Key Thought: Widows and fatherless are those who have lost spouses and parents. Single-parent families are many today. Helping the poor is not an option, but a command.
February 18, 2023

1. Have a volunteer read Leviticus 23:22, and Deuteronomy 15:11.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. Who are those that we are supposed to help that are called our “brothers” or brethren?
3. Personal Application: How do you, as an individual, help the poor by opening your hand to them? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study : One of your relatives states, “In America, we pay taxes that are used and misused to help the poor in food, housing, Medicaid, and clothing. We should help those truly in need, but many are living off the government and having babies as a crutch to get help. They don’t work, neither do they want to. How are we supposed to deal with these cases?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Matthew 19:16-22.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What did Jesus mean when He told the rich young ruler to sell all that he has and give it to the poor?
3. Personal Application: What does it mean to lose your life for the gospel? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “I don’t believe Jesus expects us to give away everything we have and give it to the poor. It would be a drop in the bucket for all the poor people in the world. And it would just add one more poor family to the mix. I think that Jesus said that because the rich young ruler was covetous.” How would you respond to your friend

3. Have a volunteer read Luke 19:8-10.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this passage is.
2. What were the differences between the rich young ruler and Zacchaeus?
3. Personal Application: How do you view your role as a steward of the money and goods that God has given you? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Does repentance from sin also involves restoration of goods, property, or money that was obtained illegally or fraudulently?.” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Job 29: 2-16.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What here shows what made Job’s character so stellar?
3. Personal Application: How many of these actions are still appropriate today? How do you match up to Job in your care for those in need? 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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Early in Jesus’ public ministry, He traveled to Nazareth, in the region of Galilee. This was His hometown, and the local people already had heard of His work and miracles. As His custom was, Jesus attended Sabbath services in the synagogue. Though Jesus was not the officiating rabbi, the attendant handed Him the Isaiah scroll and asked Him to give the Scripture reading. Jesus read Isaiah 61:1-2.

Read Luke 4:16-19 and compare it with Isaiah 61:1-2,  (see also Luke 7:19-23). Why do you think Jesus chose this specific Scripture? Why would these verses in Isaiah be deemed as Messianic? What did they reveal about the work of the Messiah?

Image © The Classic Bible Art Collection – Formerly Standard Publishing at Goodsalt.com

Because the religious leaders apparently had overlooked the prophecies that spoke of a suffering Messiah and had misapplied those that pointed to the glory of His Second Coming (which should serve as a reminder to us of how important understanding prophecy really is), most of the people believed the false idea that the Messiah’s mission was to free Israel from its conquerors and oppressors, the Romans. To think that the Messiah’s mission statement came from Isaiah 61:1-2,  must have been a real shock.

The poor usually were looked down upon by unscrupulous officials such as tax collectors, those in business, and even their own neighbors. It commonly was thought that poverty was the curse of God and that their unfortunate condition must have been their own fault. With this mindset, few people had any concern for the poor and their unhappy plight.

Yet Jesus’ love for the poor was one of the greatest evidences of His Messiahship, as seen by how Jesus answered John the Baptist’s question about Him as the Messiah (see Matthew 11:1-6). “Like the Saviour’s disciples, John the Baptist did not understand the nature of Christ’s kingdom. He expected Jesus to take the throne of David; and as time passed, and the Saviour made no claim to kingly authority, John became perplexed and troubled.” — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 215.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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