Participants:
Series Code: IIWSS
Program Code: IIWSS023046S
|
00:00 [music]
00:12 [music ends] 00:16 >>Eric Flickinger: Welcome to "Sabbath School," 00:17 brought to you by It Is Written. 00:19 This week, we're looking at lesson number 7, 00:22 and lesson number 7 is "Mission to My Neighbor." 00:25 How can you reach those who are close to you 00:29 and how do you recognize the best ways to do that? 00:32 That's what we're going to be looking at this week. 00:34 Let's begin with prayer. 00:36 Father, we wanna thank You for the opportunity 00:37 that You give us, once again, 00:39 to learn how we can better share Your love with others, 00:42 and we ask that You'll bless us in that today. 00:45 We thank You in Jesus' name, amen. 00:48 Well, we're excited this week to have with us Doug Venn. 00:51 Doug is currently serving 00:52 as the assistant to the president 00:54 for Adventist Possibility Ministries, 00:56 but when he wrote this part of the lesson, 00:58 he was the director, Global Mission Urban Center. 01:01 Doug, welcome. How are you doing today? 01:04 >>Doug Venn: It's great to be here, Eric. 01:06 >>Eric: Fantastic, well, we've got 01:07 a really interesting subject that we're looking at this week: 01:10 "Mission to My Neighbor." 01:11 So we don't have to go to the far corners of the world, 01:15 we don't have to have any special skills, 01:17 but God brings people close to us, 01:20 or there are already people within our circle of influence, 01:22 and we're looking at how we can reach 01:24 those individuals today, sounds like an exciting lesson. 01:26 >>Doug: Amen, yeah, it's-- 01:28 I can't wait to get into God's Word 01:30 as we look and find lessons to apply to our lives. 01:33 >>Eric: Very good. Well, let me begin by asking this question. 01:37 In this study, this week's study, 01:40 we're looking at God's mission to all people. 01:42 That includes our neighbor, 'cause our neighbor 01:46 is right there in many, many cases. 01:49 Why does God ask us to love our neighbors? 01:52 What is--what's the motivation there? What's that look like? 01:55 >>Doug: Yeah, well, what we see here is that, 01:58 Eric, we are able to see the heart of God, 02:01 because when He asks us to love our neighbor, 02:04 why does He do that? 02:05 It's because He has a heart of love for all people, 02:10 whether those who are close to us 02:12 or those who are far away. 02:14 And actually, in our memory verse, 02:16 in Luke, chapter 10, verse 27, 02:18 it says there that "you shall love the Lord your God 02:21 "with all your heart, [and]...all your soul, 02:22 "[and]...all your strength, ...with all your mind, 02:24 and [love] your neighbor as yourself." 02:27 >>Eric: So Jesus asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves, 02:31 those who are close to us. 02:32 But those who are close to us 02:34 may not always be exactly like us. 02:38 They're not identical to us; 02:39 they may operate in different worldviews 02:42 or different perspectives and so forth. 02:45 There's a story in the Bible about 02:46 Jesus interacting with a lawyer. >>Doug: Yes. 02:49 >>Eric: And he was close to Jesus, 02:50 but he had some different perspectives, 02:52 and we read about that 02:53 in Luke, chapter 10 in verse number 25. 02:56 Help us understand what's going on 02:58 in this interaction between Jesus 03:00 and the lawyer a little bit. 03:01 >>Doug: Yeah, well, it's interesting to see here 03:04 the question that this lawyer asks, 03:07 is that "Teacher, what [must] I do to inherit eternal life?" 03:11 And so there we can look at a couple of things that-- 03:16 what's going on in his heart. 03:18 We know that, yes, the Bible says that he has a motive, 03:22 that he's on a mission. 03:24 This lawyer is looking 03:26 to interrogate or to test Jesus, 03:30 whether that's good or bad. 03:31 I think this was that he was intending 03:34 either to publicly shame Jesus 03:36 or to get some evidence that the Sanhedrin 03:38 could use against Jesus and His ministry. 03:41 We can see in this lawyer's heart 03:44 that, in this question, he's looking that, 03:47 "I've gotta have a checklist in order to be saved." 03:51 >>Eric: Yeah, so Jesus responds to him, though. 03:54 >>Doug: That's right. In a question. 03:56 >>Eric: In a question, which is a great way 03:58 that Jesus responds to people, with great regularity. 04:01 And He responds to this fellow in a question. 04:03 What can we learn from this? 04:06 What's Jesus desiring to accomplish, 04:08 and what might we be able to apply to our own lives 04:11 and our ministry to our neighbors 04:13 by looking at how Jesus responded to him? 04:15 >>Doug: Well, in Christ's response, 04:17 that we can actually see in verse 26, 04:20 Jesus asks him the question, "What is written in the law?" 04:23 And how do you read it? How do you understand it? 04:25 What's your understanding? What's your reading? 04:28 And so, in this, that Jesus, He's actually--sees in this guy, 04:33 who has mixed motives towards Christ, 04:36 but Jesus sees him as a candidate for the kingdom. 04:40 He see then that this man, he doesn't know it, 04:43 but Jesus says, "Ah, this one could be part of my team. 04:47 He could actually be one of my disciples." 04:49 So Jesus just doesn't ignore him. 04:52 He doesn't dismiss him; He doesn't just blow him off. 04:56 He actually looks at him as a candidate for the kingdom. 05:00 And so thus we see this question that Jesus is saying, 05:04 like, "Well, let's hear a little more." 05:07 And that's where, like, in--Apostle Paul, 05:09 in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, looks at how we live life. 05:15 There are some who, 05:17 when they don't have a relationship with God, 05:20 they're just, like, hedonistic, you know, 05:22 "I'm here to party and that's, you know, 05:24 the one who parties most has the best life." 05:28 And because, as Paul says there, "If the dead do not rise," 05:32 if we don't have that anchor hope 05:34 in Jesus Christ in the resurrection, 05:37 then we should, as Paul says, 05:39 "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." 05:42 And so, I see here that this-- a lesson that we can apply 05:45 from Jesus Christ is that we need to be aware 05:50 that we're on the edge of eternity 05:52 with every conversation, with every individual, 05:55 that God puts into our lives. 05:57 >>Eric: So, an example that Jesus sets for us. 06:01 Let's say that we run into somebody in our lives, 06:05 our neighbor, as it were, 06:07 who has a very different worldview, 06:09 who maybe has a different, 06:11 completely different faith from our own. 06:14 We'll make the assumption that we're Christians. 06:17 I think it's a safe assumption. 06:18 And somebody else happens to be Muslim or Hindu 06:23 or atheist or agnostic 06:25 or some other variety of Christianity 06:29 that's different enough from what we believe 06:31 that it's--we're not neighbors theologically, 06:36 I guess is a good way to say it. 06:37 But we are--we come across this. 06:39 What kind of lesson do you think we could learn 06:41 from the way that Jesus interacted with this lawyer 06:44 that we might be able to apply to our lives 06:47 as we're seeking to share our faith with somebody else? 06:50 >>Doug: Well, as we look here--I love the Bible 06:52 because it answers itself. 06:54 It answers this question, Eric. 06:55 And so I love how when this lawyer in verse 27 06:59 gives the answer from the Old Testament, 07:01 that "love the Lord your God and love your neighbor," 07:04 and Jesus then says, "You have answered rightly; 07:08 do this and you will live." 07:10 And so, here the Lord Jesus is giving us example 07:14 that when we encounter others, 07:17 whether from other world religions 07:19 or other denominations, 07:21 that we need to be pointing them to God's Word. 07:25 Not my opinion, not your opinion, 07:27 or not the opinion of other religious leaders, 07:31 whether that's--whatever those are around the world, 07:35 because there's different names for them. 07:38 It's just that we need to be able to have-- 07:42 to point people to God's Word. 07:44 And so, this is what we should do. 07:47 I'm reminded, though, that this isn't the first time 07:51 when Jesus points, in this case this lawyer, to God's Word. 07:56 Because what happens with the temptation? 07:59 Jesus saying, "It is written," and guess what? 08:02 We're here on this--with this ministry of It Is Written. 08:04 >>Eric: That's what it's all about. 08:06 >>Doug: That's right, and so--but if we 08:08 even go back further in time, 08:09 not just in Christ's ministry, but we can actually look 08:12 that it was in heaven where Lucifer, or Satan, 08:18 he wanted the angels and the heavenly hosts 08:22 to do things his way. 08:26 He wanted to sing the song, and he wanted people-- 08:29 he provided an alternative to God's government 08:33 and to God's law. 08:34 But yet, we can see this throughout history. 08:37 Even Cain, if we go back to Genesis, 08:40 he brought an alternative form of worship 08:43 and an alternative to the sin sacrifice. 08:47 Well, look what I've earned, look what I've grown. 08:50 You know, these awesome zucchini, okay? 08:52 Anyway, I don't know how many of you guys, 08:55 but I grew up with a mom who grew zucchini, 08:58 and one plant could, you know, be like a zucchini bomb. 09:02 We'd go, as kids, go to the neighbor's house 09:04 and ring the doorbell and leave, you know, 09:06 three zucchinis and run, okay? [laughing] So the zucchini bomb. 09:10 But anyway, here Cain has 09:12 the same attitude that Lucifer had, 09:15 is that I'm wanting to do life on my own, 09:19 I'm wanting to handle my sin, guilt, and shame on my own, 09:25 but Christ and God is giving us another way 09:30 that is based on His Word. "It is written, it is written." 09:34 Even in Revelation 14, 09:36 as we've just recently looked at, 09:38 the three angels' messages, and we studied together. 09:42 The second angel talks about how Babylon has fallen, 09:46 and, like a house of cards, 09:48 all world religions and systems will be coming crashing down 09:53 because they're not anchored on God's Word, on His grace, 09:58 and on His calling for us today. 10:01 And so I think those are some of the lessons 10:03 that I wanted to apply 10:06 and that we can learn from this study. 10:09 >>Eric: Yeah, let me ask you this, Doug. 10:12 We're talking about the importance 10:13 of going back to God's Word and finding "It is written," 10:16 and 100%, 110% agree with you. 10:19 From time to time, Christians get accused of-- 10:23 either rightly or wrongly, it could go either way-- 10:26 get accused of simply wanting to share their faith 10:30 to make people--to make other people Christians. 10:34 >>Doug: Right. >>Eric: And perhaps they get 10:37 the cart a little bit ahead of the horse 10:39 and want to share the Bible without first-- 10:42 it's often been said, 10:44 "People don't care how much you know 10:45 until they know how much you care." 10:46 >>Doug: Correct. >>Eric: We've spoken before 10:49 about Christ's method alone being the way to reach people. 10:53 How would you-- what would you suggest 10:56 for somebody who's thinking, 10:57 "I wanna share my faith with somebody, 10:59 "but I don't wanna just come out 11:01 and 'Here's what the Bible says'"? 11:03 It's kind of like---we might call an opening salvo. 11:07 How would you recommend that somebody maybe draw close 11:11 to someone in order to have that, 11:15 I don't know if I wanna call it permission, 11:16 but the opportunity to share what's written? 11:19 >>Doug: Yeah, in order to do that, I think that-- 11:22 how are we caring for one another? How are we serving? 11:24 How are we showing that love in practical ways? 11:27 I know in my own home, my mother-in-law, 11:29 she has to use a wheelchair full-time, 11:32 and so, because of that disability, 11:34 she now--we have to help her with, you know, 11:37 transferring to the car and doing things like that. 11:40 And so, I don't know in your life and family, 11:43 I know you have someone-- 11:44 you've got to show in a practical way, 11:46 so how does that look like in your family? 11:48 >>Eric: For my daughter, 11:49 she was born with Down syndrome, 11:51 and so we have many different ways that we care for her. 11:55 That's been from day 1. She's 16 years old now. 11:58 She'll be turning 17 in a couple of weeks, 12:00 so we've had an incredible and exciting journey with her. 12:04 And she gets to see Jesus in our lives before we share, 12:10 you know, what is written. >>Doug: Right. 12:12 >>Eric: And so, for us, 12:14 it becomes very practical, a demonstration 12:16 of genuine Christianity-- >>Doug: Yeah. 12:18 >>Eric: ...as or before the sharing of the Word, as it were. 12:22 So, for us, that's kind of the way 12:24 that it seems to work well for us. 12:26 >>Doug: And I think that, Eric, you're on to something 12:28 that we can continue to explore, that, 12:31 because I think that from God's Word, 12:33 from this story, we can see that it's love in action 12:38 that opens the door and gives permission to share. 12:40 >>Eric: Fantastic, we're going to take a look 12:42 at that love in action here in just a moment. 12:45 If you're enjoying this quarter's study, 12:47 and I trust that you are, 12:49 I want to encourage you to pick up the companion book 12:51 to this quarter's 12:53 adult Sabbath school Bible study lesson, 12:55 and it's called "God's Mission My Mission." 12:58 Gary Krause is the author, 12:59 one of several authors, actually, who contributed to it. 13:01 And you can find this companion book at itiswritten.shop. 13:06 Again, that's itiswritten.shop. 13:07 Look for the book "God's Mission My Mission," 13:11 and you will get so much more out of this quarter's study. 13:14 I'm gonna be back here in just a moment with Doug 13:17 as we continue taking a look 13:18 at the mission that God has given us 13:20 to reach our neighbors. We'll be right back. 13:23 [music] 13:26 >>John Bradshaw: He's been called 13:28 the father of the faithful. 13:30 Even though his life didn't always give 13:32 evidence of great faith, 13:34 the Bible says that Abraham was strong in faith. 13:39 Join me on location in Israel for "Man of Faith." 13:44 You'll discover lessons on faith and discover how you can be 13:47 a person of real faith in the God of heaven. 13:51 What is faith? 13:53 The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." 13:56 And God's people in earth's last days 13:59 are described as having faith, the faith of Jesus. 14:04 "Man of Faith," Abraham, a flawed man, 14:08 a faulty man, a man prone to make mistakes, 14:12 Abraham, the father of the faithful. 14:16 Learn how you can have faith, real faith, grow your faith. 14:20 Don't miss "Man of Faith" 14:22 on It Is Written TV. 14:27 >>John: There's something I wanna tell you about 14:29 that is so important. 14:31 It's My Place With Jesus, 14:33 It Is Written's ministry to children. 14:37 Take the children you care about to myplacewithjesus.com. 14:42 At My Place With Jesus, you'll find so much 14:44 that will bless your children or grandchildren 14:47 or great-grandchildren or the children at church. 14:51 There are the My Place With Jesus Bible Guides, 14:55 21 studies that will take the children you care about 14:58 into the Word of God. 15:00 They'll learn the important things, 15:02 especially the love of God 15:05 and the sacrifice Jesus made for them. 15:07 As well, take your children to Journey Through the Bible. 15:11 It's there at myplacewithjesus.com. 15:13 It's a special Bible-reading program that will get children 15:17 into the habit of reading their Bible daily 15:20 and connecting with God regularly. 15:22 So don't forget myplacewithjesus.com 15:25 from It Is Written. 15:27 [music] 15:32 >>Eric: Welcome back to "Sabbath School," 15:33 brought to you by It Is Written. 15:35 We're looking at lesson number 7 this week, 15:37 taking a look at the "Mission to My Neighbor," 15:40 and, of course, I'm back here with Doug Venn. 15:43 Doug, thanks again for joining us. 15:45 Let's dive a little bit more deeply 15:47 into this story that Jesus is-- 15:50 we find Jesus and the lawyer here in Luke, chapter 10. 15:54 In verses 27 and 28, the lawyer talks about love. 15:57 Help us understand that a little bit more. 15:59 >>Doug: Yeah, so what we see here is that the lawyer responds 16:04 and gives the, kind of the synthesis 16:07 from the Old Testament of what love looks like. 16:11 Love to God but also love to one another, and it's-- 16:15 and that oftentimes is the hard part 16:18 because we don't like to love each other. 16:21 And that's where the lawyer in this--in verse 29, 16:24 he wants to justify himself because Jesus gives this answer, 16:29 and notice how Jesus says, "'You have answered rightly; 16:33 "do this and you will live.' 16:34 "But...wanting to justify himself, [he] said to Jesus, 16:38 'And who is my neighbor?'" 16:39 This is like a philosophical debate question because, 16:43 depending on which part of the Jewish family you're in, 16:46 you'd be inclusive of this group or exclusive of that group, 16:51 and Jesus wants to bypass that. 16:54 I think that He is a master, and He goes for the heart, 16:57 and I think that that's a lesson that I want to-- 17:00 sometimes I want to get into a dueling debate to say, 17:03 "Well, actually, it--this is right or this is wrong," 17:06 and so, Jesus avoids that sword fight of theology, 17:10 and He goes and tells this story of a certain man 17:14 going "down from Jerusalem to Jericho," 17:16 and he falls among the thieves and is wounded there, 17:19 and he's left half-dead. 17:22 And so in this situation, 17:24 we see here that, how is love demonstrated. 17:28 We see the priest-- a certain priest goes by 17:32 on the other side, in verse 31. 17:34 Now, sometimes, we pastors 17:38 or "those who are paid to be holy," 17:39 [laughing] as one of my college students said to me, 17:44 we are often tied up with ministry, and so we ignore 17:49 those who are vulnerable or hurting. 17:51 But notice what's happening; 17:53 these guys aren't going up from Jericho, 17:55 up to Jerusalem for duties. 17:57 No, they're off duty now, okay, so they're going-- 18:00 that's what the Bible says. 18:01 They're coming down from Jerusalem, 18:03 heading down into Jericho. 18:05 Also in verse 32, the Levite, 18:08 he's also, ignores on the other side. 18:10 So here we see some of these national heroes, 18:13 whether which side, maybe it was a Sadducee or a priest 18:16 or, you know, a Levite; they're walking on the side. 18:20 They're ignoring. 18:21 But then Jesus cuts to the heart here and says, 18:24 "But a certain Samaritan"-- and it's like having 18:28 a brother and sister-- I don't know, 18:29 did you have brothers and sisters, Eric? 18:31 >>Eric: Yes, a couple of brothers. 18:32 >>Doug: Okay, all right, so you know. 18:33 I had two younger sisters, and we were, like, 18:36 fighting like cats and dogs 18:37 [laughing] when we were little kids. 18:38 It's like, "Mom and Dad!" We're in the car, you know. 18:41 "She's breathing on me," and, you know, 18:43 the pinching and pulling of hair 18:44 and, you know, all of those kind of things that go on, 18:47 but that was what was happening here in the Bible times 18:50 is that the Samaritans and the Jews, 18:53 because of history, there was this tension. 18:56 And so, Jesus arrests the attention of His audience 19:00 and says that--guess who? 19:01 It's the unexpected one who has the faith and the compassion 19:05 to care and to put love in action. 19:09 And so I think that that is what's going on, 19:11 that we can see that love is in action. 19:15 I'm reminded of Galatians 5, verse 14: 19:18 "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even...this: 19:22 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" 19:24 >>Eric: So here's an example 19:26 in a well-known story >>Doug: Yes. 19:28 >>Eric: ...that Jesus tells of 19:30 loving your neighbor as yourself. 19:32 And sometimes, that neighbor looks different 19:34 than we might expect them to look. 19:38 What else can we learn here about loving your neighbor? 19:40 Anything else that you wanna add to this? 19:42 >>Doug: Yeah, I think that this love actually comes in, 19:46 that we may be overlooking 19:49 a group of individuals in society 19:53 who are most vulnerable. 19:55 James 1:27 reminds us 19:57 that "pure and undefiled religion...is this." 20:00 "Before God...the Father [is] to visit [the] orphans 20:04 "and [the] widows in their trouble, 20:05 and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." 20:09 So, that group of the orphans, 20:11 those who've suffered spousal loss, 20:14 we can see here that they also are our neighbor. 20:20 Your daughter with Down syndrome, 20:22 how are we caring as a church, whether it's our local churches 20:27 or as a global family of faith? 20:29 How are we showing that love in practical ways? 20:33 I think of, like, my mother-in-law. 20:35 She can't even--at our local church back home, 20:38 there are certain places she's can't gain access to 20:41 because they've not made that accommodation, 20:44 but it's more than just ramps and--in her case 20:48 because she's using the wheelchair, 20:50 what's the accommodation in our hearts and in our minds 20:54 for those who are not like us? 20:57 And I think that that helps us to see 21:00 that our faith has to have action. 21:04 I'm reminded in James 2, we can see that there's a reflex 21:08 that when we experience God's grace and love, 21:11 that there's a reflex of love that goes out. 21:14 When we receive God's grace, then we extend that to others. 21:18 You know, James 21:20 in James, chapter 2, verses 17 through 22, 21:23 we can see that. 21:24 "Show me your faith and your works." 21:26 Your faith moves you into action, 21:30 and that's where we need to be seeing that. 21:33 If we look at all of Scripture, 21:36 you can see that from the very beginning. 21:38 I think of Abraham and Sarai when they fed the travelers. 21:43 We know it was two angels and the Lord Jesus. 21:46 We also think of down in Sodom, that Lot was at the city's gate, 21:51 inviting foreigners to stay in his home to--for lodging. 21:56 Later on in Job, we can see that Job, 21:59 he was searching out the issues of the orphans and the widows 22:03 to care for them. 22:04 So he took that initiative. 22:07 Even, I think, I remember Elisha and how he was treating 22:11 even the foreign soldiers, 22:13 the enemies who wanted to kill Israel at that time; you know, 22:17 they were actually sent out 22:18 on a search-and-destroy mission for him. 22:22 But he, you know, their-- blindness struck them, 22:25 and he showed compassion. 22:27 He led them into the city, and there, 22:29 that's where the king said, "Hey, shall I kill 'em?" 22:31 And he's like, "No, we need to treat them 22:33 with compassion and kindness." 22:35 Anyway, so as a worldwide faith family, 22:37 these stories and this lesson reminds me how we have 22:41 this initiative of how we can care for the most vulnerable. 22:45 And that's called Adventist Possibility Ministries. 22:48 >>Eric: Share a little bit more 22:49 about Adventist Possibility Ministries. 22:50 Where could one learn more about it? 22:53 What are some things that it's--that that ministry 22:56 is seeking to make available, possible? 23:00 >>Doug: Yeah, well, you and I, in our homes, 23:03 we live this every day. 23:05 And I know there's so many around the world 23:07 who, maybe they're providing care for an elderly parent 23:11 or those who are-- the deaf community 23:14 or those who have hearing loss. 23:17 Also the orphans, the street kids, 23:20 kids whose parents are incarcerated 23:22 or also those children who are in foster care. 23:26 We have an opportunity through this initiative 23:29 to care and show in practical ways, 23:33 and you can actually go to our website, 23:35 possibilityministries.org, 23:37 and find out all kinds of ideas that you as a family, 23:40 as a local church, or as a community, 23:43 can actually put love in action. 23:47 >>Eric: Very good. So it's, again, the website is? 23:50 >>Doug: Possibilityministries.org. 23:52 >>Eric: Possibilityministries.org. 23:54 Excellent, now, one of the things 23:56 that I like about this quarter's lessons 23:58 is each week on Thursday there's a challenge. 24:01 >>Doug: Yes. >>Eric: Talk with me 24:02 a little bit about this week's challenge and how it dovetails 24:06 in with everything that we're talking about right now. 24:07 >>Doug: All right, this challenge 24:09 is looking at, in your sphere of influence, Eric, 24:14 and my sphere of influence, 24:16 can we make a list of those who do not know God the way we do? 24:22 And whether they're from another world religion 24:24 or no religion, to find 24:26 and then to identify what their needs are-- 24:30 it could be an emotional need. 24:32 I know, like, my neighbor 24:34 who comes from an Islamic background, 24:37 just went through-- had a family member, 24:40 her father just passed away. 24:42 So, in this time, so that's an emotional need 24:45 where we have opportunity to minister 24:48 and to share the hope that we have in a practical way. 24:52 And so, in this way, how can we minister to those needs, 24:58 and what can we do practically for them in this coming week? 25:02 I know, like, with my neighbor's situation, 25:05 that my wife loves to bake, you know, goods, 25:09 and she delivers a little tract and a--on the hope 25:14 and how to recover and to remember her father's life, 25:18 but then also to enjoy the sweetbread that she just made. 25:22 >>Eric: Very nice, very nice. 25:23 >>Doug: So, practical ways. >>Eric: Practical ways. 25:24 Doug, let me ask you this last question 25:26 in the few minutes that we have left here. 25:28 We're supposed to act out our faith. 25:31 How do we keep that from-- 25:33 how do we keep from misunderstanding that 25:35 as salvation by works? 25:37 Share with me a little bit about that. 25:39 >>Doug: Yeah, the Bible's clear 25:41 that you're saved by grace through faith 25:45 because of what Jesus has done. 25:47 All the other world religions around the-- 25:49 and Christianity in its broken form-- 25:53 says there's another way: 25:55 You have to do something, and there's a check list. 25:58 And even in our faith family, 26:00 there are those who also want to forget what Jesus has done 26:04 and look at "I can do this on my own." 26:08 And whether that's eating right or dressing right 26:10 or whatever is on the checklist. 26:12 But Scripture is clear 26:14 that we are saved by faith through grace alone 26:18 and that from God. >>Eric: Very good. 26:20 >>Doug: So that's one way. 26:23 I'm reminded--here is a power quote, 26:25 that "love is the underlying principle 26:27 "of God's government in heaven and earth, 26:29 "and it [is] must be the foundation 26:32 "[for Christian] character. 26:33 "This alone can make and keep him steadfast. 26:36 "This alone can enable him 26:38 "to withstand trial 26:39 and temptation." 26:40 That's from "Christ's Object Lessons," 26:42 page 49. 26:43 >>Eric: There's also another quote. 26:45 It's a little bit longer quote, but I think it's worth sharing. 26:48 And this one's from 26:49 "Testimonies for the Church," Volume 2, page 25. 26:52 You wanna share that one with us? 26:53 >>Doug: Yeah. "When hearts sympathize 26:55 "with hearts burdened with discouragement and grief, 26:58 "[and] when the hand dispenses to the needy, 27:00 "[and] when the naked are clothed, 27:02 "[and] the stranger made welcome 27:04 "to a seat in your parlor and a place in your heart, 27:06 "angels are coming very near, 27:08 "and an answering strain is responded to in heaven. 27:11 "Every act of justice, mercy, and benevolence 27:14 makes melody in heaven." 27:15 So I really think that that kind of puts a nice way 27:19 to kind of summarize this week's Bible study. 27:23 >>Eric: Fantastic. Doug, thank you for joining us this week 27:25 and helping us to understand 27:26 how we can minister to our neighbors. 27:30 And I wanna thank you 27:31 for joining us this week as well, 27:33 and we hope and pray that 27:34 you've been given a few new ideas, 27:37 some practical things that you can apply 27:38 when you look out to those 27:40 who have been perhaps marginalized, 27:42 those who are in need in one way or another, 27:45 and maybe sometimes those who are overlooked. 27:48 We pray that God will bless you as you minister to them. 27:51 And God bless you, and we'll look forward to seeing you again 27:53 next week here on "Sabbath School," 27:55 brought to you by It Is Written. 27:57 [music] 28:25 [music ends] 28:27 [Captioning provided by Aberdeen Broadcast Services] |
Revised 2023-11-08