Daily Lesson for Sabbath 4th of January 2025

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study: 2 Peter 3:9, Deuteronomy 7:6-9, Romans 11:22, 1 John 4:7-20, John 15:12, 1 John 3:16.

Memory Text:

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him’ ” (John 14:23, NKJV).

Many have been taught that the Greek word agape refers to a love that is unique to God, while other terms for love, such as phileo, refer to different kinds of love, more deficient than agape. Some claim, too, that agape refers to unilateral love, a love that only gives but never receives, a love entirely independent of human response.

However, careful study of divine love throughout Scripture shows that these ideas, though common, are mistaken. First, the Greek term agape refers not only to God’s love but also to human love, even sometimes misdirected human love (2 Timothy 4:10). Second, throughout Scripture, many terms other than agape refer to God’s love. For example, Jesus taught, “ ‘The Father Himself loves [phileo] you, because you have loved [phileo] Me’ ” (John 16:27, NASB). Here, the Greek term phileo is used not only of human love but also of God’s love for humans. Thus, phileo does not refer to a deficient kind of love but to God’s love itself.

Scripture also teaches that God’s love is not unilateral but deeply relational, in that it makes a profound difference to God whether or not humans reflect His love back to Him and to others.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 11.

Sunday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/25a-02-covenantal-love/

Key Thought: God freely loves everyone. His love is generous and merciful, as He voluntarily chooses to reveal His sacrificial love, even when people are unfaithful.
January 4, 2025

1. Have a volunteer read Hosea 14:1-4

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What do these verses reveal about God’s steadfast love for His people?
3.  Personal Application: In what ways does God continue to reveal or manifest His love to you? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Why is these so much misunderstanding of God’s character? Does a misunderstanding of hell make Him out to be a God of hate instead of love? Do people’s ideas of God as love override the fact that He is a God of justice as well?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read John John 17:24, Revelation 4:11

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What does this tell us about God’s love before Creation and His choice to create in the first place?
3. Personal Application: What does it tell you that God continues to bestow His love on this world despite the evil, disbelief, and rebellion? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “How do the three angel’s messages reveal God’s love to humankind? Why do the second and third angel’s messages seem so harsh?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Matthew 22:1-14

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is the meaning of this parable?
3. Personal Application: How do you know your life shows you have accepted the wedding invitation and have come appropriately clothed? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “How can God love those who don’t know Him, those who don’t want Him in their lives, and those who refuse to follow His rules and hate them.” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read John 10:17,18; Galatians 2:20

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. How does it make you feel that Christ came of His own free will and initiative to overcome sin in the flesh and die the sinner’s death on our behalf so we could be saved?
3. Personal Application: What would it spiritually mean for us to lay down our lives for our friends? How much love do we have for people’s souls? 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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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/1-god-loves-freely-teaching-plan/