Monday: Woe Unto Thee!
Read Matthew 11:20-24, Luke 4:25-30, 17:11-19, and John 10:16. What crucial message comes from these texts? How can we take what is written here and apply it to ourselves, in our own time and context? What principle is revealed here that we have to be very careful about?
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Christ wanted His own people, those who had so many advantages, to wake up to what their true calling and purpose was as a people. He wanted them to see that salvation, even for the chosen nation, was not something that a person is born into. It’s not passed on in the genes or by a birthright. It was something that requires a conscious choice to accept, a choice that even those who weren’t of Israel could, and did, make.
Athletic coaches sometimes challenge their athletes by comparing them with competing schools or organizations. If you’d practice as faithfully, energetically, and intensely as they do, you’d enjoy success.
The coach’s obvious motivation is to inspire, to build up desire rather than diminish it.
In the same way, Jesus wanted His own people to share the fullness of salvation as some non-Jewish people were already doing. No doubt His words had scandalized some, because He preached something that they didn’t want to hear, however much these truths should have already been known and understood by them.
Some people might indeed have many spiritual advantages that others don’t have, but those who have these advantages must realize that, whatever they have been given, it’s all a gift from God, to be used for His glory and not their own.
What about us? What about all the advantages that we, as a people, have been given by God? Why it is important, first, to recognize those advantages; then, second, humbly to realize the responsibilities that comes with them?
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Woe unto thee!!!!!
Woe unto us Sabbatarians.
Woe unto us who are playing around with the Truth bestowed upon us.How shall we escape the coming destruction if we don't practice what we have learnt,what we have read.
A warning to all of us.
What should we do?????
We have to repent for the remission of our sins and be baptized by the Holy Spirit.
Devout man too need a daily washing of sin ,daily confession and repentance.
We might be turning Christ by our actions.Like the other 8 lepers we may glory in self un the physical well being ang forget or never Glirify
As adventists, the advantage we have is the truth in the word of God and the spirit of prophesy. Our knowledge of the scripture is so huge and we should take advantage of these knowledge to make heaven. However, we must be careful and must always be determined at all time not to let complacency overtake us. Much have been revealed to us and God expects so much from all of us. The lesson of this day made it obvious that all the advantage that we have can only be useful if we make judicious and conscious effort to follow the teachings of Christ, else these favour God has given unto us might turn become curse upon us. God forbid that Christ will say to anyone of us "Woe Unto Thee!" On the last day
Modern Israel, by extension SDA's have a great responsibility to follow Jesus' mission and fulfilling the gospel commission, ''go and make disciples of all nations...''. Matt 28:19
7T 16-17 "Upon us rests the weighty responsibility of warning the world of its coming doom. From every direction, from far and near, are coming calls for help. God calls upon His church to arise and clothe herself with power. Immortal crowns are to be won; the kingdom of heaven is to be gained; the world perishing in ignorance is to be enlightened. "As the third Angel's message swells in the loud cry, great power and glory will attend its proclamation. The faces of God's people will shine with the light of heaven''. What a glorious opportunity to share God's wonderful message of salvation!!!!. God bless.
woe unto us if we do not accept the truth we have freely received and even move it to all corners of the world.The mission to take the gospel to the entire world consumed the disciples. They were passionate about fulfilling Christ's command, "Go into all the world." They put aside their petty differences. They surrendered their cherished ideas. They broke down all barriers between them and focused on the one thing that really mattered, saving souls for Christ's kingdom.
What are we doing for our Lord Jesus Christ to move the gospel to all corners of the world?
Jesus reserved some of his most severe language for those who took their religion so seriously that they were driven to be hypocritical. The person making a great show of public prayer, those who wanted to accuse a woman of adultery, the groups that thought that arguing about religion was the epitome of religious experience. He used figures of speech, like "Whited Sepulchers" to describe that sort of religion. All show, and no experience.
As Seventh-day Adventists we can easily fall into the same trap. It is a little too easy to think of ourselves as very special Christians because we have "cracked the code" and have got it right. Sometimes we forget that getting it right, is not the same as living it right.
Here is a little experiment that you can do. Read the gospels through - just skim through if you them well and every time you find a story of how Jesus interacted with sinners, mark it (that is easy to do if you have your Bible on a tablet or smartphone). And when you have finished marking, reflect on how we interact with sinners. I came away from the exercise thinking about what a great responsibility we have been given.
Are there times, that we may listen to the sermons we wouldn't like to hear?
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Much have been given to us like the old Isrealites and much is expected from us we should not be complacence about the message/truth that has been given to us. This is time to discuss our similarities rather than concentrating on our differences, remember that Jesus said that His sheeps are out there that must join the fold, Jesus is saying to you and i that we should go and bring them in. May God depend on you, and you! Amen