FOURTH QUARTER 2023
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #9
DECEMBER 2, 2023
“MISSION TO THE POWERFUL” - REVISED

 

Arguably, one of the most significant “unreached” groups for the gospel are the wealthy and powerful.  There is essentially a “10-40 window,” not merely geographically, but in terms of lack of mission and work for the affluent and influential.

Ellen White rightly observes:

“Much is said concerning our duty to the neglected poor; should not some attention be given to the neglected rich? Many look upon this class as hopeless, and they do little to open the eyes of those, who, blinded and dazed by the glitter of earthly glory, have lost eternity out of their reckoning. Thousands of wealthy men have gone to their graves unwarned. But indifferent as they may appear, many among the rich are soul burdened.” — Ellen G. White, Ministry of Healing, p. 210.

Perhaps we as Seventh-day Adventists have a unique opportunity to reach the those who are “rich and increased with goods.”  No other church identifies itself with the message to Laodicea–except Seventh-day Adventists!  If we are blind to our corporate need, and if we believe we are rich and increased with spiritual goods, might we have a special insight in to what might be the remedy for those who are rich and increased with material goods?

As we’ll see in this lesson, the need of the poor, the need of the rich, and the need of the Laodicean is ultimately exactly the same.  All need a revelation of the righteousness of Christ that will warm the heart and elevate the mind.  Laodicea’s need is for the eye salve of discernment, the garment of Christ’s righteousness, and the gold of faith and love.  Or, said slightly differently, Laodicea needs to discern righteousness by faith which works by love!!!

Notice Ellen White’s remedy for the wealthy!  Notice that the date for this statement is 1893, in the immediate 1888 era.  Notice the language of righteousness by faith!

“There are many among the rich, who, were the truth presented to them as it is in Jesus, would be charmed with, and transformed through, the grace of Christ, and would see that money is of value only as it is devoted to doing good in the name and Spirit of Jesus. The wealthy man or woman converted to God, will begin to comprehend what good may be done with their entrusted capital.” —Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, September 19, 1893, emphasis supplied.

“The truth …  as it is in Jesus” will cause them to be “charmed” and “transformed through the grace of Christ.”  Ellen White is telling us that the primary tool (not a methodology, although that has its place) to reach the wealthy and influential is the genuine 1888 gospel message of righteousness by faith.  The “matchless charms of Christ” will actually produce a transformation.

There is a difference between raw and isolated “truth” and “the truth as it is in Jesus”!  Do we understand the difference between the Sabbath “truth” and the Sabbath “truth as it is in Jesus”?  Do we understand the difference between the state of the dead “truth” and the state of the dead “truth as it is in Jesus”?  Do we see these 28 fundamental SDA truths, all of them, as they are “in Jesus”?  As we do this, we will see the bearing of fruit in reaching the wealthy, and in deliverance from Laodicea.

Think of how the story of Naaman makes the point that it is easy to be saved (healed of leprosy in this case), and hard to be lost!  Elisha didn’t ask Naaman to do any hard, difficult, laborious task to be healed.  It was only Naaman’s pride that almost prevented him from being healed!

“And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, 'Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.’  But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, 'Indeed, I said to myself, “He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.” Are not the Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, “Wash, and be clean”?’ ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kings 5:10-14).

So simple: believe the prophet, dip seven times in the Jordan, and you will be clean, healed.  For Naaman, it was literally easy to be saved/healed, and hard to be lost/unhealed!  Naaman was wealthy and powerful, and it was just as easy for him to be saved as for any other.  Believe, and be washed.  Christ’s yoke is easy and his burden light!

Who do you believe is the hardest person on planet earth to reach for the kingdom of God?  Pope Francis?  Vladimir Putin?  Elon Musk?  Joe Biden or Donald Trump?  Xi JinPing?  In Daniel’s day, the wealthiest and most powerful man on earth, the king of Babylon, was reached for the kingdom of God.  It took time, and patience, and difficult experiences.  But the godly influence of Daniel and his three friends, and the work of the angels (the watchers of Daniel 4), wrought a salvation more remarkable than the conversion of any modern rich or powerful person.

In Caesar’s household also we are told that God had witnesses.  Paul “almost” persuaded King Agrippa to become a Christian in one sermon!  Jesus humbly met with the rich and powerful Nicodemus.  Nicodemus was too proud to meet with Jesus in the open daylight; Jesus condescended to meet Nicodemus at night and won him for the kingdom.

The harvest of the wealthy and powerful is ripe.  But does God have workers willing and prepared to reach them?  Is the problem with them, or with us?

May God lead us to individual and corporate repentance, via the goodness of God, that we can be the Daniels and Pauls in these last days to reach the affluent and influential.
 

~Bob Hunsaker