FOURTH QUARTER 2023
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #1
OCTOBER 7, 2023
“GOD’S MISSION TO US: PART 1” - REVISED

 

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, Who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6 NKJV throughout).

The introduction to this Sabbath School Quarterly has an interesting title:

Quit Talking and Start Doing Something!

We resonate with the desire to see the gospel come alive in each person as a witness to its power, and for the mission of God, of His church, of His people.

The last sign that Jesus mentions before His coming, completing the mission, is given in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

The Lord in His great mercy sent a most precious message to us over 150 years ago to accomplish the mission. Without that message we cannot complete the mission.

The Quarterly introduction ends with this:

“But it is our desire that we will all look back on this quarter as the time when the Holy Spirit took our humble efforts and worked mission miracles for the honor and glory of His name.”

“But when the Helper comes, Whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth Who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26).

Prayer for the Holy Spirit as the teacher of righteousness (bringing the Latter Rain) is essential to complete the mission.

Working of the Holy Spirit.

Obedience is the first price of eternal life. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." This is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Comforter is to reveal Himself, not in any specified, precise way that man may mark out, but in the order of God; in unexpected times and ways that will honor His own name. Those who are unbelieving do not receive the richest endowment of grace, which would make them wise unto salvation, patient, forbearing, quick of perception to appreciate heavenly ministrations, quick to discern Satan's devices, and strong to resist him. God cannot do His mighty works for them, because of their unbelief. 

Now, just now, is our day of mercy and salvation. The Lord God, Who dwelleth in the Holy Place, sees every soul that shows contempt for the manifestations of His Holy Spirit. God has revealed Himself again and again in a most marked manner in Battle Creek. He has given a large measure of His Holy Spirit to the believers there. It has come unexpectedly at times, and there have been deep movings upon hearts and minds; a letting go of selfish purposes, and a bringing into the treasury many things that you were convicted God had forbidden you to have. This blessing extended to large numbers; but why was not this sweet, holy working continued upon hearts and minds? Some felt annoyed at this outpouring, and their own natural dispositions were manifested. They said, "This is only excitement; it is not the Holy Spirit, not showers of the latter rain from heaven." There were hearts full of unbelief, who did not drink in of the Spirit, but who had bitterness in their souls. 

On many occasions the Holy Spirit did work; but those who resisted the Spirit of God at Minneapolis were waiting for a chance to travel over the same ground again, because their spirit was the same. Afterward, when they had evidence heaped upon evidence, some were convicted; but those who were not softened and subdued by the Holy Spirit's working, put their own interpretation upon every manifestation of the grace of God, and they have lost much. They declared in their heart and soul and words that this manifestation of the Holy Spirit was fanaticism and delusion. They stood like a rock; the waves of mercy were flowing upon and around them, but were beaten back by their hard and wicked hearts, which resisted the Holy Spirit's working. Had this been received, it would have made them wise unto salvation, -- holier men, prepared to do the work of God with sanctified ability. But all the universe of heaven witnessed the disgraceful treatment of Jesus Christ, represented by the Holy Spirit. Had Christ been before them, they would have treated Him in a manner similar to that in which the Jews treated Christ. — Ellen G. White, Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers, p. 19.

W. W. Prescott was one who initially was “on the wrong side of history,” as they say. But he repented, and the Lord was able to use him mightily in forwarding His mission.

In a November 18, 1895 letter (#83) to Edson White, Ellen White wrote:

The Lord has visited Brother Prescott in a most remarkable manner and given to him the Holy Spirit to give to this people…. Those who are not in the truth say, "That man speaks from the inspiration of the Spirit of God." We are sure that the Lord has endowed him with His Holy Spirit and the truth is being poured forth from his lips in rich currents. The truth has been listened to by preachers and by people not of our faith. After the meeting they beg of Brother Prescott to give them a copy of these discourses…. Brother Prescott has spoken many times and those not of our faith have felt deeply and expressed themselves that he was speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. The people in the suburbs of Melbourne are calling, "Set up your tents in our locality and let the people hear the things that you have preached in Armadale. We all need the words that you have spoken to us here."… Abundant evidence has been given that the Holy Spirit of God has spoken to men through human agencies…. Large numbers testify that they have never heard the Word administered with such power and in the manifest demonstration of the Spirit as at this meeting. God has said in the heavenly courts to His heavenly intelligences, "Let there be spiritual light to shine amid the moral darkness of accumulated error and fables, and reveal truth." The Messenger of the covenant has come, as the Sun of Righteousness to arise and shine forth upon the eager listeners. His preexistence, His coming the second time in glory and power, His personal dignity, His holy law uplifted, are the themes that have been dwelt upon with simplicity and power.

Prescott, in accepting the Minneapolis message, and repenting for his initial rejection, covered the (gospel paraphrased) themes of our lesson for this week, all centering on Christ: The Divine Initiative (Sunday), God’s Agape (Monday), Christ’s Becoming One with Fallen Humanity (Tuesday), The Cleansing Role of the Holy Spirit (Wednesday), and Preparation for the Second Coming (Thursday).

We too, as we put on the eye salve that only God can provide, will be able to see and share these wonderful truths as we study God’s Mission and Our Mission this quarter.

I recommend reading the book In the Spirit’s Power, which reviews the Armadale experience and messages, and their effective evangelistic power. It is available here as a pdf:

https://www.4eange.com/anglais/LIV/KOR/PDF/ENG/OTH/The%20W.%20W.%20Prescott%20Armadale%20Sermons.pdf

And also as a publication at https://www.aplib.org/publications/

Let us humble ourselves and pray for repentance, revival, and reformation as we seek to enter in to God’s mission, making it ours.

 

Those who, since the Minneapolis meeting, have had the privilege of listening to the words spoken by the messengers of God, Elder A.T. Jones, Prof. Prescott, Brn. E. J. Waggoner, O. A. Olsen, and many others, at the camp meetings and ministerial institutes, have had the invitation, Come, for all things are now ready. Come to the supper prepared for you." Light, heaven's light, has been shining. The trumpet has given a certain sound. Those who have made their various excuses for neglecting to respond to the call, have lost much. 

The light has been shining upon justification by faith and the imputed righteousness of Christ. Those who receive and act in the light given, will, in their teachings, give evidence that the message of Christ crucified, a risen Saviour ascended into the heavens to be our advocate, is the wisdom and power of God in the conversion of souls, bringing them back to their loyalty to Christ. These are our themes,--Christ crucified for our sins, Christ risen from the dead, Christ our intercessor before God; and closely connected with these is the office-work of the Holy Spirit, the representative of Christ, sent forth with divine power and gifts for men. 

The call is sounding, Come, for all things are now ready. Those who will be worked by the Holy Spirit bear the living testimony, and have not only a theory of the truth, but are God's witnesses. These will not continually follow the meetings, that they themselves may be benefited, by hearing more and still more, but in humble trust and living faith they will search the Scriptures, for Christ says, They testify of Me. They will walk in the light they receive, and will communicate to others the precious truth. As they endeavor to impart that which they have received, more light will certainly shine upon them. In holding forth the word of life to others, they cooperate with the heavenly agencies, who are sent to impart the power of the truth.  —Ellen G. White, 1888 Materials, pp. 1455-6.

 

~Todd Guthrie