Friday: Further Thought – Mission to My Neighbor
Daily Lesson for Friday 17th of November 2023
Read Ellen G. White, “The Good Samaritan,” pp. 497–505, in The Desire of Ages.
There are many hungry, needy, and mistreated people in our world today. You can do your part, however “small” it might seem to be. We are not going to solve all the world’s problems before Jesus returns. We haven’t been called to do that. But until then, our work can be as basic as helping someone you know who does not have enough food; or it can be helping a member in the church who is facing injustice, even bigotry, which remains a real problem in our world, even today.
“Pure religion and undefiled before the Father is this: ‘To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.’ Good deeds are the fruit that Christ requires us to bear: kind words, deeds of benevolence, of tender regard for the poor, the needy, the afflicted. When hearts sympathize with hearts burdened with discouragement and grief, when the hand dispenses to the needy, when the naked are clothed, the stranger made welcome to a seat in your parlor and a place in your heart, angels are coming very near, and an answering strain is responded to in heaven. Every act of justice, mercy, and benevolence makes melody in heaven. The Father from His throne beholds those who do these acts of mercy, and numbers them with His most precious treasures. ‘And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels.’ Every merciful act to the needy, the suffering, is regarded as though done to Jesus. When you succor the poor, sympathize with the afflicted and oppressed, and befriend the orphan, you bring yourselves into a closer relationship to Jesus.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 25.
Discussion Questions
- How can we make sure we understand that the command to love God and others is not salvation by works? When we consider who Jesus is, and what He did for us on the cross (see Philippians 2:5-8), why is the idea that anything we can do to earn or merit salvation so great an error? How can we learn to distinguish between working for salvation, which is a fatal mistake, and revealing in our lives the salvation that we already have in Jesus?
- How can we learn to recognize some of the inherent prejudices we might have toward those who are different from us?
- Other than those passages studied in this week’s lesson, what other scriptural support do you find for the need to show kindness to others, no matter who they are?
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There is a story about an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman who found themselves starving on a desert island. A small container holding a loaf of bread washed up on the sand one day and the men fought and argued about who should eat the loaf of bread because they knew there wasn't enough for everyone. Finally they agreed that they would sleep on it that night and in the morning, they would tell each other their dreams. Whoever had the best dream would get the loaf of bread.
The next morning they gathered together to listen to one anothers dreams.
The Englishman described how he had dreamed that he was walking on the golden streets of the new Jerusalem. The Scotsman, not to be outdone exclaimed that his dream was much better because he had been driving along the golden streets of heaven in a golden Rolls Royce car. The Irishman finally admitted that his dream had none of the splendor of the dreams of the others. He dreamt that he was hungry so he woke up and ate the loaf of bread.
In perhaps a rather perverse way this story illustrates the issue with our spirituality and salvation. We think of salvation as something rather grand to look forward to, rather than something that is practical right now. We speak of salvation as a sort of supernatural experience that comes after our natural life, rather than something very practical that we participate in now.
Seventh-day Adventists can become so involved in defending the unseen that we are sometimes blind to the practical application of Christianity to the present. There is no examination on correct views of prophecy, the intricate detail of the investigative judgment, and so on to obtain salvation. We participate in salvation, honouring God by interacting with those who need his love now.
James has this to say:
In my lay ministry, I have discovered that the most important thing we can do is just acknowledge the other person & if possible spend time with them (apart from meeting Maslow's hierarchy of basic physiological needs: water, food, clothes & shelter and safety)
The higher level needs of love & belonging, esteem and self-actualization can all be met by King Jesus through The Holy Spirit in us that we will have received after complete repentance (King Jesus' words in Matthew 4:17 KJV).
I offer the following answers to the Case Study section of Michael Fracker's "7: Mission to My Neighbor – Teaching Plan":
1. One of your relatives states: “Why did Jesus refer to the Bible and ask the lawyer what the Bible said to him about how to inherit eternal life ? Why didn’t Jesus just tell him ? What does this tell us about how we should approach people ?”
How would you respond to your relative?
Why did Jesus refer to the Bible and ask the lawyer what the Bible said to him about how to inherit eternal life ?
King Jesus used the opportunity that the lawyer presented to show us that knowing God's law of love is good, but actually doing God's law of love is what is required of us. King Jesus' words in Matthew 7:21-23 KJV & Matthew 7:24-27 KJV
Why didn’t Jesus just tell him ?
The lawyer was already well versed in the God's law of love but chose to not obey it. The people around Him at that time of incident & we (through the record in The Holy Bible) benefit by being taught an important lesson on obedience.
What does this tell us about how we should approach people ?
Understand the intent of the person's question before answering them. Know the seed you are dealing with: King Jesus' words in Matthew 13:38-39 KJV. Whatever the seed, obey His words in Matthew 5:44 KJV.
2. One of your friends states, “I believe that we don’t have all the Bible, and since it was under Church control for so many years, they could have manipulated the Bible so some parts of it might be untrustworthy and wrong.”
How would you respond to your friend?
Yes, I agree. Apart from the 66 books of the accepted canon of the Protestant Holy Bible, there is much value in the 7 additional books (and additions to Esther & Daniel) of the Roman Catholic Church Holy Bible canon, The 14 books of The Apocrypha (as contained in KJV 1611), The Wycliffe (of 1382) & Tyndale (of 1522) translations, The Jewish Tanakh/TORAH, The Holy Qur'an, The Bhagavad Gita, Bhuddist Scriptures and others. However, I approach all these with extreme caution & test them against the quoted words of King Jesus in the book of Matthew KJV Standard Text of 1769.
3. One of your neighbors states: “So Jesus affirmed that all we have to do is love God and love our fellow man and we are saved. So He doesn’t say we have to keep the commandments in order to be saved. We just need to love God and our neighbor.”
How would you respond to your [neighbour] ?
By loving God & neighbours (including your enemies), you would have fulfilled God's law of love: King Jesus' words in Matthew 7:12 KJV
Can you give more clarity and insight to this portion
One of your friends states, “I believe that we don’t have all the Bible, and since it was under Church control for so many years, they could have manipulated the Bible so some parts of it might be untrustworthy and wrong.”
How would you respond to your friend?
Yes, I agree. Apart from the 66 books of the accepted canon of the Protestant Holy Bible, there is much value in the 7 additional books (and additions to Esther & Daniel) of the Roman Catholic Church Holy Bible canon, The 14 books of The Apocrypha (as contained in KJV 1611), The Wycliffe (of 1382) & Tyndale (of 1522) translations, The Jewish Tanakh/TORAH, The Holy Qur'an, The Bhagavad Gita, Bhuddist Scriptures and others. However, I approach all these with extreme caution & test them against the quoted words of King Jesus in the book of Matthew KJV Standard Text of 1769.
How can we make sure we understand that the command to love God and others is not salvation by works?
Because our motive for loving is not to earn salvation but we love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19) and we love others because of God's loves(1 John 4:7-11). Our love is only a response to the greatest gift of love ever given. After knowing what God has done and continues to do to save us...how can one not love Him with all their heart, and soul, and mind? And this love comes from deep overwhelming appreciation flows out to those around us.
Jesus said I came not to call the Righteous but sinners to repentance. He gave His life on the cross to free us from the burden of our sins.
So therefore we could not and cannot earn our salvation.
"Every act of justice, mercy, and benevolence makes melody in heaven" - thus, today, let's make an orchestra and make people hear this music, which is such a gift from God! Good acts as a result of the understanding of God's super love for you and me! Have you said "I love you" to someone beside you? Start with that! Heaven's atmosphere can begin from within!
I understand our duty to the needy, as helping those who are less fortunate is an evidence of our faith. But it is still boggling to me if there's a limit to something we can do to help them. We are called to be stewards of God's resources, yet we are also called to be wise. So, in helping the financially destitute, when can we say "Enough"?
You see, I have been helping a single parent friend who was desperately in need of financial help so she could support her young family. She's living in a place far from me. I knew that she had left the church for some time, but she recently came back, even introducing the Adventist faith to her young kids. She knows that she's back on the right track, but due to circumstances, she just could not make ends meet. This often breaks her heart and shakes her faith in God. So I stepped in, praying I would encourage them to keep putting their trust in the Lord. This I have already been doing for several years. But I guess she got used to me being there to quickly lend a sympathetic hand when she's in need each month. So I often remind her to cry out to the Lord, not to me, as my resources are limited; God's is unlimited.
"Who is our neighbor?" we are asked. This friend is my "neighbor". But I think I need to step away now so she could exercise her faith. So she could truly "taste and see that the Lord is good." This is heartbreaking to me. What else can I do?
Dear Jelu Veeque – with interest and heartfelt understanding I read your account of wanting to help this family. Would you consider widening the circle of those who help to include the members of the church she attends? I am certain that our heavenly Father will speak to them as they become aware of her needs and deside to share into ‘helping’ her to meet her various needs together with you. We are all given various gifts to employ in the helping of our neighbor.
I think of the story of the good Samaritan and I see who we are now.
A priest is one who ministers before God. The levite are us the fruit of the Elders and pastors' labour. The Samaritan are those who know the truth of God but don't worship God as He wills. The man going down from Jericho the Jerusalem, city of God, are those towards the worship of God but are met with calamity.
When it comes right down to it, distinguishing between salvation by works and salvation by faith, I believe it is personal. It is out personal attitude. That is why we don't judge others, we don't know the heart, we just see the actions. And maybe our judgement is a coverup for our lack of loving our neighbors. I don't think we should ever distinguish works vs faith except for ourselves. And then, even for ourselves, if we are genuinely bent on helping others we don't even take a thought of the ditinction.
Good morning all; It may or may not be important, but the parable of the good Samaritan is an actual story that happened just about two weeks before Jesus told his story to the lawyer. And not only did it really happen. The priest and a rabbi that were in the story were in the audience when he told his story. Thank you… Royce.
Could we Christians perceive all the commandments/admonitions/guidance as spiritual ‘landmarks’ in the landscape of a born-again Christian experiencing its new nature whiles living in the Kingdom of God here on earth? Col.1:26-28.
I find it incredibly difficult to convey with words what is so clear to me on a spiritual level. That we are a new creature/a new creation is the over-arching, essential, spiritual Truth that we need to understand. Christ lives in us in the form of the Holy Spirit, and with this we have our 'life/existence' in Christ! The old nature and all that goes with it has lost its dominant role in our life, having been replaced by the power of the Holy Spirit in us.
Maybe, the reason why it is so difficult for so many to grasp/experience this truth on a personal level is that they consider themselves to have been ‘good’ people from the start - raised by ‘God-fearing’ parents in a ‘good’ environment reflecting Christian values. Compare this with the life of a child growing up in squalor and emotional and physical deprivation and uncertainty.
When this child comes to Christ, how does the conversion experience differ from the one who grew up in physically perceived ‘safety’? Who experiences the ‘conversion’ more intensely, who’s life changes more remarkably as it is now enabled to be established in the Kingdom of God with its ‘landmarks’ helping all who seek after righteousness? Who is more aware and overflowing with thankfulness about the difference this makes in their life?
Though both walk across the bridge which separates the spiritual from the physical aspects of life. Both now need to assess the value of life by seeing it through their newly opened spiritual eyes. The ‘commandment’ to love God and our fellow man is the most important reminder/landmark for all who believe. It does not matter if one comes from ‘plenty’ or from 'want', both are introduced to the new, spiritual paradigm which governs life in the Kingdom of God.
We are admonished to stay on the ‘Path of Righteousness’ in Christ for the sake of the Glory of God. Believers witness to the power of God’s Love given into our hearts when the Spirit pours out His heavenly nourishment. All that which comes forth from us is the expressed ‘Goodness of God in Christ’ within us - Rom.8:10.
Our hands and feet, our heart and mind, are used in this service to others, though what really takes place as we engage is the preparation of the 'fields of spiritual harvest', the planting of seeds, and the ingathering of its fruit for the Honor and Glory of God.
We can never take pride in being a ‘good’ Christian. All that we are is bound up in our new nature - a gift from our heavenly Father. The Goodness of our heavenly Father in Christ dwells in us by faith and is being used according to His purpose – Rom.8:28; 1 Cor7:17; Phil. 3:12-14; 1 Peter 3:15-16;
I think the problem is that sometimes we try and describe the changes in great detail using words. I once ate some exquisite Pecan butter icecream and tried to describe what it tasted like to Carmel. She wasn’t impressed until I gave her some of mine. That did the trick and she was hooked.
David knew this. He said “Taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. Psalm 34:8 KJV.
Rather that trying to describe the new creature experience and being frustrated because others use different words to describe it, we should offer others a taste. That is a whole new experience.
"Pecan butter icecream" ... sounds delicious ! My wife just said "Mmmmm" when I said your words to her now this morning.
David then gives the "secret" away a few lines down in Psalm 34:18 KJV, re-emphasizes it in Psalm 51:17 KJV & then King Jesus confirms it with His words in Matthew 5:3 KJV & Matthew 11:29 KJV 😉
Happy Sabbath my brother !