Daily Lesson for Monday 8th of July 2024

Most Christians have some unforgettable moments in their Christian walk—the decision to follow Jesus; the day of their baptism; a powerful sermon during which they deeply felt the presence of God. Some of these moments might not only be unforgettable but be life-changing, as well.

Image © Barry Wingard at Goodsalt.com

So it might have been for some people in Capernaum on the Sabbath described in Mark 1:1-45. “And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mark 1:22, NKJV). As Jesus was teaching, a demon-possessed man, no doubt impacted by the power of Jesus’ teaching, shouted, “ ‘What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God’ ” (Mark 1:24, ESV), and Jesus cast out the demon.

Think of the implications of these words from the demon.

First, the demon recognizes Jesus as “ ‘the Holy One of God.’ ” He acknowledges that Jesus is the holy emissary of God, in contrast to the unclean, unholy hosts of Satan. In a worship setting, one expects holy things and individuals, not unholy and unclean things. Thus, in this story there is a sharp contrast between the forces of good and the forces of evil. We can see here the reality of the great controversy. People might not yet know who Jesus is, but the demon certainly does and publicly acknowledges it, as well.

Next, the command to come out of the man is understandable, but why the command, “ ‘Be quiet’ ” (NKJV)? Beginning here in Mark, a remarkable motif appears: Jesus’ call for silence regarding who He is. Scholars call this the “Messianic Secret.”

Jesus’ call for silence makes good sense because of the political overtones of Messianic expectations in His time. It was risky to be a messiah. Yet, mixed with the calls for silence are the unmistakable revelations of who Jesus is. What will become clear over time is that Jesus’ identity cannot be hidden, and the truth of who He is becomes the center of the gospel message. People need not only to know who Jesus is but also to make a decision about how they will respond to His coming and what it means for them.

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Daily Lesson for Sunday 7th of July 2024

Mark 1:1-45 does not have many of Jesus’ words recorded. However, Mark 1:17 does have His words to two fishermen, Simon, who will later be called “Peter,” and his brother, Andrew. The two men are standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, casting a net.

Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com

There is no mention of a boat or other fishing paraphernalia, which may suggest that the two men are not well off financially. In Mark 1:19-20, James and John are in a boat with their father and servants, which suggests that they were better off financially than Peter and Andrew. Luke indicates that Peter does have a boat and that, in fact, James and John were partners of Peter and Andrew (see Luke 5:1-11). But the Gospel of Mark may be presenting a contrast between the two sets of brothers, and in order to illustrate that difference, Jesus calls to discipleship both those who have less resources and those with more.

Jesus’ call to these men is simple, direct, and prophetic. He calls them to follow Him—that is, to become His disciples. He indicates that if they will respond to His call, He will take on the task of making them fishers of men.

The Gospel of John fills in the picture more fully (see John 1:29-42). It seems that the brothers were followers of John the Baptist and heard his proclamation that Jesus was “ ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ ” (John 1:29, ESV). They met Jesus and spent time with Him near the Jordan River. Consequently, their acceptance of Jesus’ call to ministry was not some lark or escapade. They had thought this through.

But why does Mark not fill in more details? Likely, it is to emphasize the power of Jesus. He calls, and willing fishermen answer, and their lives, and the world itself, are never the same.

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Daily Lesson for Sabbath 6th of July 2024

Image © Pacific Press

Read for This Week’s Study

Mark 1:16-45, John 1:29-45, Mark 5:41, Luke 6:12, Leviticus 13:1-59.

Memory Text:

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men’ ” (Mark 1:17, NKJV).

Each Gospel introduces the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in a particular way.

Matthew presents Jesus as calling disciples and then preaching the Sermon on the Mount.

Luke tells the story of Jesus’ inaugural sermon on a Sabbath in the synagogue in Nazareth.

John recounts the calling of some of the early disciples and the wedding at Cana, where Jesus performs His first sign.

The Gospel of Mark recounts the calling of four disciples and describes a Sabbath in Capernaum and what followed.

This “Sabbath with Jesus” at the beginning of Mark gives the reader a sense of who Jesus is. In the entire section for this week’s lesson, there are very few of His words recorded: a brief call to discipleship, a command to a demon, a plan to visit other locations, and the healing of a leper with instructions to show himself before a priest to be clean. The emphasis is on action, particularly healing people. The Gospel writer likes to use the word immediately to illustrate the fast-action movement of Jesus’ ministry.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 13.

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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:

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-july-6/

Inside Story for Friday 5th of July 2024

By Andrew McChesney

Father was the most prominent person in his small town in Nepal. Everyone sought his help. Townspeople believed that his animal sacrifices could cure any disease. Father came from a long line of shamans, and he became the shaman after the death of his father, who also was a shaman.

Image © Pacific Press

Father believed that his rituals wielded great power in the spirit world, so he was puzzled when he couldn’t help the person whom he loved most— his wife. He couldn’t cure her or even diagnose her illness. He sacrificed a chicken, but her pain remained. He gave money to another shaman, but she lost weight. He took her to a physician, but she grew weaker.

Father’s bewilderment grew when his adult daughter, Divya, returned home to help her mother. He came home one day and couldn’t find Mother or Divya. Searching the house, he finally found them in an upstairs room, kneeling on the floor and talking to someone he couldn’t see.

Father was astonished. He suspected something was terribly wrong. But he quietly slipped out of the room so as to not disturb them. He wondered whether his daughter had secretly become a shaman like him.

When he saw Divya later, he asked what she and Mother had been doing.

“We were praying to my God to heal Mother,” Divya said.

“Which God?” Father asked. He worshiped many gods.

“To my God, Jesus,” she said. “I have left our family religion. I have found a new God in Jesus.” She explained that her God created the heavens and the earth. “If I pray, He will hear and heal Mother,” she said.

Father didn’t believe it. He didn’t see how this God could be any more powerful than any of the family gods.

When Divya needed to return to her home in another town, she asked to take Mother with her. “She is sick, and you don’t have time to take care of her because you are working,” she said. “I’ll take her with me.”

Father, who worked both as a shaman and a construction worker, agreed. He was unable to help Mother, and he doubted that she would last long.

“She is your mother,” he said. “If she dies, let me know.”

Six months passed before Father saw Mother again. He traveled to Divya’s house and was surprised to find Mother healthy. He was full of questions.

“Why is Mother well?” he asked. “What medicine did you give her?”

Divya replied that she had only prayed to God. “God heard my request,” she said. “Now Mother is well and happy and goes to church with me.”

Father didn’t believe it. He laughed. He had never heard of such a God who healed without an animal sacrifice or another ritual.

This mission story illustrates Mission Objective No. 2 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “I Will Go” strategic plan, “To strengthen and diversify Adventist outreach . . . among unreached and under-reached people groups.” For more information, go to the website: IWillGo2020.org.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/24c-01-inside-story-bewildered-shaman-part-1/