Daily Lesson for Monday 2nd of October 2023

In the Old Testament narrative, God continues to act according to His missionary nature in order to fulfill His purposes. For instance, after the Flood the people of Babel decided to gather in one place to build a city and a tower that would reach to the heavens. God intervened, confusing their language with the goal to scatter them around the world (Genesis 11:1-9).

Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com

He then enlarged His mission, calling Abram (who later became Abraham) to be a channel of His blessings to the whole world (Genesis 12:1-3). God’s promises to Abraham and his descendants were multifold, but one emerges above all. Several times God basically declared to them: “I will be [your] God.” “I will be with you.” “I am with you” (see Genesis 17:7-8; Genesis 26:3, NKJV; Genesis 28:15, NKJV).

As history goes on, Joseph ends up in Egypt, but as an instrument of salvation to God’s people. In every step of Joseph’s experience—even in the most difficult moments of his life—the Bible affirms that “the Lord was with” him (Genesis 39:2,21,23). Generations later, in the fulfillment of His mission, God then sent Moses to Pharaoh as the deliverer of His people from Egyptian slavery. During Moses’ “commissioning,” God said to him: “I will certainly be with you” (Exodus 3:12, NKJV). Time after time, Yahweh confirmed His deep desire to be with His people.

Read Exodus 29:43,45. What was one of the main purposes of the Old Testament sanctuary? God decided to be with His children in a different way. He confirmed to Moses His longing to dwell among the children of Israel in the building of the tabernacle and the establishment of a very intentional and purposeful system that would point to the ultimate instrument of His mission: Jesus Christ. “The sacrificial offerings, and the priesthood of the Jewish system, were instituted to represent the death and mediatorial work of Christ. All those ceremonies had no meaning, and no virtue, only as they related to Christ.”—Ellen G. White, Advent Review and Herald of the Sabbath, December 17, 1872.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/23d-01-the-god-who-longs-to-be-with-us/

“God’s Mission – My Mission” consistently points us to our Gracious God and how He wishes us to portray what He has done for us. In response we will reach out to others: 
Hymn 573 – I’ll Go Where You Want Me To Go, Dear Lord, hence our theme hymn. This is in response to 
So Send I You – Hymn 573.

Sabbath afternoon’s introduction reminds us how our universe was put into existence by God, Himself:
Hymn 97 – Lord Of The Boundless Curves Of Space.

“The God Who Reaches Out to Us” is perfumed with the amazing love given to us: 
Hymn 79 – O Love Of God, How Strong And True, 
Hymn 76 – O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go, 
Hymn 162 – Wondrous Love, 
Hymn 78 – For God So Loved The World and 
Hymn 191 – Love Divine. Because of this abundant love, God had “the plan of redemption” in place for us showing 
The Wonder of Redeeming Love – Hymn 179 instructing that we are 
By Christ Redeemed – Hymn 402.

Monday reminds us that 
God Himself Is With Us – Hymn 3. This helps us to ponder and ask 
O For A Closer Walk with God – Hymn 315. Abraham was called and able to praise God, and so are we in singing The God Of Abraham Praise – Hymn 11.

“The God Who Continues to Be With Us” (Wednesday), encourages us to go 
Seeking The Lost – Hymn 373.

Oh, with grateful thanks, we see “in the place where sin abounded, God’s grace much more abounds” (Thursday): 
Hymn 109 – Marvelous Grace.

So, dear people, be encouraged to go forward so that we and all our friends and neighbors will be rejoicing 
When We All Get To Heaven – Hymn 633.

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/1-gods-mission-to-us-part-1-singing-with-inspiration/

Daily Lesson for Sunday 1st of October 2023

God created us in His image and likeness. He gave us a perfect world, and His purpose was that we would live in perfect connection with Him, a relationship centered in His most precious attribute: love. But for love to be real, God also gave us another precious gift: free will—the freedom to choose which way to follow. Of course, God gave clear instructions to Adam and Eve about the danger and deadly consequences of disobedience (Genesis 2:16-17).

Image © Lars Justinen Goodsalt.com

Satan, in turn, deceptively persuaded Eve that she could eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but without any negative results. On the contrary, he claimed that they would “be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5, NKJV). Unfortunately, Eve chose to eat and gave the fruit to Adam, who made the same choice. The perfect creation, then, was stained by sin.

That moment changed God’s original plan and purpose for the newly created planet Earth. The mission of salvation, which had been designed “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4), had now to be implemented.

Of course, God knew exactly where they were. Dominated by fear, Adam and Eve were the ones who needed to see what was going on. But they also needed to be confronted so they could understand the dreadful consequences of their sin. Satan also needed to be defeated. For that, God then began to present His mission: the plan of redemption (see Genesis 3:14-15)—the only hope of “reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19, NKJV).

We need to pay close attention, however, to the fact that before the confrontation and the promise of reconciliation, God came looking for fallen humanity. In spite of the seemingly hopeless situation, God essentially addresses two issues in His question to Adam: our fallen state and His missionary nature. We are lost and in desperate need of salvation. He is the One who finds us with the determination to save and to be with us.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/23d-01-the-god-who-reaches-out-to-us/

Daily Lesson for Saturday 30th of September 2023

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study

Genesis 3:9-15; Genesis 28:15; Exodus 29:43,45; Matthew 1:18-23; John 1:14-18; John 3:16; John 14:1-3.

Memory Text:

“Then the Lord God called Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ ” (Genesis 3:9, NKJV).

Mission finds its origin and purpose only in God. This mission did not begin with Abram’s call (Genesis 12:1-4) or with the Exodus (Exodus 12:31-42). It did not begin even with Jesus Christ on the earth (Matthew 1:18-25) or with Paul’s missionary journeys (Acts 13:4-52; Acts 14:1-26). This mission began with God Himself, when He brought the universe into existence and later created humanity (Genesis 1:26-27).

In the Scriptures, we see a God who intentionally reaches out and desires to be with His children. From the beginning, He establishes a relationship with Adam and Eve. Even after sin enters, He continues His mission, but now it is to reestablish His relationship with humanity. In the end, God’s mission will be accomplished (Revelation 21:1-27; Revelation 22:1-21), which is why we should be motivated in the work of proclaiming the eternal gospel to the world (Revelation 14:6-7).

The foundation of any mission endeavor, therefore, must be centered on a relationship with the Creator and with the proper understanding of His missionary nature and character. But before we understand the mission of God, it is essential to better understand the God of mission.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, October 7.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/23d-01-gods-mission-to-us-part-1/

The Mission program of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is an opportunity for us to understand the needs of others and share in supporting them. Please click on the image below to watch the Mission Spotlight presentation for this week: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTC-3rttYw0?si=BVLNQ3dvVX4XD4My&w=560&h=315]

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-september-30/