Friday: Further Thought – The Last Days
Daily Lesson for Friday 6th of September 2024
Read Ellen G. White, “On the Mount of Olives,” Pages 627–636, in The Desire of Ages.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
Many things are happening in the world that are very disturbing. People truly are frightened about what is unfolding. How can we, as Seventh-day Adventists, with a kind of “inside track” on events, use these things to point people to the hope we have in Jesus and the promise of His coming?
“Because we know not the exact time of His coming, we are commanded to watch. ‘Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He cometh shall find watching.’ Luke 12:37. Those who watch for the Lord’s coming are not waiting in idle expectancy. The expectation of Christ’s coming is to make men fear the Lord, and fear His judgments upon transgression. It is to awaken them to the great sin of rejecting His offers of mercy. Those who are watching for the Lord are purifying their souls by obedience to the truth. With vigilant watching they combine earnest working. Because they know that the Lord is at the door, their zeal is quickened to co-operate with the divine intelligences in working for the salvation of souls. These are the faithful and wise servants who give to the Lord’s household ‘their portion of meat in due season.’ Luke 12:42. They are declaring the truth that is now specially applicable. As Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Moses each declared the truth for his time, so will Christ’s servants now give the special warning for their generation.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 634.
Discussion Questions
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I don't know how many times I have been to camp meetings or regional meetings, where I have heard a sermon about the times we are living in and the need to get ready. Typically we have sung, "We have this hope that burns within our heart...", and then returned to our homes and workplaces and submerged ourselves in the same daily activities have always occupied us. I have listened to more sermons about the nearness of Jesus coming, based on current events than most people have had hot breakfasts. The invasion of Hungary by Russia, the death of Pope Pius XII, man not landing on the moon, man landing on the moon, the election of John Kennedy as a Catholic president of the USA, The Bay of Pigs, the UK joining the EEC, the UK leaving the EEC, the fall of the Berlin wall... This list goes on forever.
There are two verses that I like to remember when we seem to be hoodwinked into thinking that political events are important:
... and
I think the preaching that is being referred to is about living the gospel rather than just talking about it. Our best preaching is to show that Jesus has already come into our lives and changed us so that we live unselfishly in our relationships with one another.
... and then shall the end come.
I could not have said that any better. With technology, the gospel is being preached all over the world. The question is, is it being lived?
For certain Maurice! It sometimes seems as though we are trying to scare people into "getting ready" for Jesus's return. No one will be saved as "fire insurance". It's about the heart. Jesus isn't into shotgun weddings. You either love Him and it shows, or you don't, and that also shows. The best testimony for Christianity is a loving, giving, sincere, Christian.
“When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own."
Christ's Object Lessons, p. 69.1
It's not enough to talk the talk, we must walk the talk. To do that we must have Christ dwelling in us. He gives us the Grace to finish the race. Phil. 4:13
Thank you Maurice and Tim, Jesus is coming and each day brings us closer. We need to walk the walk and talk the talk, for sure. Blessings
God is marvelous. Again, He does not give up on His children (amen). I must experience His love today because He is honest and preoccupied with my life. Sharing my daily challenges with Him ensures that He never fails a promise. He will come back to rescue me (and anyone who believes) from this fallen nature and never to be apart from Him again. I/We'll have the privilege to become the center of the Universe.
Does ‘waiting and watching’ mean sitting idle, or standing by to see what happens around us, or does it mean to engage in the 'Life of the kingdom of God' here on earth as we wait for the return of the 'Master'?
Whiles staying at Zacchaeus’ house, Jesus spoke to His disciples about ‘Salvation having come to this house’, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” – Luke 19:1-10. Some accepted this Truth for themselves, some rejected it because they did not believe Him.
Jesus used a parable to explain to His desciples the life of a member living in the kingdom of God. Luke 19:11-27 vs.13 - And He called His ten servants and He gave them ten minas and He said to them, ‘Invest in trading until I come”. Though He was not their King yet, they knew that He would be their King upon His return from the 'distant country'.
For all who believe, being a new creation, living our life in Jesus Christ in spirit, we are enabled to live in the Kingdom of God already as we wait for His return - 1 Cor.13:11-13. It is not enough to just ‘wait and watch’ for His return, it is important that we engage the ‘minas’ – the gifts of the Holy Spirit - whiles we wait!
The Holy Spirit has been given to us, waiting and ready to ‘move mountains’ by our faith; helping us to trust that believing that the Word of God, given to us by His Son Jesus Christ, is worthy to be invested for the establishment of the Father's Glory.
A quote from William Earnhardt's article for this week resonated: "God will come back for a church who will consistently walk with Him year after year after year, and not on some roller coaster... For centuries God’s church has loved to flirt with Him, but it also loves to flirt with the world. God’s church likes to date Jesus, but it also likes to date others too. Jesus is not returning for a date; He is returning for a wedding. When God’s church decides to stop dating and flirting with Jesus and decides to get married, He will return."