Sabbath: Following Jesus in Everyday Life
Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 11:37-54; Luke 12:4-21, Luke 12:35-53; Amos 6:1; Luke 8:4-15; Luke 22:24-27.
Memory Text: And the apostles said to the Lord,
(Luke 17:5, NKJV).Increase our faith
Image © Lars Justinen Goosalt.com
Though a great teacher, Jesus did not establish a school of theology or philosophy. His purpose was to seek and to save that which was lost
(Luke 19:10). He came to reveal the character of God, a revelation that culminated in the cross, where He not only showed humanity and unfallen worlds what God was really like but He also paid the penalty for sin so that human beings, despite their fallen nature, could be redeemed.
In doing this, He also created a redeemed community, a community of those who, having been saved by His death, have chosen to model His life and teachings.
The call to be part of this redeemed community is a call, not to a preferred status in life but to an absolute allegiance to the One who calls, to Christ Himself. What He says becomes the disciple’s law of life. What He desires becomes the disciple’s sole purpose in life. No amount of outward goodness or doctrinal perfection can take the place of total allegiance to Christ and His will.
Discipleship, which we owe exclusively to the indwelling Christ, makes certain imperative requirements. No competition and no substitute is permitted.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, June 6.
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“Absolute allegiance.” This has been a central issue from Lucifer’s failure of allegiance down through time to present day and will be at the very end, when both righteous and unrighteous will confess, “Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10, 11).
Whether or not He had to the Son of God and Commander of angels (Revelation 12:7) assumed a subordinate role and thereby subjected himself to the authority of the Father before His first advent, in part for the benefit of angels and a model for humans to demonstrate absolute allegiance. From Adam’s failure of allegiance Christ has functioned as intermediary (2 Corinthians 5:19) and will when the work is done sit at the right hand of the Father (Daniel 7:13, 14).
The final test, the mark of the beast will result in a failure of allegiance on the part of many, including professed remnant people (Revelation 13:8). Only those who follow the Lamb and are completely submitted to His authority are sealed by the Holy Spirit (Revelation 14:4). They would deny themselves, and would not do as they please, but as the Redeemer desired.
Status mean little to the redeemed. Yet they will be rewarded for their absolute allegiance under difficult circumstances by being made priests of the Father and of Christ, and sit on Christ’s throne as He sat on His Father’s throne (Revelation 3:21).
The Lord Christ has been seated at the RIGHT HAND of His Father for nearly 2000 years.
Do we render "ABSOLUTE ALLEGIANCE" to CHRIST or to MOSES?
Among us the LAW of the OLD COVENANT is given precedence over the LAW of CHRIST.(Gal.6:2; Rom 8:2; 1 Cor.9:21; Jam.1:25; 2:12; 2 Pt.3:2). According to the word Christ is greater than Moses and supersedes Moses.(Dt.18:15-19).
I have a question that maybe someone can answer. In some circles there is a belief that there are beings similar to us on other planets. Can someone give me the text in the Bible that supports this belief? The term unfallen worlds is used, so I assume that these beings are just like us. There must be evidence of some sort to support this idea.
I just can't find it.
At times Paul I think Christianity is more faith than proof. There are some things outside the Bible that can be said; the fact that water exists in the universe outside of earth and that the carbon atom has the ability to form more combinations of large molecules than just about any other atom is information that says that any life out there is probably carbon based that needs water the same as it is on earth. Another thing to remember is that the majority of species disappeared with the flood so it is possible that the species we would see most likely would not be exactly the same in other places.
Now the question, will we discover life outside of earth? Maybe and maybe not, certainly I don't think we will be discovering intelligent life out there for if we did atheists would have a field day with creationists and I don't think that is something God will allow. What I think we should consider is that contamination from earth may very well be in our solar system and especially with the rovers on Mars even though the environment there is very hostile to life.
Read Revelations1:1. Angels and demons are a good example of beings that are created by God, which existed and some still exist in some other realm other than ours. It's difficult though to see these beings since we live in the flesh. God bless!!
Good question Paul, let's start with asking you a question. Where in the Bible is the word universe mentioned? Then turn with me to Psalms 90:2. David mentions earth and world in one sentence. I am no theologian, however I do believe David was using world as universe, if am reading the context correctly. Paul writes of worlds in the faith chapter. Hebrews 11:3 meaning more than our world. David specifies our world many times in Psalms. Job 1:6. Is a good answer to your question. We do have prophet who we believe was inspired by God to illuminate the Bible, not to take the place of it. One of her writings is The Great Controversy. Pull it up online at whiteestate.org.
John, rather than using Heb 11:3 could we use Heb 1:2 instead? I think it is a little more explicit in meaning.
For the purposes of discussion the Greek word used is aion which is temporal as a long period of time, however, Net Bible technical notes says this concerning Heb 11:3:
John, there are other worlds,(planets) most will agree. my question is are they inhabited by beings similar to us? If so,is it Biblically explained and if so, where? Heb 11:3 explains how God created from nothing but His word.
Paul a couple of things that have been mentioned before. Heaven is a place outside of earth, I think Christ's ascension proves that along with Elijah being taken up as witnessed by Elisha. There is also the testimony of Rev 12:
Maybe it is wrong to consider Heaven a world but what else could it be called. It certainly is inhabited. Then there is the council in Job where it says:
Question, where was that council held? If it were on earth why didn't Satan answer with something more specific than "going to and fro on the earth?"
When it comes to other intelligent beings there is "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" (Heb. 13:2 NKJV). This could have been a reflection on what happen with Abraham in Genesis 18 where he gave food to strangers which they ate (verse 8) not knowing at the time that it was angels that he was entertaining, one of them being Christ. Should it then surprise us that there is in all likelihood other worlds where beings similar to us live - places that didn't cave in to Satan's temptations.
Thanks Tyler for catching my error.
Happy Sabbath
I have a network of friends who I counsel, mingle and go though life together with joy and sadness or tears and that is my ministry I don't want to tangle and hassle with Church stuffs too much protocols that hinders mission and call for our ministry to seek and save the lost for the field is ready or more than long overdue due to our in house fighting and bickering over minor nonsense issues.
Let us go out with conviction and fire and zeal of the Holy Ghost and save or lead someone to Christ daily.
I pledge allegiance to the Lord God Almighty, the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the seas and the springs of water, and to His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. I pray for His soon second coming and for the salvation of those who keep His commandments and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, and that Jesus Christ will provide liberty and justice for all. Amen....
"No amount of outward goodness or doctrinal perfection can take the place of total allegiance to Christ and His will." I absolutely agree but how that allegiance is manifested may be widely varied. Certainly we are all different and the way we relate to Jesus I think will be different as well. I also think that there will be a lot of surprises in Heaven when we see who is there and who is not.
Dear Paul, actually there is no text in the Bible affirming that there are unfallen worlds. But we Seventh-day Adventist believe in the writings of Ellen White as part of the Spirit of Prophecy. She makes several reference to the unfallen words, this she saw in a vision.
" To the angels and the unfallen worlds the cry, "It is finished," had a deep significance. It was for them as well as for us that the great work of redemption had been accomplished. They with us share the fruits of Christ’s victory" (Desire of Ages pg 758).
Our little world is the lesson book of the universe.—(ibid 19). [Ellen White states that the unfallen worlds and the heavenly angels watched Christ’s struggle in Gethsemane "with intense interest" (ibid 693). In discussing Christ’s four thousand-year battle with Satan and his ultimate victory on the cross she uses such phrases as
"The heavenly universe beheld," "all heaven and the unfallen worlds had been witnesses," "they heard," "they saw," "heaven viewed," "what a sight for the heavenly universe!"
From Romans 1:19-20, the mention of universe and invisible things affirms her vision. Meaning, there are other worlds which God created aside our world. E.G White states this worlds haven't seen sin and they're watched how our world got fallen. This takes us to a lesson.
In the Desire of Ages, Ellen White says our little world is the lesson book for the universe. This worlds rejoiced together with us when Christ brought victory over sin through His death on the cross.
please read Hebrews chapter 11
Osei Romans 1:19, Paul is speaking to those in Rome called to be saints, Romans 1:7. Verse 18 is an indictment of unrighteous and ungodly men that suppress the truth. What is shown to them is in verse 19 and 20, it is about the attributes of the Creator. Those same men knew God but did not glorify Him because there hearts were darkened verse 21. Professing to be wise, they became fools. verse 22. Hebrews 11 is often referred to as the faith chapter.
"I am the Way The Truth and the Life...." John 14:6. It is a tremendous blessings to Abide in Christ Daily. Often times we are busy with many activities to the neglect of our daily relationship with Christ. I have found in my personal experience that I bear more fruit when I set my mind on Christ i.e choosing to spend time in the study of His Words, not neglecting my prayer life, and seeking to love as He taught us. I know that in His presence there is fullness of joy but yet still many times I choose to continue in habits that I know are not healthy.
Delight yourself in the lord daily and treasure this pearl of great price.
Wow! Following Christ is not that easy if one depend upon his/her own strength. The disciples telling the Lord to increase there faith was something everyone has to ponder on because the practice of the day was that when someone trespass against you, you should take revenge, then the believe that when one die the living can pray for such for them to be admitted into heaven (Lazarus and the rich man), but Jesus told the apostles if any one offend you no matter how many times you should continue to forgive them. Following Jesus means absolute allegiance to him.