What made/makes Jesus the “Good” Shepherd? Join Hit the Mark Sabbath School as they discuss Lesson 9 – Blessed Is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/blessed-is-he-who-comes-in-the-name-of-the-lord-hit-the-mark-sabbath-school/

Inside Story for Friday 1st of March 2024

By Andrew McChesney

During his first few weeks in the military, Sekule was sent with a company of soldiers to work on a mountain in the former Yugoslavia. On a Friday afternoon, he received orders to shovel coal into the Sabbath hours.

“You have to shovel for 15 minutes, take a 10-minute rest, and then shovel again for 15 minutes,” the commanding officer said.

“I will shovel for 2.5 hours without stopping until the sun goes down, but then I will stop,” Sekule said.

“No one can shovel for two hours,” the officer said.

“I can,” Sekule said.

Sekule, who had learned to work hard while growing up in Montenegro, shoveled as quickly as he could. Other soldiers cautioned him to slow down.

“Why are you working so quickly?” they asked.

“I’m trying to do as much as I can to leave less work for the rest of you,” he replied. “I don’t care about myself. I just want to do the most that I can.”

His words built respect among the other soldiers. They saw that he wanted to help them. To everyone’s surprise, Sekule succeeded in shoveling the required amount of coal by sunset.

But the commanding officer didn’t seem to grasp his desire to keep the Sabbath. On another Sabbath, the officer read a list of duties to the soldiers and declared, “You will work today.”

Sekule stood tall. “Today is my Sabbath, and I can’t do any work,” he said. He knew that he might face prison if he said, “I won’t do any work,” so instead, he chose his words carefully and said, “I can’t do any work.”

“What do you mean ‘can’t’?” the officer asked.

“I’m a Seventh-day Adventist, and I can’t work on Sabbath,” Sekule said.

The officer stood tall and glared at Sekule. “Soldier, who will work in your place then?” he said.

All the other soldiers stood tall. “We will work in his place then,” they said in unison.

Sekule realized at that moment that it was important not only to be faithful to God but also to be faithful to people. Jesus said, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31; NKJV). Sekule saw that if he treated others fairly, they also would treat him fairly.

Sekule Sekuli´c is an affluent entrepreneur and faithful Seventh-day Adventist in Montenegro. Read more of his story next week. Thank you for your Sabbath School mission offerings that help spread the good news of Jesus’ soon coming in Montenegro and around the world.

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The post Inside Story: Faithfulness Goes Far: Part 5 appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24a-09-inside-story-faithfulness-goes-far-part-5/

Daily Lesson for Friday 1st of March 2024

Read Ellen G. White, “God With Us,” pages 19–26, in The Desire of Ages.

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

Being both Christ’s prayers and prayers about Christ, the Psalms provide a unique revelation of Christ’s person and redeeming ministry as the One who is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is “God with us” in the battling prayers of forsakenness and suffering. He is “God with us” in the cries for justice and deliverance. Jesus is “God with us” by not abandoning us to our lostness and despair but showing us the way of faith victorious. He became for us the eternal Priest and King to save us from the everlasting doom of sin. In Christ, the perfect Davidic King, all God’s solemn promises of salvation find their fulfillment (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Ellen G. White insightfully describes Christ’s unity with humanity: “By His humanity, Christ touched humanity; by His divinity, He lays hold upon the throne of God. As the Son of man, He gave us an example of obedience; as the Son of God, He gives us power to obey. It was Christ who from the bush on Mount Horeb spoke to Moses saying, ‘I AM THAT I AM. . . . Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.’ Exodus 3:14. This was the pledge of Israel’s deliverance. So when He came ‘in the likeness of men,’ He declared Himself the I AM. The Child of Bethlehem, the meek and lowly Saviour, is God ‘manifest in the flesh.’ 1 Timothy 3:16. And to us He says: ‘I AM the Good Shepherd.’ ‘I AM the living Bread.’ ‘I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life.’ ‘All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.’ John 10:11; John 6:51; John 14:6; Matthew 28:18. I AM the assurance of every promise. I AM; be not afraid.”—The Desire of Ages, ages. 24, 25.

Discussion Questions

1. How has God demonstrated His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant despite the people’s unfaithfulness? What reassurance does that bring to God’s struggling children today?
2. How does Christ’s unique and superior priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek strengthen the certainty of salvation for God’s people?
3. The Gospels show that many Messianic promises in the Psalms were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. How does this demonstrate the veracity of God’s Word? Why must we resist any and every sentiment that tends to weaken our trust in God’s Word?
4. What great consolation can we get from Christ’s words, “ ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth’ ” (Matthew 28:18)? How do we apply this promise to our own experience?

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24a-09-further-thought-blessed-is-he-who-comes-in-the-name-of-the-lord/