Further Study:
Read Ellen G. White, "Calvary," pp. 744-757; "It Is Finished," pp. 758-764, in The Desire of Ages."Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour's cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure. Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary. To all these He looked forward when upon the cross He cried out, 'It is finished'"—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 764.
"The death of Christ upon the cross made sure the destruction of him who has the power of death, who was the originator of sin. When Satan is destroyed, there will be none to tempt to evil; the atonement will never need to be repeated; and there will be no danger of another rebellion in the universe of God."—Ellen G. White Comments, The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1132.
Discussion Questions:
Some limit the Cross to a mere demonstration of God's love, devoid of any legal or atoning efficacy. That is, Christ died merely to show us the Father's love; there was no change in our legal standing before the Father. Hence, the only purpose of the Cross was to bring a change in us and in our attitude toward God. Why is such a position a radically weak and ultimately unsatisfactory view of Jesus' death? How does such a view, of necessity, lead to a salvation-by-works theology? 
Dwell more on this idea of the universe being made secure by the Cross. What does this tell us about the Cross and about the grand issues that it dealt with? How does our understanding of the great controversy help us better appreciate what happened at the Cross?
The life and death of Jesus presents us with mystery from start to finish. Though there are aspects that we can understand, other things remain a mystery. How can you learn to trust the Lord regarding the things you do not understand? What is the key to keeping your faith strong?
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| Kobamo's Urgent Message Kobamo is the eldest son of a poor cattle herder in southern Ethiopia. His parents wanted a better life for him, so they sent him to school. There Kobamo met some Adventist children. Kobamo knew almost nothing about God, but he listened as his classmates shared their faith with him. Over time he realized that God loves even him, a poor farm boy. He could not attend the Adventist church with them, for he had many chores to do on Saturday. However, sometimes he attended special afternoon programs when his work was done. In time Kobamo accepted Jesus as his Savior. Kobamo's grandfather was a witch doctor, an important and feared man. One day Kobamo felt an urge to visit his grandfather, who lived an hour's walk away. In Kobamo's culture children do not associate with their elders, even their grandparents. So Kobamo's parents were surprised when he asked to visit his grandfather. Nevertheless, they allowed him to go. Kobamo finished his chores and set out for his grandparents' home. The sun was low in the sky when Kobamo reached their home. His grandparents were surprised to see Kobamo, and they invited him to come in and sit down. But Kobamo stood up saying, "I will not sit down until I have told you what I have come to say. God sent me to tell you to believe in Him." Kobamo did not have a Bible, and he did not know many Bible texts to quote to his grandfather. He just knew that his grandfather needed to believe in God. So Kobamo, in his childish way, simply urged his grandparents to believe in God. Kobamo's grandparents were surprised that this young boy would talk to them in this way. For four hours Kobamo told his grandparents what he knew about God and asked them to believe. Finally Kobamo's grandfather told the boy that he believed that God had sent Kobamo to share this message. The couple knew nothing about God except what Kobamo had told them, but because their young grandson spoke so bravely to them, this influential couple accepted Jesus as their Savior and faithfully attended church until their deaths. Kobamo's parents joined another Protestant church, but Kobamo insisted on attending the Adventist Church. He obeyed his parents in everything, but he refused to work on God's holy day. His parents allowed Kobamo to follow his faith, for they had seen God working in his life. Our mission offerings help spread the gospel in Ethiopia, where half the population follows non-Christian religions. Thank you for sharing Christ through your mission offerings.
KOBAMO continues to share his faith in southern Ethiopia. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Web site: www.adventistmission.org |
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