Sabbath: What More Could I Have Done?
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 8th of March 2025
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: John 18:37, Romans 3:23-26, Romans 5:8, Isaiah 5:1-4, Matthew 21:33-39, Isaiah 53:4, Romans 3:1-4.
Memory Text:
“Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice’ ” (John 18:37, NKJV).
Some years ago, an insightful children’s story was printed in Guide magazine. The story focuses on a boy named Denis, an orphan living as a foster child with a family in medieval times. Denis passionately hates the king of his land because, when his parents were sick, the king’s soldiers carried him away, and he never saw them again. Only later did he learn that the king separated them in order to spare the living all the horrors of the Black Plague. The truth about the king sets Denis free from the hatred that he had harbored almost his entire life. The king had always, and in every case, acted out of love for his people.
Many people today view God somewhat like Denis viewed the king. The evil they have witnessed or experienced brings them to hate or dismiss God. Where is God when there is suffering? If God is good, why is there so much evil? The cosmic conflict sheds light on this crucial issue, but many questions remain. Yet, when all our attempts at answers fail to satisfy, we can look to Jesus on the cross and see in Him that God can be trusted, even with all the questions that remain unanswered for now.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 15.
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Just a quick observation to think about. Jesus did not spend a lot of time during his earthly ministry explaining evil. In a simple summary of his work, Peter describes it as:
We like to think that we can create a super-argument that explains hoe snf why evil exists and why God works the way he does. But, if Jesus used action rather than argument in this battle, maybe we should follow his example.
Right at this very moment, a huge cyclone is hitting the Brisbane area on the eastern Australian coast. About 250 thousand homes are without power, flooding is happening, trees have fallen on houses and cars, and bridges washed out. Right now, the heroes of the hour are the emergency service workers, many of them are volunteers, who, are "going about doing good". The explanations can wait.
A little bit of Sabbath viewing.
Incredible slide show! Thank you for sharing. A bit of heaven on earth!
Maurice, you are so right! There's a lot of gospel in helping people in need. Jesus' method. Praying for people is good, but putting "shoe leather" with those prayers is better.
You have a great photographic eye. Thanks for sharing your gift.
Thanks, Maurice - I very much enjoyed coming along on your nature walk! 🙂 I really wish we had a serene park land like yours. Here, we are sourrounded by 'wilderness' with some groomed trails in this otherwise left untamed nature. One never knows what wildlife comes accross one's path that is a bit more on the wild side than beautiful birds. When we venture out, in addition to a camera, we take along bear spray, bells, and wistles! 🙂
Thank-you Maurice for your beautiful pictures of birds and sometime big and small reptiles. Ok. You know I am a firm believer of nature drawing men and woman to Christ.
In a world where evil seem to be the winner it is very hard to convince the suffering majority what God has done and is doing. To many people, happiness is an occasional episode is the sea of pain. In actual sense, God has done so much and still is doing lots more, but the current pain overshadows all human experience. Is there anything more that God could have done that He did not do to eradicate evil? The Bible is profoundly clear that God in his love and wisdom has done everything necessary to minimise the impact of evil for now.
“What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?” - (Isaiah 5:4, NLT)
The above verse says that God has absolutely done everything for mankind but unfortunately, they have chosen otherwise. God has not held back anything for the sake mankind including sacrificing His only Son (Romans 8:32, John 3:16). What else does human beings what? The problem is lack of contentment. Lucifer was not contented with all the privileges and blessing he had in heaven. Discontentment is a deadly spirit of ingratitude. Insatiable heart knows no bounds. A heart that lacks gratitude will always crave for more and hence leading to self-destruction. What good things did Lucifer lack to compel him to desire to occupy God’s position? What more could God have done to satisfy Lucifer? Absolutely nothing!
The Bible has beautiful and timeless counsel on contentment particularly in this evil age of materialism which corrupts and pollutes the human heart. The danger of discontentment leads to eternal destruction. Let us reflect on a few of the following passages:
1. Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NIV) - "Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless."
2. Proverbs 27:20 (NIV) - "Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes."
3. Habakkuk 2:5 (NIV) - "Indeed, wine betrays him; he is arrogant and never at rest. Because he is as greedy as the grave and like death is never satisfied, he gathers to himself all the nations and takes captive all the peoples."
4. 1 John 2:16 (NIV) - "For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world."
5. Philippians 4:11-12 – “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”
6. 1 Timothy 6:6 – “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”
7. Matthew 6:33 – “Seek first the kingdom of God… and all these things will be given to you.”
Let us cultivate the spirit of gratitude in all privileges, blessings and opportunities that God brings on our way. It is not the abundance of things that bring joy and happiness in this temporary life, but by being thankful to God bring peace in our mortal souls.
Omwenga - thank you for your contributions. I appreciate that you choose Scripture to highlight the importance of cultivating in us the spirit of Gratitude - "being thankful to God brings peace in our mortal souls." Practicing thankfulness in all circumstances is equal to acknowledging that we worship a benevolent and loving God.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37)
This verse could have also been used in today's study. I can almost hear the sorrow in Jesus's voice. Sadly this same lament will be expressed for everyone that chooses to be lost.
To reject all that Christ has done to reconcile us with the Father is really a sad, and dumb decision. God is not the source of our suffering, He's the answer to it. Let God love, heal, and save you.
Amen Tim. I just want to thank-you for your thought felt contributions. If I may, I am going to add a text to your last paragraph. It may not be the best paragraph, yet in my opinion it fits John 28:3.
Believe me no intended reflection on you, or anyone else. But a good example Christ gave us not by His own experience, yet you know the rest of the story.
The title could be a good one question answer. I would be short by saying nothing. Yet then what more could I have done to ovoid Christ death is where the question is at. All this gets personal. 1. Forgive. 2. Repent. 3. Oh yes Pilot had very little verifiable excuses He was warned by His wife. The Holy Spirit was working on his heart fervently, initially, then God could have said that’s enough according to the Bible in Thessalonians. One would have to assume that he was though worked on by the Holy Spirit, at least until he washed his hands of the situation, yet if he had repented and forgiven himself also, I believe God would have forgive him. I believe that if, and that is a big if, he had allowed God to harden his own heart or at least surrendered to God and then let God melt his heart as in Ezekiel 36:26, then for him we would not be saying what more could I have done for Him. Hmmmmm Pharaoh. I wonder who hardened his heart, God or himself? I believe God did or if you prefer Pilate heartened his own heart by rejecting the Holy Spirit. Ya know God is a God of love and Justice(Gods love is juxtaposed on justice, yet justice is not disposed of by love.)
This stuff is why I have a relationship with God on a daily basis.
As I read the story about the boy name Denis, I had the thought of me ,I was given up for adoption at birth,but before I found out the real truth I was angry with the world, Especially being told that I was a stuff bin child ( was found in a stuff bin) by the kids at school and some adults for 24 year I believed that lie,24 years after I was born I meet my biological mother for the first time in my life,and I was told some of the truth .my mother was married had 4 other children before me,iam the result of an affair in her marrage ,she want living abroad for years.
I was given up for the betterment of her 4 kids in her marriag for her marriage.
When all this was said to me as a young man 24 years of age what do I do with this new insight into to my life,1st I said I should not have been born "my mum was married" I took all my hatred ,anger to God and ask him to heal me of my pain of my pass.i want to say thank God for these lessons about How HE is in my life,it was a long hard road to travel with out the love of a mother christ now fills my Heart.
Hello Gerry,
Regardless of whether or not we are planned by our parents, we were planned by God, otherwise we wouldn't have been born. God had a plan for your life before you were conceived. At least you weren't aborted like so many in similar situations have been. The "broken roads" of our lives can lead us away from God or straight to him. I'm glad that yours led you to him. Let God’s plan for your life be your blueprint.
Blessings brother!
Hello Gerry,
I praise God that you've been born and Christ fills your heart!