Jesus was in Jerusalem, about to die. According to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus’ last teaching hour before Passover is spent telling His disciples parables, including the ones about the ten virgins and the sheep and the goats. These stories are related to the way we should live as we wait for Jesus to come. Thus their relevancy to today — with the signs of Jesus’ soon return all around us — has never been more significant.

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In the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-12), many commentators point out that the oil is a symbol for the Holy Spirit. Ellen G. White agrees, but also says that this oil is a symbol for character and that it is something no one can acquire for us.

Read the parable. In what ways does the meaning of the story change, depending on whether you see oil as a symbol of the Holy Spirit or for the possession of character? What are the implications of this story for you if the oil represents the Holy Spirit, or a Christlike character?

Holy Spirit:

Character:

Read the parable of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46. What criteria are used in separating the sheep and the goats?

Notice that the king separates the sheep and the goats based on their works, their character. Though Jesus is not teaching salvation by works here, we can see how important character development is in the plan of salvation and how those who are truly saved by Christ will reflect that salvation through their lives and characters.

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Key Thought: God is seeking to purify us, to refine us like gold, and to transform us into His image.. But a Christian character is developed only as we pass through life’s trials.
July 23, 2022

1. Have a volunteer read Job 23:1-10.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What is the essence of Job’s struggle? What doesn’t he see? Why does he take on faith despite his trials?
3. Personal Application: Could you be purified or refined without going through suffering? Share your thoughts..
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “How can God restore His image in us? Is that speaking of His character? I’ve seen many people who seem to have great characters, but they are not Christian. I’ve seen very few Christians with stellar characters. So how is God supposed to restore His image in us?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Matthew 25:31-46.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What criteria is used for separating the sheep and the goats?
3. Personal Application: What kind of person are you in stress, or when no-one’s looking? What does the answer tell you about the change you need to make? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “What does the oil symbolize – the Holy Spirit or character? What does this story imply if it is the Holy Spirit? What if it is character?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Daniel 12:1-10.

a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What can we tell in these verses about the character of God’s people during these times?
c. Personal Application: What do the wise understand that the wicked don’t? What kind of wisdom is implied here? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your relatives states: “Since Jesus’ righteousness and His perfect life saves us, then why do we need to develop character?” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 4:11-16.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What point is Paul making here? What role does he give for community?
3. Personal Application: What is the difference in a community revealing the fullness of Christ, and an individual revealing the fullness of Christ? 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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Having scanned through the lesson quarterly, there are so many hymns from which to choose a theme. In effect, there is a commencing theme hymn which changes through the quarter to the finale theme hymn. To start with, we could use:
Hymn 552 – The Lord’s My Shepherd or 
Hymn 545 – Savior, Like a Shepherd.

Somewhere in the middle of the quarter one could change the theme and add in
Hymn 159 – On a Hill Far Away which is where we complete our studies in Lesson 13.

With God “seeking to purify us, to refine us like gold, to transform us into His image”, we find His image stamped on us in 
Hymn 97 – Lord of the Boundless Curves of Space – verse 3, in particular.

Sunday’s study ends by reminding us of the battle all around us, and this flows over into Monday, where we will sing 
Hymn 614 – Sound the Battle Cry. In this Great Controversy battle, “we have to press ahead in faith, trusting Him”: 
Hymn 279 – Only Trust Him and 
Hymn 535 – I Am Trusting Thee, Lord Jesus just as Job did so long ago in fixing his eyes on God. Today we may 
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus – Hymn 290 and ask 
Open My Eyes That I May See – Hymn 326 so we may then sing 
Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory of the Coming of The Lord – Hymn 647. 

Tuesday reminds us again of the “signs of Jesus’ soon return all around us”: 
Hymn 212 – ‘Tis Almost Time for the Lord to Come, 
Hymn 200 – The Lord Is Coming and Hymn 201 – Christ Is Coming.

 Wednesday continues the theme 
Jesus Is Coming Again – Hymn 213 and reiterating 
You Will See Your Lord A-Coming – Hymn 438.

With all that is going on in the world today, it is important to have Character and Community (Thursday), noting that we will be standing alone many times in our lives. Here our character and the community, the church body that is built by us all will have no trouble in being able to 
Stand Like the Brave – Hymn 610 and be found 
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms – Hymn 469.

Ellen G White states in Education page 225 “Character building is the most important work ever entrusted to human beings”:  
We’ll Build on The Rock – Hymn 531.

 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 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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It’s one thing to be in a battle; it’s another not even to see the forces arrayed in that battle. In a sense, this is what we as Christians deal with. We know that the forces are out there, we can feel them in our lives, and yet, we have to press ahead in faith, trusting Him “who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27, NKJV).

Read Job 23:1-10. What is the essence of Job’s struggle? What does he not see? At the same time, what does he take on faith, despite all his trials?

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Even amid his terrible trials, Job trusted in the Lord. Despite everything, Job was determined to endure. And one of the things that kept him persevering was gold. Not a gold medal; rather, he was looking into the future and realized that if he held on to God, he would come out the better for it — he would come out like gold. How much Job knew of what was happening behind the scenes, we aren’t told. Regardless of how much was hidden from him, he endured the refining fire anyway.

Do you fear the fire? Do you worry about the heat that circumstances generate? Perhaps, as with Job, the heat of God seems unexplainable. It may be the difficulty of adjusting to a new job or a new home. It could be having to survive ill treatment at work, or even within your own family. It could be illness or financial loss. Hard as it is to understand, God can use these trials to refine you and purify you and bring out His image in your character.

Being proven to be gold seems to be an incentive for Job here, something to fix his eyes upon, and that helps pull him through his troubles. It’s a powerful testimony to his character already that, amid all the pain and suffering, he was able to sense the reality of the purifying process. Also, however much he didn’t understand, he knew that these trials would refine him.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29, NKJV).

In the beginning, God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27), but that image has been corrupted by sin.

In what ways do we see this defacing of God’s image in humanity?

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It’s obvious: we all have been corrupted by sin (Romans 3:10-19). Yet, God’s desire is to restore us to what we should have been originally. This is where our verse today fits in. It reveals God’s plan that those who submit their lives to the Holy Spirit may be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29, NIV).

But there’s another dimension. “The very image of God is to be reproduced in humanity. The honor of God, the honor of Christ, is involved in the perfection of the character of His people.” — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 671.

How do you understand what Ellen G. White says to us in the quote cited above? See also Job 1:1-22, Matthew 5:16, 1 Corinthians 4:9, Ephesians 3:10.

As Christians, we must never forget that we are in the midst of a cosmic drama. The great controversy between Christ and Satan is unfolding all around us. The battle takes many shapes and is manifested in many ways. And though much is hidden, we can understand that, as followers of Christ, we have a part to play in this drama and can bring honor to Christ through our lives.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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