Sabbath: “The Restoration of All Things”
Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 1:26-27; Deut. 6:5; Gen. 3:8-19; James 4:4; Gal. 4:19; Mark 2:1-12; John 10:10.
Memory Text: “So God created mankind in his own image, in theimage of God he created them; male and female he created them”(Genesis 1:27, NIV) .
God’s People
All one has to do is look around, at the world, at the neighborhood, at oneself, to see the point. And the point is? Something is terribly wrong.
It’s called the Fall, it’s called sin, it’s called rebellion, and it’s called the great controversy.
And yet, the good news is that it’s not permanent. It’s not going to last forever. Jesus came, died for the sins of the world, and promised to come again. And when He does, nothing of this world will remain. Instead, a new kingdom, His eternal kingdom, will begin. “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Dan. 2:44, NKJV) .
What a restoration!
But we don’t have to wait until the Second Coming for the restoration to begin. Those who are in Christ are a new creation now (2 Cor. 5:17) ; and we are predestined to be conformed to the likeness of Jesus now (Rom. 8:29) . Also, He calls us and empowers us, as His church, so that we can work toward the restoration of others as well.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare forSabbath, July 2.
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I recall a church member who said, " I'll wait.until the church is full before I witness to the community." I dropped my mouth open...I could not believe what she said... I asked her what she meant by that? She said Ellen White says that in the end times churches will become overflowing with people... So I don't have to do anything until then... Sadly this is a lot of church members' problems... This is a reason that the communities have never heard there was a Seventh-Adventist church in towns and cities .. We got the invitation and the plans how to witness to the community. What's stopping us?
What a wonderful hope, that, despite the damages caused by sin, God conforms us to His image and likeness.This world offers us nothing, everything in it will pass but God's promises to us (His word )will remain.Let's cling to His sure promises, for in this, we get sanctified daily and conform to His character.
if we fail to go to the world to tell them it means we are preparing for the world to come into the church to occupy there by influxing confusion that will force us to go out tell the good news. this is what happened to the disciples. out of love God allowed that to happen. we are threading towards that pathway.
GODWIN ODEN OKORO.
In an environment that is characterised by suffering, as adventist we have a great commision to tell the good news. It will be absurd if we hide this information from our neighbours. Happy Sabbath
The role of the church (we) is to go out and spread the word. But how can we go out if we don't know Jesus? The success the church largely depends on the individual members. We must play our part faithfully and leave the rest to God.seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteous ness; Matt. 6:33
Let God depend on us 2 do d work of restoring d fallen world towards His imminent return.Maranatha.
There are those of us who have heeded the Matt 28:18-20 commission , but get little or no support from the church. Yet we speak of ministering to the community.
The disciples were criticized by the Pharisees for the praises that they shouted to Jesus Luke 19:39, and Jesus said in verse 40 the stones will cry out if there is only silence. In commenting about the need to spread the gospel as Matt 28:19 commissions, I wonder how effective our efforts are? How knowledgeable are we about the subject at hand? The parable of the sower in Luke 8:5-9 is applicable perhaps. Verse 8, is what is hoped for.
I thank God that this lesson is coming immediately after we studying the great commission. There are some unentered areas that need our services. But before we go out, we have to get to understand how and why. Most of us don't. Yesterday Sabbath I was saddened by my youth group leaders when we went out to evangelise only to realise that we were going to visit some two church members who were sick. Because of time, we ended up only visiting one patient. How can we go out for evangelism only to be selective on the areas and people we visit?
The great commission we have heard, now here is the Church's service to the community. If only every Christian could bring one soul to Christ, what a blessedness we'd have.
Blessed night children of God.
this lesson is very important as it tells us how sin brings calamities. the question were not answered directly as asked by God and instead of accepting sin committed, accusation and fear was born. that is the reason why Jesus said to the paralytic person that your sins are forgiven rubbing off all the causer.
Most pastors and/or teachers do not tell HOW to share the "good news".
What is one supposed to say? (details--specifics)
Compare your concept/definition of the gospel with someone else in the church?
I need some help on the spreading of the gospel. Can someone help me understand when is the time of the 'Loud Cry" in relation to the spreading of the gospel. Also the close of probation and the purification of the church.
I ask because maybe my understanding is not up to date. I am of the view that the church has to be purified first (1Pe 4:17)-close of probation for the church and the Loud Cry is given by those sealed from the church.From 1Pe 4:17 one can conclude that there are two close of probation- first for the church, then the second one for the world.
Thank you
Hi Renford. The loud cry and close of probation are going to be unexpected things that you will probably only recognise in hindsight. Remember that Jesus tells us that he will come as a thief in the night at a time we do not expect him. The key point is the unexpectedness. Jesus is warning us to not look around and think "it is still a long way off". He wants us to work as if he is coming today. So the advice is to ignore signs of the end and time setting, and just live and evangelise as if Jesus coming is just around the corner.
Don't forget that for about 150,000 people in the world, probation will close today, and the same every day forward because that is how many people die every day.
Renford, the Loud Cry is a response to the fall of Babylon when they enforce by law that people should disregard the law of God. The message of "Babylon is fallen" will be given with the greatest power by a purified people. There are several bible passages that foretell this event and describe the people giving it.
Keep in mind, it is not something to look for, rather, it is describing the experience of God's faithful servants in that hour. If anything, we can now understand how to prepare for this work today.
Everyone feels the need to see a change all around us. The devil has tremendously damaged us to an extent that we cannot cope with our predicament. God sees that also and it hurts Him to notice that we are suffering like this. He has provided us with Good News. He is going to create this world anew. Sin will be permanently destroyed. But before that happens, The Lord has to be our constant friend in this life as we face struggles and temptation.
Until we pray for the out pouring of the holy spirit to fill us so that we leave our comfort zone and minister the world of GOD to the people around us not thinking or listining to what they say,no matter how bad they treat you if not we can voluntary do it on our own, remember "until the gospel has been preached to the whole world then the end will come"
As our world nears the day God has said would come, resulting in the final execution of His will upon every soul for eternity, those who are servants of God will be found seeking to save in the same manner that God has always exhibited toward sinners. Servants are faithful only if obeying the command of their Sovereign above every other consideration. Each servant must learn directly from their Lord to know what He would bid them do in His service, while cooperating with all His faithful servants.
What has He bid?