Further Study: Reformation: Healing Broken Relationships
“When the laborers have an abiding Christ in their own souls, 
when all selfishness is dead, when there is no rivalry, no strife for the supremacy, when oneness exists, when they sanctify themselves, so that love for one another is seen and felt, then the showers of the grace of the Holy Spirit will just as surely come upon them as that God’s promise will never fail in one jot or tittle.”-Ellen G. White, Selected Messages, book 1, p. 175.
“If we stand in the great day of the Lord with Christ as our refuge, our high tower, we must put away all envy, all strife for the supremacy. We must utterly destroy the roots of these unholy things, that they may not again spring up into life. We must place ourselves wholly on the side of the Lord.”-Ellen G. White, Last Day Events, p. 190.
Discussion Questions:
- Read Colossians 3:12-17 in class. Discuss the Christian qualities the apostle Paul encourages the church at Colossae to seek. Why are these qualities the basis for all conflict resolution? How do they guide us in carrying out the principles that Jesus gives us in Matthew 18:15-18?
- Look again at Colossians 3:12-17, and the teachings found in these verses. Why are these things so utterly essential for the revival and reformation that we so desperately need in the church?
- If we look at our church, that is, the Seventh-day Adventist Church as a whole, what is the greatest thing holding us back from the kind of revival and reformation that will be needed in order to reach the world? Is it our teachings and doctrines? Of course not. These are the very things that God has given us to proclaim to the world . The problem lies solely in us, in our interpersonal relationships, our petty jealousies, our bickering, our selfishness, our desire for supremacy and a whole host of other things. Why must you, yes, you , not the person next to you in the pew, not the pastor-but you , yourself-plead for the power of the Holy Spirit to bring the changes that have to occur in you before we will see revival and reformation in the whole church?
(25)
Wow! What an insightful lesson we had this week “Healing Broken Relationships”.
The lesson sure speaks to the desire that should lead to an obsession in all of us which is: live in peace with all men; with a heart always ready for reconciliation.
Again, reconciliation and being reconcile unto is such a great feeling.
We must all place ourselves completely on the side of the Lord. Thus we will be ready to work together in collaboration with each other as Paul, John Mark, and Barnabas were able to do.
The story has it this way: The church members had the zero turn lawn mower all apart, pieces every where. None could put it back together. Then came along the paster who had the gift in these matters. He was able to put it completely back together except one part was missing, the needle valve for the carburetor. The pastor called the members together for prayer and fasting to ask God to find the missing part. They got up from their knees and there was the needle valve. The zero turn lawn mower serviced the church for many years.
When Christ is constantly abiding in the soul, we will choose to obey all His Commandments and follow in His footseps. This is how we can become in one accord with each other. If we are not in one accord with one another, then Christ is not abiding in one of us or both of us and the perfect love of God is not perfected in us and the power of God to salvation will not bestowed upon us. Invite Christ in the soul daily for the victory that we desperately need. Cheers!!!
As a born agen Christian and new to the Seventh Day Adventist Church your comment has touched me in my way of thinking and of doing things. Thank You for sharing Jillian from Perth Western Australia but originally from Morrinsville Heart of the Waikato New Zealand.
what a wonderful lesson for this week ,it's very important for we seventh day adventist it's self explanatory so we oeght to aply it in our daily living.
If I may be honest: I don't feel very good about our church organization today. I am a second generation SDA. My father was a very dedicated country preacher - meaning he had never received any formal training to be a minister of Christ. But he devoted his life to serve the Lord. He never had a bicycle, but he would visit his district churches and the members on a regular basis. He would leave the house regularly in the morning to conduct his visitations throughout the day. Today, most ministers have at least a motor-cycle, and yet I cannot say that they are working as diligently as Christ's servants from the older days.
Today I see many, if not most, church workers, from the high officials in the highest office, down to the local ministers, work for the organization as if it is just a job, a career, and with it they bring with them personal ambitions only to strive for higher positions in the corporate ladder. Church members complain why the organization has resources to hold conferences and seminars in some posh and luxury resort venues, and yet not enough money to hire new ministerial graduates.
I never work in the church organization although I always support the church with all the spiritual gifts God has given me. I retired not too long ago from my career in the secular world, and I was asked to help teach at one of our church colleges in a particular country. My experience has been one of a total discouragement. All that I heard about the strife, ambitions, and the dishonesty within the organization are actually true. It is not surprising that we are not experiencing the revival and the reformation as taught in this week's lesson. As a matter of fact, I even fear that the Spirit is being withdrawn from the place.
Ben, I have seen the same things a time or two over the years myself but I think we have to remember even though a lot of members tend to be unfaithful there will always be those that can't be bought at any price who value integrity above everything else. While the majority of the church bends to social, political, and economic pressure just as the vast majority of the Jews did on the plain of Dura there will be the Shadrachs, Meshachs, and Abed-Negos that will remain standing even under the threat of death. They are the 7000 that God reserves even when God's prophets think there are none.
I am one of those that firmly believe that by the time probation closes there will be very few that will truly be on God's side. Throughout the Bible the pattern is always a very small number that comes out of a larger body that forms the remnant and I believe the 144000 will be what is left after everyone else has tucked their tails between their legs and ran. They will be the antitype of Gideon's 300. I am of the opinion that this scenario is what Jesus hinted at when He asked, "when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?" (Lk. 18:8 NKJV). This whole thing disturbs me a great deal for many reasons that I will not explain here.
This is true Ben, however, God is already raising up a people who will help to finish the work. Take courage, many will fall out but many will come in who desire to serve God and others.
Blessed Sabbath!
Ben, I have worked for the Church all my life and during that time have seen both the best and worst of the Church. There are times when I have felt frustrated by Church actions and at other times I have seen the Church act with kindness, compassion and understanding.
I think sometimes we expect too much of the Church. Those times when I feel frustrated by the church I remember that they have to deal with imperfect people like me. I agree with you that sometimes the church appears to be more organization than people oriented. That is something that happens in large institutions and we need to guard against that trend.
One thing that we need to remember is that this Church is our Church and we are on a journey together. When we want changes to take place in our Church, we are the ones that must put those changes into practice. It is not their problem; it is our problem.
I am sorry that you have experienced total discouragement. I have felt discouragement at times but that has been balanced by the many times I have seen good things happening in the church; old people mentoring young people in the faith, discouraged fold receiving encouragement, sick people being visited and prayed with, teenagers learning the value of service, poor folk having their prayers answered because someone is acting as "ears for God." I am encouraged. This is my church and I want to be part of it. Perfect? No, but growing.
Wow, this week's lesson about "Healing Relationships" was really great. If a revival is to happen then every individual needs to ask for the holy spirit's power personally to help him/her be more like Jesus, to recreate the image of Jesus in him/her, and to give him/her the mind of Jesus. If every church member does asks for the power of the Holy Spirit, revival and reformation are sure, because a great revival starts with inside each person individually. Great revivals have always started at the "grassroots" level, with many individuals with the desire to make a change and a difference, each person making a personal contribution towards reaching the overall goals.
nicely said frank
most profound lesson, lets look within ourselves ,see where we have falling short ,make it right with God
[Moderator's note: Please remember to use full name.]
A wonderful lesson indeed we had ths week................... As S.D.A members lets make sure we take ths lesson into practice.
Wow,how blessed it's this week lesson?.It surly teaches, how we as labours of GOD should corparate together for the gospel that GOD hasgiven us.We have to unity ourselves.know that we need spread the word of GOD to the whole world, but you need GOD.
Such a wonderful lesson for the week,we all need God in our lives and also ask for forgiveness because he is willing to forgive us and we as seventh day Adventist much also set a great example to the world by learning how to forgive others