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Wednesday: Mercy Forfeited

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Daily Lesson for Wednesday 8th of January 2025

God’s love is everlasting and always unmerited. However, humans can reject it. We have the opportunity to accept or reject that love, but only because God freely loves us with His perfect, everlasting love prior to anything we do (Jeremiah 31:3). Our love for God is a response to what has already been given to us even before we asked for it.

Read 1 John 4:7-20, with specific emphasis on verses 7 and 19. What does this tell us about the priority of God’s love?

Man Interrogating Servant

Image © Providence Collection at Goodsalt.com

God’s love always comes first. If God did not first love us, we could not love Him in return. While God created us with the capacity to love and to be loved, God Himself is the ground and Source of all love. We have the choice, however, whether we will accept it and then reflect it in our lives. This truth is exemplified in Christ’s parable of the unforgiving servant (see Matthew 18:23-35).

In the parable, we can see that there was no way the servant ever could have repaid what he owed the master. According to Matthew 18:1-35, the servant owed his master 10,000 talents. One talent amounted to about 6,000 denarii. And one denarius was what an average laborer would be paid for one day of work (compare with Matthew 20:2). So, it would take an average laborer 6,000 days of labor to earn one talent. Suppose, after accounting for days off, that an average laborer might work 300 days per year and, thus, earn 300 denarii in a year. So, it would take an average laborer approximately 20 years to repay one talent, which consisted of 6,000 denarii (6,000/300 = 20). In order to earn 10,000 talents, then, an average laborer would have to work 200,000 years. In short, the servant could never repay this debt. Yet, the master felt compassion for his servant and freely forgave his huge debt.

However, when this forgiven servant refused to forgive the far smaller debt of 100 denarii of one of his fellow servants and had him thrown in prison over the debt, the master was moved with anger and rescinded his merciful forgiveness. The servant forfeited the love and forgiveness of his master. Although God’s compassion and mercy never run out, one can finally reject, even forfeit, the benefits of God’s compassion and mercy.

Think about what you have been forgiven and what it cost you to be forgiven by Jesus. What should this tell you about forgiving others?

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-02-mercy-forfeited/

How far Will God go to Keep a Promise?

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There is a saying, “kids who are loved at home come to school to learn. Kids who are not loved at home come to school to be loved.” Is it any different in Sabbath School? Is it also true that God’s children (ages 0-125) who know they are loved come to Sabbath school to learn, and those who don’t yet know they are loved, come to Sabbath School to be loved?

teacher, learning, school

I can still remember sitting at my desk in my 4th-grade classroom at Tulsa Adventist Academy, listening to my teachers, Miss Fisher and Mrs. Krueger, lecturing us about something. I don’t really remember exactly what it was about, but we must have been struggling with our grades, because all I remember is, both teachers told us, “If you only learn one thing this year learn this. We love you!” Now we were loved at home. We were loved at church and school, but as educated as my teachers were, they knew the most important thing is not money or a degree. It’s love. Without that nothing else matters, and when you know you are loved, nothing can stop you!

For the love of Christ controls and compels us, because we have concluded this, that One died for all, therefore all died (2 Corinthians 5:14 Amplified Bible)

So while humanity tries harder, and reads self-help books and tries 12-step recovery programs, Paul says it is by looking at the cross and knowing we are loved that we get all our power to succeed. I remember John the Baptist telling everyone to “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John 1:29. He didn’t tell them to try harder next time. He told them to look at the Lamb. Let His love soak into you.

As legalistic humans we are always wanting to promise to try harder next time. But the answer is not promising to try harder. The answer is letting yourself be loved.

In Jeremiah God mentions how Israel had not kept the promises they had made, so He was going to make a better promise. His promise would be better because He is the the One making the promise instead of them. He is the perfect Promise-maker while we are lousy promise-makers!

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Jeremiah 31:33 NLT)

So God promises to do for us what we could never even promise to do for ourselves, much less even try harder to make happen. God is the One promising, and He is the One who is accountable to make it so. Please notice something very important though. Its in Jeremiah 31:3 NLT, several verses before He promises to write His law on our hearts.

I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

Just like my teachers realized all the book knowledge in the world doesn’t mean a thing without love, God feels the same way. Knowing all the laws and having them memorized in your mind and knowing them all by heart doesn’t mean a thing if you don’t know how much God loves you!

Friends, there is no reason for you to promise God you are going to try harder and do better next time. He has already promised you! We don’t need to promise God what He has already promised us! What? I don’t have any work to do myself? Well yes, and I will let Jesus tell you Himself, exactly what your work is.

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:29 NLT

Our work is to believe God’s promise that He loves us with an everlasting love, and He will place the principles of His love (also known as His law) in our hearts!

This is why John never told us to try harder! Just look at the Lamb and let His love soak into your heart till your heart is saturated with His love, which is also His law. You don’t need to promise God anything. Your work is to believe the promises God has made to you!

In 2017, I don’t need too many self-help books. I don’t need to try harder. I just need to look at the Lamb in 2017 and fall in love with Jesus! His love will change me in ways I could never change myself. After all, all the self help books and promises of better performance don’t mean a thing without love!

So just how good is God at keeping His promises to love and save us? For brevity, let me share one example. You can read about it in Joshua 9-10.

The Gibeonites used deceit to trick Israel into letting them in on the covenant God had made with them. Even though Israel was not supposed to make a covenant with anyone living as close as the Gibeonites, they did. Later when the Gibeonites were under attack, they called upon Israel to save them, and even though the Gibeonites had used deceit to secure this covenant, God was so relentless in keeping His promise of love, that He caused the sun to stand still until the Gibeonites were all rescued! God fought for Israel as Israel fought for the mischievous Gibeonites. Let that soak in. The Gibeonites were in no way worthy of any of God’s blessings, but God was still so loving and faithful to His promise that He made the sun stand still until they were all rescued! Talk about a love that moves heaven and earth! And this powerful love was given to the most undeserving people! So, scientifically speaking, the greatest power in the universe is not gravity or the suctioning power of the black hole. God’s love overruled all those powers and made the solar system stand still. Imagine what this love can do in your heart!

God’s powerful promises and love are also for you and me. In Hebrews 13:5 God promises to never leave us or forsake us, but the Amplified Bible is the only English version that even begins to grasp what God is actually promising.

for He has said, “I will never under any circumstances desert you nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless, nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you- assuredly not!” Hebrews 13:5 Amp version.

If we know we are loved we can come to Sabbath School to learn, and we can learn while we are loved, but we can’t learn without love.

If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 NLT

—and the greatest of these is love.1 Corinthians 13:13 NLT

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/how-far-will-god-go-to-keep-a-promise/

God First: Your Daily Prayer Meeting #879

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Matthew 21:22 – "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Tag someone in need of prayer, and kindly share your prayer requests here. https://wkf.ms/3DBuapQ Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOJ0fSBmcE

Missioni nel mondo – 11 gennaio 2025

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Una palestra per Itgel – La missione nella Divisione Asia-Pacifico del nord. Missioni dal mondo 2° episodio – I trimestre 2025 Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWLZiQ5P8QU

2: Covenantal Love – Hope Sabbath School Video Discussion

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View an in-depth discussion of Covenantal Love in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:

With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/2-covenantal-love-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/

Salmo 91:11,12 – Apri la porta del tuo cuore

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“Poiché egli comanderà ai suoi angeli di custodirti in tutte le tue vie. Essi ti porteranno nelle loro mani, perchè il tuo piede non inciampi in alcuna pietra”. 📖 Salmo 91:11,12
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💌 Apri la porta del tuo cuore
👉 Rubrica a cura di Anna Cupertino
🗣 Speaker: Abigail Grace Miguel Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFUE9FMWZgQ

Why Relevance Matters Connecting Faith to Real Life

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Ever wondered how to make your faith resonate with today's world? In the first episode of Church Talk with Dr. Joe Kidder, Martin Hanna breaks down the importance of relevance in our Christian witness. By looking at how the apostle Peter thoughtfully addressed the pressing questions of his time, we learn that our faith should be both Christ-centered and contextually relevant. Tune in to explore how you can make your faith speak to the real-life issues people face today. Available now on Spotify, Apple & YouTube. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UcYi068yrE

Why our faith should always be hopeful

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How can we effectively share our faith with others? In the first episode of Church Talk, Martin Hanna joins us to explore the profound wisdom found in 1 Peter 3:15, emphasizing the need to provide answers that instill hope. Martin shares, “We are begotten into this living hope through Jesus Christ who was resurrected from the dead.” This means that our ability to share our faith isn't just theoretical—it's deeply rooted in our personal relationship with Jesus. Martin further explains that this combination of Bible knowledge and a genuine personal relationship with Christ equips us to be ""always ready to give an answer for the hope that is within us."" In a world often filled with darkness, His presence in our lives can shine a light for others to follow. Tune into this episode with Martin Hanna & host, Dr. Joe Kidder, where we learn that the key to effective witnessing – experiencing and living out the hope of Jesus ourselves. Available now on Spotify, Apple & YouTube. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMreWpJKtIA

Lesson 2.Covenant Love | 2.3 Conditional Relationship | THE GOD OF LOVE AND JUSTICE | LIVING FAITH

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2.3 Conditional Relationship
God’s Love and Our Response – Conditional Blessings, Unconditional Love
Read Hosea 9:15; Jeremiah 16:5; Romans 11:22; and Jude 21. What do these verses teach about whether one can reject or even lose the benefits of God’s love?
This lesson highlights a central truth: God’s love is eternal, but the enjoyment of the benefits of a saving relationship with God depends on our response to His love. The cited verses make it clear that it is possible to turn away from the blessings of His love without God ceasing to love us.
  1. God’s Love Remains
The statement in Hosea 9:15 (“I will no longer love them”) shows that God, in His righteous judgment, can withdraw certain blessings of the relationship when people reject His love. However, Hosea 14:5 reveals that God’s love is relentless—it is always ready to return to grace when people turn to Him.
  1. Human Responsibility
John 14:21 and 16:27 clarify that our love for God and our faith in Him are closely related to our willingness to keep His commandments. This willingness is not only a sign of responding to God’s love but also the key to maintaining the benefits of this relationship. The responsibility lies with us not to reject God or isolate ourselves from His love.
  1. The Image of the Sun
The image of God’s love as a sun that shines continuously is particularly helpful. Even though God’s love remains constant, we can voluntarily place ourselves in the shade and reject its warming rays. This choice has consequences: we lose access to the life-giving blessings of this love, including the promise of eternal life.
  1. Practical Significance for Our Faith Life
    • Cultivating Gratitude: The assurance that God’s love never ends should lead us to deep gratitude and a conscious life in His presence.
    • Practicing Spiritual Vigilance: We should be careful not to fall into indifference or disobedience that could separate us from God’s blessings.
    • Sharing Love: Our acceptance of God’s love requires that we become bearers of this love ourselves—in obedience to His commandments and in love for our neighbors.
Summary                   
God’s love is unshakable, but our response to this love is crucial for maintaining a saving relationship. This realization calls us to gratitude, devotion, and obedience so that we remain in full fellowship with God and experience the blessings of His love in our lives.
In What Ways Can People See and Experience the Reality of God’s Love, Regardless of Whether They Respond to It? For Example, How Does Nature Reveal God’s Love Even After the Fall?
God’s love permeates all of creation and becomes visible in various ways, even to those who do not consciously respond to it. Even after the fall, the world remains a testimony to His goodness, care, and faithfulness. Here are some ways people can see and experience the reality of God’s love:
  1. God’s Love in Nature
Nature is a powerful testimony of God’s love, even in a fallen world:
  • Preservation of Life: The cycles of nature—such as the sun, rain, and seasons—provide humanity with food, water, and air, regardless of whether they recognize or respond to God’s love (see Matthew 5:45).
  • Beauty of Creation: Majestic mountains, peaceful forests, and radiant stars convey a sense of God’s greatness and care. They remind us that creation is more than just functional—it is an expression of love and creativity.
  • Healing and Growth: Even in a world marred by the fall, nature demonstrates God’s regenerative power through healing, reproduction, and the renewal of the earth.
  1. God’s Love in General Grace
God’s love is evident in His general grace, which applies to all people, regardless of their faith:
  • Ability to Rejoice: A child’s laughter, the warmth between friends, or the joy found in art and music reflect aspects of God’s love.
  • Ability to Love: The human capacity to love and be loved mirrors the very nature of God, who is love itself (1 John 4:8).
  • Gifts of Life: Health, talents, and opportunities in life are signs of God’s goodness.
  1. God’s Love in the Human Conscience
    • Moral Sense: The human ability to distinguish between good and evil indicates that God’s law is written on our hearts (Romans 2:14–15).
    • Desire for Meaning: The inner longing for purpose, connection, and eternity signifies that we are created for a relationship with God.
  2. God’s Love in Suffering
Even in suffering, people can recognize the reality of God’s love:
  • Comfort and Hope: In difficult times, God’s love is shown through comfort, inner peace, or help from others.
  • Redemption through Suffering: The fall brought pain into the world, but even this is used by God to draw people to Himself and to shape them.
  1. God’s Love in Jesus Christ
The ultimate revelation of God’s love is found in Jesus Christ:
  • The Cross: Even for those who do not respond to His love, the cross remains an eternal testimony of His dedication and willingness to sacrifice.
  • Grace Time: God’s patience and invitation to repentance are signs of His love that continue to apply to all.
Why This Is Important:
People can experience God’s love in various ways—through nature, conscience, suffering, and Jesus Christ. This universal revelation reminds us that God’s love encompasses everyone, regardless of their response to it. It is up to us to consciously recognize His love and respond with gratitude, devotion, and sharing it with others.
The teaching of God’s enduring love and the conditional nature of its blessings has direct significance for our daily lives and faith. Here are the main connections:
  1. Responsibility in the Relationship with God
Realizing that God’s love remains constant but the blessings depend on our response calls us to responsibility:
  • In Daily Life: We are called to live in obedience by honoring God, keeping His commandments, and consciously remaining in His presence.
  • In Faith: It reminds us that our relationship with God must be active and living, through prayer, Bible reading, and praise.
  1. Cultivating Gratitude
The undeserved constancy of God’s love inspires deep gratitude:
  • In Daily Life: Gratitude is shown in small gestures—such as showing patience to others, appreciating the moment, and consciously thanking God for His care.
  • In Faith: Gratitude deepens our understanding of grace and invites us to express this attitude in prayer and life.
  1. Spiritual Vigilance
The possibility of turning away from God’s blessings demands vigilance:
  • In Daily Life: It urges us to avoid indifference, sin, and complacency that could distance us from God.
  • In Faith: Vigilance means actively listening to God and seeking fellowship with Him, even in difficult times.
  1. Hope in Failure
Even if we turn away from God, His love remains:
  • In Daily Life: This truth gives us hope that we can always return—even after mistakes.
  • In Faith: It reminds us that repentance and turning back are always possible because God’s arms remain open wide.
  1. Sharing Love
The call to be bearers of God’s love shapes our relationships:
  • In Daily Life: We can reflect God’s love through forgiveness, helpfulness, and compassion, especially toward those who are hard to love.
  • In Faith: Our love for God is shown in our love for our neighbors and our commitment to justice and mercy.
  1. Recognizing God’s Love in Daily Life
The universal revelation of God’s love—through nature, conscience, suffering, and Jesus Christ—calls us to be mindful:
  • In Daily Life: Take time to appreciate the beauty of creation, find joy in small things, and recognize God’s care in daily blessings.
  • In Faith: Regularly reflect on how God has personally met you, whether through comfort, guidance, or grace.
  1. A Life with an Eternal Focus
The promise of eternal life invites us to look beyond the earthly:
  • In Daily Life: Focus on things of lasting value, such as relationships, love, and truth.
  • In Faith: Be aware that your decisions and actions are expressions of your response to God’s love.
Why This Is Important:
The connection between God’s enduring love and the conditional nature of its blessings teaches us to live our lives consciously and gratefully. It calls us to remain vigilant, live near to God, and share His love. In a world full of challenges, this truth gives us hope, direction, and a foundation for a fulfilling life.

God’s love remains unchanged, but our decisions determine how deeply we experience its blessings in our lives.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/lesson-2-covenant-love-2-3-conditional-relationship-the-god-of-love-and-justice-living-faith/

07.01.2025 – 2 Corinthians Chapter 12 | BELIEVE HIS PROPHETS

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January 7, 2024
DAILY BIBLE READING – 2 Corinthians Chapter 12
1 It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.
2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.
3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)
4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
11 I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.
13 For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.
14 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
16 But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
17 Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you?
18 I desired Titus, and with him I sent a brother. Did Titus make a gain of you? walked we not in the same spirit? walked we not in the same steps?
19 Again, think ye that we excuse ourselves unto you? we speak before God in Christ: but we do all things, dearly beloved, for your edifying.
20 For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:
21 And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.
King James Version. Public Domain

 

Commentary
Introduction
2 Corinthians 12 is a profound chapter in which Paul describes the tensions of his ministry: revelations of divine glory and the humility that results from his weakness. He shares an extraordinary vision but emphasizes that his weaknesses and trials are not obstacles but channels for the power of Christ. Paul illustrates how his personal experience—the “thorn in the flesh”—teaches him humility and keeps him dependent on God’s grace. Additionally, he speaks about his sincere love and dedication for the church in Corinth, despite misunderstandings and challenges.
Commentary
Paul begins with an unusual revelation: a “man in Christ” was caught up to the third heaven (verses 1-4). Although Paul describes this experience, he distances himself from pride and emphasizes that he only wants to boast about his weaknesses (verses 5-6). Here lies a deep spiritual truth: God is revealed not through human strength but in our fragility.
The words in verse 9 are particularly significant: “But let your grace be sufficient for me, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul recognizes that God’s grace is all he needs. His weakness becomes the space where divine power is made visible. This attitude serves as an example for us on how to experience God’s presence and work amidst trials.
In the second part of the chapter (verses 11-21), Paul defends his apostolic ministry. He clarifies that he does not exploit the church but does everything for their spiritual well-being. His warning against sin and discord shows that true love not only comforts but also corrects. Paul speaks with the passion of a spiritual father who wants the best for his children, even if it means being misunderstood.
Summary
2 Corinthians 12 highlights the paradox of Christian life: strength in weakness, humility despite great revelations, and love willing to make sacrifices. Paul teaches us that God’s grace is sufficient, even when we struggle with “thorns in the flesh.” He calls the Corinthians to seek unity and repentance so that they can grow as a church in Christ. This chapter reminds us that true spiritual strength does not come from ourselves but solely from the power of Christ.

 

 

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING – Ellen White | The Desire of Ages
Chapter 85—By the Sea Once More
This chapter is based on John 21:1-22.
Read online here

 

Commentary
Introduction
Chapter 85, based on John 21, describes the renewed encounter of Jesus with His disciples after His resurrection at the Sea of Galilee. In a time of uncertainty and inner struggles, Jesus strengthens the disciples, reminds them of their calling, and reinstates Peter in his ministry. This meeting is marked by forgiveness, love, and the renewal of the divine mission. It is a message of hope and an invitation to align oneself with Christ in trust and obedience.
Commentary
The Miracle of the Catch – Renewal of the Calling:
The fruitless night on the sea symbolizes the limits of human effort without divine guidance. Only through Jesus’ instruction do the disciples’ nets become full. This miracle recalls the first catch at their calling and confirms that Jesus, despite His death and resurrection, continues to care for their needs. It serves as a picture of how God’s work succeeds through faith and collaboration with Him.
The Restoration of Peter:
Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” reflecting Peter’s threefold denial. This examination publicly rehabilitates Peter and renews his apostolic ministry. The repeated command to “Feed my lambs” and “Feed my sheep” highlights Peter’s responsibility as a spiritual shepherd. His repentance and humility prepare him to care for both young believers and the broader congregation.
Following and Trust:
Jesus commands Peter to follow Him, regardless of what happens to others. This teaching emphasizes the personal responsibility of each disciple to serve Christ without being distracted by the tasks of others. Jesus makes it clear that everyone has their own path of discipleship rooted in His divine plan.
Summary
Chapter 85 illustrates Jesus’ faithfulness to His disciples and His willingness to forgive and renew them despite their failures. The miracle of the catch reminds the disciples of their calling, while Peter’s threefold reaffirmation of his devotion reinstates him as a shepherd of the church. The call to “Follow me!” is a universal appeal to all Christians to align themselves with Christ in trust and obedience without comparing themselves to others.

 

 

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING – Ellen White | The Desire of Ages
Chapter 86—Go Teach All Nations
This chapter is based on Matthew 28:16-20.
Read online here

 

Commentary
Introduction
Chapter 86, based on Jesus’ final instructions, focuses on the Great Commission: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). This is not only a command to the disciples of that time but also an enduring mission for all Christians. It describes the equipping of the disciples with divine authority, the universal reach of the Gospel message, and the responsibility of every believer to proclaim the Good News. This message calls for dedication, collaboration, and faith in God’s work.
Commentary
The Great Commission – Divine Authority and Universal Mission
Jesus began His words with the assurance: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18). This assurance demonstrates that the proclamation of the Gospel does not rely on human strength but on His authority. The command “Go into all the world” emphasizes the universal nature of the message: all nations, peoples, and cultures are to hear the Gospel. This global perspective highlights God’s boundless love and desire for salvation.
The Responsibility of Believers
The commission is not only directed at the apostles but also at all believers. The church is called to actively participate in the salvation of souls. This service can take the form of preaching, personal testimony, or practical help. Such work requires dedication, trust in God, and a willingness to serve with humility and love.
Promises and Challenges
Jesus promised to support His followers: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). This assurance gives believers courage, even in the face of persecution and challenges. The promise of the Holy Spirit as a source of supernatural strength was essential for the disciples and remains a central support for ministry today. However, the Great Commission is also a test of faith, dedication, and trust.
Summary
Chapter 86 demonstrates that Jesus’ Great Commission is the foundation of the Christian church. This mission is comprehensive, requiring faith, dedication, and the active involvement of every believer. The promise of divine support provides strength and courage, while the universal scope of the message reveals God’s all-encompassing love. The success of the mission depends on how deeply believers trust in and collaborate with Jesus in their dedication.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/07-01-2025-2-corinthians-chapter-12-believe-his-prophets/

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