps on the golf course, let’s keep our eyes on the green. Instead of constantly dwelling on our sins and the sins of others, let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and His Righteousness.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
One hot July afternoon at an Oklahoma Camp meeting, I visited a friend in her tent. Just outside sat my friend’s 13-year-old daughter with a friend she had just met. This was her friend’s first camp meeting. He had come with his grandfather, who just become a Christian. He did not know what to think about all the meetings and asked my friend’s daughter, “What do you think about Jesus? What is He really all about?” My ears perked up, as I was quite interested in how she would answer.
I will never forget what she said.
“Before my mom and I met Jesus, we argued and yelled at each other all the time, and I could not stand my home, but now that we met Jesus we don’t yell anymore, and I love my home now.”
Interesting. She introduced her new friend to Jesus as a literal friend Who had literally changed her life, and not as some pretend theory.
I heard a radio preacher once say, “in order to be able to call Jesus your Savior He has to actually save you from something.” He was right. Many people speak of faith almost like it is pretending. Some use a very Biblical term, “perfect in Christ,” but then they add, “but it is only by faith.” And yes it is only by faith, but by saying “only by faith,” they seem to make it sound like faith is only pretending. When we read in Hebrews 11:30 about the walls of Jericho falling by faith, we take that to mean that the walls of Jericho literally fell and did not just pretend to fall. So when we read in Colossians 1:28, “that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus,” should we not take that “perfect in Christ” to be literal also and not just pretense?
… we should seek to become perfect in Christ. Not even by a thought could our Saviour be brought to yield to the power of temptation. Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power. But Christ declared of Himself: “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.” John 14:30. Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept His Father’s commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble. It is in this life that we are to separate sin from us, through faith in the atoning blood of Christ.
If faith literally made the walls of Jericho fall, then we have to believe that faith will also make a literal and practical change in the way we live our lives.
On that hot summer afternoon, so many years ago, my friend’s daughter gave an example of how her faith literally changed her life, thus showing faith is not just make-believe, but instead makes things practical and literal. I am totally powerless to tear down the strongholds Satan has set up in my life, but the same faith that made the walls of Jericho come crumbling down will also make those strongholds in my life to come down as well.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here
The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan has two mysteries –the mystery of iniquity and the mystery of Godliness.
The phrase, “mystery of iniquity” is mentioned only one time and only in the KJV.
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 KJV
Paul mentions the mystery of iniquity right after talking about a man
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, shewing himself that he is God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 KJV.
Now while the KJV uses the word “iniquity” many other versions use the word “secret.” Also many other versions use the word “lawlessness” instead of “iniquity.” I am using multiple versions to get the big picture. In 2 Thessalonians Paul is talking about someone whose secret agenda is to overthrow God’s law and set himself on God’s throne.
Is this what also happened in heaven? Yes!
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God:… I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:12-14 KJV
John shares more light on this mystery when he says,
And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, Revelation 12:7 KJV
Here we see an outright war. Not with tanks and machine guns, but a war of the minds. Lucifer is secretly trying to overthrow God’s law and government in order to set up his own kingdom. I imagine he was using flattery, bribery and mind games to secretly undermine God’s law and government and turn people to himself, just as he does now.
This is where the word “iniquity” comes in. Iniquity can be described as being bent towards or inclined towards self. Ezekiel has another clue in this mystery.
Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. Ezekiel 28:15 KJV
In heaven, Lucifer’s love, which was supposed to be centered on God and others took a u-turn and headed towards himself. Somehow Lucifer mysteriously started undermining the importance of God and others and began his secret agenda of exalting self.
When things appear unexpectedly where they are not supposed to be, we call that a mystery. Part of the famous D.B. Cooper case involves a family finding a large sum of money while hiking in the forest. It was a mystery because the money was unexpected and not supposed to be there. Was self-love supposed to be in an angel’s heart in heaven? No, it was unexpected and not supposed to be there. Was there a logical reason for Satan to be at war with Christ in heaven of all places? No. It was not logical at all. The rebellion was not supposed to be there. That makes it a mystery doesn’t it? We can’t explain it or defend it. It’s a mystery.
Sometimes we are tempted to think, once we get to heaven we just automatically won’t sin any more, because we will be in a perfect world. Yet sin began in a perfect world! What a mystery!
However we do know there will be no sin in heaven.
This leads us to another mystery, the mystery of Godliness. While many find it a mystery how a perfect being became so sinful, they also find it a mystery how a sinful race can become Christlike.
Obviously this is not done on our own. This mystery can only be performed by Christ working in us.
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27 NKJV
Revelation 10 gives us another clue to the mystery. John is given a book, which I understand to be the book of Daniel. It was sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. When the 2300 days in Daniel 8:14 came to an end, the expectation of Christ’s return in 1844 was sweet, but the disappointment was bitter. (I wonder if the thunders told John about the disappointment, but he was not allowed to write it down because some things must be learned through experience?) While they were disappointed in 1844 when Jesus did not return, Revelation tells us what would occur in 1844.
… but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, the mystery of God would be finished, as He declared to His servants the prophets. Revelation 10:7 NKJV
According to Colossians 1:27, the mystery of God is Christ in us. This leads us to the cleansing of the sanctuary, not just a building on earth or in heaven, but even more so the cleansing of the soul temple, so God can dwell right within us! See Exodus 25:8 and John 14:1-3.
Again this mystery can only be accomplished by Christ working in us. It is all grace.
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:11-14 NKJV
In Titus 2:11-14 Paul describes a people on earth who have become Christlike. What a mystery! In heaven where you would least expect it, sin began. Now thanks to God’s grace, right here on earth, where you would least expect it, people become Christlike. John agrees with Paul. We don’t have to wait to get to heaven to be like Jesus.
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17 NKJV
I like the way Ellen White explains it:
That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? The angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God. The plan of salvation, making manifest the justice and love of God, provides an eternal safeguard against defection in unfallen worlds, as well as among those who shall be redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. -Ellen White, Signs of the Times, December 30, 1889.
In the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan we see a perfect angel in heaven who becomes sinful. We also see a sinful race on earth become Christ-like.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson here.
For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. Colossians 1:19-20 NLT
Why did God need to make peace with heaven? This verse right here may help us understand just how real the war in heaven was. Even after Lucifer was cast out, those who remained may have still had their doubts. Did God really love them, or did Lucifer have some good points about God just being a tyrant?
On earth Eve was convinced God did not care for her and she needed to eat the fruit and disobey, if she really wanted to be happy.
While all this was going on, is it possible some of the remaining angels in heaven still had some questions? Have you ever been loyal to a boss not because you thought he was fair, but because you did not see any way out? So out of fear you remained loyal to him, still wishing you weren’t in that situation? If so, what did it take for you to reconcile the situation so you could have peace at work and not just conformity?
When the Son of God died on the cross He was not just atoning for Eve taking a piece of fruit she was told not to. Eve’s disobedience was a symptom of her doubts. The Cross of Christ did not just take care of the symptoms of sin. The Cross took care of sin itself! The Cross removed all doubt about God’s love. All questions in heaven and earth are answered at the cross! There can be conformity while rebellion is still in the heart. The cross goes way beyond bringing us into conformity and outward obedience. The cross replaces our thoughts of rebellion with peaceful thoughts towards God.
That which alone can effectually restrain from sin in this world of darkness, will prevent sin in heaven. The significance of the death of Christ will be seen by saints and angels. Fallen men could not have a home in the paradise of God without the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Shall we not then exalt the cross of Christ? The angels ascribe honor and glory to Christ, for even they are not secure except by looking to the sufferings of the Son of God. It is through the efficacy of the cross that the angels of heaven are guarded from apostasy. Without the cross they would be no more secure against evil than were the angels before the fall of Satan. Angelic perfection failed in heaven. Human perfection failed in Eden, the paradise of bliss. All who wish for security in earth or heaven must look to the Lamb of God.-Ellen White, Signs of the Times, December 30, 1889
Some have the idea that once we get to heaven, God will flip a little switch in the back of our heads that makes us stop sinning. After all, we will be in heaven and so we automatically won’t sin, right?
Wait. Where did sin begin? Heaven!
The reason why humans and angels will not sin, is the same reason why God reconciled both heaven and earth to Himself. The cross of Jesus. The cross cures the root cause of sin which is doubting God’s love. The reason there will be no sin in heaven is not due to a mechanical correction that the flip of a switch will fix. The reason there will be no sin in heaven will be because the cross will cure humans and angels alike from ever doubting God’s love, and thinking we need anything God has not given us. There will be no reason to rebel.
Rules without relationship causes rebellion. The love of Christ on the cross removes our fear of God, so we are not afraid to have an intimate relationship with Him. With our relationship cured, we will have no reason to rebel. We won’t be conformists. We will be free-thinking moral agents who are at peace with God because God is love.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. Colossians 1:18 NLT
Several Years ago, a friend of mine and I went to the Bodies exhibit at the MOSI Museum in Tampa, where we saw real bodies on display. One of the exhibits featured a nerve that ran from the small toe up the spinal column to the brain. The moment the toe was injured, the message shot to the brain, which felt the pain instantly.
As I studied this exhibit, I thought of Colossians 1:18: Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and we are His body. I realized that just as the brain feels pain the moment the smallest body part is injured, so when the smallest member of the body of Christ is hurt, Jesus, Who is the Head of the body, is the first to feel the pain.
Many of us have experienced pain, trials and persecutions that others do not understand. This makes us feel lonely and isolated. But when we share in Jesus’ pain and persecution, we grow closer to Christ in understanding and gain an intimacy with Him that the world will never understand. This may be why Paul said,
I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Philippians 3:10 -11NLT
Just like the toe cannot feel pain without the brain feeling pain, likewise, the smallest member of the body of Christ cannot hurt without Christ, Who is the Head, hurting with us. The toe cannot feel pain alone, and you cannot feel pain alone either. As soon as you are hurt, Christ is right beside you, sharing your pain. Or, since Satan is really trying to get at Christ, instead of saying He shares our pain, could it be said that we share His pain? If so then Jesus, Who had to tread the winpress alone, with no one to help Him, (Isaiah 63:3) is now no longer alone. Millions of persecuted saints are right there with Him.
Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 1 Peter 4:13 NLT
Because of the connection between the little toe and the brain, neither the brain nor the toe is ever alone. Neither ever cries alone. Likewise, because of the connection the smallest member of the body of Christ has with Christ Himself, neither the smallest member nor Christ Himself ever cries alone in pain. We have a constant companion in our sufferings and in our glorious victories.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson here.
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. 1 John 2:15-17 NLT
A few years ago I had baptismal studies with an elderly man named Oscar. He had just come to the United States from Guam but was actually already a U.S. citizen before ever stepping on American soil. Guam has its own government, but it is an unincorporated United States territory. This gave Oscar the opportunity to become a U.S. citizen before even setting foot on U.S. soil.
I had never heard of someone being a citizen of a country they had never been to before, but then it occurred to me that all Christians are citizens of a land they have never been to before. This world is not our home. The fact that the world is not our home could account for why we do not always fit in. It could explain why the world cheers at things that break our hearts and why we sometimes cheer and the world does not cheer with us.
When people move from other countries to the United States, I notice they like to keep a lot of their cultural traditions, especially foods. I watched a documentary a while back on the History Channel, talking about how food companies in America expected immigrants back in the day to start buying traditional American foods,. The documentary went on to say that never happened! So the American food companies had to start catering to the diet of the immigrants.
As citizens of heaven we find some cultural traditions in our communities pose no threat to our Bible standards, but many do. It is then that we need to remember to cling to our heavenly culture while living in another land. We need to remember we are the visiting team. Have you ever followed your favorite sports team to a road game? It is a totally different atmosphere than when you are watching them play at their home stadium. When you are on the road, you stand up and cheer when your team scores, but you cheer alone, because everyone else is for the home team. And when something happens to make the home crowd cheer, you just sit there. Everything seems backwards when your team is playing on the road. I have been to several Tampa Bay Rays baseball games over the years, and I notice how fans of the visiting team dress and behave. First of all you can tell they are not fans of the home team when you see them wearing shirts and ball caps with the visiting team’s logos. Funny that so many Christians try to blend in with the world by the way they dress, but sports fans visiting another team’s ballpark never try to blend in with the home crowd by the way they dress. They are proud of the team they represent; so they are proud to stand out from the rest of the crowd. As Christian, are we proud to stand out from the culture and crowd we are around? Fans of the visiting team don’t cheer when the home crowd cheers. They don’t try to blend in with the home crowd by the way they act either. As Christians we are the visiting team here on earth. Do we behave as we would back home in heaven, or do we try to behave like the world, hoping to blend in?
Now to stay balanced – the visiting team fans do follow general home field rules and cultural traditions. They all stand for the national anthem. They all stand for the 7th-inning stretch, and they all politely wait in line at the concession stands and wait their turn at the ticket counter. They don’t act differently just for the sake of being different. They only act differently when team loyalty is called into question. Likewise Christians should not be standing out just to look strange or weird. It does not help the cause of Christ when Christians act strange for no good reason. We should only act differently to make our loyalty to God clear.
As I am writing this, I am thinking of the many times a city or community has weathered a rough storm either literally or metaphorically, and they looked to their local sports team to lift their spirits and help put pride back in their community. Today with the COVID-19 affecting our communities, I could not help but think that we don’t even have sports now as a lighthearted way to lift our spirits. While some simple and even innocent pleasures of the world are now fading away as 1 John 2:17 describes, we now more than ever should be proud to belong to a God who always lifts our spirits. With ballparks and even church buildings that give us a sense of fellowship and lift our spirits are closed now, we still belong to a God who alone can lift our spirits and give us hope.
Do we dress and act here on this earth, the same way we would dress and act in God’s kingdom, where we belong?
As Christians, let’s let the world know that earth is not our home. While being as polite and pleasant to be around as possible, let it be known that our home is in heaven, not here. We do not blend in with the world because we are not a part of this world. Let’s not be afraid to look different and act different. Lets be as proud of the kingdom we belong to as visiting team fans are proud of the teams they belong to. Actually even more proud.
You may listen to and share the podcast version of this article here.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; Philippians 3:8-9 NKJV.
As I read this passage while studying this week’s Sabbath School lesson, I could not help but think about Jesus’ counsel to the church of Laodicea. While Laodicea had good works that were hot, their motives were cold. Righteousness is hot. Self is cold. So their self-righteousness left them lukewarm.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. Revelation 3:17.
How plainly is pictured the position of those who think they have all the truth, who take pride in their knowledge of the Word of God, while its sanctifying power has not been felt in their lives. The fervor of the love of God is wanting in their hearts.
Many are Laodiceans, living in a spiritual self-deception. They clothe themselves in the garments of their own righteousness, imagining themselves to be rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, when they need daily to learn of Jesus, His meekness and lowliness.
What is it that constitutes the wretchedness, the nakedness, of those who feel rich and increased with goods? It is the want of the righteousness of Christ. In their own righteousness they are represented as clothed with filthy rags, and yet in this condition they flatter themselves that they are clothed upon with Christ’s righteousness…. They may be crying, “The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we,” while their hearts are filled with unholy traffic and unrighteous barter. The courts of the soul temple may be the haunt of envy, pride, passion, evil surmising, bitterness, and hollow formalism. Christ looks mournfully upon His professed people who feel rich and increased in the knowledge of the truth, and who are yet destitute of the truth in life and character.
Jesus says, “I, your Redeemer, know your works. I am familiar with the motives that prompt you to declare boastingly in regard to your spiritual condition, ‘I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.’ Thou ‘knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’” …
What a position to be in! They stand in their own light. But notwithstanding their willful ignorance, they are not left by the Lord without added warning and counsel. – Ellen White, Our High Calling, Page 349
Jesus continues his counsel to Laodicea,
I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Revelation 3:18 NKJV
Salvation is free, so why is Jesus telling us to buy gold refined in the fire and white garments? I believe Jesus wants us to use the bartering system. He wants us to trade in our self-righteousness. The refining fire removes self-confidence as we trade in our self-reliant righteousness and accept Jesus’ robe of righteousness. Like Paul in Philippians 3, we need to let go of our self-righteousness and take on Christ’s righteousness as our own. This has been an ongoing struggle with humanity throughout history. In Numbers 13, the children of Israel could have put their faith in God’s love and taken the promised land, but instead they looked at themselves and thought it could not be done. Because of their lack of faith, God tells them in Numbers 14 that they will not be able to enter the promised land, but their children will in 40 years. But at the end of Numbers 14, Israel decides to go ahead and take the land by themselves, and they ended up getting defeated. They failed to learn in Numbers 13 that with God’s grace, they can do all things, and in Numbers 14 they failed to learn that without that same grace they can do nothing.
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13 NKJV.
I believe that our work is to get ourselves out of the way so that God can do His work in us.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Revelation 3:19-21 NKJV.
Jesus is rebuking us of our self-righteous pride, because He loves us. When self is dead, Jesus sees us as overcomers just like Him! What is impossible to do in our own strength, we can do in God’s strength and grace. Self-righteousness is only a pretended righteousness, while the righteousness of Christ, which is by faith, makes righteousness a reality.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. Hebrews 11:8 NKJV.
Abraham disobeyed God when he put faith in himself. This is why Abraham had to be circumcised. Self-confidence in the flesh had to be removed. When Abraham wholly relied on God, and put His faith in God instead of relying on self he obeyed. This is why today our hearts need to be circumcised. The heart is deceitful and leads us to trust ourselves. Once the self is dead, God’s grace gives us genuine obedience.
Jesus rebukes us because he sees potential in us. Once while working at UPS, I did something that made my supervisor very upset. He chewed me out to the point where I thought I was about to be fired. But then he turned around and said, “You may think I am getting too upset about this, but when you become a supervisor, you will understand.” So he rebuked me and then talked about me becoming a supervisor one day, which I did!
Likewise, Jesus rebukes us because He sees us as overcomers, as He overcame, once we repent of our self-reliant righteousness and accept the righteousness of Christ as our righteousness.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
I grew up in a relatively large Sabbath School class at the First Tulsa Seventh-day Adventist Church in the late 60s and 70s. It was a large church with attendance back in the 70s reaching well over 300. Some of my older friends tell me it was almost 400 some Sabbaths. The church also had a bustling school with around 100 students, give or take a few. So childhood peers were not scarce for me growing up in the church and Sabbath School.
I remember in Cradle Roll singing the song “I Have Two Dollies, and you Have None,” where a little girl would be given two dolls, and then share with another girl who did not have one, and then for the boys, it would be the same song but with a toy truck instead of a doll. I remember one time we were horrified when a little girl visiting our class was given the two dolls, but then refused to share!
I remember in Kindergarten Sabbath School class, the other kids singing Happy Birthday to their friend who was having a birthday that week, and the little plastic cake we would put our birthday thank offering into.
In Primary class, we had “Our Primary Treasure” magazine, with the Sabbath school lessons that my parents studied with my sister and me each night during family worship. My parents were my teachers when I reached the Junior room, and they were very active, not only in Sabbath school class, but also in socials and activities that brought us all together. To this day, I am still friends with several kids from my Sabbath School classes when I was growing up.
I have friends today who did not grow up in the large Sabbath School classes as I did. My girlfriend Becky grew up in the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. She tells me that her church was so small that she and her brothers were the only kids, and so sometimes her own parents taught the class, or sometimes they just joined the adults. Later, the church grew with just a few more kids, where they would have a class with all ages, and then divide by age for the lesson study. Another friend told me that she was often the only child in her class, but it made her feel special that there was a whole class just for her.
Children’s Sabbath school classes have always been a challenge, especially in rural areas where there are not many children. Back in the day, families lived on farms and raised several children who would fill the church. Today, younger families are having fewer children and are more prone to live in the cities than in rural areas.
I remember being a Bible Worker and an elder in a small church on the outskirts of Tulsa, a good-sized city. We had an extremely small children’s Sabbath school class. While more young families with children lived in the area, most traveled to Tulsa for the larger Sabbath School class. These families told me they did not want to go to the smaller church in their area because there were not enough kids for their kids to be with. I assured these families that if they all came to the smaller church, it would not be so small. It was hard for me to watch, because the few children who did remain in the smaller church would have loved to have had more friends, and they could have had more friends if the other families in that rural area had supported their neighborhood church instead of insisting on driving 30 or more minutes into the city.
What was your Sabbath School childhood like? I hope you will comment below and share your experiences of what you loved about Sabbath School as a child and what you would have liked to be different. I hope we can all learn from each other’s experiences to build better Sabbath School classes in both rural and urban communities that will help disciple our children.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School Lesson here.
Jesus taught humility while upholding human dignity.
So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:7-11 NKJV
Here, Jesus teaches us how to be humble and how to protect ourselves from humiliation. By assuming the lowest place, we avoid being humiliated by being asked to step down. While the gospel destroys human pride, Jesus protects human dignity. After all, in John 2:1-10, Jesus turns water into wine and performs His first miracle to save a host from embarrassment. In John 8:1-11, Jesus protects the dignity of a woman tricked into adultery, while also protecting the dignity of the accomplices by writing in the sand instead of publicly calling them out. We don’t know exactly what Jesus wrote in the sand, and it makes me wonder whether Jesus told John not to tell anyone what he read that day, to protect the dignity of those He was striving to convert. If so, Revelation 10:4 would be the second time John was told not to write what he heard or read. But I digress.
Jesus taught us how to be humble without being humiliated. To me, the difference between humility and humiliation comes down to control. We humans love to be in control of ourselves, and that is not all bad. After all, according to Galatians 5:22-23, self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. So, self-control is a good thing, and Jesus teaches us how to be humble while still being in control of ourselves.
When I was 11, several family members were at my grandmother’s house for a funeral. Everyone was receiving their sleeping arrangements, and after my grandmother checked to make sure everyone was okay with their bedding, she turned to me and said, “The only place left for you is the sofa in the living room.” While I was happy to sleep on the sofa, or floor for that matter, I was insulted and humiliated that I was told instead of asked. Especially since everyone else, including other children, were asked. I wanted the dignity of being in control and volunteering to sleep on the sofa instead of being forced.
Looking back at the situation with adult eyes now, I understand the people, including children, who were asked where they wanted to sleep were more directly related to the dearly departed than I was. Also, my grandmother was grieving the loss of her sister, so I could have been more understanding. I could also have spoken up earlier and said I would just sleep on the sofa or anywhere. But hey, I was just a kid. The point is, I understand what Jesus was talking about when He taught us to exercise self-control and take the lowest place before it is assigned to us, and we lose control. I hope I have also learned how to protect the dignity of younger people while teaching them humility. Humility should not be humiliating. Desiring that type of control is not a sin. Remember, the Holy Spirit gives us self-control.
A friend told me that when she was new to a company, and on a business flight, she did not realize she had taken the vice president’s seat. It was later pointed out to her by a seasoned associate towards the end of the flight. However, when the vice president saw a new intern sitting in his seat, he said nothing and went to the back of the plane, taking the last seat left. He did not want to embarrass a new employee, and besides, he not only had self-control but also the self-confidence to realize that the vice president’s seat was whatever seat he was sitting in.
In the Book of Esther, Haman could have learned a lesson from this vice president and saved his neck instead of getting all bent out of shape when Mordecai did not bow to him. On the other hand, Daniel exercised self-control when he was insulted by the king in Daniel 5:13. Daniel had enough self-confidence that he could let that insult roll right off his back.
Remember, when weak people are disrespected, they seek revenge. When people who are strong in the Lord are disrespected, they forgive. When brilliant people are disrespected, they ignore the disrespect.
Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult. Proverbs 12:16 NIV
The gospel destroys human pride while protecting human dignity. Using self-control to be humble is not humiliating. Failing to use self-control to be humble is humiliating.
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
Paul felt the destiny of his life was to share the Gospel, even if it meant facing constant persecution and even death.
And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God. Acts 20:22-24 NLT
Thankfully Paul’s life was preserved until he accomplished everything Jesus wanted him to accomplish.
Likewise, even if our lives are cut short, we can be certain Jesus will not let that happen until He has accomplished His purpose for our lives. Here is a remarkable account of Ellen Harmon, a young girl, no more than eighteen years old. She is on a steamboat leaving Portland Maine that has just run into a very dangerous storm. While many were fearful for their lives, this young girl, when asked by an older woman why she was not afraid like everyone else, could answer with assurance:
“I told her I had made Christ my refuge, and if my work was done, I might as well lie in the bottom of the ocean as in any other place; but if my work was not done, all the waters of the ocean could not drown me. My trust was in God, that he would bring us safe to land if it was for his glory.” Ellen White, Life Sketches, p. 241
God did indeed have a work for Ellen to do. Ellen later married James White, an Adventist pioneer, and the rest is history. God also has a purpose for each of us. Our goal in this world should not necessarily be to live a long life, but to live a faithful life. As long as we have the assurance young Ellen had, that we are in God’s care and doing God’s work, the longevity of our life is not consequential, and we shall be prepared to walk away from this world either by death or the Second Coming at any time, satisfied we have accomplished our purpose and destiny as followers of Christ.
Each has his own experience, peculiar in its character and circumstances, to accomplish a certain work. God has a work, a purpose, in the life of each of us. Every act, however small, has its place in our life experience. – Ellen White, God’s Amazing Grace, Page 311
You may study this week’s Sabbath School lesson here.
In Light of The Cross 
