Further Study:
Purpose of the Incarnation: “Christ in counsel with His Father laid out the plan for His life on earth. . . . He clothed His divinity with the garb of humanity, that He might stand at the head of the human family, His humanity mingled with the humanity of the race fallen because of Adam’s disobedience.”—Ellen G. White, The Southern Work, p. 85.“Christ’s work was to reconcile man to God through His human nature, and God to man through His divine nature.”—Ellen G. White, Confrontation, p. 38.
Prayer at Baptism: “He received baptism at the hands of John, and in coming up out of the water he bowed upon Jordan’s banks, and offered up a prayer to Heaven. . . . Jesus was accepted of Heaven as a representative of the human race. With all our sin and weakness, we are not cast aside as worthless; we are accepted in the Beloved; for heaven has been opened to our petitions through the Son of God. The gates are ajar, and the light of heaven will shine upon all those whom Jesus came to save, if they will but come within the circle of the beams of the Sun of Righteousness; for ample provision has been made for the salvation of every soul.”—Ellen G. White, Signs of the Times, July 28, 1890.
Discussion Questions:
Give as many possible answers as you can to this question: Why was the Incarnation indispensable in Christ’s work of atonement? 
Why is the humanity of Christ so important to us? Why is the divinity of Christ so important to us, as well?
As we saw in Sunday’s lesson, there are many mysteries about the incarnation of Jesus. What other mysteries are there, such as in nature, and why should these other mysteries help us understand what it means to live by faith?
What are ways that we can, as a church, as the body of Christ, follow Christ’s healing and reconciliation ministry? What does your local church do? What more can and should it do? Most important, how can you be more involved?
Summary:
In the incarnation of Jesus we witness the only human being who was born on this planet in complete and perfect union with God. Although tempted by the enemy in ways that no other human being has been and will be tempted, Jesus remained loyal to the Father and overcame where Adam failed, thus paving the way to bring salvation to all who surrender to Him in faith and obedience.
| I N S I D E Story | ||
| The Reluctant Student by NELIDA ESPINOSA I had just become an Adventist and wanted to share with my sister what I had learned. I visited my sister and her children and shared my testimony. But only my niece, Laura, wanted to know more. We studied the Bible together in the living room and invited other members of the family to join us if they wished. But they didn't respond. Laura's brother, Sergio, was devoted to his family's church and found excuses not to join us for our Bible studies, so Laura and I prayed earnestly for the family, and especially Sergio. I knew that God could touch his heart even when I could not. I returned home before Laura made a decision for Christ. But every day I prayed for the members of this family, committing them to God. And whenever I could, I visited to encourage them in their faith. During one of my visits I again invited Sergio to join Laura and me for our study, and this time he did. I asked him to pray for us, and he agreed. I rejoiced to see that God was working in Sergio's heart. When Laura decided to be baptized, I invited her to come to my home church to be baptized so she could see that the Adventist Church is a large denomination. She invited Sergio to come with her, and he agreed. Laura and I knew that God was speaking to him. During the baptismal program the pastor invited those who would like to give their lives totally to God and prepare for baptism to stand. Sergio stood. The next day as Sergio and Laura returned home, Sergio told Laura that he wished to be baptized into the Adventist Church. Laura studied the Bible with him, and a few months later Sergio was baptized. The next time I visited, I learned that Sergio was sharing his faith with his classmates and neighbors-everyone who would listen. Sergio was taking night classes and faced difficulties with one teacher who refused to excuse him from class. Sergio knew he couldn't convince this teacher, so he explained the Sabbath to the head teacher, who agreed to help him. He arranged for Sergio to change his exams that fell on Friday night, and Sergio completed his studies. Sergio loved playing soccer and was invited to play for a major team in Argentina. But he knew that God had other plans for his life. He turned down the lucrative offer that could have paid his way through college and worked instead to pay his tuition while attending the Adventist seminary to become a pastor. Because of Sergio's and Laura's commitment to God, other members of their family have given their lives to Christ. Today Sergio is a pastor leading others to Christ.
NELIDA ESPINOSA, Sergio Choque 's aunt, lives in Salta, Argentina. | ||
| Produced by the General Conference Office of Mission Web site: www.adventistmission.org |
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