“I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering” (Exod. 3:7, NIV).

Four hundred years is a long time to wait, especially when waiting in conditions of increasingly harsh slavery.

Slaves in Egypt

God had promised that He would return to His people and bring them out of Egypt, but for generation after generation they were left to build the wealth and prestige of their idolatrous oppressors, and all the while God seemed silent.

Then God manifested Himself in a unique way. He appeared in a burning bush out in the remote desert to an unlikely leader, a fugitive prince and humble shepherd named Moses. He gave the reluctant Moses a job to do, and the first part of that job was to go back to the Israelites in Egypt with the message that God had heard and seen their oppression—and, yes, He did care. In fact, He was about to do something to change their situation dramatically.

Read Exodus 3:16-17. Why was it important for God to begin outlining His plan for these people with this specific message? What catches your attention about this statement from God?

But God does not stop there. Not only does He have a plan for a better land, He does not intend for the people to escape from Egypt destitute. For hundreds of years, they had contributed to the wealth of the Egyptian Empire. God foresaw the initial resistance from Pharaoh, but He assured Moses that the Israelites would be compensated for their years of hard labor: “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed” (Exod. 3:21, NIV).

After their years of oppression, God took the opportunity to establish a new kind of society with these former slaves. He wanted them to live in a different way and to establish a society that would continue to be sustainable and viable. His plan was that this new kind of society would be a model for the surrounding nations and, like Abraham, that the blessings they received from God would also bless the whole world.

Amen!(0)

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About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 18:1-4 NLT

Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com

Do we live our lives like this is a practical teaching, or just something cute Jesus said?  I mean seriously, how could a little child really represent  the greatest person in heaven?

I am afraid that even in the church, we have a man-made hierarchical system that defies the teachings of Jesus. We just can’t seem to swallow the fact that someone like a humble primary Sabbath School student could be greater than the General Conference President. Surely Jesus didn’t actually mean what He said in Matthew 18:1-4! Surely He was just trying to say something cute, right? Or did Jesus really mean it?

In the medical field I have heard of doctors looking down on Registered Nurses, and RN’s looking down on Licensed Practical Nurses..This may come as a surprise for some of you in the medical field, but many of us outside of the medical field have great respect and appreciation for everyone taking care of our health. We appreciate caring and compassionate LPNs just as much as doctors. We respect LPNs and RNs just as much and sometimes even more so than we do doctors. Fran, a friend of mine in Texas, was a nurse who was studying to become a nurse practitioner. She was driven to use all of her time studying hard to become a nurse practitioner, because her third-grade teacher in a parochial school told her she would never be smart enough to be a nurse. She was determined to prove the teacher wrong. The thing is, though, that the teacher had already died and would never know. Meanwhile, the patients that came to see Fran knew nothing about her struggle to prove her self-worth. All they knew was that they needed her help. So long as Fran could help them, they didn’t really care about any rivalry with a teacher who was not even in the picture any more. Fran was already loved, respected and appreciated by those who needed her. Any condescension from a former teacher was totally irrelevant to Fran’s medical ministry. 

Likewise, as I do gospel work in the community, I find that many people in the community do not see a distinction between pastors, lay pastors or Bible workers. To them a gospel worker is a gospel worker. Period. 

Consider this,

Then Moses told the people of Israel, “The Lord has specifically chosen Bezalel son of Uri, grandson of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. The Lord has filled Bezalel with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts. He is a master craftsman, expert in working with gold, silver, and bronze.  He is skilled in engraving and mounting gemstones and in carving wood. He is a master at every craft. Exodus 35:30-33 NLT 

God not only knows kings, prophets and priests. He also knows construction workers, and He fills them with His Spirit and wisdom just like prophets and kings! This has me thinking Jesus was not just being cute when He said that being like a humble child was to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He really meant it, for real! 

About 35 years ago, my friend was flying on the company jet. She had an entry-level position but was invited on the trip since there was an empty seat, and the the plane was going to where she had family. Having never flown on the jet before, she got on and just took the first available seat. As the flight was nearing its destination, it was pointed out to her that she had taken the company vice-president’s seat. Horrified that she had done so, she asked where the vice-president was sitting. She was informed that he was sitting in the back of the plane. She looked back and found him sitting alone in the back just as happy as could be. Either the vice-president did not think too highly of himself, or he realized whatever seat he was sitting in was the vice-president’s seat. Maybe both. But he never said anything to my friend. Maybe he did not look down on my friend, because he realized he was no greater than his employees. 

Even though Eli had his problems, I have to hand it to him. When He realized God was talking to little Samuel, he told him next time he heard the voice to say, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” Eli could have thought to himself, That couldn’t be God talking, because if it was God, He would be talking to me and not a little boy.  Praise God, Eli was humble enough to realize that God may just want to talk to a little boy instead of the high priest. See 1 Samuel 3:1-21.

Six verses after telling us a humble child-like person is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven Jesus also said,

“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father. Matthew 18:10 NLT

That confirmed to me that  Jesus really meant it, when  He said that anyone as humble as a little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Amen!(2)

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“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”

Photo by Chris Gallagher

Who’s there?

Jesus!

What can I do for you?

It’s what I can do for you. Will you open the door?

Uh, can you first tell me why you’re here?

Your revival

Oh, sorry but I already had revival.

Really? How and when?

Recently at our church. We have scheduled revivals at least once a year.

Was the church revived?

Sure it was. We had terrific music for an entire week, and we brought in a special speaker who really excited the church. We were truly revived.

What changed as a result of that revival?

Well, things got a little better down at the church. A couple of people who had stopped coming to church are now attending more often. Oh, and we all came down for the appeal to pledge to do better as Christians.

Do better? How so?

In a couple of ways. Including being more faithful in our attendance at the scheduled church services. We definitely will do better in our tithes and offerings. And, we are committed to witness about our faith more.

How are you going to witness more?

Simple, we ordered some beautiful tracts, and we all took a small stack to give out as often as we can.

Anything else?

Well, we’ll try harder to invite our friends and neighbors out to church.

Why do you want them to come to your church?

Duh, so they can hear the truth. They need to hear the truth.

What is the truth?

Now you’re just playing with me. Truth is the doctrines of our church. You know, the Sabbath, the state of the dead, 2300 days and so forth.

What about love?

Love? We are a very nice church, and we treat everyone warmly. Is that what you are asking?

No, I’m asking about the love that loves your neighbor as yourself. The love that would compel you to seek out the needs of others and be intentional in meeting those needs, regardless if they ever come to your church or not.

I’m talking about a love that causes you to put God first and foremost in your life so much so that your best energies, talents, and resources are devoted to Him and the causes of God instead of towards your survival and quests for success.

I’m talking about a love that caused the widow to give her two last mites; a love that caused a woman to wipe my feet with her hair as her tears of love and appreciation flowed down like water.

I’m talking about a treasure of love so valuable that you would sell all that you have to purchase it. I’m talking about a love that gives much because one has been forgiven much.

Lord Jesus, how do I get such love?

Very simple; open the door and let Me in.

Amen!(0)

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Image © Pacific Press

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 3:7, Matt. 22:37-40, Exod. 22:21-23, Deut. 14:22-29, Deut. 26:1-11, Lev. 25:9-23.

Memory Text: “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18, NKJV).

In His mercy, God has always had people with whom He has maintained a special relationship. In the stories of Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—among others—we see God yearning to rebuild the broken relationship with human beings. But this was not just for the benefit of these few individuals and their families. When they were connected with God and blessed by Him, it was part of a larger plan to repair that relationship and share the blessing with others. As God said to Abraham, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing … and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Gen. 12:2-3, NIV). As he was blessed, he could be a blessing to others.

This blessing was to come through the nation of Israel and, ultimately, the Messiah, who would come from that nation. With the creation of the people of Israel, God was now working with an entire nation. So, He set about giving them laws, regulations, festivals, and practices that would be a way to live so that those who were blessed by God would be able to bless others, as well.

No doubt this principle still exists today.

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

Amen!(0)

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By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission

Food ran out on Sunday morning in the home of 9-year-old Joanne.

Image © Pacific Press

Father had abandoned the family after Mother started attending the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the U.S. state of Oregon. Father, who had immigrated with the family to the United States from South Korea, made it clear that he would never help them.

“If you choose God, let your God feed you”, he said. “Let your God clothe you”.

Mother, who didn’t have a job, prayed and cried in her bedroom that Sunday.

When lunchtime came, Joanne’s younger sister complained forlornly, “I’m hungry”. Her older brother sat stone-faced, trying to be brave even though he was helpless. Then Joanne remembered reading in “Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories” about children who prayed and received help from angels.

“All we have to do is pray!” she exclaimed. “’Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories’ says that if we pray, the angels will bring us food. Let’s pray!”

Brother rolled his eyes. Little Sister complained again about her hunger. Joanne didn’t know how to pray.

“Hello God”, Joanne said. “We are really hungry. ‘Uncle Arthur’s Bedtime Stories’ says that You can send us food, so would You send us something to eat, please?”

The children waited. No food. Hours passed, and dinnertime came. Joanne thought, “What’s wrong? God is late!”

The children grew hungrier. Mother continued praying and crying in the bedroom.

Then Joanne said, “Oh, I know what we did wrong! God doesn’t think that we believe Him because we didn’t set the table”.

She told Little Sister to fetch metal chopsticks from the kitchen. The children set the table and sat down.

“Sorry about that, God”, Joanne prayed. “We probably did it wrong. Could You send us some food now? We’re ready!”

But nothing came. The children climbed into bed disappointed and hungry that night.

Early in the morning, they woke up to go to school. They had no food for breakfast and no money to buy lunch.

“Don’t bother, Mother”, Joanne whispered. “She is still praying and crying”.

The children opened the front door to leave the house, but their path was blocked – by a huge box filled with food.

Excitedly, the children called Mother to the door. Mother couldn’t believe her eyes. Joanne was overjoyed.

“The angels were just a little late!” she said.

That was the moment when Joanne knew that God lives and that He hears and answers prayers. Joanne Kim (née Park) is now the mother of her own four children. She and her husband, Jon, a dentist, are missionaries in Mongolia.

After the food miracle, Joanne, pictured left, is convinced that angels are Korean.

“I will tell you today that angels are Korean”, she said. “The food that they delivered was all Korean – everything you need to make rice, kimchi, and seaweed soup”.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

All Rights Reserved. No part of the Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide may be edited, altered, modified, adapted, translated, reproduced, or published by any person or entity without prior written authorization from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Amen!(0)

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