Daily Lesson for Friday 27th of October 2023

“Love for perishing souls inspired Abraham’s prayer. While he loathed the sins of that corrupt city, he desired that the sinners might be saved. His deep interest for Sodom shows the anxiety that we should feel for the impenitent. We should cherish hatred of sin, but pity and love for the sinner. All around us are souls going down to ruin as hopeless, as terrible, as that which befell Sodom. Every day the probation of some is closing. Every hour some are passing beyond the reach of mercy. And where are the voices of warning and entreaty to bid the sinner flee from this fearful doom? Where are the hands stretched out to draw him back from death? Where are those who with humility and persevering faith are pleading with God for him?

Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com

“The spirit of Abraham was the spirit of Christ. The Son of God is Himself the great Intercessor in the sinner’s behalf. He who has paid the price for its redemption knows the worth of the human soul. With an antagonism to evil such as can exist only in a nature spotlessly pure, Christ manifested toward the sinner a love which infinite goodness alone could conceive. In the agonies of the crucifixion, Himself burdened with the awful weight of the sins of the whole world, He prayed for His revilers and murderers, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.’ Luke 23:34.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 140.

“Abraham was honored by the surrounding nations as a mighty prince and a wise and able chief. He did not shut away his influence from his neighbors. His life and character, in their marked contrast with those of the worshipers of idols, exerted a telling influence in favor of the true faith. His allegiance to God was unswerving, while his affability and benevolence inspired confidence and friendship and his unaffected greatness commanded respect and honor.”—Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 133, 134.

Discussion Questions

1. What other examples from Scripture show us an individual who fulfilled his call to mission? What about John the Baptist? Would you call him successful?
   
   
2. Read Genesis 19:30-36. What does this tell us about the character of some of those saved from Sodom?
   
   
3. What other lessons can we learn from the example of Abraham regarding mission and how it is done?
   
   
4. Think about this: Would you deem Abraham’s intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah successful or a failure?
   
   

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Daily Lesson for Thursday 26th of October 2023

One of the main qualities of Abraham was his submission to God’s will. All the experiences of Abraham with God were characterized by this submission.

Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com

His calling: Abraham received a challenging call from heaven: “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you’ ” (Genesis 12:1, NIV). When he heard a voice from heaven, his first reaction could have been to disregard this voice, thinking he was having a hallucination. Or he could have challenged the message, saying something such as, I don’t want to go; I like it here. “ ‘The land I will show you’ ” may have seemed a strange description of a destination! But he accepted the call. He submitted his will to the will of God and left his father’s household and his country: “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (Genesis 12:4, NIV).

Choice of the land: A quarrel erupted between the servants of Lot and those of Abraham, but Abraham was not a man to fight with his own flesh and blood. He submitted to God’s will, who again blessed him: “The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Now raise your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see I will give to you and to your descendants forever” (Genesis 13:14-15, NASB).

Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah: When God revealed to Abraham the destiny of these two cities, Abraham, full of love, tried to save the cities. Because there were not even ten righteous persons in the cities, the cities were destroyed. Abraham submitted to the will of God and accepted God’s judgment of these cities.

The Lord was able to use Abraham because of his submission to God in all circumstances. It must be the same with us today.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/23d-04-submission-to-gods-will/

Daily Lesson for Wednesday 25th of October 2023

The text gives an interesting indication about the position of Lot in the city of Sodom: “Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom” (Genesis 19:1-38:1, NKJV). This means he was an important character in the city, certainly a public officer, because sitting in the gate is a privilege of officers, judges, and kings (2 Samuel 19:8, Jeremiah 38:7, Ruth 4:1).

Genesis 19:1-38 almost parallels chapter 18 and the story of the angels with Abraham. Abraham and Lot were each sitting at an entrance or gate (Genesis 18:1, Genesis 19:1); Abraham and Lot each invited strangers to rest in their abode (Genesis 18:3-4; Genesis 19:2); Abraham and Lot each prepared food for their visitors (Genesis 18:4-8, Genesis 19:3). Whatever else his faults, Lot had some good characteristics, it seems.

“Then the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the Lord out of the heavens. So He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground” (Genesis 19:24, 25, NKJV).

We don’t know how many people were living in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah at the time of this account, but among these thousands of people only four left the city, and only three were saved. The same with the Genesis flood. We don’t know how many were alive then, but we know that most were not saved.

The small number of residents of Sodom who were saved has implications for our own mission: not everyone will be saved. We would like everyone to accept Jesus and His plan of salvation, but each person has free will. Our task is to invite as many people as possible to make the choice for Jesus. While we are carrying out our mission, God assists us through the Holy Spirit, but He will never go against the will of anyone. Free will means that, in the end, no matter what we do, no matter how much we pray, salvation comes down to each individual’s choice.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/23d-04-abrahams-mission/

Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this week’s featured guest, Gregory Whitsett, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson, “God’s Call to Mission.” [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj440qXWAR0?si=9572s8ceX0qUPbpi]

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The post 4: Sharing God’s Mission – It is Written – Discussions with the Author appeared first on Sabbath School Net.

Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/4-sharing-gods-mission-it-is-written-discussions-with-the-author/

You can view an in-depth discussion of Sharing God’s Mission in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris. Click on the image to view:[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWf7UOPC47o?si=lcU6jE_smwSNZcOY&w=560&h=315]

With thanks to

Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/4-sharing-gods-mission-hopess-video-discussion/