LESSON 2 *October 5–11
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: John 6:1–15, Isa. 53:4–6, 1 Cor. 5:7, John 6:26–36, John 9:1–41, 1 Cor. 1:26–29, John 11.
Memory Text: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ ” (John 11:25, 26, NKJV).
The Bible is clear that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son, one with the Father, underived and uncreated. Jesus is the One who created all that was made (John 1:1–3). Thus, Jesus has always existed; there never was a time when He didn’t exist. Though Jesus came to this world and took upon Himself our humanity, He always kept His divinity. And at specific times, Jesus said and did things that revealed this divinity.
This truth was important for John, which is why, when recounting some of Jesus’ miracles, John used them to point to Christ’s divinity. Jesus not only said things that revealed His divinity but backed up His words with works that manifested His divinity.
This week’s lesson looks at three of the greatest signs of Jesus’ divinity. What is striking is that, in every case, some people did not believe the miracle or perceive its significance. For some, it was a time of turning away from Jesus; for others, a time for deepening blindness; and for others, a time to plot Jesus’ death. And for others—a time to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 12.
EGW Notes — SATURDAY ↓
Sabbath Afternoon, October 5
Lesson 2 - Signs of Divinity
Was the human nature of the Son of Mary changed into the divine nature of the Son of God? No; the two natures were mysteriously blended in one person—the man Christ Jesus. In Him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. When Christ was crucified, it was His human nature that died. Deity did not sink and die; that would have been impossible. Christ, the sinless One, will save every son and daughter of Adam who accepts the salvation proffered them, consenting to become the children of God. The Saviour has purchased the fallen race with His own blood.
This is a great mystery, a mystery that will not be fully, completely understood in all its greatness until the translation of the redeemed shall take place. Then the power and greatness and efficacy of the gift of God to man will be understood. But the enemy is determined that this gift shall be so mystified that it will become as nothingness.—Ellen G. White Comments, in
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1113.
Those who had an appreciation of the character and mission of Christ, were filled with reverence and awe, as they looked upon him and felt that they were looking upon the temple of the living God. Officers were sent to take the Son of God, that the temple in which God was enshrined might be destroyed. But as they drew near and heard the words of divine wisdom that fell from his lips, they were charmed, and the power and excellence of his instruction so filled their hearts and minds that they forgot the purpose for which they had been sent. Christ revealed himself to their souls. Divinity flashed through humanity, and they returned so filled with this one thought, so charmed with the ideas he had presented, that when the leaders of Israel inquired, “Why have ye not brought him?” they replied, “Never man spake like this man.” They had seen that which priests and rulers would not see,—humanity flooded with the light and glory of
divinity.—Signs of the Times, January 20, 1890, par. 9.
When he was upon earth Jesus said to those who refused him, “Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life.” There are many who are refusing to respond to the drawing love of Christ today. Jesus calls, but many refuse to respond to the invitation. They will not avail themselves of the privilege of having Jesus for their personal Saviour. They do not come in humility and faith, that they may know by a personal experience what they are to Jesus, and what he is to them. But the promise is, “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied.” Jesus will not rest until he leads his followers unto the realms of perfect joy and
glory.—Signs of the Times, February 27, 1893, par. 5.
SUNDAY October 6
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
In John 6:4, 5, the apostle goes out of his way to state that the timing
of the feeding of the 5,000 was near the Passover. The Passover was a
commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. The Passover
lamb took the place of the death of the firstborn. This sacrifice symbolized
the death of Jesus in our behalf. On the cross, the punishment
that we deserved because of our sins fell on Jesus instead. Christ, our
Passover, was indeed slain for us (1 Cor. 5:7).
“He bore the guilt of transgression, and the hiding of His Father’s
face, until His heart was broken and His life crushed out. All this sacrifice
was made that sinners might be redeemed.”—Ellen G. White, The
Great Controversy, p. 540.
Read John 6:1–14. What parallels can be found here between Jesus
and Moses? That is, what did Jesus do here that should have
reminded the people of the deliverance that their ancestors had
received through the ministry of Moses?
* Your notes will not be saved!
Numerous details of this story place Jesus in parallel to Moses in the
Exodus. The time of the Passover (John 6:4) points to the great deliverance
from Egypt. Jesus goes up on a mountain (John 6:3) as Moses
went up Sinai. Jesus tests Philip (John 6:5, 6) as the Israelites were
tested in the wilderness. The multiplication of the loaves (John 6:11)
is reminiscent of the manna. The gathering of the leftover food (John
6:12) harks back to the Israelites’ gathering the manna. Twelve baskets
of leftovers are picked up (John 6:13), the same number as the twelve
tribes of Israel. And the people comment that Jesus is the prophet coming
into the world (John 6:14), parallel to the “prophet like Moses”
predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15. All of this points to Jesus as the new
Moses—come to deliver His people.
Thus, John is showing Jesus not only doing signs and wonders but
doing signs and wonders that, in their context, should have had special
meaning for the Jewish people. Jesus was pointing them, in essence, to
His own divinity.
Read Isaiah 53:4–6 and 1 Peter 2:24. What great truth do these
texts teach about Jesus as the Lamb of God? How does His divinity
tie into this truth, and why is this truth the most important
truth we can ever know?
EGW Notes — SUNDAY ↓
Sunday, October 6
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
The Passover was at hand, and, from far and near, bands of pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem gathered to see Jesus. Additions were made to their number, until there were assembled five thousand men besides women and children. Before Christ reached the shore, a multitude were waiting for Him. But He landed unobserved by them, and spent a little time apart with the disciples.
From the hillside He looked upon the moving multitude, and His heart was stirred with sympathy. Interrupted as He was, and robbed of His rest, He was not impatient. He saw a greater necessity demanding His attention as He watched the people coming and still coming. He “was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd.” . . . They received no help from the priests and rulers; but the healing waters of life flowed from Christ as He taught the multitude the way of
salvation.—The Desire of Ages, p. 364.
I was directed to the power of God manifested through Moses, when the Lord sent him in before Pharaoh. Satan understood his business, and was upon the ground. He well knew that Moses was chosen of God to break the yoke of bondage upon the children of Israel; and that he in his work prefigured Christ’s first advent to break Satan’s power over the human family, and deliver those who were made captives by his power. Satan knew that when Christ should appear, mighty works and miracles would be wrought by him, that the world might know that the Father had sent him. He trembled for his power. He consults with his angels to accomplish a work which shall answer a two-fold purpose: 1. To destroy the influence of the work wrought by God through his servant Moses, by working through his agents, and thus counterfeiting the true work of God. 2. The influence of his work through the magicians would reach down through all ages, and would destroy in the minds of many, true faith in the mighty miracles and works of Christ, which would be performed by him when he should come to this world. He knew that his kingdom would suffer, for the power which he held over mankind would be subject to Christ. It was no human influence or power Moses possessed, which wrought on the minds, that produced those miracles before Pharaoh. It was the power of God. These signs and wonders were wrought through Moses, to convince Pharaoh that the great “I am” sent him to command Pharaoh to let Israel go, that they might serve
him.—Spiritual Gifts, volume 4b, p. 81.
Christ made satisfaction for the guilt of the whole world, and all who will come to God in faith, will receive the righteousness of Christ, “who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24). Our sin has been expiated, put away, cast into the depths of the sea. Through repentance and faith we are rid of sin, and look unto the Lord our righteousness. Jesus suffered, the just for the
unjust.—Selected Messages, book 1, p. 392.
MONDAY October 7
“Surely, He Is the Prophet”
Read John 6:14, 15, 26–36. How did the people respond to His miracle,
and how did Jesus use this to try to teach them who He was?
The Judeans were expecting an earthly messiah who would deliver
them from the oppression of the Roman Empire. Two of the most difficult
things encountered in war are feeding the troops and caring for the
wounded and dead. By His miracles, Jesus showed that He could do both.
But that’s not why Jesus had come, and that wasn’t the purpose of
His miracle. Instead, the account of the feeding of the 5,000 provided
the opportunity to illustrate that Jesus is the Bread of Life, that God
Himself came down from heaven. “ ‘I am the bread of life,’ ” He said.
“ ‘He who comes to Me shall never hunger’ ” (John 6:35, NKJV).
This is the first of the seven “I am” statements in the Gospel of John,
where “I am” is connected with some predicate (“bread of life,” John
6:35; “light of the world,” John 8:12; “door,” John 10:7, 9; “Good
Shepherd,” John 10:11, 14; “resurrection and the life,” John 11:25; “the
way, the truth, and the life,” John 14:6; “true vine,” John 15:1, 5). Each
of these points to an important truth about Jesus. The “I am” statements
point back to Exodus 3, where God presents Himself to Moses as the
great I AM (compare with John 8:58). Jesus is that great I AM.
But the people missed all this.
“Their dissatisfied hearts queried why, if Jesus could perform so
many wondrous works as they had witnessed, could He not give health,
strength, and riches to all His people, free them from their oppressors,
and exalt them to power and honor? The fact that He claimed to be the
Sent of God, and yet refused to be Israel’s king, was a mystery which
they could not fathom. His refusal was misinterpreted. Many concluded
that He dared not assert His claims because He Himself doubted as
to the divine character of His mission. Thus they opened their hearts
to unbelief, and the seed which Satan had sown bore fruit of its kind,
in misunderstanding and defection.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of
Ages, p. 385.
They were looking for material benefit instead of truth that endures
to eternal life. This is a trap that we all potentially face if we are not
careful.
How can we avoid getting caught up in material things at the
expense of the spiritual?
EGW Notes — MONDAY ↓
Monday, October 7
“Surely, He Is the Prophet”
Seated upon the grassy plain, in the twilight of the spring evening, the people ate of the food that Christ had provided. No human power could create from five barley loaves and two small fishes food sufficient to feed thousands of hungry people. And they said one to another, “This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world” (John 6:14). . . . He can conquer the nations, and give to Israel the long-sought dominion.
In their enthusiasm the people are ready at once to crown Him king. They see that He makes no effort to attract attention or secure honor to Himself. . . . They fear that He will never urge His claim to David’s throne. Consulting together, they agree to take Him by force, and proclaim Him the King of Israel. . . . Jesus sees what is on foot, and understands, as they cannot, what would be the result of such a movement. . . .
Jesus now commands the multitude to disperse; and His manner is so decisive that they dare not disobey. . . . The kingly bearing of Jesus, and His few quiet words of command, quell the tumult, and frustrate their designs. They recognize in Him a power above all earthly authority, and without a question they
submit.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 46.
Jesus said of the Old Testament Scriptures—and how much more it is true of the New—“They are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). . . . If you would become acquainted with the Saviour, study the Holy Scriptures. Fill the whole heart with the words of God. They are the living water, quenching your burning thirst. They are the living bread from heaven. . . . Our bodies are built up from what we eat and drink; and as in the natural economy, so in the spiritual economy: it is what we meditate upon that will give tone and strength to our spiritual nature.
Spiritual life must be sustained by communion with Christ through His Word. The mind must dwell upon it, the heart must be filled with it. The Word of God laid up in the heart and sacredly cherished and obeyed, through the power of the grace of Christ can make man right, and keep him
right.—God’s Amazing Grace, p. 228.
Jesus did not gratify their curiosity. He sadly said, “Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” They did not seek Him from any worthy motive; but as they had been fed with the loaves, they hoped still to receive temporal benefit by attaching themselves to Him. The Saviour bade them, “Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.” Seek not merely for material benefit. Let it not be the chief effort to provide for the life that now is, but seek for spiritual food, even that wisdom which will endure unto everlasting life. This the Son of God alone can give; “for Him hath God the Father
sealed.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 384.
TUESDAY October 8
The Healing of the Blind Man: Part 1
Read John 9:1–16. What did the disciples think was the cause of this
man’s blindness, and how did Jesus correct their false beliefs?
The disciples made a connection between sickness and sin. A number
of Old Testament passages point in that direction (compare with Exod.
20:5, 2 Kings 5:15–27, 2 Kings 15:5, and 2 Chron. 26:16–21), but the
story of Job should have led to caution about whether such a connection
always occurred.
Jesus sets the matter straight, not denying any connection between
sin and suffering but, in this case, pointing to a higher purpose: that
God would be glorified by the healing. The account contains certain
affinities to the Creation story, that of God’s forming the first man from
the dust of the ground (Gen. 2:7), just as Jesus makes clay to provide
the blind man what was missing from the womb.
In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, miracle stories follow a common pattern:
an expression of the problem, the bringing of the individual to
Jesus, the cure, and recognition of the cure with praise to God.
In the story in John 9, this sequence is completed in John 9:7. But
typical of John, the significance of the miracle becomes the much
wider point of discussion, leading to a long interaction between the
healed man and the religious leaders. This striking discussion revolves
around two intertwined contrasting pairs of concepts—sin/works of
God and blindness/sight.
The narrator does not tell the reader until John 9:14 that Jesus
did this healing on the Sabbath, which, according to tradition and
not Scripture, violated the Sabbath. And thus, He was counted as a
Sabbath breaker by the Pharisees. Their conclusion was that He was
not from God because they maintained that “He does not keep the
Sabbath.” But others found it troubling that a sinner could do such
signs (John 9:16).
The discussion is far from over, but already a division appears. The
blind man is becoming more and more clear about who Jesus is, but
the religious leaders are becoming more and more confused or blind as
to His real identity.
What should this story tell us about the dangers of being so
blinded by our own beliefs and traditions that we can miss
important truths right before our own eyes?
EGW Notes — TUESDAY ↓
Tuesday, October 8
The Healing of the Blind Man: Part 1
Job was sorely afflicted, and his friends sought to make him acknowledge that his suffering was the result of sin, and cause him to feel under condemnation. They represented his case as that of a great sinner; but the Lord rebuked them for their judgment of His faithful servant.
There is wickedness in our world, but all the suffering is not the result of a perverted course of life. Job is brought distinctly before us as a man whom the Lord allowed Satan to afflict. The enemy stripped him of all he possessed; his family ties were broken; his children were taken from him. For a time his body was covered with loathsome sores, and he suffered greatly. His friends came to comfort him, but they tried to make him see that he was responsible, by his sinful course, for his afflictions. But he defended himself, and denied the charge, declaring, Miserable comforters are ye all. By seeking to make him guilty before God, and deserving of His punishment, they brought a grievous test upon him, and represented God in a false light; but Job did not swerve from his loyalty, and God rewarded His faithful servant.—Ellen G. White Comments, in
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 1140.
Christ came to reveal to the world the knowledge of the character of God. . . . The truth of God had been hidden beneath a mass of tradition and error. The sacrificial offerings which had been instituted to teach men concerning the vicarious atonement of Christ, to teach them that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins, had become to them a stumbling-block. All that was spiritual and holy was perverted to their darkened understanding. They were blinded by pride and prejudice so that they could not see to the end of that which was abolished. Jesus came to change the order of things that then existed, and reveal to them the character of the
Father.—The Review and Herald, November 1, 1892, par. 12.
Not infrequently the minds of even God’s servants are so blinded by tradition and false teaching that they only partially grasp the things revealed in His Word. The disciples of Christ, even when the Saviour was with them, had the popular conception of the Messiah as a temporal prince who was to exalt Israel to universal empire. They could not understand His words foretelling His suffering and death. . . .
After His resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples on the way to Emmaus, and, “expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” It was His purpose to fasten their faith upon the “sure word of prophecy” (Luke 24:27; 2 Peter 1:19), not merely by His personal testimony, but by the prophecies of the Old Testament. And as the very first step in imparting this knowledge, Jesus directed the disciples to “Moses and all the prophets” of the Old Testament
Scriptures.—From Here to Forever, pp. 215, 217.
WEDNESDAY October 9
The Healing of the Blind Man: Part 2
Read John 9:17–34. What questions did the leaders ask, and how did
the blind man respond?
This long section of John 9 is the only portion of John where Jesus
is not the main actor on the stage, though He is certainly the subject
of discussion. Just as the question of sin started the story (John 9:2),
the Pharisees think Jesus is a sinner because He healed on the Sabbath
(John 9:16, 24), and they will slander the healed man as “born in utter
sin” (John 9:34, ESV).
A curious reversal occurs. The blind man comes to see more and
more, not just physically but spiritually, as he is growing in his appreciation
for Jesus and believing more strongly in Him. The Pharisees,
in contrast, become more and more blind in their understanding, first
being divided over Jesus (John 9:16) and then not knowing where He
came from (John 9:29).
Meanwhile, his recounting of this miracle gives John the opportunity
to tell us who Jesus is. The theme of signs in John 9 intersects with several
other themes in the Gospel. John reaffirms that Jesus is the Light
of the world (John 9:5; compare with John 8:12). The story also deals
with Jesus’ mysterious origin. Who is He, where is He from, what is
His mission (John 9:12, 29; compare with John 1:14)? The figure of
Moses, who is referenced in previous miracle accounts, also appears
in this chapter (John 9:28, 29; compare with John 5:45, 46 and John
6:32). Finally, there is the theme of the response of the crowd. Some
love darkness rather than light, while others respond in faith (John
9:16–18, 35–41; compare with John 1:9–16, John 3:16–21, and John
6:60–71).
So scary here is the spiritual blindness of the religious leaders. A
once-blind beggar can declare, “ ‘Since the world began it has been
unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If
this Man were not from God, He could do nothing’ ” (John 9:32, 33,
NKJV). And yet the religious leaders, the spiritual guides of the nation,
the ones who should have been the first to recognize Jesus and accept
Him as the Messiah—they, despite all the powerful evidence, cannot
see it, or they don’t really want to see it. What a powerful warning about
how our hearts can deceive us!
Read 1 Corinthians 1:26–29. How does what Paul writes in these
verses fit with John's account above and how does the same principle
apply even now?
EGW Notes — WEDNESDAY ↓
Wednesday, October 9
The Healing of the Blind Man: Part 2
The miracles [Christ] performed on the Sabbath were all for the relief of the afflicted, but the Pharisees had sought to condemn Him as a Sabbathbreaker. They had tried to arouse the Herodians against Him. They represented that He was seeking to set up a rival kingdom, and consulted with them how to destroy Him. To excite the Romans against Him, they had represented Him as trying to subvert their authority. They had tried every pretext to cut Him off from influencing the people. But so far their attempts had been foiled. The multitudes who witnessed His works of mercy and heard His pure and holy teachings knew that these were not the deeds and words of a Sabbathbreaker or blasphemer. Even the officers sent by the Pharisees had been so influenced by His words that they could not lay hands on Him. In desperation the Jews had finally passed an edict that any man who professed faith in Jesus should be cast out of the
synagogue.—The Desire of Ages, p. 538.
Because of the pride and ambition of the children of men, God has chosen to perform His mighty works by the most simple and humble means. It is not the men whom the world honors as great, talented, or brilliant, that God selects. He chooses those who will work in meekness and simplicity, acknowledging Him as their leader and their source of strength. He would have us make Him our protector and our guide in all the duties and affairs of life. . . .
The apostle Paul could meet eloquence with eloquence, logic with logic; he could intelligently enter into all controversies. But was he satisfied with this worldly knowledge? He writes: “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”—Ellen G. White Comments, in
The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentaries, vol. 6, p. 1083.
Christ chose the foolish things of the world—those whom the world pronounced unlearned and ignorant—to confound the wise men of the world. The disciples were unlearned in the traditions of the rabbis, but with Christ as their example and teacher, they were gaining an education of the highest order; for they had before them a divine Example. Christ was presenting to them truths of the highest character.
Those whom God employs to do service for Him, He would have fitted in His way for that service. Those who preach Christ must learn of Christ daily, in order to understand the mystery of saving and serving the souls for whom He has died. . . . They must pattern after Him in all things, sharing His tender compassion and His sternness against all evil
working.—This Day with God, p. 41.
THURSDAY October 10
The Resurrection of Lazarus
John 11 is filled with sadness—the sad news of a dear friend’s illness
(John 11:1–3); the weeping over his death (John 11:19, 31, 33);
the sisters’ lament that Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been
present (John 11:21, 32); and Jesus’ own tears (John 11:35).
But Jesus had delayed two days before starting His journey to
Lazarus (John 11:6), even indicating that He was glad that He had
not gone earlier (John 11:14, 15). This action was not from any coldheartedness.
Rather, it was to reveal God’s glory.
By the time we get to John 11:17–27, Lazarus had been dead four
days. After four days, his body would already be rotting and, as Martha
said , “ ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four
days’ ” (John 11:39, NKJV). No doubt, Jesus’ delay only helped to
make the miracle that followed even more astonishing. To raise a rotting
corpse? What more proof could Jesus have given that indeed He
was God Himself?
And, as God, as the One who created life to begin with—Jesus had
power over death. Thus, Jesus uses this opportunity, that of Lazarus’s
death, to reveal a crucial truth about Himself. “ ‘I am the resurrection
and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die’ ” (John
11:25, 26, ESV).
Read John 11:38–44. What did Jesus do that supported His claim?
Just as Jesus showed He is the Light of the world (John 8:12, John
9:5) by giving the blind man sight (John 9:7), so here He raises
Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43, 44), demonstrating that He is the
Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).
This miracle, more than any other, points to Jesus as the Life-Giver,
as God Himself. It provides strong support for John’s theme that Jesus
is the divine Son of God and that, by believing, we can have life
through Him (John 20:30, 31).
However, by the time we get to the end of this incredible story (John
11:45–54), in which many who saw believed (John 11:45), a powerful
but sad irony unfolds. Jesus shows that He can bring the dead back to
life, and yet, these men think that they can stop Him by killing Him?
What an example of the foibles of humanity in contrast to the wisdom
and power of God!
EGW Notes — THURSDAY ↓
Thursday, October 10
The Resurrection of Lazarus
[Christ] wept at the grave of Lazarus, that He could not save every one whom Satan’s power had laid low in death. He had given Himself a ransom for many, even all who would avail themselves of the privilege of coming back to their loyalty to God. . . . When He raised Lazarus from the dead, He knew that for that life He must pay the ransom on the cross of Calvary. Every rescue made was to cause Him the deepest humiliation. He was to taste death for every man. . . .
He knew that He alone could rescue them from the pit into which they had fallen. He alone could place their feet in the right path; His perfection alone could avail for their imperfection. He alone could cover their nakedness with His spotless robe of righteousness. . . . He is strong to deliver. Help has been laid on One that is mighty. He encircles man with His long human arm, while with His divine arm He lays hold of
Omnipotence.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 25.
It was not only because of His human sympathy with Mary and Martha that Jesus wept. In His tears there was a sorrow as high above human sorrow as the heavens are higher than the earth. Christ did not weep for Lazarus; for He was about to call him from the grave. He wept because many of those now mourning for Lazarus would soon plan the death of Him who was the resurrection and the life. But how unable were the unbelieving Jews rightly to interpret His tears! Some, who could see nothing more than the outward circumstances of the scene before Him as a cause for His grief, said softly, “Behold how He loved him!” Others, seeking to drop the seed of unbelief into the hearts of those present, said derisively, “Could not this Man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?” If it were in Christ’s power to save Lazarus, why then did He suffer him to die?
With prophetic eye Christ saw the enmity of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. He knew that they were premeditating His death. He knew that some of those now apparently so sympathetic would soon close against themselves the door of hope and the gates of the city of God. A scene was about to take place, in His humiliation and crucifixion, that would result in the destruction of Jerusalem, and at that time none would make lamentation for the dead. The retribution that was coming upon Jerusalem was plainly portrayed before Him. He saw Jerusalem compassed by the Roman legions. He knew that many now weeping for Lazarus would die in the siege of the city, and in their death there would be no
hope.—The Desire of Ages, pp. 533, 534.
The blessed Bible gives us a knowledge of the great plan of salvation, and shows us how every individual may have eternal life. Who is the author of the book?—Jesus Christ. He is the True Witness, and He says to His own, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” The Bible is to show us the way to Christ, and in Christ eternal life is
revealed.—Fundamentals of Christian Education, p. 308.
FRIDAY October 11
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Crisis in Galilee,” pp.
383–394; “ ‘Lazarus, Come Forth,’ ” pp. 524–536; and “Priestly Plottings,”
pp. 537–542, in The Desire of Ages.
“The life of Christ that gives life to the world is in His word. It was
by His word that Jesus healed disease and cast out demons; by His word
He stilled the sea, and raised the dead; and the people bore witness that
His word was with power. He spoke the word of God, as He had spoken
through all the prophets and teachers of the Old Testament. The whole
Bible is a manifestation of Christ, and the Saviour desired to fix the
faith of His followers on the word. When His visible presence should be
withdrawn, the word must be their source of power. Like their Master,
they were to live ‘by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God.’ Matt. 4:4.
“As our physical life is sustained by food, so our spiritual life is
sustained by the word of God. And every soul is to receive life from
God’s word for himself. As we must eat for ourselves in order to receive
nourishment, so we must receive the word for ourselves. We are not
to obtain it merely through the medium of another’s mind. We should
carefully study the Bible, asking God for the aid of the Holy Spirit, that
we may understand His word.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages,
p. 390.
Discussion Questions:
-
This week we looked at Jesus feeding the 5,000, healing a man
blind from birth, and then raising Lazarus from the dead. In
each case, Jesus provided powerful evidence for His divinity. Yet,
these miracles, as amazing as they were, created division. Some
responded with faith, others with doubt. What does this teach us
about how, even in the face of powerful evidence, people can still
choose to reject God?
-
These stories all point toward Christ as the divine Son of God.
Why is His divinity so important to faith in Jesus as the Savior?
-
Look again at 1 Corinthians 1:26–29. In what ways in the
twenty-first century do we see this same principle at work? What
are some of the “foolish things” that Christians believe, things that
the “wise according to the flesh” mock and reject? What do we
believe that also “put to shame” the “things that are mighty”?
EGW Notes — FRIDAY ↓
Friday, October 11
For Further Reading
The Ministry of Healing, “Five Small Barley Loaves Feed the Multitude,” pp. 45–50;
The Desire of Ages, “Priestly Plottings,” pp. 537–542.
INSIDE STORY
Revival in Rural Colombia
By Andrew McChesney
Pablo had never heard of Seventh-day Adventists. A leader among the
Sikuani indigenous people in Colombia, he was far from home when he was
invited to a Sabbath worship service.
“This Saturday, we will have a meeting,” someone said. “Come!”
Pablo went to the morning service and saw that people studied the
Bible. He returned for the afternoon service and heard people asking
Bible questions. He was amazed that Cristian Camilo, the 25-year-old
missionary who had led the morning service, answered every question
from the Bible.
When he got a chance, Pablo had his own question. “What do I need to
do to become a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church?” he asked.
“We can start Bible studies,” Cristian said.
He gave Pablo a set of 20 Bible lessons in Pablo’s own native Sikuani
language. Pablo was pleased and asked for lessons for the rest of his family.
Cristian gave Pablo a Bible and promised to travel to his community
with lessons for his family.
Cristian was responsible for a large territory, and three months
passed before he was able to visit Pablo. He traveled with two Sikuani
Adventists because he couldn’t find Pablo’s rural community without
their help.
Pablo welcomed Cristian and announced that he had finished studying
the 20 Bible lessons. He said he also had given Bible studies to his family
and the rest of the community, and 15 people were ready to be baptized.
Cristian, who had arrived on a Friday, spent the rest of the day answering
Bible questions and checking whether the people were ready for
baptism. When the sun set, he led an evening worship program.
On Sabbath morning, Cristian led the community in a divine worship
service. Afterward, one man said, “There’s a lake over there.” Another
said , “We want to be baptized right now!” That Sabbath, five people
were baptized: Pablo, his mother, his two brothers, and a sister-in-law.
Today, Pablo is giving Bible studies to his people.
“There are many people who are hungry for the
Word of God in Pablo’s community,” Cristian said.
“Like Pablo, there are many people who are waiting
to be reached.”
Thank you for your prayers for missionaries who, like
Cristian, face huge challenges reaching unreached people
groups in Colombia and elsewhere around the world. Learn
about Adventist Mission’s work to reach unreached people
groups at: bit.ly/GMPioneers.
Provided by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission, which uses Sabbath School
mission offerings to spread the gospel worldwide. Read new stories daily at
AdventistMission.org.
