Tag / William Earnhardt

by In Light Of The Cross

1: Jesus Wins-Satan Loses- Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, April 1, 2023.

Main Theme: This study will give a good preparation for understanding Revelation 14 and the three angels’ messages.

Read in Class: Revelation 12:7-9, Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28:15. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: How could these things happen in heaven? What does this tell us about the reality of free will and free choice?

Apply: Think about how sacred free will and free choice must be to Jesus, who, though knowing that it would lead Him to the cross (see 2 Tim. 1:9), gave us free will anyway. What should this tell us about how carefully we should use this sacred, but costly, gift?

Share: Your friend asks you how this war was fought in heaven? Was it with machine guns and battle tanks or bows and arrows? What kind of weapons did Satan use? What weapons is Satan using in the war here on earth? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Revelation 12:4-6, 9. Ephesians 5:25-27, 32. And Psalm 2:7-9. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: How do these passages help us define the dragon, the woman, the male child and the rod of iron?

Share: Why is the assurance of salvation, because of Christ’s victory over Satan, so crucial to us? How can what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:9 be our own experience?

Share: Your friend says that we never actually, literally overcome sin and temptation here on earth. It is just by faith. What do you tell your friend? See Justification: Just Declared Right or Made Right?

Read in Class: Revelation 12:10-11. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What encouragement should you get from the fact that your accuser “has been cast down” (NKJV) ? What assurance of victory does Christ give us in this passage?

Apply: How does the blood of the Lamb, the sacrifice of Christ help you to overcome and to love Jesus more than life itself?

Share: Your friend says that her pastor preached last week that those who gossip are the accusers of the brethren just like Satan. Is your friend’s pastor right? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Revelation 12:6, 14-17. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: Notice carefully the time period, Satan’s attack on the “woman” (God’s church), and God’s provision for His people. What are these verses talking about? What characteristics of God’s remnant, His last-day church, are found in this verse?

Apply: How do you see the reality of Revelation 12:17 played out in your own life, in your own Christian experience? That is, in what ways do you find the great controversy being played out in your own life?

Share: Your friend asks why Seventh-day Adventists believe they are the remnant church of Bible prophecy? What do you tell your friend?

by In Light Of The Cross

Saved by Faith, Rewarded for Being Faithful

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. Galatians 2:16 NKJV

Fact: No created being unfallen or fallen has ever earned salvation. Life always has been and always will be a free gift we have never earned and never will earn. Life was a free gift to Adam and Eve before sin just as much as it was after sin. So when Paul said “knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law,” he was not saying anything new. He was simply stating an eternal fact. Even after I have lived a million years of perfect sinless living in the new earth, I will always sense my need of Jesus, and will depend on my relationship with him for all eternity. In heaven I will cast my crown at the feet of Jesus because I know even in heaven I will be nothing without Him. He is everything to me here on earth and He will be everything to me throughout all eternity. I sing “I need thee every hour” here on earth and I will still be singing “I need thee every hour” after a million years on the new earth. 

Fact: While Adam and Eve were given paradise as a free gift, they lost it because of disobedience. The Bible speaks of disobedience and unbelief as synonyms. 

And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Hebrews 3:18-19 NKJV 

Disobedience and unbelief go together just like faith and good works go together. Wherever you find faith you will also find good works.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10 NKJV

Good works are the evidence of our faith. This is why James writes, 

But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without our works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. James 2:18-26 NKJV 

Our works are evidence of our faith. So when God acknowledges our works He is acknowledging the evidence of our faith which we express by acts of love. 

And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. Revelation 22:12 NKJV

While Jesus and the Bible are clear that we are saved by grace and not by works, we still see Jesus acknowledging the works of the saved. 

Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Matthew 25:34-36 NKJV

Notice Jesus does not tell those on His right, “you only believed so come right on into my kingdom.” As James 2:19 says, even demons believe and tremble. Jesus welcomes those on His right into His kingdom because of the good works that gave evidence of their faith. In Genesis 15:6 Abraham was credited for righteousness by his faith. James 2:21-24 explains that Abraham’s good works of obedience were evidence of his faith. In other words Abraham’s good works justified God in calling Abraham righteous because of his belief. Likewise in the parable in Matthew 25:34-36 Jesus shows the good works of those on His right as evidence of their faith, thus welcoming them into His kingdom.

This is why Galatians 5:6 does not speak of faith or works, or even faith and works, but rather a faith that works, not motivated by reward or punishment, but by love. Just like Abraham, all who are saved by faith exhibit good works.

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

by In Light Of The Cross

12: Rewards of Faithfulness-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

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Prepared by William Earnhardt for Sabbath School class, March 25, 2023.

Main Theme: While saved by grace, God rewards faithfulness.

Read in Class: Hebrews 11:6, Isaiah 40:10, Revelation 22:12. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: What doe these texts mean to us? What do they teach us? How should we respond?

Apply: How do we understand the difference between salvation by grace and a reward according to works?

Share: Your friend asks, “Why is God rewarding us by our works when we are saved by grace?” What do you tell your friend? For a hint see Saved by Faith, Rewarded by Righteousness.

Read in Class: Revelation 21:1-4, 7-8. Discuss the main idea of this passage.

Study: What are some of the things that we are promised?

Apply: Read Revelation 21:8, about the fate of those who will face the second death. Which sin of those depicted there cannot have been forgiven by Jesus? Why, then, are these people lost when some who have done the same things are saved? What is the crucial difference between these two groups?

Share: Your friend asks why God does not save people who are cowardly or fearful? Why be so harsh with someone just for being fearful? What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Matthew 25:14-23. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study:  What does God say to those who were faithful money managers in supporting His cause? What does it mean to “enter into the joy of your lord?”

Apply: How are you going to fare when God comes to “settle accounts” with you?

Share: Your friend asks why the master was so harsh on the man who only had one talent? What do you tell your friend.

Read in Class: Romans 8:16-18. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: How was the knowledge that he was a child of God a factor in his faithfulness?

Apply: How have the things you have already suffered helped you become more faithful to God?

Share: Can you think of someone who is going through a hard time and struggling to be faithful? What word of encouragement can you share with them this week?

by In Light Of The Cross

Does God Still Expect us to Give When we are Going Through Tough Times?

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While Israel was experiencing a spiritual drought due to their Baal worship, God allowed a literal drought to fall upon the land as well. This drought affected everyone, including God’s prophet, Elijah. 

The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 1 Kings 17:6-9 NKJV

God has an interesting way of providing for His prophet during this time. First, ravens are scavengers. They are not known for sharing food, but in this story they become quite generous.

Then God sends Elijah to a widow. Widows can be very generous when it comes to giving to missions. Jesus noticed a widow in Luke 21:1-4 giving all she had. Still, most people in charge of fundraising look to the rich for provisions, and not to poor widows. 

I believe that in the last days, while many are trusting (even schmoozing up to?) rich people, God is going to provide for His people by using very unlikely and humble sources. I believe that the widow was not Plan B. God did not send Elijah to the widow because the brook dried up. The brook dried up so Elijah would go to the widow. Sometimes God has to close one door so he can get us to open a new door. 

So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.”  And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.’ ” So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:10-16.

Here we have another unlikely scenario. Who goes to a poor widow who is about to starve to death and says, “Feed me first?” But that is exactly what Elijah did. I have heard many people, even church members in good standing, tell people, “If you don’t have the money to tithe, God understands,” or “If you are going through a hard time right now, God does not expect you to give anything.” But the story of Elijah and the widow contradicts such notions. The widow was going through a very hard time, even about to starve to death, and God still expected her to give to His prophet first. Anything less would be a lack of faith, and the just shall live by faith. (see Romans 1:17). Without faith we cannot please God. (See Hebrews 11:6). So the widow had to give first in order to have the faith to live, as well as to please God. While tough times made it appear as though she could not give first and survive, the truth was she had to give first in order to survive. The poor widow was able to feed her household for many days, and the jar never ran dry during the tough times because she gave first. 

So today, even in tough times when it looks like you can’t afford to return your tithes and offerings, the fact is you can not afford to not return your tithes and offerings first. During the tough times in Elijah’s day, God used miracles and some very unlikely means to provide for His people. So today, even in tough times God is working miracles to provide for those who give first to Him.

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

by In Light Of The Cross

Expressing our Love for Christ

Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7

Soviet Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, the author of Tortured for Christ, suffered terribly for the Lord. Yet he said that even while in prison, he saw fellow Soviet believers practice generous giving. “When we were given one slice of bread a week and dirty soap every day, we decided we would faithfully ‘tithe’ even that. Every tenth week we took the slice of bread and gave it to the weaker brethren as our ‘tithe’ to the Master.”

I tend to think that God did not demand that these prisoners tithe their bread and soap. Yet they felt compelled to, in order to express their love for God. After understanding the awesome sacrifice Christ had made in expressing His love for them on the cross, they wanted a way to express their love for Christ. They wanted to give all of themselves to Christ since He had given all of Himself for them.

It is the same case with the woman in Mark 14:3-9, who broke open a bottle of ointment costing a year’s wages, so she could anoint the feet of Jesus. She was simply giving all she had because Jesus was giving all He had for her. Like the Soviet prisoners she needed a way to express her love.

God did not give us the tithe and offering system because he needed our money, but because He knew we too would need a way to express our love. God nor the church needs our money. Both were getting along just fine before we came along and both will do just fine after we are gone.

I have a plaque with a picture of the cross and written on it are the words,

“ I asked Jesus how much do you love me?”

“This much” He said, ’Then He spread out His arms and died.”

God will finish the work with or without our money. Yet He has given us the tithe and offering system so that when He asks us, “How much do you love me?” We will have a way to answer.

You may study this week’s lesson here.

by In Light Of The Cross

What Does Tithing on Your Increase Mean?

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Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. Deuteronomy 14:22 KJV

Tithing on your “increase” is different than tithing on your “gross” or “net” as an employee. This affects people who are self-employed and/or invest in their business. An illustration I use when giving a Bible study on tithing is, that if you get paid $50.00 for mowing your neighbors lawn, and you paid $5.00 for the gas, then you actually made $45.00. $45.00 is your increase or profit. You would tithe on the $45.00 since that is what you actually made. By the way the $45.00 is what you would also pay taxes on, so both God and “Caesar” realize you made $45.00, and not $50.00.

Of course there could be other expenses too, like the cost of the lawn mower, but I think you get the gist of the illustration. Of course the cost of the lemonade you bought from the stand across the street would not count as a business expense because even though it quenched your thirst, it was not a direct business expense.

I’ll give several other examples, as I see them, and I encourage our readers to contribute their examples.

Now “Caesar” realizes if you work in an office or campus, that driving to work and back is not a direct investment to your business. You do not write off travel expenses to work and back. However you do write off driving expenses while working. For example if I’m a courier doing deliveries, I would deduct travel expenses from what I am paid to find my actual profit, and then tithe and pay taxes on the actual profit. By the way your gross income would be considered your actual profit. Let’s say I pick up a kayak in Sydney and drive 170 kilometers to deliver the kayak in Newcastle, for $525. To find my profit I would subtract 66 cents a km, which would be $112, leaving me with a profit of $413. I would tithe on the $413, which would be $42 (rounded up). Of course I can round that up to $45.00 or even $50.00!

Now if I drove 10 kilometers to make the pickup in Sydney I would not count that against my profit because that was just getting to work. It was not an expense of the actual work itself. The way I see it, only things that you invested directly to making your profit would be deducted from your profit. Now if I traveled from my home to a courier training workshop in Melbourne, that would be a travel expense relating directly to my business and profit. Everyone needs to decide between themselves and God if something is a direct business expense.

Again, your profit is counted as your gross income which you would be taxed on and would tithe on. Sometimes when I am giving this study, people will ask me if they can deduct their home electric bill from their gross income and then tithe after that. The answer is “no.” Your home electric bill is not a part of your business or an investment in your profit. “Caesar” does not let you write off your home electric bill as it has nothing to do with your profit if you are not working at home.

You need to follow your own conscience and Bible principles on determining what your increase is, but as a general rule, if “Caesar’ sees an item as a business expense then it is reasonable to count it as a business expense regarding your increase (profit) and tithe.

I hope this conversation has been helpful, and we can discuss it further in the comment section.

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

by In Light Of The Cross

2: God’s Covenants With us-Sabbath School Lesson Teaching Plan

Prepared by William Earnhardt, For Sabbath School Class January 14, 2023.

Main Theme: Our responses to God’s promises determines if they are fulfilled for us.

Read in Class: 1 John 5:13, Matthew 10:22 and 2 Peter 1:10-11. Define the common thread in these passages.

Study: How do these passages say we receive the gift of salvation?

Apply: Though salvation is an unmerited gift, what’s the difference between those who accept the gift and those who don’t? What does accepting this gift require that we do?

Share: Your friend tells you she believes on once saved always saved. She believes there is no way a saved person can lose salvation. Using Scripture, what do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Deuteronomy 28:1-14. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What great blessings are promised the people? But what must they do to receive them?

Apply: What does it mean for us, today, to “hearken diligently” to what God tells us to do?

Share: Your friend tells you the book of Deuteronomy is in the Old Testament. We don’t have to obey, only believe. What do you tell your friend?

Read in Class: Proverbs 3:9-10 and Malachi 3:10-11. Define the common thread of these passages.

Study: What are the promises and the obligations found in these verses?

Apply: What does your tithing (or lack thereof) say about your own spirituality and relationship to God?

Share: Your friend says there is no way he can tithe and feed his family. He says God understands He can’t afford to tithe. What do you tell your friend? How could 1 Kings 17:8-16 help, Especially verse 13?

Read in Class: 2 Chronicles 7:14. Define the main idea of this passage.

Study: What are the “ifs” and “thens” of God’s proposal here?

Apply: What does it mean to “heal their land?” In what ways do we need healing today?

Share: Can you think of a friend or family member who is struggling with making a full commitment to Christ? Besides praying for them, is there any way you could speak a word of encouragement to them this week?