Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-24. What is Paul saying about the cross, and how does he contrast it with the “wisdom of the world”? Why, even today, when “materialism” (the idea that all reality is only material, which means there is no God or supernatural realm of existence) dominates “the wisdom of the world,” is the message … Continue reading –>
Read John 3:14-18 and Romans 6:23. What do these verses teach that Christ’s death has accomplished for us? When Jesus arrived at the Jordan River to be baptized, John the Baptist had exclaimed, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NKJV). This statement acknowledged Christ as the antitypical Lamb of God … Continue reading –>
Read John 19:1-30. What is the crucial message to us in Jesus’ statement, “It is finished”? Finally, the crucial moments for Christ, for humankind, and for the whole universe had arrived. With deep agony, He struggled against the powers of darkness. Slowly He made His way through the Garden of Gethsemane, through His unfair trials, and … Continue reading –>
What were the reactions of the disciples to Jesus’ predictions of His own sufferings and death, and what should their reactions teach us about the dangers of misunderstanding Scripture? Matthew 16:21-23 Matthew 17:22-23; Mark 9:30-32; Luke 9:44-45, Luke 18:31-34 Jesus was born to die, and He lived to die. Every step that He took brought Him closer to … Continue reading –>
Read Revelation 13:8, Acts 2:23, and 1 Peter 1:19-20. How could Christ be considered as “slain from the foundation of the world” (NKJV)? “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8, NKJV). What’s crucial here … Continue reading –>
Sabbath Afternoon Read for This Week’s Study: Revelation 13:8; Matthew 17:22-23; Mark 9:30-32; John 19:1-30; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 1:18-24. Memory Text: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15, , NKJV). It has been said that we … Continue reading –>
Christ’s Ambassador By Benjie Leach One of my goals as chaplain of Forest Lake Academy in Orlando, Florida, was to become acquainted with each student. It was a challenge in a school with 450 students in the mid-1970s. At the beginning of the school year, a student came up to me and said, “Have you … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Death of Moses,” Pages 469-480, in Patriarchs and Prophets; “The Voice of Stern Rebuke,” Pages 129-142; “A Prophet of Peace,” Pages 237-243, in Prophets and Kings; “The Centurion,” Pages 318, 319; “The Touch of Faith,” Pages 342, 343; “Lazarus, Come Forth,” Pages 524-536, in The Desire of Ages. “In Christ is life, original, unborrowed, underived. ‘He that … Continue reading –>
Read John 11:1-44. In what sense was Jesus “glorified” by the sickness and death of Lazarus (John 11:4)? Here, too, Jesus uses the metaphor for sleep in talking about death. “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up” (John 11:11, NIV). When some thought He was talking about literal sleep (John 11:11-13), … Continue reading –>
The resurrections prior to Jesus’ own death and resurrection were not limited to any specific ethnic group or social class. Moses was perhaps the greatest human leader of God’s people ever (Deuteronomy 34:10-12). By contrast, the poor Phoenician widow was not even an Israelite (1 Kings 17:9). The Shunammite woman was prominent in her community (2 Kings 4:8). … Continue reading –>
