The God of Love and Justice – Lesson 4.God Is Passionate and Compassionate | Sabbath School with Pastor Mark Finley
Series THE GOD OF LOVE AND JUSTICE with Pastor Mark Finley |
Lesson 4.God Is Passionate and Compassionate |
The Source of True Love and Grace b |
God’s nature is characterized by deep compassion and boundless mercy. The Bible describes His love as stronger and more intimate than the deepest human affection, comparable to the care of a parent for their child (Psalm 103:13; Isaiah 49:15). Despite the unfaithfulness of His people, God remains faithful, patient, and full of mercy. In Jesus Christ, this divine mercy becomes visible through perfect compassion and selfless dedication. This lesson invites us to better understand God’s loving actions and to reflect His mercy in our own lives.
Memory Text: Isaiah 49,15 – “ ‘Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.’ ”
Content:
4.1 More Than a Mother’s Love
God’s Infinite Compassion
God’s compassion surpasses every form of human love, even the intimate affection of a mother for her child. Psalm 103:13 and Isaiah 49:15 show that God treats us like beloved children and never forgets us, even when human parents might fail. The Hebrew term racham, derived from the word for womb, highlights God’s deep, “womb-like” motherly love. Jeremiah 31:20 describes God’s unwavering desire for His people despite their unfaithfulness. This deep, inner longing of God demonstrates that His mercy is boundless and steadfast. For people with painful family experiences, God’s compassion can be made understandable through Jesus’ life and actions—through His healing proximity to the outcast and His unconditional love.
4.2 Gut-Wrenching Love
God’s Deep Yearning for His People
Hosea 11:1–9 portrays God’s intimate, fatherly love for His people, whom He tenderly cares for like a parent accompanies their child’s growth. Despite Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness, God’s love endures, wrestling with pain and compassion, revealing His deep emotional bond. God’s heart “turns away” in compassion, reflecting His passionate longing for reconciliation. This heart-wrenching love combines compassion and justice, for God’s love is not blind but profound and just. For us, this means that God does not abandon us in our missteps but calls us to repentance with patience and mercy. This knowledge brings us comfort and hope that God’s love remains unchanged even in our weakness.
4.3 The Compassion of Jesus
The Lived Mercy of God
Jesus embodied God’s boundless compassion by not only feeling pity but actively addressing people’s needs (Matthew 9:36; Mark 1:41). He healed the sick, comforted the grieving, and took in the outcasts, always moved by genuine mercy. Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem (Matthew 23:37) shows His deep longing to gather and protect the people—like a bird caring for its chicks. These images illustrate that Jesus’ love is as strong and caring as the Father’s in the Old Testament. Jesus’ life was the perfect revelation of God’s love in human form. As His followers, we are called to emulate this example by approaching others with compassion and making God’s love visible through concrete actions.
4.4 A Jealous God?
God’s Passionate Love and Faithfulness
God’s jealousy (el qanna) is not a destructive or envious emotion but an expression of His deep, passionate love and desire for an exclusive relationship with His people. This divine jealousy is comparable to the devotion of a faithful husband who wants to protect his beloved wife from infidelity (2 Corinthians 11:2). It arises from God’s care and desire to prevent His people from the harm caused by false idols and ways (Psalm 78:58). Unlike human jealousy, which is often selfish, God’s jealousy is just and directed toward the well-being of His people. It shows how seriously God takes His relationship with us and that He meets us with an incomparable, protective love. This divine passion can teach us to act faithfully, lovingly, and protectively in our relationships—with a love that seeks the best for others.
4.5 Compassion and Passionate
God’s Love as a Model for Our Lives
God reveals in Jesus Christ a compassionate and passionate love that is shown through care, comfort, and deep empathy (Isaiah 63:9; Luke 19:41). This divine love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, is patient, kind, and free from selfishness. It requires us to act with compassion and love not by our own strength but through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The death of the self—the laying down of selfishness and pride—is necessary to make room for God’s love. Only when we ask God to renew our hearts can we live this pure, selfless love. This love leads us to actively comfort others, approach them with compassion, and make God’s love visible through our actions.
4.6 Summary
The Depth of Divine Love
Lesson 4 demonstrates that God’s compassion and mercy go far beyond human understanding. Like a parent’s love for their child, God’s affection is deep, steadfast, and infinite (Psalm 103:13; Isaiah 49:15). His passionate love is especially described in the caring jealousy with which He seeks to preserve His people from unfaithfulness (Deuteronomy 5:24). In Jesus Christ, God’s compassion becomes visible as He meets the needy with full mercy and gives Himself up for humanity (Matthew 9:36; Luke 19:41). This divine love is meant to inspire us to encounter others with compassion, patience, and selfless love through the power of the Holy Spirit. God invites us to embrace His mercy and actively share it in our lives.
The God of Love and Justice – Lesson 3.To Be Pleasing to God | Sabbath School with Pastor Mark Finley
Series THE GOD OF LOVE AND JUSTICE with Pastor Mark Finley |
Lesson 3.To Be Pleasing to God |
Living for the Honor of God |
God desires a close and loving relationship with every person, regardless of our faults and weaknesses. Through His infinite grace and love, He gives us the opportunity to be pleasing to Him. This lesson shows how we can delight God through faith in Jesus Christ and by living a life of love and righteousness. It is not about perfect performance, but about a sincere heart and the desire to live according to His will. God’s joy over our return to Him motivates us to serve Him with devotion and trust. This awareness strengthens us to walk His path with love and humility.
Memory Text: Zephaniah 3,17 – “The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Content:
3.1 More Valuable Than You Can Imagine
More Valuable Than You Can Imagine – The Infinite Love of God
The parable of the prodigal son vividly illustrates God’s immeasurable love and mercy. The father welcomes his repentant son with open arms, even though the son has deeply disappointed him. This demonstrates that God accepts every person with compassion and joy, no matter how far they have strayed from Him. In contrast, the older son’s reaction reflects a human perspective of justice that often does not align with God’s boundless grace. This story admonishes us not to become self-righteous but to acknowledge God’s love for others as well. It reminds us that we are infinitely valuable to God—much more than we can ever comprehend.
3.2 Rejoicing With Gladness
God’s Joy Over Each Individual
Zephaniah 3:17 illustrates God’s overwhelming joy over the return and redemption of His people, similar to how the father in the parable of the prodigal son ran to his son with compassion. God’s love is so deep and comprehensive that words can hardly express His enthusiasm. This joy is evident in His immediate presence with us—He is right in the midst of His people. Isaiah 62:4 emphasizes this joy with the image of a loving marriage, where God is closely united with His people. Similarly, Ephesians 5:25–28 calls us to love one another with the same selfless love that Christ has for the church. God’s joy over each saved person is an expression of His limitless and personal love.
3.3 Pleasing God?
Our Significance in His Eyes
It is amazing that the almighty God of the universe takes pleasure in us humans. Isaiah 43:4 and Psalm 149:4 show that God loves us and takes delight in us because we are immeasurably valuable to Him. Despite our sinfulness, He delights in sincere hearts and righteous actions, as emphasized in Proverbs 15:8–9. God’s joy in us is an expression of His deep love and care, which goes far beyond human understanding. This intimate connection between heaven and earth gives us hope and comfort, especially in difficult times. It reminds us that we are important to God and that our efforts to please Him do not go unnoticed.
3.4 Living Stones
Pleasing God in Christ
Despite our sinfulness, we can please God because He accepts and transforms us through Jesus Christ. Romans 5:8 shows that God’s love was already for us when we were sinners, and through Christ, we have received reconciliation and grace. 1 Peter 2:4–6 describes us as “living stones” who, through Jesus, are capable of offering spiritual sacrifices pleasing to God. Without faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), but through Christ, we are strengthened to do His will. This assurance that Jesus mediates for us in heaven gives us hope and comfort. It shows that God not only acts for us but also works within us to transform us into His image.
3.5 A Worthy Goal
A Valuable Goal – Pleasing God with Faith
God rejoices over every sincere response to His love, even when our faith is weak. The story in Mark 9:17–29 shows that the honest cry, “Help my unbelief!” is sufficient to receive Jesus’ help. God does not require perfect faith but an open heart that seeks Him. Through Christ’s mediating service, even our small faith is accepted and makes us pleasing to God. This trust should motivate us to strive to please God in all things (2 Corinthians 5:9) and to share His love further. Neighborly love and the golden rule remind us to treat others with the same grace we have received.
3.6 Summary
Being Pleasing to God – Living in His Love and Grace
God longs for us to please Him, not through perfect works, but through sincere faith and love. Through Jesus Christ, we are accepted despite our weaknesses and can perform actions pleasing to God. God’s joy over every repentant sinner, as illustrated in the parable of the prodigal son, demonstrates His boundless mercy. Even small, weak faith is accepted and strengthened by Him. This love motivates us to seek God’s will, act with love, and show mercy to others. Our goal should be to bring joy to God in all areas of our lives.
The God of Love and Justice – Lesson 2.Covenant Love | Sabbath School with Pastor Mark Finley
Series THE GOD OF LOVE AND JUSTICE with Pastor Mark Finley |
Lesson 2.Covenant Love |
Covenant Love – God’s Eternal Faithfulness and Our Response |
Lesson 2 addresses the infinite and faithful love of God that He extends to His covenant people. This love is not only a gift but also an invitation to an intimate relationship with Him. Through the concept of chesed love, it becomes clear that God’s mercy and goodness are not conditional, though the full enjoyment of the blessings of this relationship is. The lesson reminds us that God loved us first and that our love for Him and our neighbors is a response to this love. It invites us to consciously experience God’s love and reflect it through obedience and love for others.
Memory Text: John 14:23 – “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’. ”
Content:
2.1 The Everlasting Love of God
God’s Infinite Love – An Invitation to Salvation
God’s eternal love is unmistakably revealed in the Bible: God loves everyone, regardless of their condition or past. John 3:16 and other verses like Jeremiah 31:3 emphasize that this love is everlasting and all-encompassing. God desires that all people be saved, yet He does not force His love upon anyone. This love, which also extends to “detestable” persons, challenges us to practice love and compassion ourselves. When we experience God’s love in our lives, it changes our attitude toward others and empowers us to love even those who seem unlovable. God’s love remains a model for our actions—unconditional, relentless, and saving.
2.2 Covenant Love
Covenant Love – God’s Faithfulness and Our Response
God’s covenant love is described in the Bible by the Hebrew word chesed, which represents God’s unwavering goodness, mercy, and love in a faithful relationship. This love is boundless and steadfast, yet the full blessing of the relationship depends on His people’s willingness to follow Him and reciprocate this love. Deuteronomy 7:6–9 shows that God’s love is unconditional, while the covenant relationship requires mutual faithfulness. The pinnacle of God’s chesed is visible in Jesus Christ, who gave Himself on the cross. This love invites us to consciously experience it daily and respond by loving God and one another with faithfulness and gratitude.
2.3 Conditional Relationship
God’s Love and Our Response – Conditional Blessings, Unconditional Love
The relationship with God is characterized by His unconditional love, but the benefits of this relationship depend on our free choice to accept this love. If we fail to respond to God’s love, we can sever ourselves from the blessings of His presence and the promise of eternal life, even though His love never ceases. Texts like Hosea 9:15 and John 14:21 show that maintaining the blessings of this relationship requires obedience and faithfulness. God’s love remains like the sun that continuously shines, but we can cast ourselves into the shadows. Nature, even after the fall, reflects God’s love and invites us to experience and respond to this reality daily.
2.4 Mercy Forfeited
Conditional Grace – The Responsibility of Forgiveness
God’s love is eternal and unmerited, yet we have the choice to accept or reject it. The parable of the unforgiving servant shows that, like the servant, we owe a debt to God that we could never repay, yet He forgives us out of His boundless grace. This forgiveness requires us to extend it to others. The servant forfeited his master’s grace because he was not willing to forgive others. Similarly, rejecting to reflect God’s love can lead us to cut ourselves off from the blessings of His grace. The depth of the forgiveness we have received should move us to show mercy to others.
2.5 You Have Freely Received; Freely Give
Passing On Received Love – The Call to Neighborly Love
God’s love is a gift that we neither deserve nor can repay, yet we are called to pass it on. The Bible teaches that true love for God is shown in our love for others (John 15:12; 1 John 4:7–12). Those who have received mercy are called to act mercifully themselves. The parable of the unforgiving servant reminds us that extending forgiveness is a sign of true discipleship. Jesus’ command to love others as He has loved us calls us to make God’s love visible both in words and actions. Through this lived-out love, we can lead others to hope for eternal life.
2.6 Summary
Covenant Love – God’s Faithful Devotion and Our Response
Lesson 2 illuminates God’s unwavering and eternal love shown in a special covenant relationship with His people. This love is unmerited but remains steadfast, even when often rejected by us humans. God’s chesed—His faithful goodness—invites us to accept this love and respond through obedience and love for Him and others. Although we can never repay His love, we are called to pass it on by living out forgiveness and mercy. This lesson reminds us that God’s love is the foundation of our relationship with Him and that our love for others should be a visible sign of our discipleship.
The God of Love and Justice – Lesson 1.God Loves Freely | Sabbath School with Pastor Mark Finley
Series THE GOD OF LOVE AND JUSTICE with Pastor Mark Finley |
Lesson 1.God Loves Freely |
The Immeasurable and Unconditional Love of God |
God’s love is the foundation of our faith and our relationship with Him. But what does it mean that God loves us freely, regardless of our actions or our worthiness? Lesson 1 guides us through various aspects of this amazing truth: God’s unwavering faithfulness to His people despite their unfaithfulness, His invitation to a love that is not coerced, and the ultimate revelation of His love on the cross. This lesson invites us to reflect on the depth and breadth of God’s free and unmerited love—and how we can respond to this love in our lives.
Memory Text: Hosea 14:4 – “ ‘I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, for My anger has turned away from him’ ”
Content:
1.1 Beyond Reasonable Expectations
Beyond Deserved: God’s Love and Grace Without Limits
God’s love is boundless and undeserved. Although the Israelites betrayed God by worshiping the golden calf after their liberation from Egypt, God remained faithful to them. This faithfulness is evident in Exodus 33:19, where God declares that His grace and mercy will be freely given, even when they are not deserved. This statement does not illustrate arbitrariness but God’s sovereign decision to bestow love and compassion even on the unworthy. The story shows that God’s love exceeds all reasonable expectations. This is a comforting message for us all: God’s love and grace are greater than our faults.
1.2 Unrequited Love
Despite Unfaithfulness: God’s Voluntary and Unwavering Love
The story of Hosea is a vivid depiction of God’s unmerited and unwavering love. Despite Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness, God demonstrates through Hosea’s relationship with his unfaithful wife that His love is freely and voluntarily given, regardless of human unworthiness. Hosea 14:1–4 reveals God’s willingness to offer healing and love even when the relationship seems irreparable. The term “freely” in “I will love them freely” emphasizes that God’s love is voluntary and without coercion. This love is not only a divine gift but also a call to repentance. This image of a faithful lover who loves despite rejection shows God’s deep longing for a relationship with us and changes how we can perceive His grace and faithfulness.
1.3 Love Freely Given
Out of Free Will: God’s Boundless and Undeserved Love
God’s love is an undeserved and voluntary gift that depends neither on our worthiness nor on a need of God. Although God did not need creation, He chose out of pure love to create the world and engage in a relationship with us. Revelation 4:11 and Psalm 33:6 demonstrate that God created out of His free will and is therefore worthy of all honor and worship. Even after the fall in Eden, God continued His love and upheld creation in His grace. This voluntary love reveals God’s unchanging character and His willingness to reconcile a lost humanity. This truth should inspire us to love Him wholeheartedly and follow His ways.
1.4 Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen
God’s Invitation: Many Called, Few Willing
God’s invitation to the wedding feast in Christ’s parable reveals His love and the free will He gives to each person. God calls everyone, but not everyone responds. Matthew 22:1–14 shows that the “Chosen Ones” are those who accept God’s invitation and prepare for the wedding by wearing the king’s wedding garment—a symbol of accepting God’s grace and righteousness. God’s love is universal, but He does not force anyone to reciprocate it. The freedom to accept or decline God’s invitation is crucial because true love can never be coerced. The question remains: Are we willing to accept God’s invitation and live in His love?
1.5 Crucified for Us
The Ultimate Sacrifice: God’s Love Revealed on the Cross
On the cross, God’s immeasurable love is revealed, surpassing all human understanding. Jesus Christ willingly gave His life to pay for the sins of humanity and to heal the broken relationship between heaven and earth. Although many, as described in Matthew 23:37, were not willing to accept God’s invitation, Christ still went to the cross—for them and for us. John 10:17-18 and Galatians 2:20 illustrate that this sacrifice was made out of His free will as part of a plan established before the foundation of the world. This act shows that God’s love is not only saving but also intentional and selfless. The cross is an eternal testimony to God’s unmerited, free love for all of us.
1.6 Summary
The Essence of Divine Love: Faithfulness, Freedom, and Invitation
God’s love is a gift that is given freely and without condition. In the history of Israel, in the parable of the wedding banquet, and ultimately on the cross, God demonstrates that His love is independent of human worthiness or performance. Despite repeated unfaithfulness, God remains faithful and continues to invite us into a relationship with Him. His love is not forced but is based on His free will and unchanging nature. The cross is the ultimate expression of this love, as Christ willingly gave His life to save us. Lesson 1 reminds us that God’s love not only seeks us but also invites us to freely reciprocate it.
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