In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (see Luke 16:19-31), Jesus contrasts the lives of two men—one rich, one desperately poor. In the absence of social welfare, community hospitals, or soup kitchens, it was a common practice for those in need, disabled, or otherwise disadvantaged, to beg outside the homes of the wealthy. It was … Continue reading –>
Read Luke 10:25-27. The lawyer who questioned Jesus offered a standard summary of the Old-Testament commands for living a life acceptable to God. How are these two commands linked? When Jesus was questioned, He often concluded His answers with an outcome quite different from what the questioner was seeking. In response to the instruction in Leviticus 19:18 … Continue reading –>
When we consider the teaching of Jesus, it is worthwhile to keep in mind the people He was talking to and the circumstances in which they lived. Jesus had begun to attract large crowds of people from the regions where He had ministered (see Matt. 4:25, Matt. 5:1). Most were common people, living under the imperial rule of … Continue reading –>
Jesus’ longest sermon—or collection of teachings—is the Sermon on the Mount. His three-chapter survey of life in God’s kingdom begins with a statement of values that has come to be known as the Beatitudes. Read Matthew 5:2-16 (see also Luke 6:20). What are the common features of these nine values or kinds of people described by Jesus as … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 5:2-16, Matt. 5:38-48; Rom. 12:20-21; Luke 16:19-31; Luke 12:13-21; Matt. 25:31-46. Memory Text: “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me’” (Matthew 25:40, NKJV). After seeing that Jesus lived a life concerned … Continue reading –>
Fired for the Sabbath By Aurora Carlos Justino I grew up in Nampula, Mozambique’s third-largest city where 80 percent of the population is Muslim. I didn’t feel comfortable with the faith of my mother, who got divorced when I was small. Something in my mind kept telling me that I should examine Christianity to find … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “In the Footsteps of the Master”, pages 117-124, in Welfare Ministry; “Days of Ministry”, pages 29-50, in The Ministry of Healing; “The Temple Cleansed Again”, pages 589-600; “In Pilate’s Judgment Hall”, pages 723-740, in The Desire of Ages. “God has given in His word decisive evidence that He will punish the transgressors of His law. Those … Continue reading –>
That God is a God who sees and hears the cries of the poor and oppressed is comforting. That God is a God who, in Jesus, has experienced and endured the worst of our world’s inhumanity, oppression, and injustice is astounding. Despite all the compassion and goodness Jesus demonstrated in His life and ministry, His … Continue reading –>
When we read the stories of Jesus in the Gospels, we are often attracted to the gentle images of Jesus—His care for the sick and for children, His stories of searching for the lost, and His talk about the kingdom of God. This might be why other stories in which we see Him acting forcefully … Continue reading –>
The Gospels are peppered with the stories of Jesus’ miracles, particularly those of healing. As Isaiah had prophesied, He healed the blind and released those who had been held captive by disease, sometimes after many years of suffering (see, for example, Mark 5:24-34, John 5:1-15). But He did more than this: He made the lame walk again; He … Continue reading –>
