Daily Lesson for Tuesday 10th of September 2024

Leaving the walled city of Jerusalem where they ate the Passover meal, Jesus and His disciples go across the Kidron Valley to a garden on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. The name Gethsemane means oil press, suggesting that there was an olive oil processing press in the vicinity. The exact location is unknown because the Romans cut down all the trees on the Mount of Olives during the siege in A.D. 70.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

As Jesus enters the garden, He leaves His disciples there and goes farther with Peter, James, and John. But then He leaves these three, as well, and proceeds farther by Himself. This spatial distancing suggests Jesus is becoming more isolated as He faces His upcoming suffering.

Jesus prays for the cup of suffering to be removed but only if it is God’s will (Mark 14:36). He uses the Aramaic term Abba, which Mark translates as “Father.” The term does not mean “daddy,” as some have suggested. The term used by a child to address his father was abi (see Raymond E. Brown, The Death of the Messiah, Anchor Bible Reference Library [New York: Doubleday, 1994], vol. 1, Pages 172, 173). However, the use of the term Abba, “Father,” does carry the close familial linkage, which should not be diminished.

What Jesus prays for is the removal of the cup of suffering. But He submits Himself to the will of God (compare with the Lord’s Prayer, Matthew 6:10). It becomes obvious throughout the rest of the Passion Narrative that God’s answer to Jesus’ prayer is no. He will not remove the cup of suffering because through that experience salvation is offered to the world.

When you face hardships, it is encouraging to have friends who support you. In Philippians 4:13, Paul talks about doing all things through the One who strengthens him. Many forget Philippians 4:14, where the apostle begins, “Nevertheless.” It reads: “Nevertheless, it was kind of you to share my troubles” (ISV). This is what Jesus desired in Gethsemane. Three times He came seeking comfort from His disciples. Three times they were sleeping. At the end, He arouses them to go forth with Him to face the trial. He is ready; they are not.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-11-gethsemane/

It is wonderful to travel through John Mark’s life and see the beautiful story climax with 
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today – Hymn 166, therefore 
Go, Preach My Gospel – Hymn 378. These two hymns give us a purpose all during this quarter to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus. May you enjoy these hymns for your theme hymn from which to choose.

The Last Supper has many hymns, and I find these three fit with what is happening in our Monday study time: 
Hymn 397 – An Upper Room, 
Hymn 398 – Bread Of The World and 
Hymn 399 – Beneath The Forms Of Outward Rite.

Tuesday’s study shows clearly in 
Hymn 157 – Go To Dark Gethsemane.

Even with all the disciples and followers fleeing from Jesus, He displayed His great love, as in 
O Love, How Deep, How Broad – Hymn 148, particularly in verse 3.

Thursday and Friday keep reminding us 
O Brother, Be Faithful – Hymn 602.

Please continue to search the scriptures this week to be blessed and to bless many others.

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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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/11-taken-and-tried-singing-with-inspiration/

Key Thought: Mark 14 narrated the plot to kill Jesus. It tells of the events of Jesus’ betrayal and His condemnation by the religious leaders.
September 14, 2024

1. Have a volunteer read Mark 14:1-11, 22-31.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What two stories are contrasted here, and how do they play off each other?
3. Personal Application: What can we learn from promising to do something and either not doing it or delaying it, but eventually doing it? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “I don’t know much about Passover only that Jesus celebrated it because God delivered the Jews in Egypt. It doesn’t apply to us today. It was fulfilled and nailed to the cross, but some Christians believe we should still be keeping it.”. How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Mark 14:32-42.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. Why did Jesus pray in the garden and how was the prayer answered?
3. Personal Application: How can we submit our wills to God in the face of adversity and trials without denying Christ like Peter, or running away like John, or trying to physically fight like Peter? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Why was Jesus seeking support from His disciples? Didn’t He have strength and courage to face His destiny? Didn’t He know He had to face the cross alone? Did He in His humanity seek support and comfort?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Mark 14:43-52.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What happens here that is so crucial to the plan of salvation?
3. Personal Application: What hope can we cling to as we see Peter’s denial and Christ’s forgiveness and reconciliation to him in foretelling his sin and conversion? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your neighbors states: “Judas was a slave to only one sin –love of money, and it led him to betray Jesus. How can we learn to hate our sins and by God’s grace, overcome it in our lives?” How would you respond to your neighbor?

4. Have a volunteer read Mark 14:60-71.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What difference was there in how Jesus responded to events and how Peter did?
3. Personal Application: What words of hope would you give someone who, though waiting to follow Jesus, fails to do so at times? Have you ever failed to follow what we know Jesus wants? 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/11-taken-and-tried-teaching-plan/

Daily Lesson for Monday 9th of September 2024

Mark 14:12 notes that this is the first day of unleavened bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed. The meal was on Thursday evening.

At the Last Supper, Jesus institutes a new memorial service. It is a transition from the Jewish Passover celebration and is directly linked to Israel’s leaving Egypt and becoming God’s covenant people at Sinai. In the sealing of the covenant, in Exodus 24:8, Moses sprinkles the people with the blood of the sacrifices and says, “ ‘Behold the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words’ ” (ESV).

Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com

It is striking that in the Lord’s Supper, which Jesus institutes here, no use is made of the lamb of the Passover meal. That is because Jesus is the Lamb of God (compare with John 1:29). The bread of the Lord’s Supper represents His body. The new covenant (compare with Jeremiah 31:31-34) is sealed with the blood of Jesus, and the cup represents this. He says, “ ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many’ ” (Mark 14:24, ESV).

Then, amid all this, Jesus predicts that His disciples will all abandon Him. He cites Zechariah 13:7, which speaks of the sword striking the shepherd and the sheep being scattered. Jesus is the shepherd, and His disciples are the sheep. It is a stark and depressing message. But Jesus adds a word of hope, repeating the prediction of His resurrection. But He adds that He will go before the disciples to Galilee. That prediction will be referred to by the young man at Jesus’ tomb, in Mark 16:7, and thus it carries special weight here.

But all this is too hard for the disciples to accept, especially Peter, who argues that everyone else may fall away, but he will not. However, Jesus continues with the solemn language and predicts that Peter will deny Him three times before the rooster crows twice. The prediction will play a crucial role in the scene of Jesus’ trial and Peter’s denial; so, it also plays a crucial role here.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-11-the-last-supper/

Daily Lesson for Sunday 8th of September 2024

Mark 14:1 indicates that the Passover was two days away. This meeting probably occurred on either Tuesday night or Wednesday of that week. The religious leaders have a plan and timing. They just need a means to accomplish their goal. It will come from a surprising quarter.

This passage is the fifth sandwich story in Mark (see lesson 3). The story of the plot against Jesus is linked with a story of a woman who anoints Jesus’ head with precious perfume. Two parallel characters do opposite actions, displaying an ironic contrast.

Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com

Who the woman is here is not revealed by Mark. Her amazing gift to Jesus stands in contrast to Judas’s perfidy in betraying his Lord. She is unnamed; he is named as one of the Twelve. The value of her gift is listed; his price is only a promise of money.

No specific reason is given for why she does this, but the guests at the dinner are appalled by what they consider a grand waste of close to a year’s wages in pouring out the perfume on Jesus. Jesus, however, interposes in her defense and says that what she has done will be included in gospel proclamation throughout the world as a memorial to her. It is unforgettable. Indeed, all four Gospels tell this story in one form or another, probably because of Jesus’ words memorializing her deed.

Judas’s betrayal also is unforgettable. Mark implies that his motive was greed. The Gospel of John makes it explicit (John 12:4-6).

Mark contains a play on the word “good” in order to illustrate that two different motives, or plots, are in play in these stories. Jesus calls the woman’s action “good/beautiful” in Mark 14:6. He says you can always do “good” for the poor (Mark 14:7). In Mark 14:9, He calls her deed part of the “good news/gospel.” In Mark 14:11, Judas looks for a “good opportunity” (ISV) to betray Jesus. What this play on words suggests is that the plot of men to destroy the Messiah will actually become part of the gospel story because it brings to fruition the will of God in giving His Son for the salvation of humanity.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-11-unforgettable/