“Sing a New Song to the Lord!”

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THURSDAY

August 4

“Sing a New Song to the Lord!”
Unfortunately, though we have access to some of the themes and lyrics of divinely inspired songs, we do not have any of the music itself. Thus, using our God-given gifts (at least, those of us who have those gifts), we write our own music if not always our own lyrics. But as we all know, we do not do this in a vacuum. We worship in relationship to the culture we live in, a culture that to some degree influences us and our music. This can be a good thing, or this can be a bad thing. The hard thing is to know the difference.
Read the following texts. How can they give us principles that should guide us in the kind of music we have in our worship? 1 Cor. 10:31, Phil. 4:8, Col. 1:18. 

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Over the years, the question of music and types of music in worship has arisen in our church. In some cases, hymnal music has been given all but sacred status; in others, it is hard to tell the difference between what is being played in church and what is being played as secular music (because, frankly, there is no difference).
What is important for worship music is that it point us to the noblest and the best, which is the Lord. It should appeal, not to the baser elements of our being but to the higher ones. Music is not morally neutral: it can move us to some of the most exalted spiritual experiences, or it can be used by the enemy to debase and degrade us, to bring out lusts and passion and despair and anger. All one has to do is look at what some of the music industry today produces to see powerful examples of how Satan has perverted another of God’s wonderful gifts to humanity.
Music in our worship services should have a balance of spiritual, intellectual, and emotional elements. The lyrics, in harmony with the music itself, should uplift us, elevate our thoughts, and make us long more for the Lord who has done so much for us. Music that can bring us to the foot of the Cross, that can help us realize what we have been given in Christ, is the kind we need for our worship.
Again, various cultures have different tastes in music, and music and musical instruments vary in our worldwide family. What is uplifting and encouraging to those in one culture might sound strange to those in another. Either way, how important that we seek the Lord’s guidance in having appropriate music for our worship services.

Bethel, the House of God

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THURSDAY

June 30

Bethel, the House of God
Jacob and Esau, like Cain and Abel, represent two classes of worshipers. Esau’s bold, adventuresome spirit appealed to his quiet, retiring father. Jacob, on the other hand, appeared to have a more spiritual nature. But he also had some serious character flaws. Jacob wanted the birth-right, which legally belonged to his elder twin. And he was willing to become involved in his mother’s deceptive scheme to obtain it. As a result, Jacob fled in terror to escape his brother’s anger and hatred, never to see his beloved mother again.
Read the story of Jacob’s flight (Gen. 28:10–22). Note the messages of encouragement and assurance God gave him through a dream. What was Jacob’s response?  

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This is the first mention in Genesis of “the house of God” (vs. 17). Though for Jacob it was only a pillar of stone, Bethel became a significant place in sacred history. Here Jacob worshiped the God of his fathers. Here he made a vow of faithfulness to Him. And here, like Abraham, he promised to return to God a tithe—a tenth of his material blessings—as an act of worship.
Notice Jacob’s sense of fear and awe because of the presence of God. He must have understood better than ever before the greatness of God in contrast to himself, and thus the Bible records his attitude of fear, reverence, and awe. The next thing he does is worship. Here, too, we see a principle regarding the kind of attitude we should have in worship, an attitude which is revealed in Revelation 14:7, in the call to “fear God.”
Worship is not about approaching God as you would some buddy or pal. Our attitude should be that of a sinner in dire need of grace, falling before our Maker with a sense of need, fear, and gratefulness that God, the Creator of the universe, would love us and do so much in order to redeem us.
How much awe, reverence, and fear do you have when you worship the Lord? Or is your heart hard, cold, and ungrateful? If the latter, how can you change?

Our Heavenly Dwelling

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THURSDAY

June 23

Our Heavenly Dwelling
Read 2 Corinthians 5:1–4. What is Paul telling us here? What hope is again presented? How does clothing imagery fit in?

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As long as we are in this world, in this body, in this “house,” we are going to “groan” (from a word that means also “to sigh deeply”). Who hasn’t groaned while in our “earthly dwelling,” which is our present body? Look at the chapter that comes before (1 Corinthians 4), talking of the woe that followers of Jesus have encountered in this existence. It’s after this recitation that Paul goes into the texts for today.
Sure, we groan, we suffer, and we die, but that’s not the whole story. We have the promise of being clothed in “our heavenly dwelling.”
What two metaphors, or images, does Paul use in these verses to depict our present situation and the hope that awaits us?  

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In some ancient writings, the idea of being clothed was seen as similar to being inside a house. Both are external to us, and both present a certain amount of protection and covering (in Paul’s time, the name of the garment worn by the poorer class came from a word that meant “little house”). Whatever the reasons, Paul uses different images to contrast two basic ideas—a temporal earthly dwelling in contrast to an eternal heavenly one; being naked in contrast to being clothed; and mortality (the certainty of death) in contrast to life, eternal life in Christ. In the end, these metaphors all are talking about the same thing: the hope that we have, at Christ’s return, of being clothed or housed in immortal bodies. In other words, these texts are another way of expressing the promise of eternal life that we have in Jesus.
Think about death, about the apparent finality of it. Without hope of something beyond it, what hope is there for any of us? Dwell on all the reasons that we have for our hope that death doesn’t have the final say. Bring your answers to class and discuss them there.

“They Parted My Garments”

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THURSDAY

June 16

“They Parted My Garments”
“They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture”(Ps. 22:18).
It’s hard to imagine the humiliation Jesus was to endure. After the mock ceremony of the soldiers, He is brought to the cross and then, there, stripped of the last vestiges of His earthly possessions, the clothes off His back. Beaten, rejected, humiliated, mocked, and now stripped and crucified, Jesus was, indeed, drinking the bitter cup that, from “the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8), was to be His.
Read John 19:23, 24 (see also Matt. 27:35). What prophetic significance does the Bible give to what happened there, and why is it important?

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Here is the greatest act in all cosmic history unfolding right before them, and these soldiers are dealing with something as petty as dividing up the clothes of one of the victims!
And yet, their action itself isn’t so trivial, because the Bible shows that what the soldiers did was a fulfillment of prophecy. John directly links it to the Psalm, saying that it happened so that “the scripture might be fulfilled” (Matthew does, as well), thus giving us more evidence for our faith.
Think, too, what this could have meant to Jesus, as well. The weight of the world’s sin falling on Him, the separation from the Father bearing down on Him, Jesus then sees these soldiers, right beneath Him, dividing up His clothing and casting lots, all in a fulfillment of prophecy. This easily could have given Him extra courage to endure what He was facing on the cross. These actions by the soldiers were more evidence that, no matter how terrible His trial, no matter how dreadful the suffering, prophecy was being fulfilled, His earthly ministry was nearing its grand climax, and the provision would be made that would give salvation to any human being who claimed it by faith. Thus, Jesus had to endure, and He did.
What biblical prophecies have you found the most faith affirming, especially in times of need, especially in times when trials have tested your faith?

The Investigation

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THURSDAY

June 9

The Investigation
As expressed yesterday, unless you believe that once a person is "saved,” that person can never fall away, it's hard to imagine that God wouldn't have a final separation between those clothed in His righteousness and those just claiming to be. That’s essentially what this parable is about. Again, for a religion based, not on our own works but on someone else’s works for us (which we claim by faith), how could there not be this final divine separation?
Read Ecclesiastes 12:14 and 1 Corinthians 4:5 in light of Matthew 22:11. What’s the one point that they have in common, and why is that important?

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As Seventh-day Adventists, with our understanding of the great controversy (Rev. 12:7–9, 1 Pet. 5:8, Job 1, 2) and the interest of the entire universe in this great controversy (Dan. 7:10, 1 Cor. 4:9, Eph. 3:10), we easily can reject the argument—taken from 2 Timothy 2:19, “the Lord knoweth them that are his”—used against the idea that an investigation of works is biblical. The Lord does know them that are His, but the rest of the universe, ourselves included, don’t.
It’s so important that we keep the big picture in mind: the interest of the whole universe in what is going on here with sin, rebellion, salvation, and God’s plan to deal with everything in an open, just, and fair way.
The very idea of a judgment of any kind presupposes some kind of investigation, does it not? Look at Genesis 3:9–19: from the first moment after sin entered, God Himself got directly involved, asking questions to answers that He already knew. Just as this “investigation” wasn’t for Himself (it helped Adam and Eve understand the gravity of what they had done), the same can be said of the “investigative judgment”: it doesn’t reveal anything new to God; it’s for the benefit of others.
Just as in this Genesis judgment, where God’s grace overruled the death sentence (see Gen. 3:15), His grace does the same for all of God’s true followers, now and in the judgment—when they need it the most!
An investigation of your works? Is there any wonder that you need to have Christ’s righteousness covering you at all times, or that salvation has to be by grace and not by works? What hope would you have if—when all your works were investigated—you didn’t have Christ’s robe covering you?

The Father’s Own Garment

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THURSDAY

June 2

The Father’s Own Garment
Ellen G. White, in Christ’s Object Lessons, pages 203, 204, adds an interesting detail to the story that’s not found in the texts themselves. Describing the scene of the father approaching the son as he humbly comes home, she writes: “The father will permit no contemptuous eye to mock at his son’s misery and tatters. He takes from his own shoulders the broad, rich mantle, and wraps it around the son’s wasted form, and the youth sobs out his repentance, saying, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.’ The father holds him close to his side, and brings him home. No opportunity is given him to ask a servant’s place. He is a son, who shall be honored with the best the house affords, and whom the waiting men and women shall respect and serve.
“The father said to his servants, ‘Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.’ ”
What insights does this reference give us into the story as a whole, and what does it tell us about God’s character?

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The Father wants, right away, to cover up the shame of the son’s mistakes. What a message for us about learning to let the past go, to not dwell on others’ past mistakes or our own. Some of the worst sins are not known now, but one day will be (1 Cor. 4:5); like Paul, we need to forget what’s past and press toward the future (Phil. 3:13, 14).
Read Luke 15:24. What does the father mean when he says that his son was dead but is alive again? How are we to understand those very strong words?  

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In the end, there’s no middle ground in the ultimate issues of salvation. When all things finally and totally wrap up (Rev. 21:5), and the great controversy is ended, all humans beings either will be eternally alive or eternally dead. There’s nothing in between.
Certainly something to think about as we make our daily choices, both good and bad, as did the prodigal son.

“An Effectual Plea”

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THURSDAY

May 26

“An Effectual Plea”
In the world of Christianity, many people have not experienced the robe of righteousness and do not understand its potential. However, this concept is absolutely vital to anyone who wishes peace and joy in their relationship with their Lord.
Too often there’s a motivation to do good so that “we can be saved.” The message here in Zechariah should show us that is not how it works, nor how it can work. Again, here’s Ellen G. White on what was happening in this vision:
“But while we should realize our sinful condition, we are to rely upon Christ as our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption. We cannot answer the charges of Satan against us. Christ alone can make an effectual plea in our behalf. He is able to silence the accuser with arguments founded not upon our merits, but on His own.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 472.
That last sentence should become emblazoned in the hearts of all of God’s people, a truth that we must know not only intellectually but experientially, learning to rely moment by moment, not on our good works, no matter how good they really are, but only on the merits of Christ. Or, to put it in David’s words: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered” (Ps. 32:1).
Keeping what we have seen in Zechariah 3 in mind, read Ephesians 2:8–10, John 14:15, and Romans 6:1–4. How do these verses help us understand all that is involved in what we have been shown in Zechariah about what it means to be wearing “rich robes”?

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Now that Joshua was covered in the garments of holiness, his life was to reflect that holiness. We are to exert all the God-given power offered the soul to have victory over sin. No sin should be tolerated or excused in our lives, not when there are so many promises of victory for the one who has given himself or herself to Christ. Christ’s life proved we can live in obedience to God’s law. When we sin, we are choosing to sin. How important that we always think long and hard on the implications of that choice.
What are the sins you especially struggle with? What promises can you claim so that you can have the victory over them promised you in Christ?

The Garments of Salvation

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THURSDAY

May 19

The Garments of Salvation
Some of the most famous texts in all the Bible appear in Luke 4:16–20, when Jesus stood up in His hometown synagogue and read from the book of Isaiah, chapter 61. Then, much to the amazement of those listening, He declared, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21).
Read through Isaiah 61. What is the theme of the chapter? How is the gospel presented here? What themes presented here are picked up and expounded on in the New Testament? See, for instance, verse 6.

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These verses are so rich, filled with all sorts of imagery from the Old Testament that eventually makes it into the New. Central to our interest is verse 10: “ ‘I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels’ ” (NKJV).
“The provision made is complete, and the eternal righteousness of Christ is placed to the account of every believing soul. The costly, spotless robe, woven in the loom of heaven, has been provided for the repenting, believing sinner, and he may say: ‘I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.’ ”—Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 394.
The verb translated “decks himself” comes from a Hebrew word that means to “do the work of a priest,” a prophecy of the New Covenant understanding of all of God’s people, those dressed in the garments of salvation, functioning as “priests.” They function, not as mediators as were the Old Testament priests or as Jesus, but more in the sense of witnessing to others about the mercy and grace and salvation of God.
Look through Isaiah 61 again. What promises can you take from those verses for yourself? How can you realize those promises for yourself; that is, what practices in your life must you change in order for these to be fulfilled in and for you?

In the Sanctuary of His Wings

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THURSDAY

May 12

In the Sanctuary of His Wings
“I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings”(Ps. 61:4, NKJV).
Some eagles have wingspans of up to nine feet under which they can shelter and protect their hatchlings. God’s mercy, like the wings of the eagle, shelters those who forsake their sins, no matter how deep they may have fallen. But unlike the guilt of our sin, which is blotted out, the consequences or results of sin often may not be removed. David experienced the bitter reality of this truth, fourfold, in the deaths of three of his sons and in the rape of his daughter Tamar by her own half-brother, Amnon.
What did David seek in the shadow of God’s wings? What do they offer us covering from? Pss. 17:8, 36:7, 57:1. 

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Under the wings of God are found lovingkindness, mercy, and a shelter. The eagle’s wings amplify this truth in a spectacular way: a father eagle teaches an eaglet to fly by carrying it on his back up to a great height. He then tips his wings, and the eaglet falls earthward, flapping and tumbling. Before the eaglet hits the ground, the father eagle swoops underneath and catches it on his wings, bearing it back up again. No matter how far we fall, God flies faster than that fall. He uses our fall to teach us to fly. Like David, if we repent, we will be closer to God after He catches us from our fall than before we fell!
Perhaps this knowledge of the eagle’s flight inspired David’s trust in God’s sheltering wings in Psalm 61. David probably composed it while in exile during the time Absalom usurped the throne. It declares trust in the covering mercy of God, possibly referring to the mercy seat in God’s sanctuary. Here rests the ark of God’s covenant with His people, with its covering cherubim, whose overarching wings shelter the law—the written transcript of God’s character of love. David may have been expressing a desire to dwell, through faith, with God in His sanctuary, his soul garbed in the transforming light of that love.
Perhaps, even now, though you’ve dedicated your life anew to God, you are suffering the consequences of sin: estrangement, exile, physical ailment, emotional pain. What hope of healing does the shelter of God’s wings offer?

Elisha’s Cloak

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THURSDAY

May 5

Elisha’s Cloak
"He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back and stood by the bank of Jordan; and he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over” (2 Kings 2:13, 14). What story does this make us think of? What important symbolism is seen there? 

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Read 2 Kings 2:15–18. Try to put yourself in the place of these prophets from Jericho. Why might they have reacted as they did, trying to find Elijah, even though they knew that he had been taken?  

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It is obvious from earlier texts that the prophets knew Elijah was going to be taken. The text doesn’t say if they themselves saw the event. In one sense, it doesn’t really matter, because they knew that the “Spirit of the Lord” had taken him. To where, though, was another matter. For some reason they believed that Elijah still could be found “on some mountain or in some valley” (vs. 15, NIV). Perhaps not prepared for the idea of someone being whisked off to heaven like that, they assumed the Lord did something else with him. And though they had the words of Elisha not to bother trying to find him, they insisted on it anyway. Perhaps, only then, after not finding him, did they realize what happened. Yet, even then there was room for doubt. Maybe the Lord set him down on some mountain or valley they hadn’t checked?
In the end, no matter the experiences or miracles we have seen, we still need to exercise faith, or else sooner or later doubt will creep in and seriously challenge our Christian experience.
Think about some powerful experience you had with the Lord. No question, at the time and right after, your faith was strong. Over time, however, what happened, especially as the experience itself started receding in the stream of time? Thus, why is it important that you, on a daily basis, do things that can help keep your faith strong?

Jesus, Our High Priest

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THURSDAY

April 28

Jesus, Our High Priest
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Heb. 4:14, 15, NIV). What hope and promise do you find in these two verses that you can apply to your own life and in your own struggle with temptation? 

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Because Christ resides today as our Priest in the sanctuary in heaven, He in a sense wears the breastplate on His heart, as well. And because He “ever liveth to make intercession” (Heb. 7:25) for us, we should find comfort in the knowledge that our High Priest is touched with the feelings of our problems, pains, and temptations. Like Aaron, Jesus had been a human being who knew the trials, tribulations, and temptations of all humanity; unlike Aaron, however, Jesus was “without sin,” a crucial distinction, for out of His sinlessness we can claim two wonderful promises: (1) the robe of His righteousness can be ours by faith, and thus we know that we stand perfect before God; (2) we can have the power to overcome temptation just as Jesus did.
Read Hebrews 8:10–13. What promises are there for us, and how should these promises be made manifest in our lives?  

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Here we can see both aspects of what it means to have salvation in Christ, to be covered in His righteousness. How wonderful is the promise that the Lord will be “merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (vs. 12). He is talking about those who through faith have surrendered to Jesus and have claimed His new-covenant promises, those who have His law written in their hearts and thus obey it, not to achieve salvation but because they already have it. Clothed in the covering of His righteousness, they now live out that righteousness in their own lives. That’s the heart and soul of the New Covenant.

“Thy Son’s Coat”

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THURSDAY

April 21

“Thy Son’s Coat”
“So they took Joseph’s tunic, and slaughtered a male goat and dipped the tunic in the blood; and they sent the varicolored tunic and brought it to their father and said, ‘We found this; please examine it to see whether it is your son’s tunic or not’ ” (Gen. 37:31, 32, NASB).
How could they, the sons of a loving father, stoop so low as to hand their father the cloak he had given his son, now splashed with blood, and ask him to identify it? Maybe even a day before they had committed this crime, nothing like it had entered their minds. But once we start on a train of sin, who knows where it will lead?
Read Genesis 37:26–36. What is revealing about the language the brothers used before their father? 

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Notice, the brothers’ question referred not to “our brother’s coat” but to “your son’s coat.” The coldness, the callousness, is amazing. Perhaps, too, it was a kind of unconscious defense mechanism for them. It wasn’t “our brother’s” coat that they found but, rather, “thy son’s coat”—a way to limit in their own minds the evil that they had done.
Thus, the coat had a role both in the beginning and in the end. A symbol of the relationship between Jacob and Joseph, it now was covered in blood, a symbol of Joseph’s “demise” and what they all assumed would be the end of Joseph and all their animosity toward him. No doubt, though, this act “solved” one problem only to bring on a host of others. Surely the brothers must have been pained by their father’s grief. Surely, day by day seeing Jacob mourn, these men must have struggled with guilt and remorse.
Read Genesis 42:13, 21–23, 32 and Genesis 44:28. What do these verses tell us about the long-lasting impact of the brothers’ deeds on themselves and their family?  

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In the end, the Lord brought good out of the evil that the brothers had done, but that hardly justifies what they did. However extreme their actions were, this story should remind us of how quickly sins can get out of hand, blind us, and lead us to do things that more often than not lead to tragedy and suffering.

Animal Skin

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THURSDAY

April 14

Animal Skin
“And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them”(Gen. 3:21, RSV).
Yesterday we saw Adam and Eve’s response to their sin; today we’ll look at God’s. In the above text we have, in a sense, the gospel message prefigured.
First, we can see that Adam and Eve’s fig-leaf covering was not adequate. If it were, then there would have been no need to kill innocent animals in order to clothe the fallen couple. In the same way, all our efforts to keep the law well enough to be saved are inadequate. If working our way to salvation were adequate, then Christ would not have had to die for us. Just as fig leaves would have been less costly and traumatic than the death of innocent animals, so, too, our works would have been cheaper than the death of Jesus. In both cases, our works, fig leaves, couldn’t suffice; that’s why Jesus had to die for us; that’s why innocent animals needed to be slain. It could be no other way (Gal. 3:21, Rom. 3:21–28).
Second, what’s the main difference between fig leaves and animal skins? What inevitably comes from the latter that doesn’t from the former? Of course, the answer is blood. That alone should tell us how the gospel appears in Genesis 3:21 (see Lev. 17:11; Rev. 12:11; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19; Heb. 9:22).
Third, perhaps the most insightful part of the text is the last part, in which it says that “[He] clothed them” (Gen. 3:21). The Hebrew is clear: it was the Lord who placed the animal skins on Adam and Eve. It was His act, it was what He did for them that covered the shame of their nakedness. As we saw yesterday, the immediate consequences of their sin were revealed in the nakedness motif; now, however, God Himself solves the problem by clothing them Himself, in a covering made from innocent animals who were slain. The text says only that a “skin” covered them; it doesn’t tell us what kind. It might not be hard to make a correct guess, though, would it? (See Gen. 22:8, John 1:36, 3:16.)
Thus, right from the start, the Lord revealed the plan of salvation. However horrible Adam and Eve’s sin, it wasn’t greater than God’s grace to save them from it, a point we should never forget ourselves.  
Dwell on the wonderful promise of salvation by faith in Jesus. Dwell on the promise that our salvation is found in what He has done for us and not in what we can ever do for ourselves. How can you learn to make the promise of the gospel, of Christ’s righteousness as our own robe, the center and foundation of your life and your walk with the Lord?

Satan on Earth

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THURSDAY

April 7

Satan on Earth
“No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14, NASB).
As we all know so well, Satan’s fall didn’t impact only heaven but affected earth, as well, and his fall and rebellion in heaven are manifested here on earth in what we call “the great controversy.” It’s real, it’s bitter, and it involves all of us.
Read Revelation 12:7–12. What is this passage talking about, and what caution—and at the same time, hope—can we take from these verses?  

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Fortunately, because of the Cross, because of what Jesus completed for us there, we know how it will turn out in the end. Victory is assured for all who are covered in the robes of Christ’s perfection. Hence, Satan works diligently to try to keep as many as possible from finding the saving righteousness that guarantees them a place in eternity.
Read again 2 Corinthians 11:14, paying close attention to the context in which Paul is writing. What important message should we take from this passage for ourselves?  

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Satan works in various ways to deceive us, to turn us from a saving relationship with Christ, and he’s not averse to using other professed Christians to do just that. Indeed, that often can be his most effective ploy.
Spiritual danger lurks all around us (1 Pet. 5:8). The important thing for all of us to remember, however, is that we’re dealing with a defeated foe: the devil has lost, his ruin is sure, his reign will end. Yet, in and of ourselves we cannot fight him and win. Our only hope and strength are found in the One who has defeated him already, and that is Jesus. His victory is ours, as long as we claim it for ourselves in faith and obedience.
What are the subtle ways the devil can slowly but surely, step by step, undermine our faith if we are not careful? What day-by-day choices can we make to ensure that he doesn’t succeed?

Cheap Grace and Legalism

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THURSDAY

March 31

Cheap Grace and Legalism
All through the Bible, the inspired writers emphasize the need for obedience. To think that it doesn’t matter what we do as long as Christ lives in our heart is a fallacy. If Christ truly lives in our heart, good actions must, inevitably, follow. At the same time, it’s no less fatal to think that we can be saved by our own works of obedience.
Paul wrote a very impressive list of his life, accomplishments, and pedigree before he met Jesus: he was circumcised on the eighth day, he was a descendant of Israel, he was a Pharisee, he had zeal, and he said he was faultless. Talk about legalism. After his conversion he called these things rubbish compared to knowing Christ. He gained righteousness by accepting the robe of Christ’s righteousness, and he wanted to become like Him.
Read Philippians 3:3–16. How is Paul here expressing the great truth of salvation by faith and what it means in the life of the one saved?  

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We must keep distinct, theologically, the imputed righteousness of Christ—the righteousness that justifies us— from the work that the Holy Spirit does in us to change us. We never must separate them in the context of what it means to be a Christian. We must have both. To have the first without the second is like having a coin with only one side. It doesn’t exist.
The understanding that obedience comes as a gift keeps us out of two ditches: cheap grace and legalism. First, we will believe in the importance of obeying, and second, our obedience will not be meritorious, because we will have received it as a gift. We are just as dependent upon Christ to obey the law and to be sanctified as we are on Him to be justified and forgiven before God. God is more than willing—He’s eager, not only to justify us but to give us the victory over sin and self. As always, the wild card remains our will: how willing are we to make the daily surrender of self to Him so that we “know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death”? (Phil. 3:10, NIV).
Read over the texts again for today. Where do you see the reality of human free will? What does Paul mean in verse 16 when he says “let us live up to what we have already attained”? (NIV). What choices can you make that will allow you to do just that?

Hope and Trust in God

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THURSDAY

March 24

Hope and Trust in God
“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord” (Ps. 31:24, NIV). What reasons do we have for putting our hope in the Lord?

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Studies show that hope is a critical factor in mental health. An attitude of hope found in hostages makes a difference in survival. Hope is a great motivator and a source of mental and physical endurance. Most depression treatments work well in patients convinced that their mood can improve significantly and that they can be helped. Indeed, depression and anxiety often afflict those whose outlook on life is pessimistic, catastrophic, and hopeless. A hopeful attitude can make a big difference in our entire mental outlook.
But there is more than the general hope that whatever your present trial is, it will end well. Religious hope transcends the finite and focuses on the eternal. It points us to realities and truths and promises that the world, in and of itself, can never offer. It’s a hope found in the Creator God, who alone can give us what nothing else in the world can.
Read Matthew 26:36–44. What can we learn about trusting in God, even in terrible times, from Jesus’ example here?

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The passage tells us of the Savior’s disheartened state. Carefully chosen words are used to describe Jesus’ painful emotions: troubled, exceedingly sorrowful (deeply distressed). Heartbroken and disregarded by His friends, He fell not only on His knees but on His face and asked His Father for relief. When relief did not come, He asked again. And again. Note that every time He posed His request, He asked for God’s will to be done. In the end, Jesus put all His trust in the Father. Regardless of what would happen, He sought to be surrendered to His Father. That was His way, and it must be ours, as well.
It’s one thing, trusting in the Lord in good times. But how can we learn to trust Him in bad times? How do we learn to trust when prayers are not answered as we wish?

Psalm 104

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THURSDAY

March 17

Psalm 104
In the nineteenth century, a popular belief known as deism stated that God had created the world but then left it alone. In others words, according to this position, God exists but doesn’t want to get involved.
That view, however, is not what the Bible teaches. God didn’t just set the world like a wind-up watch and then let it go, come what may. According to the Bible, He’s intricately involved in all that happens here. After all, what is the Cross if not God intimately and directly involved in human affairs!
Read Psalm 104 prayerfully. What does it tell us about the role of God in creation and in the natural world?

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Perhaps the most telling thing about Psalm 104 is the enthusiasm and excitement that exude from the words themselves. The psalmist rejoices in the creative and sustaining power of the Lord. You almost can hear him shouting these words out in praise and adoration. He sees the reality of God in the everyday function of the natural world.
The God presented in this psalm is not the god of the deists, either. He’s a God who is involved in what happens here. No doubt, whatever the psalmist’s personal troubles, he finds comfort and hope in the power of the Lord. Sure, contemplating the birds in their nests or the lions seeking their food isn’t going to solve whatever daily struggles he’s facing, but he can see in nature things that speak to him of God’s goodness and power, and that gives him hope.
Nature also can be a source of healing to the body, mind, and spirit. In many cases fresh air, sunlight, water, and a healthy diet can do wonders for us both physically and mentally. Natural remedies remain a powerful means of health and healing.
Some doctors, too, often will tell people to get away from work and stress and find rest and relaxation in a natural setting somewhere. Some research shows just how good nature and a natural environment can be for us physically and mentally. After all, God put our first parents in a garden, not in a city square. Something in us resonates better with a field of lilies than it does with an asphalt parking lot.
Nature is one of God’s great gifts. We should do all that we can to take advantage of it. What are ways you can benefit better from what God has given us in nature?

Personal Image

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THURSDAY

March 10

Personal Image
Read 1 Peter 3:3, 4. How different is what’s said there from what society teaches us?

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Society has placed an excessive value on personal image. This is a weakness that has accompanied humans for their entire history. In our days, this emphasis on beauty and personal care has reached overwhelming proportions. The worldwide cosmetic industry alone is more than half of the global food retail market. In addition to cosmetics, many people spend endless resources in body building, facelifts, hair transplants, plastic surgery, special diets, and so on, all in order to improve their appearances.
This intensive desire to become more beautiful also has the risk of becoming addictive. Some develop exercise addiction; others the addiction to eat a little less each time, to the point of endangering their lives. Others may become obsessed with hair or skin beauty, submitting themselves to sophisticated, costly, and never-ending treatments.
How would you interpret Matthew 6:19–21 in the context we are looking at? How do the same principles apply?

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There is nothing wrong with being fit, clean, and nice-looking. It is the constant focus on these things that can draw our hearts to them to the point of letting them become idols. Jesus talked about the need to develop treasures in heaven, not on earth where things do not last and may distract us from God’s kingdom. Indeed, there’s one thing about looks that you can be sure of: sooner or later, time and gravity will take them away.
Like material resources, our bodies are a treasure entrusted to us, but we run a serious risk to make it an idol when our devotion to it becomes excessive. It’s not always easy to know when a line has been crossed; hence, the need for all of us to be careful in this regard.
What kind of messages are we creating for our young people in the church in regard to this area? What are we emphasizing? In what subtle ways might we be sending wrong messages? Bring your answer to class on Sabbath.

Jealousy Toward Jesus

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THURSDAY

March 3

Jealousy Toward Jesus
“For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy” (Matt. 27:18, NKJV).
Skim over quickly the first 11 chapters of Matthew, focusing specifically on what things Jesus did. Then read Matthew 12:14. What was it about Him and what He did that would have caused the leaders to respond this way? What did their actions reveal about their hearts? As you think about your answer, dwell on the question of how you might have responded were you in their situation.

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The chief priests and elders were knowledgeable and exacting in the observance of the law. But their analysis of religious life was so microscopic that they had lost sight of the point of religion. Jesus brought a fresh view of piety, and the people of Israel (including religious leaders) heard the good news of salvation. Instead, though, of thanking Jesus for alerting them to their self-destructive path, they sought to destroy Him.
How often folk let their own jealousy blind them to what should be obvious. After all that Jesus was doing, the miracles, the healing, the casting out of demons, it’s hard to imagine anyone questioning Him as being anything other than from God. The evidence He gave should have been more than convincing (see Matt. 11:4, 5).
Perhaps because they were more aware of their own need, the common people were more open to Jesus than were many of the religious leaders, who feared that Jesus would change the status quo and thus endanger their position. Jesus’ teaching was in many ways so different from theirs, and His message so much more appealing, that they had good reasons to fear His influence. Unfortunately for them, they were more concerned with preserving their own power and influence than they were in knowing and following the Truth.
The fact that jealousy was motivating them wasn’t a secret. According to Matthew 27:18, even the Roman leader Pilate knew what their motives were, that’s how obvious it had become. Sadly, these leaders were so blinded by their jealously that they thought they were defending the faith against some impostor who was leading the people astray. Had they surrendered in humility and faith before the Lord instead of letting their jealously overrule rational thinking, they would have avoided the tragic course that surely led them to eternal ruin. We would do well in our context, whatever it is, to learn from their mistakes.

A New Self

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THURSDAY

February 24

A New Self
Read Ephesians 4:23, 24. What does Paul mean by “putting on” the new self? What is the nature of this new self?

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People like to try new looks: changing hairstyle, buying new types of clothes, even getting a face-lift or hair transplant. But these changes will bring only minor variations inside. The basic self will remain unchanged.
Paul talks about a new self, related not to appearance but to attitude and mental nature. He says that we are “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (vs. 24, NIV).
Outline the attitudes and behaviors coming out of the new self. Eph. 4:25–32.

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The new self referred to by Paul exhibits successful fruits (truthfulness, unity, honesty, diligence, wholesome talk, kindness, forgiveness). Notice, too, that all of the new self’s attributes have to do with good character and interpersonal relationships, and these can be tied directly to questions of self-esteem. The adverse behaviors mentioned in Ephesians 4, such as lying, anger, and bitterness, leave the person with a diminished sense of value. In contrast, sharing with those in need and being kind and compassionate are actions that can enhance self-esteem, as they change a person’s focus from self and thus leave the person with a sense of accomplishment.
The Christian community needs people who are interested in building others up rather than destroying them. The concept of self easily can be ruined in no time with rude words of criticism. “Upon every family, upon every individual Christian, is laid the duty of barring the way against corrupt speech. When in the company of those who indulge in foolish talk, it is our duty to change the subject of conversation if possible. By the help of the grace of God we should quietly drop words or introduce a subject that will turn the conversation into a profitable channel.”—Ellen G. White, Christ's Object Lessons, p. 337.
Why is it that helping somebody enhances your own self-esteem? Make a list of small things that you can do for your neighbor, partner, or family member. Do them; you may be surprised at how well you feel about yourself.