Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:10-11 NKJV

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

Last Sabbath morning, I was having my own personal devotion time before meeting with God’s people. As always, my favorite devotional book is the Bible itself. I am not opposed to devotional books. It’s just that I love reading the Bible. I have been reading through the New Testament lately, and last Sabbath I came to Mark 15. 

Photo by William Earnhardt

In Mark 15:1-5, I read how the justice system failed Jesus. Yet Jesus never opened His mouth to deliver Himself. Jesus knew, be it ever so wrong, that these things were supposed to take place. It has me wondering, if I should ever be wrongly imprisoned, would I be protesting or using my injustice as an opportunity to be a missionary to those in prison? Remember when we were studying Ephesians a while back in Sabbath School? Paul referred to himself as a prisoner of the Lord instead of being a prisoner of Rome. Would you be willing to serve a life sentence in prison for a crime you did not commit if it led to just one other prisoner receiving eternal life? 

In Mark 15:6-15 I read about how the people preferred the release of a hardened criminal over the loving and gentle Healer. Even today we see the basest of men exalted over those who are righteous and humble. And I am talking about the church as much as the world. When this sort of thing happens today, my friend calls it the Barabbas syndrome. 

In Mark 15:16-20 I read about the soldiers mocking and making fun of Jesus. Why such humiliating treatment for the least deserving Person in the whole universe! When a man becomes president of the United States, they have a huge inauguration parade and inauguration ball to honor him. Instead, Jesus got stripped, beaten and mocked. People have gone to prison for doing lesser things to dogs and yet God allowed this happen to His Son! Why? 

In Mark 15:21-37 I read about how Jesus experienced the death of the wicked on the cross. Jesus took the punishment for our sins and died the death that was ours. so we could have the reward of His righteousness and have the life that was His. He took the death we deserve so we could have the life He deserves. Jesus was treated the way we deserve so we may be treated as He deserves. While Jesus was going through all of this, the verbal abuse continued from those witnessing the crucifixion, those doing the crucifying, and even those being crucified with Him. Why would God allow His Son to suffer so much? Why would Jesus submit to such suffering?  Then I read verse 39.

So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!” Mark 15:39 NKJV

Then I paused. Could it be that the way Jesus handled all of this persecution convinced the centurion that He was the Son of God? Satan meant to cast so much mockery and persecution on Jesus so as to convince the world that Jesus definitely was not the Son of God, and yet Jesus used the same evidence Satan provided to convince a witness that He was indeed the Son of God. Though Satan cast so much darkness upon the Savior, the centurion could still see the righteousness of Christ shining with the blazing glory of the noonday sun. 

Years ago a Bible worker was in a home where he was answering Bible questions from a young college student. Her father kept making fun of the Bible worker’s answers and the Bible. The Bible worker was afraid the father’s mockery was going to make the daughter not believe the Bible worker or even the Bible. However, the Bible worker noticed the young woman was frustrated with her father and was doing her best to tune him out as she kept asking the Bible worker more questions. The Bible Worker noticed the young woman was not even paying any attention to her mocking father and kept talking to him like her father was not even there. She was hanging on to every word the Bible worker shared from the Bible. While the Bible worker was annoyed by the mocking father, he realized in the end, it was a very productive Bible study. A study he could have easily ruined had he retaliated against the father. Instead, the Holy Spirit took over the Bible worker and the entire Bible study. The young woman saw through all the darkness her father was spreading and saw the light of the Bible shining with the blazing glory of the noonday sun. 

Of course we know more than just the centurion believed. One thief repented, and I am sure many others did as well that day. Since then, millions and millions have been saved and are being saved. Are you willing to suffer the way Jesus did if it will lead someone to be eternally saved? 

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Our learning this quarter will show us that 
God Is Working His Purpose Out – Hymn 225 so that we will Lift Up The Trumpet because 
Jesus Is Coming Again – Hymn 213. You may have two hymns from which to choose for your theme hymn this quarter.

This week’s study time helps us to understand that 
This Is The Threefold Truth – Hymn 203 with Polycarp and many others saying
O Brother, Be Faithful – Hymn 602 all because you are 
Standing On The Promises – Hymn 518.

Our pre-1985 old hymnal has the powerful hymn 
Standing By A Purpose True (Number 497) which sums up Sunday’s study.

Tuesday tells more stories of those who were 
Standing On The Promises – Hymn 518 reflecting 
Lord, I Have Made Thy Word My Choice – Hymn 273.

There is wonderful hope found on Thursday: 
How Cheering Is The Christian’s Hope – Hymn 440 all 
Because He Lives – Hymn 526.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org/Search and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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Key Thought: Through the centuries men and women have been willing to experience martyrdom rather than give up their faith in Christ.
April 27, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Jude 3,4; Revelation 2:10.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What is the warni9ng here and how did it apply to the later Christian church?
3. Personal Application: What encourages you in challenging times? What scares you? What promises can you claim during these times? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “How can I have any faith in God’s promises to help me or save me when I face death itself? What promises does He give us that I can believe in?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Acts 5:28-32, Revelation 3:11, Ephesians 6:10-12.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What basic principle is found in these texts?
3. Personal Application: How can we reflect the light of Christ and shine in our community? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Do new discoveries of truth conflict with previous truths or with what the Bible teaches?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Psalms 19:7-11, 119:140, Jeremiah 15:16, 2 Timothy 2:1-3.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What similar attitudes did David and Jeremiah have toward the Word of God that shows the cornerstone of the Reformation?.
3. Personal Application:: How do you deal with values, ideas, and morals in your culture that conflict with the Word of God? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “What did Paul say to Timothy regarding sharing the Word of God? Can’t Christians just live a good life to influence others? It is scary and pushy to rry to tell others what the Bible says.” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Hebrews 2:14,15; John 5:24; 11:25,26; I John 5:11-13.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How did believers in the Middle Ages experience the reality of the great controversy? What lessons can we learn from the Reformers that can help us in the last days?
3. Personal Application: What assurances do these promises give you personally? How do they help us in the trials of life? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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Daily Lesson for Monday 22nd of April 2024

The book of Jude was written sometime before a.d. 65 to faithful Christians who were “sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1, NKJV). These faithful believers were urged to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Image © Kevin Carden at Goodsalt.com

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, . . . who turn the grace of our God into lewdness” (Jude 1:3-4, NKJV). This admonition meant even more to believers in the Middle Ages after pagan practices had flooded into the church and human traditions compromised the Word of God. For many centuries, people, such as the Waldenses, stood as champions for the truths of Scripture. They believed that Christ was their only mediator and the Bible their sole source of authority. “In every age there were witnesses for God—men who cherished faith in Christ as the only mediator between God and man, who held the Bible as the only rule of life, and hallowed the true Sabbath.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 61.

These words were written to the church at Smyrna. One of the city’s patron gods was Dionysius, the god of festivity and fertility. When the priests of Dionysius died, a crown was placed on their heads in their funeral procession. John contrasts this earthly crown placed on the head at death with the crown of life placed on the heads of those who are victorious over the forces of evil. The crown of life is presented to those who endured trials, difficulties, suffering, and death itself for Christ’s sake.

The crown of life inspires these faithful believers to endure death itself for Christ’s sake. The crown of life always motivates believers in challenging circumstances. It inspired the Waldenses through pain and persecution. They knew they would see Jesus one day and live with Him forever. The crown of life also speaks to us: we may go through trials now, but a crown of life awaits us as we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

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