Daily Lesson for Sunday 28th of April 2024

The Bible was the foundation of the Reformers’ faith and the essence of their teaching. They understood that they were handling the inspired “word of God which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:23, NKJV).

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They treasured every word. As they read its pages and believed its promises, their faith was strengthened and their courage renewed. “So with all the promises of God’s word. In them He is speaking to us individually, speaking as directly as if we could listen to His voice. It is in these promises that Christ communicates to us His grace and power. They are leaves from that tree which is ‘for the healing of the nations.’ Revelation 22:2. Received, assimilated, they are to be the strength of the character, the inspiration and sustenance of the life. Nothing else can have such healing power. Nothing besides can impart the courage and faith which give vital energy to the whole being.”—Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 122.

The Scriptures shine joy upon our sorrow, hope upon our discouragement, light upon our darkness. They give direction for our confusion, certainty in our perplexity, strength in our weakness, and wisdom in our ignorance. When we meditate upon the Word of God and by faith trust its promises, God’s life-giving power energizes our entire being physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

The Reformers saturated their minds with Scripture. They lived by the Word, and many of them died because of the Word. They were not casual, complacent, careless Christians with a superficial devotional life. They knew that without the power of God’s Word, they would not withstand the forces of evil arrayed against them.

John Wycliffe’s passion was to translate the Bible into the English language so that the average person could read and understand it. Because that was illegal, he was tried for his faith, condemned as a heretic, and sentenced to death. At his trial, Wycliffe made an earnest appeal. “With whom, think you, are ye contending? With an old man on the brink of the grave? No! With Truth—Truth which is stronger than you, and will overcome you.”—Wylie, book 2, chapter 13, quoted in Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 90. Wycliffe’s dying words were fulfilled as the light of God’s truth dispelled the darkness of the Middle Ages.

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Daily Lesson for Sabbath 27th of April 2024

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Read for This Week’s Study

Psalms 119:162; John 16:13-15; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:23-24; Romans 6:15-18.

Memory Text:

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalms 119:11, NKJV).

The Protestant Reformers had something twenty-first century people desperately need—a purpose for their lives. In his book, The Empty Self, renowned American psychologist Philip Cushman discusses people who live purposeless lives. Their beliefs are shallow. Little of real significance matters to them, and they have nothing worth dying for, so they have little worth living for.

But the men, women, and children of the Protestant Reformation were dramatically different. They had an abiding purpose worth living for. What they believed mattered, and they were not willing to compromise their integrity. Their core beliefs were an inseparable part of them. To deny these beliefs was to deny their very identity. In the face of death itself, they had an inner peace.

In this week’s study, with examples from the Reformation, we will explore how the life-changing teachings of Scripture provide the basis for genuine purpose and true meaning in life. Understanding these eternal truths will prepare us for the final crisis in the great controversy between good and evil. The battle the Reformers fought is not yet over, and we have been called to pick up where they left off. We, too, can discover a God big enough for every challenge we face, a God who gives our lives meaning and purpose as nothing worldly ever could.

*Study this week’s lesson, based on chapters 7–11 of The Great Controversy, to prepare for Sabbath, May 4.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24b-05-faith-against-all-odds/