Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Lesson Study 10 March 2-8 2013


Lesson 10*March 2-8

Stewardship and the Environment

SABBATH AFTERNOON
Read for This week’s Study: Psalm 8Gen. 2:15Rev. 4:11Exod. 20:8-11, 1 Cor. 3:16.
Memory Text: “Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ “(Genesis 1:28, NKJV).
The world in which we live is a gift of love from the Creator
God, from ‘Him who made heaven and the earth, the sea and the springs of water’ (Rev. 14:7, NKJV). Within this creation He placed humans, set intentionally in relationship with Himself, other persons, and the surrounding world. Therefore, as Seventh-day Adventists, we hold its preservation and nurture to be intimately related to our service to Him. . . .
“Since human poverty and environmental degradation are interrelated, we pledge ourselves to improve the quality of life for all people. Our goal is a sustainable development of resources while meeting human needs. . . .
“In this commitment we confirm our stewardship of God’s creation and believe that total restoration will be complete only when God makes all things new.”-Excerpted from “Caring for Creation—A Statement on the Environment by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.”
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 9.?
SUNDAYMarch 3

Dominion Given at Creation

According to Genesis 1:26, Adam’s dominion extended to all other created entities—in the sea, on land, and in the air. Dominion includes the idea of ruling or having power over these creatures. Nothing is said about dominion over the forces of nature themselves but only over the creatures. And, according to the text, this rule was universal: Adam was to be, essentially, the ruler of the earth.
Read again Psalm 8. What is David’s response to the honor God gave to humans? What does it mean that we have been given “honor and glory,” especially in the context of humans having been given dominion over the earth?


According to Genesis 2:19, one of Adam’s earliest tasks was to name the animals. Names had great meaning in biblical times. One’s name represented one’s person and, often, one’s status. The authority to give names to the birds and beasts was confirmation of Adam’s status as ruler over the animals.
Read Genesis 2:15. In what ways do you see the principle of stewardship revealed here?


Adam was assigned the task of caring for the Garden, to manage it and tend to its needs. The Hebrew root, smr, translated here as “keep” it, often means “to watch over” or “to protect.” The Garden was a gift to Adam, an expression of God’s love, and Adam was now given responsibility over it, another example of the dominion that Adam received at the time of Creation.
How should our understanding of God as the Creator, or even more specifically our understanding of the Creation story itself, impact the ways in which we treat the environment? Why should our understanding of these things protect us from either gross indifference toward the environment or, in contrast, a fanatical devotion to it?
MONDAYMarch 4

Caring for Other Creatures

“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Ps.50:10). What in this text touches on the topic of our stewardship of the earth?


Read Revelation 4:11. How does this text contrast radically with the common atheistic notions of a creation without a creator, a creation that comes into being purely by chance alone?


Creation of the animals was not an accident or an afterthought. God intentionally created them. It was His will that they should exist, and this principle should guide our treatment of them (see also Exod. 23:512Prov. 12:10Luke 14:5).
Indeed, cruelty toward animals and indifference toward their suffering are widely recognized as symptomatic of personality disorders. Many organizations have been established to promote good treatment of animals, and rightly so.
However, at the same time, some people have gone so far as to claim that humans are not intrinsically more important than animals, and so humans should not be given preferential treatment. This, in many ways, is a train of thought that flows logically from an evolutionary model of human origins. After all, if we and the animals are separated only by time and chance, why should we be any more special than they are? One philosopher has even argued that a chicken, or even a fish, has more “personhood” than does a fetus in the womb or even a newborn infant. However ridiculous these ideas might sound, they can be derived, with a fair amount of logic, from an atheistic evolutionary model of human origins.
Of course, such ideas are not supported in Scripture. Humans have special status in God’s plan in contrast to the animals.(See Gen. 3:21Exod. 29:38Lev. 11:3.)
Put yourself in the mind of an atheist evolutionist and work through the reasons for why you think that animals should be treated no differently than humans. What should this tell you about how important our presuppositions are in determining the outcome of our thought?
TUESDAYMarch 5

The Sabbath and the Environment

As we have seen, the concept of stewardship, in the context of the way in which we take care of the planet, is tied directly to the Creation. Our views on Creation will influence our views on the way in which we should relate to the Creation.
For some, the Creation is to be exploited, used, even pillaged to whatever degree necessary in order to fulfill our own desires and wants. Others, in contrast, all but worship the Creation itself (see Rom. 1:25). Then there is the biblical view, which should give us a balanced perspective on the way in which we relate to the world that the Lord created for us.
Read Exodus 20:8-11. What do we find in this commandment that relates to stewardship?


“God set aside the seventh-day Sabbath as a memorial and perpetual reminder of His creative act and establishment of the world. In resting on that day, Seventh-day Adventists reinforce the special sense of relationship with the Creator and His creation. Sabbath observance underscores the importance of our integration with the total environment.”-Excerpted from “Caring for Creation—A Statement on the Environment.”
By pointing us to the fact that God created us and the world that we inhabit, the Sabbath is a constant reminder that we are not wholly autonomous creatures able to do whatever we wish to others and to the world itself. Sabbath should teach us that we are, indeed, stewards, and that stewardship entails responsibilities. And, as we can see in the commandment itself, responsibility extends to how we treat those who are “under” us.
Think about how you treat other people, particularly those who are under your dominion. Are you treating them with respect, fairness, and grace? Or are you taking advantage of the power that you have over them? If the latter, remember, you will one day have to answer for your actions.
WEDNESDAYMarch 6

Stewards of Our Health

As we have seen throughout this quarter, God’s original Creation was “good,” even “very good.” Everything and everyone came forth from the hand of the Creator in a state of perfection. There was no sickness, no disease, no death. Contrary to the evolutionary model—in which disease, sickness, and death are part of the very means of creation—these things came only after the Fall, after the entrance of sin. Thus, it is only against the background of the Creation story that we can better understand the biblical teaching about health and healing.
Read 1 Corinthians 6:1920. What is our responsibility to God regarding the care of our bodies?


Our bodies are the vehicle for our brain, and it is through our brain that the Holy Spirit communicates with us. If we wish to have communion with God, we must take care of our bodies and brains. If we abuse our bodies, we destroy ourselves, both physically and spiritually. According to these texts, the whole question of health itself, and how we take care of our bodies, the “temple of God,” is a moral issue, one filled with eternal consequences.
Care of our health is a vital part of our relationship to God. Obviously, some aspects of our health are beyond our power. We all have defective genes, we all are exposed to unknown chemicals or other damaging agents, and we are all at risk of physical injury that may damage our health. God knows all this. But to the extent that lies within our power, we are to do our best to maintain our bodies, made in the image of God.
“Let none who profess godliness regard with indifference the health of the body, and flatter themselves that intemperance is no sin, and will not affect their spirituality. A close sympathy exists between the physical and the moral nature. The standard of virtue is elevated or degraded by the physical habits. . . . Any habit which does not promote healthful action in the human system degrades the higher and nobler faculties.”-Ellen G. White, The Review and Herald,Jan. 25, 1881.
THURSDAYMarch 7

Stewardship Principles

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17, NIV). How does this text help to set the foundation for a biblically based concept of stewardship?


We often tend to think of stewardship in terms of money. As we’ve seen this week, however, stewardship involves much more than just that. Yet, whether dealing with money or with environmental concerns or our own health, there are certain principles involved in good stewardship, principles that have their ultimate foundation in the Creation, as depicted in Genesis. In the end, because God is our Creator, and because everything we have is a gift from Him, we are obligated before Him to be good stewards of whatever has been entrusted to us.
Read Matthew 25:14-30 to see how this parable illustrates the rewards of good stewardship. What is the message of this parable regarding the principles of stewardship in general?


“To His servants Christ commits ‘His goods’-something to be put to use for Him. He gives ‘to every man his work.’ Each has his place in the eternal plan of heaven. Each is to work in co-operation with Christ for the salvation of souls. Not more surely is the place prepared for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place designated on earth where we are to work for God.”-Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 326, 327.
What are you doing with the talents with which you have been entrusted (remember—everything good comes from “the Father of the heavenly lights”)? What choices can you make that will enable you to use these gifts in better service for the Lord’s work?
FRIDAYMarch 8
Further Study: “Christ’s followers have been redeemed for service. Our Lord teaches that the true object of life is ministry. Christ Himself was a worker, and to all His followers He gives the law of service—service to God and to their fellow men. Here Christ has presented to the world a higher conception of life than they had ever known. By living to minister for others, man is brought into connection with Christ. The law of service becomes the connecting link which binds us to God and to our fellow men.”-Ellen G, White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 326.

Discussion Questions

  1. Some secularists have proposed that the value of life should not be measured by whether the life is human but by its potential to live a pleasant life. They might value a young, healthy chimpanzee more than they do an old, diseased human. For instance, read the following quote from Australian Peter Singer, who argues that, in certain cases, humans shouldn’t have any more rights than some animals do: “Far from having concern for all life, or a scale of concern impartially based on the nature of the life in question, those who protest against abortion but dine regularly on the bodies of chickens, pigs and calves show only a biased concern for the lives of members of our species. For on any fair comparison of morally relevant characteristics, like rationality, self-consciousness, awareness, autonomy, pleasure, pain, and so on, the calf, the pig, and the much-derided chicken come out well ahead of the fetus at any stage of pregnancy—while if we make the comparison with a fetus of less than three months old, a fish would show more signs of consciousness.”-Peter Singer, Writings on an Ethical Life (New York, N.Y.: The Ecco Press, 2000), p. 156.
    Singer, of course, is an evolutionist; thus, he believes that there’s really no overt qualitative difference between us and the animals. We just have evolved into something different from what they did, that’s all.
    What is radically wrong with this picture? How should we as Christians respond to this kind of thinking?
  2. If you can find it, bring to class the entire text of “Caring for Creation—A Statement on the Environment.” (This statement can be found at adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat5.html.) Otherwise, use the sections quoted in this week’s Sabbath study. Focus on how it ties in the Genesis Creation to the environment. Dwell more on how a proper view of Creation can protect us from taking an extreme position.
Inside Story~  SUD Division:India

A Heart Full of Thanks

Ujjal is a young man, but a hole in his heart had left him chronically tired and subject to fainting spells. He couldn't work or even ride his bicycle.
One day Ujjal's friend Panalal told him that he was learning about Jesus, the powerful and loving God whom Christians worship. Panalal invited Ujjal to a meeting in his home. Ujjal went, hoping that the God of the Christians would heal him. He listened intently as Gopal, the Global Mission pioneer, explained that God forgives our sins if we believe and ask Him.
When Gopal finished his talk, he invited those with special prayer requests to stand. Ujjal stood. Gopal asked what his prayer request was, and Ujjal described his heart problem. Ujjal bowed his head while Gopal prayed. Immediately Ujjal felt an energy surge through him. He told Gopal that he believed he had been healed and that he wanted to become a Christian.
Gopal came to Ujjal's home to study the Bible, and soon Ujjal, his parents, and his two younger brothers accepted Jesus as their Savior.
The family attended an Adventist church in town, but Ujjal wanted to share his faith with others living in a nearby village. With his heart trouble gone, Ujjal rode his bicycle to the village and began sharing the gospel. He met a man with chronic stomach trouble and told him, "I know who can heal you without medicine." He told the man about Jesus and offered to pray for him. Ujjal took his pastor and Gopol to pray for the man as well, and soon this man and his family accepted Jesus as their Savior and asked to be baptized.
Ujjal asked the family to open their home to hold prayer meetings. The other villagers had been watching the family and saw the changes in their lives. One by one the man and his family invited their neighbors to let Ujjal visit them and pray for them. As the people learned about Jesus, they began taking Bible studies and preparing for baptism.
Ujjal became a lay evangelist, and so far has led more than 50 people in this village to Christ. He also began working in another village where more people are learning about the loving and all-powerful God and accepting Jesus as their Lord.
Our mission offerings help support the work of Global Mission workers such as Gopol and Ujjal in Southern Asia and around the world.
Gopol and Ujjal and hundreds more like them work as Global Mission pioneers and lay evangelists in the Calcutta region of India.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.  email:  info@adventistmission.org   website: www.adventistmission.org

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Lesson Study 9 Feb 23- March 1


Lesson 9*February 23-March 1

Marriage: A Gift From Eden

SABBATH AFTERNOON
Read for This week’s Study: Gen. 2:18-25, Mark 10:7-9Eph. 5:22-25, Matt. 5:27-30,2 Cor. 3:18.
Memory Text: “And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him’ “ (Genesis 2:18).
Think of the blessings of a happy marriage and a loving home.
How fortunate are those who have such an experience!
Unfortunately, for too many people, marriage has been an experience of mostly pain and anger rather than of joy and peace. This is not how it was intended or how it should be. The sad state of so many marriages is a powerful expression of the degradation that sin has brought to the human race.
“God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for its originator the Creator of the universe. ‘Marriage is honorable’ (Hebrews 13:4); it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that, after the Fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise. When the divine principles are recognized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is a blessing; it guards the purity and happiness of the race, it provides for man’s social needs, it elevates the physical, the intellectual, and the moral nature.”-Ellen G. White, Patriarch and Prophets, p. 46.
What a wonderful ideal. This week’s lesson looks at some of the principles behind it.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 2.
SUNDAYFebruary 24

Lo Tov

Out of a primeval abyss God created our world through the supernatural power of His Word. All through the Creation account, everything was “good” until the work was completed, at which point everything the Lord had created was pronounced “very good” (Gen. 1:31).
In the midst of all this, however, one thing was lo tov, "not good.” Read Genesis 2:18. What was “not good,” and why? What are some of the implications of this text?


God had declared all aspects of the Creation “good” up to the time that He created Adam. At that point, Adam was the only human. Although he was made in the image of God, in his aloneness, he could not reflect the full image of God, who exists in relationship with other parts of the Godhead. The Godhead, of course, is composed of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thus, Adam needed someone like himself with whom he could form a relationship of mutual love and cooperation, reflecting the loving relationship exemplified within the Godhead.
Read Genesis 2:19-21. After what act does God cause Adam to sleep and then, from his flesh, create a wife? How might the previous act be related to God’s creation of a wife for Adam?


Perhaps the key here is found in the last phrase of verse 20. As he named the animals, Adam must have noticed that they came in pairs, male and female, unlike himself, who was a singular creation. We can be sure that the Lord all along intended for Adam to have a wife. Perhaps the Lord intended to create a longing in Adam, the sense that something was missing in his own existence, which would make him that much more appreciative of the gift that the Lord was going to give him in a wife.
Consider the contrast between the “good” of the rest of the Creation, and the declaration of “not good” in regard to Adam’s solitude. What does this indicate about the value of relationships? What can you do to help to strengthen whatever valuable relationships you are now in?
MONDAYFebruary 25

A Companion for Adam

Genesis 2:20, in which Adam names the animals, helps to reveal the great gap between humans and other earthly creatures. There was no animal that was comparable to Adam. Not even among the apes was there any creature like Adam, because Adam was not like an ape. This is an important point for us to remember because so many in our society promote the idea that humans are nothing more than advanced apes. We are not apes, and an ape was no more suitable as a companion for Adam than it would be for one of us.
Read Genesis 2:2122. What significance is found in the method by which God created a companion for Adam?


As God had personally crafted Adam’s body from the dust of the ground, so He personally crafted Eve’s body, using one of Adam’s ribs. God did not need Adam’s rib to create Eve; He could have created her as He had created Adam or even spoken her into existence.
But God had a reason for forming Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs. If the two had been created completely separately, it could indicate that by nature they were completely independent individuals. But the sharing of flesh in both persons indicates that the two were to be united and were intended to be “one flesh.”
After being created, Eve was brought to Adam to be his helper (vs. 18). She was made from Adam (vs. 22) and given to Adam (vs. 22). The process by which God created Eve showed clearly that God could provide any companion that Adam needed. This point became important later when Adam faced the temptation of whether to join Eve in the eating of the fruit or to trust God to take care of the situation. Adam had ample reason to believe that God could take care of him, and this made his sin the more grievous.
Read Genesis 2:23. What was Adam’s response to Eve?


Adam was so excited when he saw Eve that he sang out in poetry. This is the first poem in the Bible and reflects Adam’s regard for his wife and the closeness of their relationship. She was to be his equal, another aspect of Creation that was damaged by the Fall.
TUESDAYFebruary 26

Ideal Marriage

Author William Faulkner once called marriage a “failure” and wrote that “the only way to get any peace out of it is . . . to keep the first one [wife] and stay as far away from her as much as you can, with the hope of some day outliving her.” What a sad commentary on the state of many marriages.
Read Mark 10:7-9. What texts did Jesus quote in this passage? What characteristics of a good marriage can be found in the words of Jesus here?


The benefits of leaving one’s parents in order to create a home with one’s spouse are so well known that they hardly need to be mentioned. Problems with in-laws are one of the leading causes of marital discord. One of the first steps to take when establishing a happy home is to respect the independence of the marriage partners by the establishment of a home separate from their parents when at all possible. In cases when it is not possible, the privacy and intimacy of marriage should still be respected.
Unity is another feature of a good marriage. Unity does not mean that the two partners should give up the use of their separate brains, but that they should be united in their purpose to do the very best for each other and for their union.
Jesus also emphasized the lasting nature of marriage. Marriage is not a casual relationship to be entered into or dismissed at will. It is a lifetime commitment. Those who are not prepared to commit themselves for life should postpone such a step until they are ready.
Read Ephesians 5:22-25. In what way do these verses reveal the principles of a good marriage?


It is the husband’s privilege to give himself to his wife in loving service, as Christ gave Himself for the church. In turn, the wife is to respect her husband and to cooperate in their work toward their mutual goals. Here is the solution to the discord that sin has brought into the marriage relationship. Self-sacrificing love will be met by loving respect and mutual happiness. Our homes can be a foretaste of heaven.
WEDNESDAYFebruary 27

Protecting What’s Precious

One of the greatest examples of God’s love for humanity can be found in human sexuality. It is truly a wonderful gift from God. Yet, as with all the gifts that we have been given, it doesn’t come unconditionally. That is, it’s not something we can just do with as we please. God has set some rules. Indeed, He is very clear: sexual activity is to be between a husband and wife, male and female, and only in the context of marriage. Anything outside of that is sin.
Read Matthew 5:27-30. Look at how seriously Jesus takes the issues with which He is dealing here. What is, ultimately, at stake?


However much we like to focus (and rightly so) on all the grace and forgiveness that Jesus bestows upon sinners, we can’t forget the high standards of morality that He lived and preached. It’s hard to imagine how Jesus could have expressed more strongly the warning against sexual immorality as revealed in these few verses. Plucking out your eye? Cutting off your hand? If this is what it takes to be pure, then it’s worth it; otherwise you are in danger of losing your eternal life.
“If all who profess to obey the law of God were free from iniquity, my soul would be delivered; but they are not. Even some who profess to keep all the commandments of God are guilty of the sin of adultery. What can I say to arouse their benumbed sensibilities? Moral principle, strictly carried out, becomes the only safeguard of the soul.”-Ellen G. White,Counsels on Health, pp. 621, 622.
However strong Jesus’ warning is here, we must not forget the story about the woman caught in the act of adultery(John 8:1-11). How do we strike the right balance between the upholding of the standards that Jesus talked about in the above verses, while at the same time showing grace and compassion to those who fall, as revealed in this story?
THURSDAYFebruary 28

Marriage as a Metaphor for the Church

It is well-known among students of the Bible that both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament marriage is used as a symbol of the relationship between God and His covenant people. That’s why, for example, on numerous occasions the Bible uses the image of an unfaithful woman to symbolize the apostasy and backsliding that was prevalent in ancient Israel. For instance, back in Exodus, the Lord said to His people that they should not enter into any kind of close relationship with the pagans around them because the pagans were a very perverse people who could lead Israel astray.
Read Exodus 34:1516. What image does the Lord use in this specific warning? How can this be understood in the context of God’s people as being “married” to Him? See Jer. 3:14.


At the same time, the image of the church as the bride of Christ points toward unity among believers and with Christ, especially when understood in the context of the biblical ideal for marriage: one man and one woman in a loving, self-sacrificing relationship.
Read Ephesians 5:28-32 and Revelation 19:5-9. What are these texts teaching?


In these texts, the relationship within the ideal marriage is compared with the relationship of God and His people. God invites His people to join with Him in an intimate relationship. This is an amazing picture of God’s interest in His people and His desire to bring us into His fellowship.
What choices can you make that will draw you closer to the Lord and closer to the ideal represented in the biblical concept of marriage? Why is it a matter of the choices that you, and you alone, can make?
FRIDAYMarch 1
Further Study: In many ways, a proper understanding of morality, especially sexual morality, is clearly tied to a proper understanding of our origins. For example: evolutionary philosophy does not provide an objective basis for any link between sexual activity and morality. Animals have many different types of “mating systems.” Some species are polygamous, many are promiscuous. A few species are mostly monogamous, but genetic studies have revealed that many species that appear to be monogamous are not actually so. In many species, a female may give birth to a group of offspring that are not all fathered by the same individual. Without the objective standard of morality given by the Creator, we would have no basis for the evaluation of sexual behavior as morally good or bad. The current push to approve homosexual partnerships illustrates this point. It is only in the light of Creation that marriage is properly understood.
“In both the Old and the New Testament, the marriage relation is employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between Christ and His people. To the mind of Jesus the gladness of the wedding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when He shall bring home His bride to the Father’s house, and the redeemed with the Redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”-Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 151.

Discussion Questions

  1. Darwinism denies anything like the biblical creation. What rules for sexual behavior, if any, does Darwinism provide, and how do they contrast with the biblical ideal?
  2. What are some biblical examples of good marriages and happy homes? Name some biblical examples of unhappy marriages and homes. What can we learn from both?
  3. Review the description of the virtuous wife in Proverbs 31:10-31. What should be the character of the husband of such a wife?
  4. In what ways can your local church be a place that can help to affirm and strengthen the ideals of marriage? What practical things can your church do in order to accomplish that goal?
Inside Story~  ECD Division:Egypt, New Caledonia

Small Projects Make Big Impact

Part of our mission offerings are set aside to fund specific small outreach projects around the world. These are separate from the larger Thirteenth Sabbath Offering funds. Two recipients report on how they used these special project funds to reach out to their communities.
Egypt has fewer than 750 Adventists among a population of more than 80 million people. The vast majority of Egyptians are Muslims. During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, observant Muslims fast during the day and break their fast with an evening meal after sunset. In a gesture of goodwill, the Adventist Church hosted an evening meal during Ramadan for members of the Muslim community. They invited a number of Adventists and prominent Christians to mingle with their Muslim guests.
More than 20 non-Adventists attended the meal, including government assistant ministers, a general, a police colonel, representatives from two political parties, leaders of an Egyptian human rights organization, and journalists. After the meal the guests expressed appreciation and good will toward the Adventist Church. Some indicated that they had been unaware of Seventh-day Adventists before the occasion.
Egypt Field president Llewellyn Edwards spoke to the guests, expressing how living among Muslims had changed his understanding of Muslims from one of fear created by Western media to one of friendship and hospitality. "Muslims are people to be loved," he said.
The small projects mission offering helped to build a bridge of understanding between Christians and Muslims in an important political center of the Muslim world.
Halfway around the world lies the tiny South Pacific island nation of New Caledonia. The easternmost island is Mare, only about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from shore to shore. It lies almost 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) east of Australia and is home to about 6,000 people.
In July 2011 Pastor Jean-Noel Adeline led in a series of evangelistic meetings sponsored in part by the small outreach project funds. As many as 200 people from across the island attended the evangelistic meetings. Following the meetings a small group numbering 10 people began meeting on Sabbaths and preparing for baptism.
The islanders and the New Caledonia Mission are moving forward to build a place of worship so that these tender new seeds of faith can grow strong and root deeply in one of the farthest corners of the world.
The new believers on the island of Mare in New Caledonia thank you for sharing your mission offerings and helping them discover God's plan for their lives.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.  email:  info@adventistmission.org   website: www.adventistmission.org

Friday, February 15, 2013

Dred Scott and the SDA Connection

Lecture for Life Presents.

Dred Scott and the SDA Connection.


SABBATH FEB 16 2013
4:00 PM
MIDDLETOWN NY SDA CHURCH

COME BACK Feb 23 2013



Lesson 8*February 16-22

Jesus, Provider and Sustainer

SABBATH AFTERNOON
Read for This week’s Study: Heb. 1:3Col. 1:1617Job 42Matt. 5:45; Matt. 6:25-34Matt. 10:28.
Memory Text: “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, NIV).
God sustains the creation in such regular ways that the universe is sometimes compared to a machine that God left to run on its own.
Rather than a machine, however, a better metaphor is that the creation is like a musical instrument that God uses to produce the desired “melody.” That is, He is constantly involved in sustaining what He has created.
Nothing in the universe exists independently of the Lord. He created everything that was created. “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3, NIV). Not only that, but He is the One who sustains it all. Even more astonishing, the One who created and sustains it all was the One who was crucified for us.
“The apostle Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, declares of Christ that ‘all things have been created through Him, and unto Him; and He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.’ Colossians 1:1617, R.V., margin. The hand that sustains the worlds in space, the hand that holds in their orderly arrangement and tireless activity all things throughout the universe of God, is the hand that was nailed to the cross for us.”-Ellen G. White, Education, p. 132.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 23.
SUNDAYFebruary 17

The Sustainer

Read Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:1617. What is the role of Jesus in the ongoing existence of the universe?


The implication here is that Jesus continues to sustain the existence of the universe by His power. The universe is not independent; its existence depends on the continuous exercise of divine will. This is a refutation of deism, the philosophy that teaches that God created the world to govern itself and then left it to evolve without any further action from Him. The Bible rules out such theories.
Also, God is not within the creation, constantly creating it, as in the false theories of pantheism (God and the universe are the same thing) or panentheism (God inhabits the universe as though it were His own body). God is not dependent on the universe in any way. He is separate from the universe. He existed, and continues to exist, independently of it. The universe depends on God; God does not depend on the universe.
Read 1 Corinthians 8:6 and Acts 17:28. How does Paul describe our relationship to Jesus?


We are dependent on God’s sustaining power, moment by moment, day by day. It is because of His love that we continueto exist and are able to act and also form relationships. This is true in a special way for those who have committed themselves to God and who are, as Paul would describe it, “in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17Eph. 2:10; Note the references to creation in these texts). It is also true that even those who reject salvation are, nevertheless, dependent on God’s sustaining power for their existence. Daniel made this point very poignantly to King Belshazzar when he said, “and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified” (Dan. 5:23).
With all this in mind, how do we understand the reality of free will and free choice? Why are these elements of our existence so important to all that we believe?
MONDAYFebruary 18

The Generous Provider

Genesis 1:2930 show that when God first created living creatures, He provided food for them. Herbs, fruits, and seeds were the food chosen for both humans and animals. Nothing is said of predation or competition for resources. The generous Provider made plenty of food for everyone to partake in without any need for violence.
What a contrast to the common models for existence proposed by evolutionary theory, which teaches that human life, indeed all life, exists only through a violent process of predation and survival of the fittest. The early chapters of Genesis know nothing about that. On the contrary, they reveal a world that was, literally, a paradise from the beginning. That’s why when the Lord had finished creating it, the Bible records these words: “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day” (Gen. 1:31).
Read Genesis 2:89. What does this passage indicate about God’s special interest in providing for Adam and Eve?


We already noted that God had provided food for all His creatures, including humans. Now we see God as going a step farther. Not only does He provide food in abundance throughout the earth, but He has prepared a special Garden for Adam and Eve, with trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food (see Gen. 2:9). The Garden, with its beauty and its variety of food, was a provision of God’s extravagant love and grace. It was a gift of grace because Adam and Eve had done nothing to earn it, but it was freely offered and abundantly furnished.
As stated in an earlier lesson, we are far removed from the original Creation. Ours is a greatly damaged world. Nothing on the earth, it seems, has been spared either. Yet, even amid the damage, powerful evidence of God’s love exists.
“Nature is a power, but the God of nature is unlimited in power. His works interpret his character. Those who judge him from his handiworks, and not from the suppositions of great men, will see his presence in everything.”-Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times, March 13, 1884. Look at nature; in what ways do we see “his presence in everything”?
TUESDAYFebruary 19

Natural Evil

Of course, one of the great questions that all believers in a loving God have had to deal with is the question of evil; not just human evil but what is called “natural evil.” That is, when bad things happen in nature (floods, hurricanes, drought, earthquakes, etc.) that cause so much pain and suffering, not just for humans but for animals, as well.
How are we to understand these things? After all, if God is in control of the creation, why would such things happen?
One of the earliest books of the Bible is the book of Job, where these questions (and others) became painfully real for Job (see week four).
Read Job 42. What does this chapter answer for us? What questions remain unanswered?


Anyone who has ever read the book of Job came away with, perhaps, more questions than answers. The book does reveal important truths about the great controversy (see also Rev. 12:12), which help to form a background crucial for us to even begin to understand the existence of evil. The great controversy scenario, however, doesn’t explain every instance of evil. In fact, to explain evil would in a sense be to justify it, and we can never do that. The great controversy can reveal the grand issues behind evil; the motif tells us little, if anything, about each instance of evil.
Job did not understand, and neither do we when we face such catastrophic losses. Although God spoke to Job, He did not provide the answer to Job’s questions, nor did He explain the cause of what happened. He simply reminded Job that there were things beyond his knowledge, and that he would have to trust God, which Job did. Our experience is often similar; we may not receive an answer to our questions. But the story of Job does give us important insight into the nature of evil, and it shows us that God is not unaware of the struggles that we face.
Go back to Sabbath’s introduction and read the Ellen G. White quote. How does that help us to come to grips with the question of evil better, knowing that God Himself suffered greatly from it, as well?
WEDNESDAYFebruary 20

Governing a Damaged Creation

Read Matthew 5:45 and Psalm 65:910. How does God act in the creation in order to maintain the creatures that He created? What does this tell us about God’s interest in the created world?
We are familiar with sunshine and rain, and scientists have provided explanations for the processes involved in each. Yet, there is more to the story than science can tell. Behind the scenes, God is actively providing for the necessities of His creatures. We may not understand His ways, but we know He is in control. Just as a skilled musician may play an instrument to produce music so beautiful that one’s attention is focused on the music rather than on the musician, so God orders the Creation so that we often see the order and are impressed with the majesty of the Creation. At the same time we may not recognize that God is behind the scenes, ordering events according to His will and intending that all things will eventually work together for the good of those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).
What similar phenomenon is noted in the following texts? Gen. 8:1Exod. 10:13Num. 11:31.
Wind is a common event, and we generally understand what causes it. But in these texts, the winds occur in special circumstances. We might call them “providential winds.” They occur at specific times and places and accomplish specific purposes. Though they may appear “natural,” there is an unseen Cause working out the purposes of His own will, using features of the world that He created to accomplish His own purposes.
In2 Kings 20:9-11, we see one of the most unusual miracles of the entire Bible. The relationship of sun and earth and day—length seems like one of the most stable and predictable features of human experience. Imagine the reaction of today’s scientific community if a similar event should occur in our day. Yet, we must ask, “Is any thing too hard for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14). What this miracle and others should tell us is that there is much about the creation, and God’s actions in His creation, that is way beyond our understanding. That’s why it’s so crucial that we come to a personal knowledge of God and know for ourselves the reality of His love. That way, we learn to trust Him despite all that we don’t understand.
THURSDAYFebruary 21

Provider for a Damaged Creation

“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matt. 6:26).
Even after Adam and Eve sinned and could no longer enter the Garden, God provided for their immediate physical needs(Gen. 3:21). Sin brought a new need, the need for clothing. Adam and Eve tried to provide clothing for themselves, but fig leaves were quite unsatisfactory. Something better was needed, which God provided in the form of skins. (We will consider more of the meaning of the skins in another lesson). The point is that God provided for their needs, even though they had fallen into sin. This is another example of God’s grace providing for us despite our unworthiness. Read Matthew 6:25-34. What crucial message is Jesus giving us with these words? How are we to understand them in the face of the trials and tragedy that are such a part of so many lives?


These are very comforting words, and we need to cling to them with all our heart, soul, and mind, especially in times of great suffering, loss, and need. Jesus died for us, not for the lilies or the birds. We can be sure of His love for us, regardless of the circumstances. And yet, as we all know, circumstances can at times be quite appalling. We see famine, drought, floods, epidemics, and death all around, and Christians are not immune to these tragedies either.
God does not promise His people a life of luxury without pain, but He does promise to provide for our needs and to strengthen us so that we may cope with our challenges. We just can’t forget the reality of the great controversy and that we are in a fallen world.
Read Matthew 10:28. How could this verse, read in conjunction with the verses for today, help us to deal better with the harsh realities that we often face?
FRIDAYFebruary 22
Further Study: “Yet men of science think that they can comprehend the wisdom of God, that which He has done or can do. The idea largely prevails that He is restricted by His own laws. Men either deny or ignore His existence, or think to explain everything, even the operation of His Spirit upon the human heart; and they no longer reverence His name or fear His power. They do not believe in the supernatural, not understanding God’s laws or His infinite power to work His will through them. As commonly used, the term ‘laws of nature’ comprises what men have been able to discover with regard to the laws that govern the physical world; but how limited is their knowledge, and how vast the field in which the Creator can work in harmony with His own laws and yet wholly beyond the comprehension of finite beings!”-Ellen G. White,Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 114.
(See also, Ellen G. White, “Laws of Nature,” pp. 259-261 in Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8.)

Discussion Questions

  1. Read carefully the Ellen White quote above. What is she saying? In what ways do we see many scientists today doing exactly what she says?
  2. Modern science today is much better than it used to be at explaining, through natural means, why certain things happen or why they don’t. The problem isn’t with “natural means” or “natural laws,” but with the idea that these means and laws are all that exist—that there is nothing, and certainly no supernatural forces, ultimately behind them. What’s wrong with this assumption? Why, logically, does it make no sense (ask yourself, Where did these laws originate from?), and why is that idea so contrary to the most basic teaching of the Bible?
  3. How does the image of creation as a musical instrument provide a more accurate picture of God’s relationship to the creation than does the image of creation as a machine?
  4. What other examples can you find in Scripture where God caused special events in what we would consider to be merely “forces of nature”? See, for example, 1 Kings 19:1112.
Inside Story~  ECD Division:Congo

Ministry to the Military

Kitoli is a Global Mission pioneer in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His unique ministry is to members of the military in eastern Congo. He has worked in several military camps and has brought many soldiers to Christ, often hiring motorcyclists to take military personnel to evangelistic meetings in their area.
Recently Global Mission pioneers joined local pastors in eastern Congo to reach the people in Beni, a city of about a half million people located on the edge of a thick forest. Few Adventists live in the region, and the local Adventist mission planned to blanket the city with Bible studies and prayer as part of Global Mission's Hope for Big Cities program. The Global Mission pioneers met in Beni to go from door to door, sharing the gospel and inviting the people to take Bible studies. Kitoli, true to his calling, focused his efforts on reaching members of the military stationed in Beni. He made friends and shared his faith with a number of soldiers. When evangelistic meetings were arranged, Kitoli was asked to hold meetings near the military barracks.
Following the efforts to blanket the city with Bible studies and visits, Global Mission pioneers joined local pastors to hold evangelistic meetings in several strategic locations throughout the city. Kitoli held his meetings near the military installations around the city. Many soldiers attended Kitoli's meetings. When the meetings ended, more than 250 people across the city of Beni made decisions for Christ and prepared to be baptized. One of them was an army lieutenant colonel named Sikiliza, who had been touched by the messages of hope and power in Jesus Christ. Sikiliza stepped forward to be baptized, wearing his military uniform. In his testimony before his baptism, he acknowledged the hand of God in his life and vowed to remain faithful to his newfound faith.
Following the evangelistic series, Kitoli returned to his work, where he reaches out to as many soldiers as he can. His goal is to provide Bibles and Bible study lessons to as many members of the military as possible, and he hopes to plant several churches near military bases.
Your mission offerings help maintain church groups planted by Global Mission pioneers in the Congo and throughout the world. Thank you for faithfully supporting the mission of the church through your offerings.
Dowell Chow is the Adventist Mission coordinator in the East-Central Africa Division, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.  email:  info@adventistmission.org   website: www.adventistmission.org