Sabbath: Christ’s Kingdom and the Law
Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 4:8-9; Dan. 2:44; 1 Pet. 2:11; 1 Cor. 6:9-11; Rev. 22:14-15; 1 Cor. 15:26. Memory Text: But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people (Jeremiah 31:33, NKJV).
In 2011 Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, died. He was 56. Years earlier, after a bout with cancer, Jobs called death the single best invention of life because it forced us to achieve the best we could here. In other words, because our time is so limited, we must try to be as successful as we can now.
Jobs, though, got it backward. What pushed him to seek a greater stake in this world, death (or at least the inevitably of it), should have been what revealed the futility of putting down roots too permanently here, in what’s always shallow ground. Sure, Jobs accomplished a lot, but in contrast to a million years or to eternity, what does it matter?
Indeed, we have been promised that this world and all that’s in it will be destroyed, and God will establish a new and eternal world where sin and death (all the result of the violation of God’s law) will never exist.
This week we’ll look at the question of God’s eternal kingdom and the role of the law in relation to it.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, June 28.
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Well, I think it's sad that we think to place so much emphasis on establishing the most out of the world,first,or worldly goods to the point of forfeiting the doing of God's will here and cherishing his life,and His laws,now. Time is very limited here,and it should doing that of what God desires. Steve Jobs worked in what he knew,and performed well,..but as we walked through this life let us do what God wills.
I Deutro we read that God's people should be the head and not the tail. In so saying, we who claimed to be God's people go on, and on, and on in our pursuit to be at the head of the table. We sacrifice family, friends, church association and attendance and even our own spirit life to be the head because as Steve stated, "we have to achieve all we could here now", how unwise the people of God have become. Many have misinterpret that text. In our pursuit to get, nothing should come between us and God. If so, it is not of God. Some have become so educated and gain so much, they have taken their anchor in this world. Despite such, the bible says "my people perish for lack of Knowledge". It is not wrong to accomplish, but make sure it does not stand in-between us and our Maker.
To be honest, I am not sure that I am aligned with the authors perspective. For me, the lesson story spoke to a renewed sense of applying oneself to achieve ones purpose; to pursue the full fulfillment of what God has for you to do with the skill set he folded into you.
The recount reminded me of a speaker that once shared that the richest place in the world is the graveyard - it is full of God's inspired ideas and directions. In other words he was teaching that many of us go to our sleep not ever giving birth to what God has planted in us.
Seen thusly, this lesson is an echo give birth; let us be like Christ, who pursued his purpose, that which he was convinced that God planted in him, to the very end regardless of opinion, ridicule, and aspersions.
God Bless.
I missed the meaning of the first line in the last paragraph.
Ishmael, I do not think the author was saying not to achieve the best you can in this life, but that your achievement should not be the major driving force in your life. Solomon was given everything. He was the wisest man that ever lived, but he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes where he says,"So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had labored to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun." With all his accomplishment, he was unhappy in his old age because he loss sight of God.
Yes, and besides that, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Mat 6:21 NKJV). It truly depends on where one's priorities and focus in life are.
Seeking God's will for our life should have priority over every other endeavor in our life.
Ishmael, Rich is a relative term. I do hope the Minister meant rich in Christ because that is the only riches that will last forever. Just because someone did not achieve what society deem as prosperity does not mean they are not fully accomplished. In the end the only well done that will matter is when the Master says well done thou good and faithful servant. Remember the dead in Christ shall rise first whether they are successful in this world or not.
Just like the earlier writers have said, it is good to do out best to achieve the most in this world (Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, Eccl 9:10); however, our greatest focus and attention should be towards heaven because ultimately, after all have been said and done, the only thing that would matter is what we chose to do with Jesus while on earth. We are encouraged to "seek first his (God's) kingdom and his (God's) righteousness, and all these things (including worldly success) will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33
I agree with the auther in this totaly. Brother ishmael, success is relative as some friend has put it and still its societical, meaning as the members of the household of God, what will finaly cary the day is our ability to hold on to the kingdom of God. Nowonder the bible admonishon is for us to seek FIRST the same n then follow on other things which must follow. The reason as to why success is societical is that its only the society that determines wether we are successful or not. As such, if the fear of the Lord is nt in us we will be runing up and down to achieve what society demands rather than what God expects of us and that will be like CHASING THE WIND
As Christians of today we are very busy looking for worldly succcess, we don't realy differ from Steve Jobs, he was. Doing things against life's timeline in achieving his earthly goals. We have to hold on to God' promise and do his will arcodingly thereby being ready for heaven." Let
I think the author here is somehow trying to get us to Jesus' sermon on the mount particularly on Matthew 6:25-33. Man has to understand that God loves him, and in Him is no partiality to provide for him. But God has given a condition though, that man has to seek His Kingdom and His righteousness first and all these things He will provide for man. I believe these things are mans' desires. To be concise; man is to treasure God more than the perishable things of this world. Steve Jobs died and left everything he worked hard for behind. Was not Life more than his success?
I wish to be both successful on earth and for heaven like the biblical Job, who was the richest in the world and uncomparable righteous man before God (Job 1:8)