Thursday, January 26, 2017

Lesson 5 The Baptism and Filling of the Holy Spirit Jan 28 -Feb 3 2017

Lesson 5January 28-February 3

The Baptism and Filling of the Holy Spirit


Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week's Study: Mark 1:8Eph. 5:18Acts 13:52Luke 11:8-10Acts 5:32Gal. 5:16-26.
Memory Text: "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10, NIV).
As Christians, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. Without Him, our witness will be powerless and our Christian life nothing but a burden. We might have learning, talent, and eloquence, but without the Spirit, we cannot experience life as God intended for us to. We will not have the assurance of salvation and will not know the joy that comes from serving our Lord. We will be Christians in name only, and a Christian in name only is not really a Christian at all.
Jesus, however, wants us to live life to its fullest. He wants to give us life as it is meant to be, a life that is fulfilling and meaningful because it is rooted in the Source of all life: Jesus Christ. He is the Creator of all life, and the only way to eternal life. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6, NKJV). This fullness is possible only by being joined to Him, and this can happen only through the Holy Spirit's working in our lives.
This week we will study what the Bible says about the baptism of the Spirit and what it means to be filled with Him. We will also look at some evidence that testifies that we are, indeed, filled with the Spirit.
Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 4.
SundayJanuary 29

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Read Mark 1:8 (compare with Matt. 3:11Luke 3:16, and John 1:33), Acts 1:5, and Acts 11:16. What other rite of initiation goes together with the baptism of the Spirit?

In the New Testament there are only seven passages that speak about being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Four of those passages go back to John the Baptist and point to Pentecost. Here the Holy Spirit was given to usher in the beginning of "the last days" of salvation history.
John, however, in contrast to the other Gospels, does not use the future tense when speaking about the baptism of the Spirit. Instead, he uses a present participle, indicating that this is something that has continuing validity (see John 1:33). The same tense is used by John just a few verses earlier in John 1:29, when he talks about another important work of Jesus: the taking away of the sins of the world. The ministry of Jesus consists in taking away our sins and in giving us the Holy Spirit. This twofold experience is also reported in Acts 2:38. After their eyes were opened to Christ, the disciples received both: forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit. The same experience is reported about the believers in the house of Cornelius in Acts 10:4344 and later in Acts 11:16. Water baptism is known as the baptism of repentance (Acts 19:4). When we repent of sin and are baptized in the name of Jesus, we also receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:28-39).
In the New Testament, the receiving of the Holy Spirit and baptism belong together. They signal our new birth. In baptism we are identified with Christ, and Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit so that we can live in His power and proclaim the good news. The baptism of the Spirit is no second work of grace at a later stage in life that some associate with miraculous gifts.
In 1 Corinthians 12:13, Paul does not have in mind the unique experience at Pentecost, but rather the experience of all believers. He states that by one Spirit we all are baptized into one body, and all were made to drink of one Spirit. Paul emphasizes unity. The word "all" is crucial. Paul connects the initiation of all believers into the body of Christ with the baptism of the Spirit.
What has been your own experience in being baptized by the Holy Spirit? What has He meant for your life? What would you be like without Him working in you?
MondayJanuary 30

Being Filled With the Holy Spirit

Read Ephesians 5:18Acts 13:52, and Romans 8:9. What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? How does being filled with the Spirit happen in our lives?

Once we are baptized and belong to Christ, we should live in the power of the Spirit. For this to happen we have to be filled with the Spirit. There are numerous references in the New Testament where people are filled with the Spirit (Luke 1:4167Acts 2:44:8319:1713:9). The apostle Paul uses the word filling to say that a person has completely submitted to God and is open for the guiding influence of the Holy Spirit so that God's own work can be accomplished in the person's life.
If we yield to the influence of alcohol, our walk, talk, and thoughts will be negatively affected. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we yield every part of our life to His transforming influence with the result that our walk, talk, and thoughts will reflect Jesus.
While the Spirit is given by the hearing of faith (Gal. 3:2) and is received through faith (Gal. 3:14) at our baptism (Titus 3:56), we need to seek the infilling of the Holy Spirit every day. We can't live off a powerful experience that we had last year, or last month, or even yesterday. We need the infilling of God's Spirit each day, for each day brings its own challenges.
In the Greek of Acts 13:52, the term filled with the Spirit is in the imperfect tense, signifying continuous action. It literally means: "being (continuously) filled." Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time event. It is something that we should seek and receive every day. This filling has to be repeated so that every part of our life is filled with His presence, and so we are empowered to live as we should.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit does not so much mean that we possess more of Him but that He possesses more of us. Only when we commit all aspects of our life to the Spirit every day can He use us to God's glory.
"I wish to impress upon you the fact that those who have Jesus abiding in the heart by faith, have actually received the Holy Spirit. Every individual who receives Jesus as his personal Saviour, just as surely receives the Holy Spirit to be his Counselor, Sanctifier, Guide, and Witness." - Ellen G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, p. 71.
TuesdayJanuary 31

Conditions: Part 1

God's Word points to certain conditions needed for the Spirit to abide in us. We will look at some important ones during the next two days.
Read Acts 2:3738. What is the first condition for receiving the Holy Spirit?

One condition for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is repentance. Hearing the Word of God arouses our conscience and can lead us to an awareness of our true sinfulness and lost condition. True repentance is more than just feeling sorry for the dire consequences of our sin. It is a thorough change of heart and mind so that we see sin for what it really is: an ugly evil and rebellion against God. The only way that we can experience true repentance is to be touched by the love of God: "Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" (Rom. 2:4, NASB).
Read Galatians 3:14 and James 1:6-8. Why can't we receive the Holy Spirit without trusting God's Word?

Jesus has promised to send the Spirit as His representative. In faith we receive the promised gift. But if we doubt God's promise and do not trust His Word, we are like a double-minded person and cannot expect to receive anything from God. Faith is more than intellectual assent. It is putting our lives on the line, trusting that God will keep His Word and not let us down, regardless of what happens.
Read Luke 11:8-1013. Why does persistent intercession make a difference?

God is not reluctant to give us the Spirit. God is good and benevolent, more than we can be even to our own children. Our persistent intercession does not change His mind. Our prayer changes us and brings us into God's presence. Prayer doesn't bring God down to us but brings us up to Him. Our prayers simply reveal our determination and they prepare us for the gift.
How can we learn to be more fervent, diligent, and self-surrendering in our own prayer life? Why is it important that we do learn these things?
WednesdayFebruary 1

Conditions: Part 2

Read Acts 5:32. Why is obedience to God's Word an important condition for receiving the Holy Spirit?

Then, as now, the Holy Spirit is granted to all who obey God. In the Bible, love and obedience go hand in hand, and true faith is expressed in obedience. If we trust God with all our hearts, we will obey His commandments. Jesus said: "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word" (John 14:23, NASB). Obedience is a choice leading to a lifestyle that follows God's will as expressed in His law. We must continue in obedience if we want to acknowledge Jesus as our Lord (Luke 6:46). In 1 John 2:45 we are told that "the one who says, 'I have come to know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected" (NASB). Those are strong words. From John we also know that "the one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us" (1 John 3:24, NASB). When we do what God has commanded, we will have peace of mind.
Read Jude 18-21. Why do we need to avoid all impurity if we want to be filled with the Spirit?

The fire of the Holy Spirit cannot keep burning in our lives when we are worldly-minded. The Holy Spirit reacts very sensitively to the existence of all sin and worldliness in our lives. Therefore we need to keep ourselves in the love of God and be connected with God through prayer so that we will shun all impurity and display a spirit of power, love, and discipline (2 Tim. 1:67). Only through a close and fierce battle with self can we be the kind of people we should become. Of course, we can't do it ourselves; the battle comes in our choice of either surrendering our wills to the prompting of the Holy Spirit or allowing the flesh to dominate. The choice is ours.
"There is no limit to the usefulness of one who, by putting self aside, makes room for the working of the Holy Spirit upon his heart, and lives a life wholly consecrated to God." - Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 250, 251. How can you apply these words to your own spiritual life?
ThursdayFebruary 2

Self-centered Living Versus Christ-centered Living

Read Galatians 5:16-26 and compare it with Ephesians 5:1-917-20. List the differences between a self-centered life and a life that is filled with the Spirit.

The life of a person who does not live in the Spirit is radically different from the life and values of a person who is filled with the Spirit.
Self-centered PersonSpirit-controlled Person
Desires what is sinful and displeasing to GodDesires what is spiritual and pleasing to God
Is controlled by sinful passionsIs controlled by the Spirit
Misuses his/her freedom and gets enslaved in sinIs set free from the bondage of sin and is called to freedom in Christ
Is disobedient to God's willIs obedient to God's will
Is self-indulgentIs self-sacrificing
Displays the fruit of sinDisplays the fruit of the Spirit
Does not recognize the need for forgiveness and is boastful of selfRecognizes the need for forgiveness and praises Jesus for what He has done
The life of a person who is filled with God's Spirit is characterized by a loving obedience to God's law and a gentle spirit of compassion for others (see 2 Cor. 5:14, NASB). Having been renewed in our mind and thinking and having received a new heart and a new outlook on life, our values and behavior will change. We want to live our life no longer in our own strength but in submission to the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:3).
We cannot transform ourselves. We possess no real power to change ourselves, for sin is too deeply ingrained in us. The renewing energy must come from God. The change from within can be successful only through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. No mere external change, such as correcting this or that bad habit, makes us Christians. The change has to come from a heart renewed by the Holy Spirit.
This is the work of a lifetime, a work that will have its up and downs, but a work that God promises to do in us if we surrender to Him. "[B]eing confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6, NKJV).
In what areas of your life do you see the selfish, self-centered part come through, and in what parts do you see a life that reflects the working of the Holy Spirit in you? What does your answer tell you about yourself and the choices you need to make?
FridayFebruary 3
Further Thought: It is only natural for any person to seek control of one's life. We normally depend on our own efforts to achieve all that we can. While many people spend their lives in a quest for control, others have an unhealthy fear of losing control. This human dilemma finds an answer only in God. He wants you to give to Him, Your Creator and Redeemer, full control. He knows and loves you as nobody else can. This opens the door for Him to work in your life. By choosing to submit your will to the leading of God's Holy Spirit, you will have His supernatural peace and boundless opportunities to be a blessing to others. But we need the desire for this power in our lives. God doesn't force Himself on any of us. To be moral beings we need to be free beings. And to be truly free in Christ we need a sense of abandonment (that of wanting to abandon our old sinful and fallen ways) and a sense of abiding (that of abiding in the power of the Holy Spirit). To be truly free, we must be truly surrendered to the control of the Holy Spirit. But there is no contradiction here. Our freedom is found in liberation from the condemnation and power of sin, which always enslaves us and always leads to death. Instead, by surrendering to the Lord, and making way for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, not only are we no longer condemned (see Rom. 8:1) but we live a life where we "do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit" (NKJV). That's the only true freedom that we, as sinful and fallen beings, can ever know.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Some people think that freedom consists of being able to do what you want, when you want, and how you want to do it. What's wrong with that concept from a Christian perspective? What is the biblical idea of true freedom? (See Ps. 119:45Luke 4:18John 8:34-362 Cor. 3:17, and Gal. 5:1.)
  2. Why is it important to put self aside and consecrate our lives wholly to God before the Holy Spirit can work mightily through us? What could God do in you that would make you more of a blessing to others if you put self aside and opened your heart to the workings of the Holy Spirit in you?
  3. "The Christian's life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit." - Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 172. Discuss in class the implications of these words.
  4. Compare the evidence of a self-centered life with a life that is Spirit-filled (see chart on Thursday). Discuss with the members of your Sabbath school group what the greatest blessing of a Spirit-filled life could be for us.
Inside Story~  Inter-European Division

Finding God's Plan, Part 2

Roza continued attending the Adventist church, and she became convinced that this was where God wanted her to be. After attending the church for several months, Roza asked to be baptized.
Her parents were angry when she told them about her decision. For the first time in her life her father hit her. And her mother demanded that she leave the house.
Roza packed a few clothes and her school textbooks and left her parents' home. She went to stay with an Adventist family who lived nearby. Two weeks later Roza's mother sent her sister to ask her to return home.
She was permitted to sleep in her own bed, but her parents no longer supported her financially. A scholarship paid her school tuition, but Roza took a job cleaning the church to pay for food and other necessities. She spent most of her time in class and studying in the school library, going home only to sleep. Roza managed to finish college on her own.
Roza knew that her mother was worried about her. "How will you ever find a husband?" she asked. Roza knew her mother had a point, for there weren't many Adventists in Poland. But she claimed God's promises to provide for her in every way.
While Roza was preparing for baptism she met Krystov [Chris-toff], a young man who lived in another city and was also planning to be baptized. The two began writing to each other, and in time they began dating. Eventually they were married.
Krystov entered the ministry, and Roza began her career as a teacher. Her family saw that the couple was happy in their faith and in their work, and they have reconciled with their daughter. Roza hopes that one day soon her parents will find the joy in Jesus that she and Krystov know.
Roza is grateful to God for leading her to the Savior through the influence of her grandmother, a Bible lecture brochure, and a Bible camp filled with friendly youth who welcomed her.
This quarter, you can help reach many more people in Poland for Jesus through your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Part of this quarter's will fund live television programs aimed specifically toward children and youth on Hope Channel Poland. Thank you for your support through the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Did you know that you don't have to wait until the last Sabbath of the quarter to give to this special offering? Give online now at our secure website: giving.adventistmission.org and choose "13th Sabbath Offering from the pull-down fund menu. Thank you!

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.  email: info@adventistmission.org  website: www.adventistmission.org

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Lesson 4 The Personality of the Holy Spirit Jan 21-27 2017

Lesson 4January 21-27

The Personality of the Holy Spirit


Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week's Study: John 16:1314Rom. 8:14-16Rom. 15:13John 14:6John 17:17Rom. 5:5.
Memory Text: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you" (John 14:26, NASB).
Because the Holy Spirit is occasionally depicted in the Bible in impersonal terms, such as wind or fire, some have concluded that He is impersonal, a type of divine power. In their view, He is more like an electric current that empowers us rather than existing as a personal Being. But the question is not whether some passages can be brought forward that denote more impersonal operations or influences of the Holy Spirit. The question is whether there are numerous portions of Scripture that positively do establish His personality.
There are texts that we need to take into consideration in order to gain a more complete picture of who the Holy Spirit is.
This week we will learn more about the personality of the Holy Spirit as He is described in Scripture. This truth will help us better understand the role of God's divine Spirit in our lives. And it will help us to gain a deeper understanding of the importance of the belief of the personality of the Holy Spirit for our spiritual life. Only if we entertain right thoughts about Him can we render to Him that love, reverence, confidence, and submission that are His due.
Study this week's lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 28.
SundayJanuary 22

Jesus' Description of the Holy Spirit

Read John 16:1314John 15:2627; and John 14:1726. What very personal characteristics does Jesus attribute to the Holy Spirit in these passages? What does it mean to you that Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as a helper or comforter (parakletos)?

According to Jesus, the Holy Spirit guidesspeaks, hearsdiscloses, and glorifies (John 16:1314, NASB). The Holy Spirit also teaches and reminds us (John 14:26). He dwells in us (John 14:17), He testifies (John 15:2426) and He convicts (John 16:8). These sound more like the actions of a sovereign personality than they do an impersonal force.
Read John 14:16-18. How would Jesus' promise be fulfilled? How are the disciples not left alone?

Jesus cares for His followers. He would not leave His disciples as orphans. He promised to send the Holy Spirit. Jesus here specifically says that He will send "another helper" or "comforter." The words that Jesus uses here are significant. He promises to send another helper. Not a different one. The Greek word for "another" is "allos." In the Greek language of the New Testament "allos" indicates that Christ will send another comforter who is numerically distinct but is of the same character, that is, who is similar to Himself. In other words, Jesus promises One like Himself, One who will take His place, One who will continue to do His work in us, and who is His representative.
This work of the Holy Spirit is the work of a helper or comforter. The Bible here uses the Greek word parakletos (John 14:16) to describe someone who is called upon for support, for assistance, someone called to our aid. Just as Jesus is a Person, the Holy Spirit is also personal. This idea is supported by the fact that personal attributes are often ascribed to the Holy Spirit (seex).
Why is it so much more comforting to know that the Holy Spirit is a personality instead of a mere force?
MondayJanuary 23

Personal Aspects of the Holy Spirit: Part 1

As you read the following texts, ask yourself if they sound as if they are talking about an impersonal force or about a divine Person. Rom. 8:14-1627Rom. 15:301 Cor. 2:10Acts 8:2910:192028:25.

Can an impersonal force intercede in our behalf? Does an impersonal spirit or power have the ability to reveal to us things about God? Does an impersonal influence have the ability to speak? All those biblical statements make much more sense if the Holy Spirit is a personal being as opposed to some impersonal force.
Read the following texts. What personal attributes are ascribed to the Holy Spirit in these passages? Eph. 4:30Acts 5:391 Cor. 12:11Rom. 15:30.

The distinctive characteristics of personality are knowledge (or understanding), feeling, and will. Only a personal being can be grieved. Only a personal being can be deceived and lied to. Only a personal being has the ability to choose as he wills and has his own volition. The will is perhaps one of the most distinctive elements and characteristics in any personality. And only a personal being has the capacity to love. True love is not conceivable in an abstract and impersonal manner. Love comes with a very personal touch. These predicates of personality indicate that the Holy Spirit is a self-conscious, self-knowing, self-willing, and self-determining being, capable of love. He is not a shadowy effluence or an impersonal essence. The Holy Spirit is spoken of in these personal ways because God Himself is a personal God.
"The Holy Spirit has a personality, else He could not bear witness to our spirits and with our spirits that we are the children of God. He must also be a divine person, else He could not search out the secrets which lie hidden in the mind of God." - Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 617.
How does the biblical perspective that the Holy Spirit has characteristics of a personality impact our relationship with Him? What would be different if the Holy Spirit were just an impersonal power as opposed to God Himself?
TuesdayJanuary 24

Personal Aspects of the Holy Spirit: Part 2

A challenge we face in understanding the Holy Spirit is that we can imagine God as a Father in a somewhat tangible way. Many also have a concrete picture of Jesus, as He is described in the Gospels. He took our human nature and appeared to us in human form.
The Holy Spirit, however, is presented in a very different manner. He is seemingly impalpable, much harder to comprehend than are the Father and the Son.
Hence some draw the conclusion that the Holy Spirit is only an impersonal power. As we have seen so far, that idea doesn't really do justice to the nature of the Holy Spirit. In fact, there are statements in the Bible that would make no sense if the Holy Spirit were just an impersonal force or (divine) power.
Carefully read the following two passages and see if they make sense if you replace the reference to the Holy Spirit by the impersonal word "power." Why do these texts make sense only if the Holy Spirit is, indeed, a Person?


The statement of the apostles that "it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us" (Acts 15:28, NASB) would be absurd if the Holy Spirit were only a power or an impersonal influence. The statement instead indicates another personal being, much as both the Father and Son are personal beings.
Furthermore, how can believers be baptized "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19, NASB), if the first two who are mentioned are Persons, but the third mentioned is not? That doesn't make the best sense. Instead, all three are mentioned as being part of the same one name in whom we are baptized. Thus, the Holy Spirit is revealed here to be on the same level as God the Father and God the Son.
Ellen G. White has perceptively stated that "there are three living persons of the heavenly trio . . . the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." - Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 615. She, too, is very clear about the existent personality of the Holy Spirit.
WednesdayJanuary 25

The Spirit of Truth

Read John 14:6 and 17:17. What is the meaning of truth in these passages?

In the Gospel of John, the word truth is a key term. Our contemporary understanding of truth often is very abstract and theoretical. In the Western world it has been shaped by Greek philosophy. However, in the Bible, and particularly in John's Gospel, truth carries a rather personal and specific meaning: Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). While God's Written Word is truthful (compare with John 17:17Ps. 119:142), God's truth is revealed in a supreme way in the person of Jesus Christ. A true knowledge of God is given to us in Jesus, of whom the Scriptures speak, because God has revealed Himself through Him.
Read John 15:26 and 16:13. What function does the Holy Spirit have as the Spirit of truth?
In John 16:13 we are told that the Spirit of truth will guide us into all truth. He does this by pointing to Jesus Christ and by helping us to remember what Jesus has said (John 15:26) and done for us. The truth into which the Holy Spirit leads us is very personal: He lifts up Jesus and leads us into a living and faithful relationship with Him. When Jesus talked with the woman of Samaria, He said that God must be worshiped in spirit and truth (John 4:24). When we ask for the leading of the Holy Spirit, He will lead us to Jesus, who is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6).
Truth in the Bible is no abstract thing or theory, such as often appears in philosophy. Truth encompasses a deeply personal and faithful relationship to our Creator and Redeemer, who is called "the God of all truth" (compare with Deut. 32:4Ps. 31:5). Thus the Holy Spirit is aptly called the "Spirit of truth" (John 14:17, NASB; John 16:13, NASB), who is sent to us from God the Father (John 15:26), indicating not only His personal character but also His divinity.
We do tend to think of truth in terms of propositions, such as the logical concept known as modus ponens. "If A, then B. A, therefore B." And no question, a lot of what we understand as truth we understand as propositions. How, though, do you understand the idea of truth as a Person? Bring your answer to class on Sabbath.
ThursdayJanuary 26

Why Does It Matter?

The question of the personality of the Holy Spirit is of utmost importance, and it has highly practical implications. "If He is a divine person, and we think of Him as an impersonal influence, we are robbing a divine person of the deference, honor, and love that is His due."-LeRoy Edwin Froom, The Coming of the Comforter, p. 40.
If we think of the Holy Spirit only as a mysterious divine power, our thoughts will be: How can I have more of the Holy Spirit? But if we think of the Holy Spirit as a divine Person, we will ask: How can the Holy Spirit have more of me? The decisive point is: Do you want to possess the Holy Spirit, or do you want the Holy Spirit to possess you? Do you resist His influence, or are you willing to follow Him in joyful obedience (see Rom. 8:12-14Gal. 5:18-24)? Do you want to use the Holy Spirit according to your plans, or do you rely on Him so that He can enable you to become more like Jesus Christ and do what He has in mind for you? Do you take seriously the fact that "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God" (1 Cor. 6:19, NASB) and are you willing to glorify God with how you live?
Read Romans 5:5 and Ephesians 2:1819. How are the Holy Spirit and God's love connected? What impact does that have for you personally and for the church?

Only persons can consciously choose to cooperate with one another. We are invited to work together with the Holy Spirit, while He leads and transforms us personally and God's church corporately. If we do not accept the Holy Spirit as a Person of the triune Godhead, it will be easier for us to ignore Him, to deafen our ears to His invitation, and to harden our hearts against His life-changing influence. And because we are fallen, sin-damaged beings in need of God's transforming grace, the last thing we need to do is ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If anything, we need to give more of ourselves to Him. Thus, in our acknowledgment that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person who wants to use us, God stands at the center of our Christian experience.
"We cannot use the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is to use us." - The Desire of Ages, p. 672. What do you think Ellen G. White meant by that? How can the Holy Spirit use us? (See Phil. 2:13.)
FridayJanuary 27
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, pp. 669-672, where she speaks about the Holy Spirit. Also read Evangelism, pp. 613-617.
"And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age' " (Matt. 28:18-20, NKJV). Notice, as Jesus gave them their calling and work, He said to baptize disciples in the "name" singular, of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He didn't say "names" of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but just "name," (Greek onoma). This is more powerful proof of the triune nature of our One God ("Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!" [Deut. 6:4, NKJV]). As this week's lesson has already pointed out, no one questions the personality of the Father and the Son; thus, why should anyone do that with the personality and personhood of the Holy Spirit? According to the Bible, we have the loving, caring, and comforting presence of God Himself working in us and through us. That's who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. And how much nicer it is to know that this abiding presence is a Person, just as much as the Father and Jesus are. Yes, it's hard to fully understand. But so what? If we can't fully understand the nature of something as basic as light or wind, how much more so will we not be able to fully understand the nature of the Holy Spirit Himself?

Discussion Questions:

  1. In class, go over your answer to Wednesday's question about truth being a Person, Jesus Christ. What does that mean? Why would Jesus be the Truth? How do we understand "truth" that way, instead of it being merely precepts or propositions?
  2. Ellen G. White wrote: "We need to realize that the Holy Spirit, who is as much a person as God is a person, is walking through these grounds." - Ellen G. White, Evangelism, p. 616. What does this tell us about the reality and presence of the Holy Spirit?
  3. Go back over some of the traits and characteristics of the Holy Spirit that we have seen this week. Which ones are especially comforting to you? Which one means the most to you? Share in class why you chose what you did.
  4. What can you better relate to, an impersonal force or a personality? What are the implications of your answer?
Inside Story~  Trans-European Division

Finding God's Plan, Part 1

"Roza, take a look at this," Grandmother said as she gave Roza a colorful pamphlet. "It's an invitation to a series of lectures about the Bible. You should go. You might learn something interesting."
Grandmother knew that Roza, who was preparing to become a teacher, was interested in religious things. She was active in her parents' church in Poland and even volunteered as a youth leader, though she wasn't much older than the youth she led. Her parents were proud of her involvement with the church and of her other accomplishments.
Roza took the pamphlet from her grandmother and looked closely at the colorful pictures on the front. She read the invitation and decided to attend the lectures. She was curious what she might learn.
Roza found a seat and settled down for the lecture. She met a young man at the lectures who was about her age. As they became acquainted, he invited her to attend a summer Bible camp that the church sponsored. Roza decided to go; she was curious about this church that seemed to know so much about the Bible.
When she arrived at the Seventh-day Adventist youth camp, Roza was a bit nervous about being among so many strangers. But the young man who had invited her introduced her to several young people from her hometown. She liked making new friends and soon found herself enjoying the fellowship at the Bible camp as much as the Bible studies.
When Roza returned home, she started attending the Adventist church every Sabbath. She knew that her parents wouldn't be happy that she was attending a new church, so she didn't tell them where she was going on Sabbath morning.
But soon her excitement about what she was learning spilled over, and she told her mother everything she had learned at Bible camp and church. She told her mother that smoking was not healthy and urged her to quit. Roza also explained what she had learned about having a personal relationship with Jesus. "We don't have to confess our sins to a priest," she told her mother. "Just tell God."
Roza's revelation worried her mother. "Why do you want to get involved in some strange church?" she asked. "We have a perfectly good church."
"But these people really love Jesus," Roza explained. "They follow the Bible. I want to learn what God teaches."
"If you insist on becoming an Adventist," Mother said with a sigh, "don't expect any financial support from me."
To be continued.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.  email: info@adventistmission.org  website: www.adventistmission.org