Friday: Further Thought – Jesus and Those in Need

Further Thought:

Read Ellen G. White, “In the Footsteps of the Master”, pages 117-124, in Welfare Ministry; “Days of Ministry”, pages 29-50, in The Ministry of Healing; “The Temple Cleansed Again”, pages 589-600; “In Pilate’s Judgment Hall”, pages 723-740, in The Desire of Ages.

“God has given in His word decisive evidence that He will punish the transgressors of His law.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Those who flatter themselves that He is too merciful to execute justice upon the sinner, have only to look to the cross of Calvary. The death of the spotless Son of God testifies that ‘the wages of sin is death,’ that every violation of God’s law must receive its just retribution. Christ the sinless became sin for man. He bore the guilt of transgression, and the hiding of His Father’s face, until His heart was broken and His life crushed out. All this sacrifice was made that sinners might be redeemed. In no other way could man be freed from the penalty of sin. And every soul that refuses to become a partaker of the atonement provided at such a cost must bear in his own person the guilt and punishment of transgression”. – Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, pages 539, 540.

Discussion Questions:

Read the Ellen G. White statement above. Talk about the reality of injustice: Christ, the innocent, suffering the penalty of the guilty! Why is it so important to keep this crucial truth before us?
Jesus never advocated political reform in order to bring about the kind of “kingdom” He referred to. After all, history is filled with very sad stories of people who used violence and oppression, all in the name of helping the downtrodden and the oppressed. So often all that had been accomplished was the replacement of one oppressive class with another one. Though Christians can and should work with the powers that be in order to try to help the downtrodden, why must they always be wary of using politics to achieve these ends?
Think about what the plan of salvation entailed. Jesus, the just, suffering for the unjust—which means each one of us. Why should this great sacrifice, in our behalf, make us new people in Christ?

Summary:

In the Gospels, Jesus’ ministry is introduced and explained with reference to the work of the Old Testament prophets. Good news to the poor, freedom for the oppressed, and healing for the broken were proclaimed as markers of the Messiah—and something Jesus demonstrated throughout His ministry. Yet, in His death, He also suffered the brunt of injustice and ultimately overcame the worst of fallen humanity and inhumanity. Thanks to His unjust death in our behalf, our sins can be forgiven, and we have the promise of eternal life.

Amen!