FOURTH QUARTER 2023
SABBATH SCHOOL INSIGHT #4
OCTOBER 28, 2023
“SHARING GOD’S MISSION”

 

Our memory verse this week gives us good guidance on how the Lord wants us to share His mission:

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34,35, NKJV).

Jesus knows that the love He is speaking of here is an unselfish love, the same love He has for you, me, and the entire human race. This love He had for the disciples and it represents God’s unselfish agape love for us today. While Jesus told us it is a commandment necessary for us to be a disciple of Christ, it is also a gift for each of us, since our selfish human natures can only produce a selfish love without Him! The more we see of His infinite agape love and sacrifice for us, the more we will want to share it as His disciples.

Our lesson this week on sharing God’s mission looks at Abraham’s life and experiences as a disciple of the Lord and how this can help us as His disciples in today’s world. In the lesson, Abraham’s hospitality, love and prayer are mentioned as three great spiritual qualities that aided him in his mission work. A question in our minds may be: where did he get these qualities and how can we get them in our lives? As we study together, may we see more clearly how God wants to use each of us as His disciples!

Here are two Ellen G. White quotes which I think will give us some good insights into how we may serve Him as His disciples:

1. “To possess true godliness means to love one another, to help one another, to make apparent the religion of Jesus in our lives. We are to be consecrated channels through which the love of Christ flows to those who need help. He who approaches nearest to the divine law will be of the most service to God. He who follows Christ, reaching out after His goodness, His compassion, His love for the human family, will be accepted by God as a worker together with Him.” —Ellen G. White,  In Heavenly Places, p. 287.
2. “The spirit of Abraham was the spirit of Christ.. The Son of God is Himself the great Intercessor in the sinner’s behalf. He who has paid the price for its redemption knows the worth of the human soul. With an antagonism to evil that can only exist in a nature spotlessly pure, Christ manifested toward the sinner a love which infinite goodness alone could conceive. In the agonies of the crucifixion, Himself burdened with the awful weight of the sins of the whole world, He prayed for His revilers and murderers, ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ Luke 23: 34.” —Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 140.

 

Christ wants to use us as His disciples as He used Abraham so that we may be channels of His love to those needing help!

In Sunday’s lesson we learn of Abraham’s hospitality, which he saw not as a cumbersome duty but rather as a privilege and an opportunity to share with all, believers and unbelievers.

E. J. Waggoner gives us some further insights into hospitality in Abraham’s life:

“No matter how much a man may claim to believe in religious liberty, if he doesn’t know the freedom that God alone gives, the time will come when he will seek to compel others. This knowledge of God will make us wonderfully charitable with one another. What a renovation it would make in our church work, if everyone knew this! What forbearance and kindness, forbearing one another in love, and dealing tenderly with those who are out of the way. That would make a vast difference in the church, make a vast difference in our dealing with those who do not know the Lord and those who in their ignorance are fighting against the Lord. It would make a vast difference in our talking about being persecuted, and others opposing us. We have no opponents. Those who we sometimes think are opposing us are opposing the Lord; opposing the truth. We only need to be patient, and trust. I remember reading a Jewish legend, —it comes from the Talmud, I think, —very striking, even if it be not true, and I do not know any reason why it may not be true, except that it does not seem to be in keeping with the character of Abraham. An old man came to Abraham’s tent one night asking for lodging, and Abraham took him in; but when something to eat was set before him, he began without recognition of any supreme being. Abraham asked him why he did not give thanks to God. He said he did not recognize God. He worshiped the fire, and did not see any other being to worship; so, Abraham, in his zeal for God, thrust him out of the tent. By and by a storm arose, and the Lord came called, ‘Abraham, where is that old man I sent to you for shelter?’ —‘O, he worshippeth not thee, and I cast him out.’ And the Lord said, ‘I have endured him for one hundred years; could not you endure him for one night?’

“When I think of how much the Lord has had to endure from me, and of the wonderful patience he has had, and has still, O, it is so easy to have not only sympathy and patience, but love for those who are ignorant, and who are out of the way. Well, if we learn this lesson, we shall have the key of religious liberty, and everybody has got to learn it if he gets to heaven. I tell you, brethren, this religious liberty is not a side issue that some two or three may have, and they are to carry it on, and we do not know anything about it, because it is too deep for us; brethren, if you do not know anything about it, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven. It is just as deep as the salvation of God, as broad as that, as simple as that. It is the question of life, the life of the Word of God, which is living, energy, and working, —self-working, —it is righteousness. Therefore, if the Word is in us, it will work out righteousness.” — E. J. Waggoner, General Conference Bulletin, 1897, pp. 11,12.

Looking at this quote and contemplating God’s love, patience, sympathy, compassion and mercy in my life, none of which I deserve, brings forth a desire to share Christ and His righteousness with others whenever I have an opportunity.

Now as we look at Monday’s lesson, we see Abraham’s love for everyone, including the wicked and evil people of Sodom and Gomorrah, as he pleads with God for mercy on their behalf.

The following quote provides us with some further insights on Abraham’s requests to God:

“Abraham, man of faith, pleaded for the inhabitants of Sodom. Once he had saved them by his sword, now he endeavored to save them by prayer. With deep reverence and humility, he urged his plea. Himself a sinner, he pleaded in the sinners’ behalf. Such a spirit all who approach God should possess. Yet Abraham manifested the confidence of a child pleading with a loved father. He came close to the heavenly Messenger, and fervently urged his petition.

Love for perishing souls inspired Abraham’s prayer. While he loathed the sins of that corrupt city, he desired that the sinners might be saved. His deep interest for Sodom shows the anxiety that we should feel for the impenitent. We should cherish hatred of sin, but have pity and love for the sinner.” — Ellen G. White, Conflict and Courage, p. 51.

Ellen White also focuses on our need for love in our heart for others as Christ’s disciples:

“In the hearts of His professed followers there is need of the tender sympathy of Christ---a deeper love for those whom He has so valued as to give His own life for their salvation. These souls are precious, infinitely more precious than any other offering we can bring to God. To bend every energy toward some apparently great work, while we neglect the needy or turn the stranger from his sight, is not a service that will meet His approval……

Love is the basis of godliness. Whatever the profession, no man has pure love to God unless he has unselfish love for his brother. But we can never come into possession of this spirit by trying to love others. What is needed is the love of Christ in the heart. When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth spontaneously. The completeness of Christian character is attained when the impulse to help and bless others springs constantly from within----when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart and is revealed in the countenance.” — Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, pp. 383,384.

You might also enjoy the following quote from A. T. Jones who gives some valuable insights and scripture references dealing with God’s never-ending love for us and its impact on our lives:

“Some of you will say in your hearts, “Well, how can we love one another as Christ has loved us?”—Easy enough, if we go about it in the right way. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever, and everywhere; and His love is the same. And if the love of Christ be in our hearts, we shall love one another as He loves us. That love will manifest itself in that way, and that is the only thing that it can do, because it is the love of God, Who is love.

“How can we have this love? —We can have it by the Holy Spirit, ‘because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.’ Romans 5:5. Mark, this does not say that love for God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. But it is the love of God. That is God’s love itself is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. God’s love is the same wherever found. God’s love in His own heart loves His enemies; that love in our hearts will love our enemies, nor will we have to try to do it, either. If the love of God be there, it will manifest itself in love to all whom God loves. If the love of God be in our hearts, we can love one another as He loves us.

“Then, brethren, henceforth let this be the relation of church members one to another. Let the love of God be shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. In this our week of prayer, and in these the last days of our week of prayer, let us cry mightily unto God, that we may receive such a baptism of the Holy Ghost, as shall seal forever upon our hearts the love of Jesus Christ. ‘Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: ... that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.’ Galatians 3:13,14. Then as we plead for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, let faith ascend and claim the precious promise of the Spirit, 'for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.’  Acts 2:39. And if we know how to give good gifts unto our own children, how much more will our heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. (See Luke 11:13).

“‘Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.’ 1 John 4:10, 11. ‘Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.’ Verse 7

“Finally, brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently. Let brotherly love continue. And, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Amen.” —A.T. Jones, The Home Missionary, Vol. 2, Nov., 1890.

At the core of this week’s lesson on sharing God’s mission is our response to God’s love for us and allowing that incredible love to change us---- our lives, our hearts and our selfishness. From this will flow a burning desire to help others and share this wonderful good news wherever and whenever we can.

May our prayer be that we will be open to the opportunities that God will provide to help and share and that, relying on His love and strength, the Lord will bless us as we go forward for Him.

 

Blessings,

John Campbell