Sabbath: The Ministry Begins
Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 3:1-12; 2 Pet. 1:19; Phil. 2:5-8; Matt. 4:1-12; Isa. 9:1-2; Matt. 4:17-22.
Memory Text: “‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people’” (Matthew 4:19, NIV).
Jesus Begins His Ministry
One of the great struggles of humanity has been to know what the meaning and purpose of our lives are and how to live them. After all, we don’t come with written instructions tucked under our arms on how to live, do we?
“I didn’t understand what the meaning of life was,” said a 17-year-old boy from a well-to-do family who became a prescription drug addict. “I still don’t, but I thought that everyone else did, that there was this big secret that everyone was in on that I wasn’t. I thought everyone understood why we were here, and that they were all secretly happy somewhere without me.”
Paul Feyerabend, an Austrian writer and philosopher of science, confessed in his autobiography: “So one day passes after another and it is not clear why one should live.”
Hence, the Bible, the gospel, and the story of Jesus and what He has done for us. In Jesus—His preexistence, birth, life, death, ministry in heaven, and Second Coming—we can find the answers to life’s most pressing questions. This week, we will look at the beginning of Christ’s life and work here on earth, a life and work that alone can give full meaning to our own.
* Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, April 9.
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Thank God I know God and the bible, that has reveal why we exists. He who believes in Him will be saved through the precious blood of Jesus. I pray God will help us to live for Him in Jesus Christ Name. Amen!
I know Jesus came to die for my sins that l might be saved. Therefore for me to live is Christ...
In Ecclesiates 12:13 we read "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."
To fear God implies to consider God's word as having a bearing in all we do or to let his word influence our lives. To Keep his commandments implies to be in his service all through our lives. Hence we were created to serve God and that is the purpose God sent his son into the world to facilitate and exemplify. Have a great week from Zambia.
Well said Elder Chilumbu. That Bible verse says it all on why we are God's creation and so let us remember the many out there who do not know our Creator and the purpose for His creating us.
What a sad life to not know why we are here; we are here to serve the
Lord by proclaiming His love and great sacrifice through Jesus Christ. We are here to share the gospel to help bring others to salvation, we are here to raise children to love and serve Him and to derive wisdom from His word! I praise God for His salvation and for allowing me to know my purpose in life which is to live for Him! Amen
Thank you Lord for making my purpose known to me here on earth,How I pray that God can use me in the way he pleases. God may you creat in me the heart that is willing to serve you delightedly.
In (Eccl.4:1-3), King Solomon compares the lot of the oppressed, the dead, the living and the unborn. He concludes that the unborn is much better off than all the other people, even the living, because the unborn "has not seen the evil that has been done under the sun" (Eccl.4:3). This paints a very sad and negative outlook on life, if God is NOT in the picture. The good news is that Jesus has made a way, in fact He "is the Way, the Truth and the life" (John 14:6). Jesus tells His disciples plainly that He, Jesus, is the ONLY path/route to heaven and the source of all truth and life.
No matter what situation we may find ourselves in, Jesus can make all the difference in the world, once we hitch or wagon to His. The words in (Matt. 6:28-34) are sound advice from Jesus about how to deal with anxiety, worry and the cares of this world. God wants us to trust our entire lives, past, present and future, into His loving capable hands. He loves us far more than any earthly parent loves his child. Words of wisdom through the wise man, Solomon, given by the ONLY WISE GOD: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on our own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Prov. 3:5-6 N.I.V.).
The ministry of Jesus continues today and we are the ones He calls with the same commission "Come, follow me", Jesus said, "and I will send you out to fish for people" (Matt. 4:19).
It may not be on the mountain’s height,
Or over the stormy sea;
It may not be at the battle’s front
My Lord will have need of me.
But if by a still, small voice He calls
To paths I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in Thine,
"I’ll go where You want me to go."
Refrain:
I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord,
Over mountain, or plain, or sea.
I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord.
I’ll be what You want me to be.
I believe that I am here to be a true witness for God. And that His way is the best. Jesus came to show us how to live, the Holy Sprit is here to lead me in the right direction if l choose to follow Him.
Jesus is the Way, the Thruth and the Light. I may not see things clearly at times, but all he wants me to do is to trust Him by having a good relationship with Him. He has promised to always be there for me.
Please pray for me to know the Scriptures well so that when l am being attacked by the enemy l can say like Jesus said: "It Is Written"
Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people’” (Matthew 4:19, NIV).
Today’s memory text explains in depth that for us to be witnesses of Jesus Christ or ambassadors of Jesus Christ we are to ‘follow Him’. When we follow Him He will make us first and then we are sent out. He is the one with the message. As we are going out there it’s not us speaking but Him through us. Hence, let us not rush first to go out before being made first. As He leads us as a Good Shepherd, He will show us the way we ought to do it. He leads and we follow. It’s never vice versa. Jesus says,’ ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go…..’(Matthew 28:18-19).We are being sent out to fish for people using the authority that Jesus has been given. We therefore need to follow the one with the authority. When Peter and John where asked “By what power or what name did you do this?” (Acts 4:7).The scripture goes on to say, ‘Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit….’ Peter spoke being filled with the Holy Spirit. This is very important, we need to be Spirit filled and Spirit led all the time. Peter and John had followed Jesus and we see them now being sent out to fish for people and their authority is now being questioned and they boldly say ‘then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth’ (Acts 4:10). The sons of Sceva, a Jewish Chief Priest tried to drive out demons using the name of Jesus and the ’ evil spirit gave them such a beating and ran out of the house naked and bleeding’(Acts 19:14-16).They were attacked because they used the name of Jesus and yet they did not have a relationship with Jesus.