Sabbath: Sharing the Story of Jesus
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Ephesians 2:1-10, 1 John 4:7-11, Mark 5:1-20, Hebrews 10:19-22, Galatians 2:20, 1 Corinthians 1:30.
Memory Text: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (1 John 5:13, NKJV).
As stated in an earlier lesson, nothing argues more eloquently for the power of the gospel than a changed life. People may argue with your theology. They may debate about doctrines. They may call into question your understanding of the Scriptures, but they will rarely question your personal testimony of what Jesus means to you and has done in your life.
Witnessing is sharing what we know about Jesus. It is letting others know what He means to us and what He has done for us. If our witness consists solely of trying to prove that what we believe is right and that what others believe is wrong, we will meet with strong opposition. If our witness about Jesus comes from a heart that has been transformed by His grace, charmed by His love, and amazed at His truth, others will be impressed with how the truth we believe has impacted our lives. Truth presented in the context of a changed life makes all the difference.
When Christ is the center of every doctrine, and each biblical teaching reflects His character, those we are sharing the Scriptures with are much more likely to accept His word.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, September 12.
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Do I believe in the name of the Son of God and that I have eternal life?
What does believing in the name of Jesus Christ mean?
In the Word of the LORD a person's name describes their character, so what do I believe about the character of the LORD?
The best advice for witnessing that I have heard is what to say when asked - How is what you believe different to what others believe? The answer: the difference is what I believe about the character of Jesus Christ. Think about that - how does what you believe describe the Character of the LORD?
I am challenging myself - and you - to write a short description of the character of Jesus that answers the questions of any doctrine.
As a starter - take the state of the dead.
If we want to share the story of Jesus we need to live like Jesus. Otherwise our listeners will just think we are telling fairy stories.
As part of my devotions this year I am re-reading Sons and Daughters of God. “Remember that just as you are in your family, so you will be in the church. Just as you treat your children, so will you treat Christ. If you cherish an un-Christlike spirit, you are dishonoring God...Position does not make a man. It is Christ formed within that makes a man worthy of receiving the crown of life that fade the not away”.
As I study I often wish for a “Do Over” with my children and I know that is not possible. I can only pray for God’s guidance for each.
How many times have we proved that the Papacy is the beast that speaks blasphemy? We are called a prophetic people and indeed we are. How many people have heard these truths but they have never accepted Jesus? They have gone about their lives. Our personal testimony which is a life transforming by Jesus is the greatest asset to the gospel.
In ministry, I have seen more non-Sda coming to the church social events than in evangelistic series. While there, they are watching our interaction. We need to teach them what Christian love is. It has to be different than the world. John 13:35 “They will know that you are my disciples if you have love for each other.” We have to speak the same language which is love.
To conclude, a preacher from the beautiful Island of Haiti gave this testimony. A visitor was coming to his crusade for about 5 weeks non-stop. People were shocked that she didn’t get baptized. To conclude the crusade, they had a picnic. While at the picnic, she decided to get baptized. Why? Not because of our doctrines but because she saw the way we were interacting. She saw true love that she didn’t see in the world. Let us share this love to the world and it will be the greatest testimony in this world. Amen and Happy Sabbath.
Love this!
One of my favorite people was a hard-bitten atheist in his college days. Some Christians befriended him and tried all sorts of ways to get him to believe in God.
He accepted Bible studies, only to argue against them - successfully, in his mind.
He read the books they gave him and disproved them by notes in the margin.
Nothing seemed to get through to them.
But when he attended a Christmas party by a group of Christians, he changed his mind. He saw they could have fun without alcohol and seemed so relaxed around each other. That's when his conversion began.
Not too long after he traveled to a Seventh-day Adventist University (without having enrolled) and talked the registrar into letting him stay. And he became a pastor!
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the son and the Holy Ghost.... I am with you always even to the end of the world. Matt 28:19-20
'Witnessing is sharing what we know about Jesus. It is letting others know what He means to us and what He has done for us.'
I met a woman at work yesterday. During the discussion, we spoke and I asked her where does she attend church, she stated she is looking for a church. She visited several but the seems to be lacking something. I gave her our zoom site for church today. I first established a relationship.
All Scripture point the faithful to - *Salvation from this world through Faith*. What stands between us and Salvation - unbelieve/doubt about the miraculous, spiritually restorative power of the Love of our Father as taught and demonstrated by His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.
Everyone who believes and trusts the teachings of Jesus will want to change his ways and establish the 'New Way' according to Jesus' teachings and examples as it promisses to save one from eternal death.
I was very happy when I found in the Scriptures the new commandment: Matt.22:37; Luke10:27 , John13:34 - when I read these verses I understood that the change in a Christian's heart is evident in his/her conduct and attitude toward God and his fellow man. It has nothing to do with creeds or doctrine - Salvation is all worked out in one's heart!
If one loves God with all the heart and soul, one cannot not love his fellow man. If one is slack about establishing a loving relationship with the Father, one is slack with reigning in the lusts of the flesh; this will cause the conduct and attitude of this person to stand in contrast to what he/she confesses to believe in and the Love of the Father will not be evident in this person's conduct; because 'the Love of the Father is not in him'.1John2:15
When we single-mindedly walk by faith in the 'New Light', the 'New Way', it will be about maintaining and living our heart's disposition toward Jesus' teachings; our desire to conduct ourselves as Jesus conducted Himself.
Everything He did, He did out of the capacity to Love selflessly which He had received from the Father, He passed it on to the disciples and on to the people who came to see Him, to hear what He had to say and to watch Him demonstrate the Power of the Father's Love for His children. Jesus taught and lived selfless Love - the Love of the Father for His Children.
How do I share the story of Jesus? Expressing the selfless Love of the Father in all its many shades and colors as it can be applied in my everyday interactions with my fellow man. Restraining 'self' stands at the beginning of my commitment to give way to the Holy Spirit so He can love effectively.
1John2:15-17 - gives us directions how to calibrate our interactions with the world or the things that are in the world. It tells us to "NOT LOVE THE WORLD'! It continues that "If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Does this sound clear enough?
It is up to us to identify the 'loves' we have for the world that keep us from loving God with all our heart, mind and soul so that we can love our fellow man selflessly as we want to be loved.
Verse 17 - "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." What is His will? The will of the Father is to 'Love Him with all our heart, mind and Soul and to love our fellow man as we want to be loved'. Doing this will empower His Spirit within us to share the story of Jesus whenever, wherever and with whomever we have the occasion to meet.
Yes, we could share the “story of Jesus”, but is it personal? Does this story describe our own experience of having Christ “dwell in [our] heart by faith”(Eph 3:17)?
From Testimonies 5, 158:
“It is by contemplating Christ, by exercising faith in Him, by experiencing for ourselves His saving grace, that we are qualified to present Him to the world.”
Without this experience our “story of Jesus” will be a lifeless doctrine or theory. We can only effectively share what we actually possess. Anyone may become qualified to share Jesus with others as they “receive Him, and believe on His name”(John 1:12).
I don't have a dramatic conversion story to share, but there are many in the Bible that help me understand why people do the bad things they do because they have not been transformed and are under the influence of the devil.Eph 2:1-3
A thought that occurs to me about the transformation of the sons of thunder, it is clear that it took several years of walking with Jesus. Is this the same for us? At what stage can we become witnesses? Must we wait until we are fully transformed?