“ ‘You are the salt of the earth’ ” (Matthew 5:13, NIV). In this passage, Jesus is calling His followers to be “salt,” which is a transforming agent. The church is a “saltshaker,” which contains the “salt of the earth.” With what or whom should we, this “salt,” mix? Only with ourselves, or with ingredients … Continue reading –>
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself” (Luke 10:27). Read Luke 10:25-37. What message is given here to us in regard to the whole question of helping those in need? The … Continue reading –>
Jesus, the young rabbi from Nazareth, had become very popular in the region of Galilee (Luke 4:15). When He spoke, “the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matt. 7:28-29, NKJV). One Sabbath, when handed the scroll of Isaiah, Jesus read the first … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Luke 4:16-19, Luke 10:25-37, Matt. 5:13, Isa. 2:8, John 4:35-38, Matt. 13:3-9. Memory Text: “Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people” (Matthew 4:23, NKJV). Robert Louis Stevenson, best … Continue reading –>
Read Jeremiah 22:1-16; Ezekiel 16:49; Zechariah 7:9-10. Read Ellen G. White Comments, pp. 1165, 1166, in The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4; “God’s Design in Our Sanitariums,” pp. 227, 228, in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6. “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To … Continue reading –>
You can view an in-depth discussion of “Justice & Mercy in the Old Testament – Part 2” in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. (Adobe Flash Player version.) A Youtube version of this week’s lesson at Hope Sabbath School is below. You can download the video, the MP3 audio, and the … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: Jesus said one big difference between those who will be saved and lost is as simple as who took care of the hungry and thirsty in His name, or for His sake. Justice and Mercy in the Old Testament: Part 2 – July 23, 2016 1. Have a volunteer read Ezekiel 37:1-6. a. Ask … Continue reading –>
Read Micah 6:1-16. What is the Lord speaking out against here? Micah joins the other Old Testament prophets who emphasize that external forms of religion that lack a humble and intentional manifestation of justice and mercy are never acceptable to a just and merciful God. What is the crucial message of Micah 6:8? “True religion … Continue reading –>
The Old Testament is filled with the idea that those who have been blessed materially and spiritually will reach out to those who have not. Read Isaiah 61:1-11. What is God saying to His people here, and how can we apply what’s said here to ourselves and to our calling before the Lord? See also … Continue reading –>
Many people think God was dealing harshly with Uzzah when he steadied the ark of the covenant, while it was being moved. But if we look carefully we will see God’s mercy even in His justice. So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of … Continue reading –>
“Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish . . .; where the river flows everything will live” (Ezek. 47:9, NIV). Ezekiel’s prophecy illustrates that where the river that comes from God’s church flows, there is life. Ezekiel 47:10 adds to the amazement of it all. … Continue reading –>
Read Ezekiel 47:1-8. What’s going on with the temple that Ezekiel saw in vision? The temple appears to have sprung a leak. You may wonder, did a pipe break, or what? In this case, the leak was a good thing. This water leaking out of the temple was going “toward the east.” East of Jerusalem … Continue reading –>
