This was the climate that Jesus was ministering in: rigid impossibilities required for Sabbath keeping that ruined the original purpose of the Sabbath. It was to be a day to rest from our work; a day to worship God and fellowship with other believers in ways that we cannot do during the work week; a … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: Sabbath, observed in its true spirit, is a powerful experience that celebrates our creation, redemption, and eternal rest and relationship in Jesus. Resting in Christ – April 30 – May 6, 2016 1. Have a volunteer read Matthew 12:3-8. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in … Continue reading –>
If, as so much of the Christian world argues, the seventh-day Sabbath was abolished, replaced, superseded, fulfilled (whatever), then why did Jesus spend so much time dealing with how to keep the Sabbath? Read the following verses. What are the issues under contention in these scenes, and what are not the issues? Matt. 12:1-2; Luke 14:1-6; … Continue reading –>
In Matthew 11:20-27, Jesus begins with a powerful rebuke to some of the cities in Galilee who rejected His ministry. What makes the rebuke, and His warning of condemnation, so frightening is that these cities had been given great opportunities to know the truth. He, the Truth (John 14:6), had walked in the flesh among … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Matt. 11:28-30; Matt. 12:1-2; Luke 14:1-6; John 5:9-16; Matt. 12:9-14; Isa. 58:7-13. Memory Text:“‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’” (Matthew 11:28, NIV). Christ was a living representative of the law. No violation of its holy precepts was found in His … Continue reading –>
Who among us doesn’t know the reality of the great controversy? We know about this war because we feel it inside us on a daily basis. We live in a broken world, a world cursed with anxiety and pain. A world where a serpent isn’t limited to one tree in the middle of a garden … Continue reading –>
All through history, humans have engaged in warfare. Something in human nature causes the people of one group to want to plunder, pillage, and slaughter those of another. In a book about her father, British philosopher Bertrand Russell, Katherine Tait wrote about her father’s concern at the outbreak of World War I regarding the joy … Continue reading –>
You can view an in-depth discussion of “The Seen and Unseen War” 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 lesson outline from the HopeTV … Continue reading –>
As we have already seen, the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:12, however deep, do reveal the fact that the kingdom of God isn’t going to be established without a struggle, or without a fight. That fight, we understand, is the great controversy, and it has been and still is raging. It will until the … Continue reading –>
None greater than John the Baptist. What is the “unseen reality” that has a great impact on our lives? Why is there a screen hiding our view from the controversy between Christ and Satan?Or is there such a screen? Do we need to understand all the details of the Plan of Salvation before we can understand … Continue reading –>
Whatever the ultimate meaning of Matthew 11:12, as we saw yesterday, it does help to reveal the reality of the great controversy. It depicts a struggle, a battle and—as we know from other Bible texts—this battle is, at the core, the one between Christ and Satan. Who do the following texts tell us about in … Continue reading –>
Key Thought: The great controversy has cosmic consequences, but is also a battle for each human mind and heart. Our destiny rests on whose side we are on. The Seen and Unseen War – April 23 – 29, 2016 1. Have a volunteer read Matthew 11:11,12. a. Ask class members to share a thought on what … Continue reading –>
