Further Study:
| Read The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, pp. 379-381, 746-750; Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 350-358, 433-436; Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, pp. 95-104; Mark 16:15-20, John 14-17. "The Saviour bade His disciples not to hope that the world's enmity to the gospel would be overcome, and that after a time its opposition would cease. He said, 'I came not to send peace, but a sword.' This creating of strife is not the effect of the gospel, but the result of opposition to it. Of all persecution the hardest to bear is variance in the home, the estrangement of dearest earthly friends. But Jesus declares, 'He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.'"—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 357. "Jesus sanctioned the binding claims of the fifth commandment and rebuked any attempt to escape the obligations of children toward their parents.... Nevertheless, love for one's parents must never stand in the way of obedience to God in every particular, should the two be in conflict. Love to God and service for Him are to be the supreme rule of life, 'the first and great commandment'...; but 'the second' table of the Decalogue, which contains the fifth commandment, is 'like' the first in nature and importance"—The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 380. |
Discussion Questions:
Do you know of anyone suffering now directly because of their commitment to Jesus? If so, how can you help? What can you as an individual, or as a Sabbath School class, or as a church, do to bring some relief? 
Dwell more on the texts for Wednesday's lesson. What important message is Jesus giving us here? Bring your thoughts to class, and as a class talk about what it means to lose your life for the sake of the gospel. What can you learn from each other's experiences? 
This week's lesson was on discipleship in action. What is going on in your own church in the area of discipleship? What can you as a class do to help the church as a whole take a more active role in this important work? For example, what is being done to help disciple new members?
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| Wayward Wanderings by MIKE BROWNHILL "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Cyrus Jacobs hungered after righteousness. The trouble is, like so many others, Cyrus sought it in the wrong places. Cyrus grew up in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. This young agnostic thought he had all the answers and loved to debate with Christians. And since most Christians didn't know the Bible well, he usually won. He experimented with heroin and LSD, which led him to believe he was close to God. While serving in the Australian army, Cyrus went absent without leave. He was imprisoned and received a dishonorable discharge. Then he met some dubious characters who led him into more trouble, including arson. In spite of his brushes with the law, God didn't give up on young Cyrus. The Holy Spirit wooed him throughout the twists and turns of his troubled life. Cyrus decided to embark on a spiritual journey to find himself and God. He sought enlightenment through Eastern meditation and teachings. But God led him to an old Christian farmer who answered Cyrus's questions with God's Word. Cyrus found the Bible miraculously relevant to his life. He gave his heart to Jesus and was baptized in a Protestant church that same day. While sharing his faith in Jesus one night, a deranged man didn't like what Cyrus was saying and stabbed him in the stomach, the chest, and the throat. Miraculously, Cyrus survived. From his personal Bible study, Cyrus became convinced that God valued the Sabbath that He had established in Eden. But he found his fellow church members didn't share his convictions. Cyrus experienced God's hand in his life again and again during several years of adventure and study. While scuba diving in indonesia, he met his wife, Suminah. They returned to Australia and settled in Queensland. Here they met Rob and Molly Cock, who were studying the Bible with a local pastor. They invited Cyrus and Suminah to join them. Cyrus responded to a television advertisement and requested a free viewing of The Search video series on biblical truths. In time he was rebaptized as a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. Suminah soon followed. God follows searching people relentlessly until they find Him. Our mission offerings support evangelistic outreach around the world.
MIKE BROWNHILL is a pastor in South Queensland Conference, Australia. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Awareness. email: info@adventistmission.org website: www.adventistmission.org |
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