Friday: Further Thought – Jerusalem Controversies
Daily Lesson for Friday 30th of August 2024
Read Ellen G. White, “A Doomed People,” Pages 580–588; “The Temple Cleansed Again,” Pages 589–600; “Controversy,” Pages 601–609, in The Desire of Ages.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
“Christ’s act in cursing the tree which His own power had created stands as a warning to all churches and to all Christians. No one can live the law of God without ministering to others. But there are many who do not live out Christ’s merciful, unselfish life. Some who think themselves excellent Christians do not understand what constitutes service for God. They plan and study to please themselves. They act only in reference to self. Time is of value to them only as they can gather for themselves. In all the affairs of life this is their object. Not for others but for themselves do they minister. God created them to live in a world where unselfish service must be performed. He designed them to help their fellow men in every possible way. But self is so large that they cannot see anything else. They are not in touch with humanity. Those who thus live for self are like the fig tree, which made every pretension but was fruitless. They observe the forms of worship, but without repentance or faith. In profession they honor the law of God, but obedience is lacking. They say, but do not. In the sentence pronounced on the fig tree Christ demonstrates how hateful in His eyes is this vain pretense. He declares that the open sinner is less guilty than is he who professes to serve God, but who bears no fruit to His glory.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 584.
Discussion Questions
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World-wide there are about 800 species of fig trees. Australia is home to about 40 fig species. These trees have little in common with domestic figs except that most of them have similar fruiting arrangements. They are pollinated by special species specific wasps, and have a backup plan of self-pollination. The fruits of most Australian species are non-poisonous but are rather bland and are not likely to compete with the domestic fruit we are familiar with. However, birds love the fruit and will fight over them.
On my usual morning walk, I pass two native fig trees, The first one has fruit on it all year around, although it only ripens enough for the birds to be interested in them every couple of years. When ripe, it attracts every fruit-eating bird in the vicinity. Fig-birds, Olive-backed Orioles, Satin and Regent Bowerbirds, Cockatoos and Corellas come in and squabble over eating rights. I remember in 2020, right at the beginning of the Covid lock-down period a Wampoo Fruit-dove arrived on January 6 and stayed right through until March 31. It is normally only found in Queensland, but it arrived here and took ownership of the tree until it had cleaned up every ripe fig in the tree. The only time it left the tree was to chase other birds away. Needless to say, every time I go for a walk, I stop at this tree and spend a little time peering in the branches to see what bird visitors are hidden there.
Two hundred meters away is another fig tree of a different species. It is lots of dark green leaves and multiple trunks. It is one of the strangler figs that initially uses another tree for support but eventually kills it. It is a very large tree, and I think it is almost as old as me. However, in all the time I have walked past that tree it has never born fruit. And it never has any birds sitting about the leaves. I don’t even stop there to look for birds anymore because I know it is a waste of time.
Of course there is a lesson in this illustration but I will leave that to the reader.
I believe that the Apostle Paul discovered the secret to having a joyous, contented, and productive Christian experience. I believe that he was sharing the key when he penned; "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me"
Galatians 2:20.
To die to self is one of the most grievous and difficult experiences to navigate. I might be able to partially crucify myself, but will need assistance in completing the job. I just can't hold that last nail and swing the hammer.
Thankfully it's not a DIY project, nor was it for Paul. It's the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. When we give Him permission, He moves within our lives to "crucify" the old nature. Unfortunately this isn't a one time event. Paul understood this when he said; "I die daily."
Even Jesus said it needed to be a daily thing. "If anyone desires to follow me, they must daily take up their cross, and follow me."
While it is a painful and expensive proposition, it's well worth it to embrace. In losing our life, we really find it. In dying to self we find the abundant life that John 10:10, says Jesus came to give.
One of he most profound lyrics of the song "Crucified With Christ" by Phillips, Craig, and Dean is; "And even though it took dying to survive I've never felt so much alive." We can never know what that is like second handedly, only by experience. It's a hard place to get to, but a great place to be.
Enjoy, and be blessed by the lyrics of the following song.
Thanks for sharing.
Blessings to all,
I have just read through this song ,first time I've ever seen it, I would like with your permission to share this with my church family at my local Adventist church I thank you.
"His Cross will never ask 4 more than I can give.■This answered a ? from a single violently abused,4-kids little-income mom,on"the tithing?"■This site keeps me afloat post covid.■prayer bands & lesson study had become my teachers but multiple family deaths & gut wrenching family/church family funerals pushed me under a while,but Mark's record taught me that: ■The Holy Spirit,has an infinitismal skill set,■My best Counsellor, GPS & Comforter is The Only One 2 fit the bill!■ It used 2b so hard 4 me 2 say what I wanted.■Many Sabbath & SS Sermons instilled, "it's not what U want, but what Jesus wants".■that produced the folly of robotic behaviour which I used 2 think was "dying 2 self.■ I thank Jesus 4 SS Lessons, 4 this week,& I thank U Bro. William 4 the scratching where it was not itching sunshine band story.■ I maybe wrong, but I still think the deafening evang.Crusade noise is similar 2 the forced meds sunshine band story.■But yet some new & rebaptized converts testfied 2 being brought 2 know JC through that noise.■ How else does one proceed except by the guidance of The Holy Spirit, & The dearest Lesson Studies?
What about the resurection? Christ comes in the air and we who are living in the light of the Cross will watch as Christ, while in the air calls all who have died in Christ from the grave to everlasting life. Then we who are alive, and have the faith of Jesus will rise into the air and are caught up with the resurected in Christ, to Christ in the air. And all in the air will be with Christ as He takes us to His heavenly home some where in Orion Nebulous. There we will be for a thousand years.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.
John 11:25.
What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
Written by Wesley Henry
Amen!
The Scripture shall be fulfilled. The examination of Jesus was in fulfillment of the Scripture; the Passover lamb was set aside on the 10th day of the month, and examined thoroughly to know that it was perfect, without spot or blemish. Upon determining that it was indeed perfect it was slaughtered on the 14th day before the sun set. Imagine being a first born Hebrew on that night in Egypt, you might want to be sure that all was done according to the word that was given to Moses. During the examination of Jesus, which ended with Gethsemane, He fulfilled all the Scripture, and was found worthy
This gift of Scripture is like having a chronic illness that will only end in death. A plant appears in your yard and you root it out, it comes back again and again, you can't seem to rid yourself of this invasive plant. What you don't know is that this plant is the only remedy for your incurable disease. How you wish and hope for the discovery of a cure, but there is no known cure, you live with a death sentence, never bothering yourself to see what it is that's growing in your own yard, that has a tenacity for life that you've never experienced. So to is the Lamb's Book of Life. The Scripture is the Blueprint, the Road map, that leads to your name being inscribed in The Lamb's Book of Life. No one who has ever lived will be inscribed without the Blueprint being inscribed over their life.
The Word of Jesus, and The life of Jesus are unfathomable, the two are One, And the children of Adam have been invited to experience both of them. Father's message to the world is in the Book,open it and Live. The life changing Blessings and Promises contained in it are inexhaustible, the sadness is there're uncounted numbers of people who have never experienced opening its pages, I experienced the reality of that life, for me it was hollow and empty, void of meaning.
I think of Adam, experiencing the death of his son, I wonder if he also had to endure the death of his wife. He lived long enough to see Enoch born into this world, and walk with God, until God took him. I wonder if Adam found comfort and hope in that, Hope to be able to experience walking with God in the garden once again. I'm looking forward to that, and I hope you are too, For me if I had never opened the pages of the Book, there would be no such hope to pass on to my 2 children and 13 grandchildren. Father has blessed me in this life far beyond what I could ever imagine or think. what will the next experience be like? Jer. 20:9 Your Word Father is in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones. Don't allow me to hold it back.
Experience the Word!
Happy Sabbath 😊
The secret to happiness in this planet is to do God's will. Other than that is fakenews!