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When the Lord Descends from Heaven
Irish author Samuel Beckett wrote a drama, Waiting for Godot, about two homeless men waiting on the side of the road for someone named Godot who was supposed to come and save them from the meaninglessness of life.
Until he comes, life seems so miserable that they decide to hang themselves. But having no rope, one of the men takes off the cord that holds up his pants, which collapse around his ankles. Testing the cord’s strength, they pull; it breaks, and both men almost fall. They decide to find a better rope and try again later.
“We’ll hang ourselves tomorrow,” says Vladimir. “Unless Godot comes.”
“And if he comes?” asks Estragon.
“We’ll be saved.”
Godot never comes, which means they’re not saved. They weren’t, of course, supposed to be. Beckett’s whole point with the drama was to show the absurdity and hopelessness of life.
What a contrast to the view of life presented in the Bible. In particular, what a contrast to the view presented in this quarter’s lessons, which are on the apostle Paul’s two letters to the Thessalonians.
Like Beckett’s two characters, the Thessalonians faced stresses, strains, struggles, even persecution. In other words, life for them, as for us, has its hard moments. How easy and understandable it would have been for them to have fallen into the pessimism Beckett expressed. Instead, the Thessalonians had a sure hope, a hope based on Jesus.
This quarter, through Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians, we’ll get a glimpse into the life of an early Christian church—an urban church—really, and see some of the struggles and challenges that it faced, including the difficulties that arose from the fact that Christ had not yet returned! Fascinating, too, is that however different their circumstances from our own, so often the principles reflected in Paul’s words to the Thessalonians deal with the issues and challenges that we, too, confront as we await—not some mysterious Godot—but the Lord Jesus, whose death on the cross at the first coming guarantees His return in glory at the Second.
Jon Paulien is dean of the School of Religion at Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California.
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The lesson is indeed encouraging and has come at the right time when prophesied. Christians wait for the lord amid confusion of life. We really don’t know what to do, to live long in this world of pleasure or to live short painfully but obedient to God and be saved at the end. May God bless us all as we earnestly study His word.
Lots of questions come to our mind all the time. He, the LOrd Jesus is coming, but when? Are we ready, am I ready? This should be the key.
My prayer is that amidst the pains and sufferings, that we may be ready for His return. Joy is coming when we shall never experience these sufferings, we shall meet our loved ones who’ve gone before us. Oh my, I long for this day.
May my character reflect that kind of person that God wants me to be. Amen……
Be blessed everybody this sweet Sabbath Day.
In the kind of world I live in; I better not be! But my hope is to see a change around me. To give others hope, hope that gives strength and encouragement, for man to turn to God. He who created us like Him. We live like him. By loving one another not turning against each other. War and insecurity, life has become meaningless to many as they take one another’s life without minding. It has become a hobby, trigger and dagger happy men and women who have no respect for humanity… Ooh my lord must it get this far?
One has to ask himself or herself which side will he/she be on, the Lord or satan side, as human beings who faces all ups and downs of stresses, strains, struggles of life and hard moments. like Thessalonians who were with sure hope based on Jesus that soon and very soon our Lord Jesus is going to come and take us to a place he has prepared to all of us, Amen.
This week’s lesson is a very interesting one, “Preserving Relationships”. The opening page quite startled me. It says, “Paul held a three-week series of evangelistic meetings in Thessalonica.
It was a very exciting series, but it incited opposition from local religious leaders and from a gang of thugs. Paul was finally expelled by the city council, which also sought to prevent his return. “
And on Sunday, “When someone preaches new teachings and people get excited, the leaders and teachers of other religious groups may become jealous. Attention that was once placed upon them is now directed to others. As a result, they may behave in irrational ways in order to try to reduce the influence of the new teacher”.
This week’s lesson is very relevant in our time today. We can really relate here in the Philippines. Hope you read it too. And may the Holy Spirit open the truth for us. God bless!
I am highly impressed the way our lesson studies are conducted by Dr. Derek of Forest church. More this quarter’s author. His weekly program shows that he is a great bible scholar. I am happy and will always watch his program. God bless you all.
Please my name is Paul from Ghana. I like the SDA CHURCH, but one thing is I don’t know what to do. To go the church. I don’t know the church that is true. Please I want you to help me and pray for me. Because I want God to show me the way and the church that I will go with and find his way. THANKS
We will pray for you Paul. I advise you to read the Bible because only the Bible will lead you to the true church of God. And if the Bible leads you to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, why not give a try to study the Bible with them. Pray for it. God bless.
Hi Paul. I’m Sandrine and I’m living at accra. Why don’t you want for the first time to worship with us if you are living at accra? There is one church on the road opposite to police head quarters going to Osu. We will be very happy to have you among us and I believe that God Himself is speaking to you. God bless you.
Bro. Paul,
Thanks for your zeal towards God. I pray and believe that God will direct you to his true church.
Hi Paul. The first thing is for you to study the bible for truth, then from there, look for a church that preaches that truth. I was like you in another religion till I found the truth in the Bible which finally led me to SDA. We will pray for you anyway and may God’s Spirit lead you to the right one.
I want God’s power in me and I want to work with the Lord, I want to his work, and I need an open mind to read His words and understand it so that I can also read it to people and understand it too. I said this because I want to get his children to him. Please and please help me please, help me with prayer.
Paul, there are places that you can go in order to find out the truth in the Bible. On the main page click on “resources” then in the drop down menu click on “Bible Study Center.” On that page you will find at the top “Adventist Bible Study Resources” which will give you many good links to information. Then toward the bottom you will find “Bible Studies Online” which links to several doctrinal Bible studies. These should answer your questions
I am happy with the lesson because it has just arrived at the correct time when we Christians face opposition from both sides, the government against the church and people the same. It is not easy to proclaim the gospel without prayer so let us be strong in prayer so as to turn MORE hearts to CHRIST for the end is near.
I HAVE BEEN A 7TH Day Adventist for 16 years and I too look with longing to Jesus 2nd coming.I have not always attended church in the past due to illness,but have done so diligently for the past 7 years,always loving it, the fellowship and Bible studies and praising God.Lately though over the past 2 years there has been growing division among the church members fueled by a few that have been the leaders of this division.It so happened that I got caught up among these people and even found myself sitting Sabbath afternoons listening to the gossip and often agreeing.One of these members had become a very dear friend of mine over the past few years.And I would sit and listen to her of late knowing that it was wrong she was gossiping and knowing I was wrong in listening to her. Lately we have had a fall out and I have apologized which she never accepted.Then I sent a note of apology also saying that I would be distancing myself for awhile.Still I HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM HER. I want to go back to church on Sabbath and for our little church to become neither cold nor lukewarm but on fire for our Lord Jesus Christ.I ask that you please pray for me,for us and for our little congregation.Blessed Sabbath to you all.
Dear, you are right, Jesus is the way, the true and the life.
If you want to see Him in His second comming, never, never and never forsake the right way He has given to us.
He died for us, to save us. Nobody could be between you and Him. May God bless you and your life. Stay always, always steady.
My dear Beliver, be very strong in The Lord and start to go to Church again,
do not worry about the one who does not want to talk to you because you would not listen to her gossips, you have a covenant with your God and not her. Do the right thing in the sight of The Lord , but remember greet her when ever you see her in the Church. God bless you and stay strong.
God wants us to grow unto pefection, unto maturity in things of the spirit and live as His adopted sons. Certainly we will meet him when he comes.
You may have made mistakes or live a terrible life. Embrase the father’s love today, repent and say Lord, “forgive me.”
Indeed we as Adventist should ask ourselvea whose we will be, either Satan’s or Jesus during Christ’s second coming.
Oh victory in Jesus my savior forever, He sought me and bought me by his redeeming biood he loved me and I know him and all my life is due him and some sweet day I will sing up there the song of victory.
let me thank GOD for entering your heart PAUL
When our lord Jesus Christ gave us the priviledge of prayer, it’s a shield he gave us that we should always wear with faith in him to be able to conquers snares of this world. let us always remain in communion with him. God really answers prayers. Stay blessed.
For all you did will be seen, no where to hide yourself. Let us pray all the time so that God your Lord may change his mind upon us and forgive. JESUS is comming soon.
When I refer to the garden of Eden, I see 3 things that God gave to man; the fruits corresponding to food, companionship (marriage and the whole institution of Christian marriage) and Sabbath (rest and worship time on the seventh day). In my research I have come to realize that the fruit in the middle of the garden that Adam and Eve were not supposed to touch corresponded to tithe and that belonged to only God. Jesus I love Thee my savior.
It’s indeed true that the challenges that the early church (Thessalonians) faced is what the modern church is facing, our great hope is that now the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is so nigh and we need to emulate the life of Christ at 360 degrees (in all round; prayers, food, clothing, life style e.t.c) because the reward is soon. Let’s learn to keep on praying for one another.
With my continued search for a personal relationship with God I have come to realize that “GOD’S ‘NO’ IS NOT A REJECTION BUT A REDIRECTION”. GREAT YAWEH.
Definately, and the best relationship is with GOD, because in Psalms 120, David said, “IN MY TROUBLES, I CRIED TO THE LORD AND INDEED HE ANSWERED ME” thats a perfect relationship.
There were many times that I almost lost hope in life but GOD never stops showing me HIS love. HE made me see the beauty of HIS creation like the mountains, the hills, the flowers, the ocean, the trees, and many more and most of all to open my mind and give me understanding about all HIS promises that HE will come back to take all those who have faith in HIM who believes and follow HIS will, A PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
I am dealing with struggles doing with sin especially alcohol consumption…I ask you to pray for me brethren and sisters because I don’t want to miss heaven…the lord bless.