Join the Hit the Mark panel as they discuss Lesson 13 – Epilogue: Knowing Jesus and His Word. It’s the fastest hour of the week!

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/epilogue-knowing-jesus-and-his-word-hit-the-mark-sabbath-school/

Daily Lesson for Thursday 26th of December 2024

As we have seen throughout this quarter’s lessons, the Gospel of John draws us to Jesus, but only if we are willing to know God and to do His will. Throughout John’s Gospel, people who encounter Jesus either accept the light and grow or reject the light and become blind. Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the royal official, the man at the pool of Bethesda, the 5,000 fed loaves and fishes, Jesus’ brothers, the religious leaders, the man born blind, Mary and Martha, Pilate—all encountered Jesus and made choices about the truth and light He brought.

Image © Review & Herald Publishing at Goodsalt.com

Theology from below begins with human argumentation to determine and examine the existence and nature of God. The human perspective—flawed, fallen, and prejudiced—takes precedence over the Divine, holy, perfect, and omniscient. Theology from below is guaranteed to lead people astray, as it has done in the past and will do in the future (see Revelation 14:1-12), when human wisdom, seeking to supersede the Divine, will attempt to force false worship upon the world.

The secret is to stay connected to Jesus. He is the Word of God, the Bread of Life, the Light of the world, the Door of the sheep, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and the True Vine.

The Members of the Godhead and Their Word, the Bible, are like magnets. If not resisted, they will draw us to them. “The voice of God is speaking to us through his word, and there are many voices that we will hear; but Christ has said we should beware of them who will say, Here is Christ or there is Christ. Then how shall we know that they have not the truth, unless we bring everything to the Scriptures?”—Ellen G. White, The Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, April 3, 1888. And then, we must surrender our own views to those presented in the Word of God.

<–Wednesday Friday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-13-abiding-in-jesus/

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 25th of December 2024

This man came to Jesus, the Light of the world, but he had made up his mind to believe only if Jesus healed his child. We could say this man’s theology was a “theology from below.” Theology from below sets rules and standards for God and His Word. Human ideas, as flawed and as limited and as subjective as they are, become the final authority on how people interpret the Word of God. What a dangerous trap to fall into!

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

Theology “from above,” in contrast, responds by faith, with belief in God and His Word first (John 4:48; John 6:14-15; 2 Timothy 3:16). When the Bible is accepted by faith, it becomes its own interpreter. The worldview of Scripture, rather than the philosophy of the age, is the guide to understanding and interpreting Scripture. Human views must be subjected and subservient to the Word of God, and not the other way around.

We must believe the words of Scripture if we are to believe the words of Jesus (John 5:46-47). “ ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed’ ” (John 8:31, NKJV). If we doubt God’s Word, His Word cannot abide in us (John 5:38). “ ‘He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak’ ” (John 12:48-49, NKJV).

To hear God’s Word is more than a passive intake of information. It means also to do God’s will. And this is the active response to hearing the Word. “ ‘If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority’ ” (John 7:17, NKJV).

And this hearing, and doing, of God’s Word is an expression of love for 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).

<–Tuesday Thursday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24d-13-theology-from-above-or-from-below/

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and one of this quarter’s authors, Dr. Thomas R. Shepherd, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson, “The Beginning of the Gospel.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/13-epilogue-knowing-jesus-and-his-word-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/

View an in-depth discussion of Epilog: Knowing Jesus and His Word/a> in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:

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With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/13-epilogue-knowing-jesus-and-his-word-hope-sabbath-school-video-discussion/