Author Topic: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet  (Read 14249 times)

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Wally

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 Lesson 2 *January 3–9




From Ears to Feet


Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Proverbs 4, 1 Kings 3:9, Matt. 13:44, Proverbs 5, 1 Cor. 10:13, Prov. 6:1–19.

Memory Text: "Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil" (Proverbs 4:26-27, NKJV).

Science has demonstrated that hearing impacts how we walk, and that even our balance is influenced by how well we hear. So, instruction, or education — that is, what we hear — is crucial to how we live. "Wisdom is the principal thing," says Proverbs 4:7.

Yet no matter how good the instruction is, the student must pay attention. Not without some irony an ancient Egyptian teacher noted that the "the ear of the boy is on his back; he listens when he is beaten." (In Egyptian art, the student was often represented with big ears on his back.)

It’s not enough just to know about right and wrong; we need to know how to choose right and not wrong. Training in wisdom consists in hearing proper instruction and in following and obeying what we have learned so that we don’t end up walking in the wrong direction.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 10.

Sunday January 4

Hear!

Read Proverbs 4. What practical truth is found here, and how can we apply this to our own lives as we seek to live in faithfulness to God?

The act of "hearing" marks the first step in education. In Hebrew thought, the seat of wisdom or of intelligence is located not in the brain, but in the ears. This implies that even before we seek to conceptualize or solve a problem, we first need to hear it. This means we need to listen. When Solomon asks for wisdom, he specifically asks for "a hearing heart" (1 Kings 3:9, literal translation).

The first act of wisdom, then, is "to listen," which suggests that wisdom comes from an external source (in this case, the parents). We cannot discover wisdom by ourselves. The self-made individual is an impossible concept in the domain of biblical wisdom. Wisdom is first of all something that we receive, not something we shape with our own skills or that we unearth through our own brilliance and reasoning. The capacity of "paying attention" (Hebrew, "to put one’s heart") implies the involvement of the heart. The search for wisdom, then, is not merely a cold, objective enterprise. The heart, which is the core of the individual and (in Hebrew thought) the seat of emotions, participates in the search for wisdom.

Read Matthew 13:44 and Jeremiah 29:13. What link can you find between these verses and the search for wisdom as it is expressed in Proverbs 4?

Emotions play a crucial role in our basic existence as humans, and thus cannot and should not be ignored in our relationship with God. How do we learn the proper place and value of emotions in regard to our spiritual life? How have your emotions steered you right (and wrong), and what have you learned from those experiences?

Monday January 5

Protect Your Family

Once we determine to walk in the way of wisdom, we still need great caution because we will meet obstacles along that way (see 1 Pet. 5:8 ). One of the greatest dangers we face deals with our families, the most precious, sensitive, and intimate domain of life.

Read Proverbs 5. What dangers must we guard against?

The first danger begins with ourselves; it lies in our own words. We should watch our tongues to make sure that what we say does not convey an inappropriate or a mixed message. Our lips should be in harmony with our knowledge and should reflect our spiritual views.

The second danger comes from the other woman or the other man (although the text refers to the danger coming from a "strange woman," the language should be understood in a generic sense; temptation could come from either a man or a woman) who interferes in the family. Either could seduce a spouse into violating the marriage vows, and who hasn’t seen, or experienced, just how destructive this sin is?

According to the text, the best way to resist these temptations, which often start with alluring words, is to listen to the words of wisdom. By heeding and obeying inspired instruction, we are more likely to stay focused on the essentials and so be protected from adultery or whatever other temptations come our way.

Of course, not only should we keep ourselves from adultery, we should also avoid going to the place where the "temptress" stays (Prov. 5:10); we certainly should not approach her door (Prov. 5:8 ).

Finally, perhaps the best protection of all against the temptation to love another woman or man is this: just love your own spouse, "the [wife or husband] of your youth" (Prov. 5:18, NKJV). The author of Ecclesiastes resonated with this counsel: "Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun" (Eccles. 9:9, NIV). Be thankful for what you have, and you won’t be looking elsewhere.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:13. With this promise before you, what definitive and practical steps might you need to take, right now, in order to protect yourself from the passions that might be brewing in you?
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Wally

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2015, 01:59:28 PM »
Tuesday January 6

Protect Your Friendship

Someone once said: "Lord, protect me from my friends; I can take care of my enemies." The book of Proverbs is concerned with the vulnerability of friendship; it counsels us on how to keep our friends and also, if necessary, how to protect ourselves from them. The Hebrew word for "friend" also means "neighbor," the one who is close to us, the one who is already a friend or who may become one. Biblical wisdom values human relationships and appeals for thoughtfulness and respect in these relationships.

Read Proverbs 6:1–5. What problem does Solomon refer to, and what is the solution? What crucial spiritual principle do we find here as well?

While the Torah urges people to help the poor and to lend them money without charging interest (Exod. 22:25), wisdom warns us against inconsiderate financial backing for a friend who is in debt. The duty of charity does not exclude the duty of justice (Exod. 23:2-3). Though we need to be generous when we can, we would be wise to make sure that our charity will not turn into a fiasco (compare with Prov. 22:27).

Hence, the wise counsel given to us in the proverb. The first caution applies to our words. How crucial that we evaluate the situation and make sure that we can afford to help our friend. If so, only then speak and promise. Indeed, the warmth of our relationship or a moment of emotion may precipitate our commitment, and we may regret it afterward.

No matter how well-intentioned you might have been, it’s crucial to think before you act and commit to something that you can’t fulfill. The point is that if we get into a bind, we need to do what we can to fix it, including humbling ourselves, admitting our mistake, and asking for grace.

How do we learn to balance our desire to bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2) with the words given to us in this proverb?

Wednesday January 7

Protect Your Work

Read Proverbs 6:6–8. What can we learn from the ant?

Not only do ants work hard (even harder than humans, if one compares the burden they are able to carry to the burden humans can carry in proportion to their respective weights), but ants work independently and do not need to be supervised. The main reason for their hard work is the future. They "anticipate" times of trouble (winter) and prepare themselves for them. So, the ant teaches us the wisdom of thinking about the future when making plans or engaging in an activity. "This is a question that demands consideration by every parent, every teacher, every student — by every human being, young or old. No scheme of business or plan of life can be sound or complete that embraces only the brief years of this present life and makes no provision for the unending future." — Ellen G. White, Education, p. 145.

Read Proverbs 6:9–11. What can we learn from the sluggard?

It is the sluggard who has something to learn from the ant, not the other way around: "Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise" (Prov. 6:6, NKJV). While the ants are at work, the sluggards are asleep. While the ants are productive at the harvest, the sluggards keep folding their two hands, a symbol of indolence. The ants surpass themselves by carrying burdens heavier than themselves and by preparing for the future; the sluggards live in the present and are occupied only with themselves.

Though indolence and laziness are condemned here, we must also remember that life consists of more than work and earning money. How does the Sabbath, as presented in the context of the workweek, help us find this proper balance?
So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

Wally

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2015, 02:01:04 PM »
Thursday January 8

Protect Yourself

After having warned us against the particular evils that threaten three domains of life — our family, our social contacts, and our work — Proverbs give us a portrayal of the wicked. It is a satire full of irony and sharp psychological observation. The two poems (Prov. 6:12–15, 16–19) are parallel and, with the same poetic rhythm of seven, cover corresponding motifs. The wicked person’s inside is described as linked to what is thought in the heart; at the same time it all becomes manifested in what is done on the outside.

Read Proverbs 6:14, 18 and Matthew 15:19. What important point is being made here?

"If you indulge in vain imaginations, permitting your mind to dwell upon impure subjects, you are, in a degree, as guilty before God as if your thoughts were carried into action." — Ellen G. White, The Adventist Home, p. 334.

What warnings are given in Proverbs 6:12–19?

The imagery is ironic. The walking wicked follows the lazy sluggard. The two attitudes seem to be different, and yet they carry the same lesson. Both stay within themselves. Neither one is interested in the instruction coming from outside of themselves. They both follow their own wisdom and inclinations. The sluggards are sleeping, and neither their ears nor their feet function; the wicked have only their feet and their mouths working, not their ears. The result is the same: they will both go to destruction.

Meanwhile, evil has two effects: it harms not only persons sinned against, but sinners as well. The liars will finally believe their own lies. It is also noteworthy that the ultimate result of wickedness is discord and conflict, which can affect society as well. Indeed, the effects of sin rarely, if ever, remain confined to sinners. Others are impacted, and usually only for the worse.

How have the sins of others affected your life? Greatly, no doubt. What lessons can you learn from this about how careful you need to be so that your actions don’t hurt others?

Friday January 9

Further Study: Read Ellen G. White, "Moral Standards," pp. 326–339, in The Adventist Home; "In Contact With Others," pp. 489–491, in The Ministry of Healing; "Other Object Lessons," pp. 117–120, in Education.

"The student of the Bible should be taught to approach it in the spirit of a learner. We are to search its pages, not for proof to sustain our opinions, but in order to know what God says. . . . "

"One of the chief causes of mental inefficiency and moral weakness is the lack of concentration. . . . With the immense tide of printed matter constantly pouring from the press, old and young form the habit of reading hastily and superficially, and the mind loses its power of connected and vigorous thought." — Ellen G. White, Education, p. 189.

"The habitations that the ants build for themselves show skill and perseverance. Only one little grain at a time can they handle, but by diligence and perseverance they accomplish wonders. "

" Solomon points to the industry of the ant as a reproach to those who waste their hours in idleness or in practices that corrupt soul and body. The ant prepares for future seasons; but many gifted with reasoning powers fail to prepare for the future immortal life." — Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 190.
Discussion Questions:

    Dwell more on this idea of how we can help others, even at a personal cost to ourselves. How do we look at what this week’s lesson taught in contrast to this verse: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends" (John 15:13, NKJV)?

    What other lessons can we take from the natural world that we can apply to our own lives? Given, however, that the world is fallen, why must we be careful in the lessons we do draw?

    Read through the seven abominations in Proverbs 6:16–19. Why do you think that they are considered so bad in God’s eyes?

So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

colporteur

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2015, 02:30:33 PM »
For the message to travel from the ears to the feet we need to go to the crossTand be humbled. When we head for the cross Satan puts his cross-hairs + on us. He fires his darts and attempts to divert the people away from talking up their cross. We are called to seek, strive,  and press toward the mark. We can only be stopped as we are willing to be stopped, diverted, comfortable,careless, and indifferent.



It's easier to slow a fast horse down than to get a dead one going.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #4 on: January 03, 2015, 09:58:31 AM »
Amen, cp.  Satan has worked hard to deceive and is working hard to blind us to  our continual need of Jesus.

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Proverbs 4, 1 Kings 3:9, Matt. 13:44, Proverbs 5, 1 Cor. 10:13, Prov. 6:1–19.

Memory Text: "Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil." Proverbs 4:26-27

Science has demonstrated that hearing impacts how we walk, and that even our balance is influenced by how well we hear. So, instruction, or education — that is, what we hear — is crucial to how we live. "Wisdom is the principal thing," says Proverbs 4:7.

Yet no matter how good the instruction is, the student must pay attention. Not without some irony an ancient Egyptian teacher noted that the "the ear of the boy is on his back; he listens when he is beaten." (In Egyptian art, the student was often represented with big ears on his back.)

If obedience came through being beaten, then all children would be divine in nature. But, beating a child only brings obedience when in the presence of the "rod". When beyond the reach of the rod, fallen human nature takes control. We often see this with children who have not obeyed out of love. When beyond the reach of their parents, how do they then act?


It’s not enough just to know about right and wrong; we need to know how to choose right and not wrong. Training in wisdom consists in hearing proper instruction and in following and obeying what we have learned so that we don’t end up walking in the wrong direction.

Until we are converted, we can do no "good" thing. Then how is it possible to follow the right path? We hear the Words of Jesus, but we have no power to obey His instructions, to do good apart from God. How can we obey what we have learned?

Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #5 on: January 03, 2015, 10:45:08 AM »
Sunday January 4

Hear!

Read Proverbs 4.

 4:1   Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. 
 4:2   For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. 
 4:3   For I was my father's son, tender and only [beloved] in the sight of my mother. 
 4:4   He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. 
 4:5   Get wisdom, get understanding: forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 
 4:6   Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. 
 4:7   Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. 
 4:8   Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 
 4:9   She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. 
 4:10   Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. 
 4:11   I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. 
 4:12   When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. 
 4:13   Take fast hold of instruction; let [her] not go: keep her; for she [is] thy life. 
 4:14   Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil [men]. 
 4:15   Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. 
 4:16   For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause [some] to fall. 
 4:17   For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. 
 4:18   But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. 
 4:19   The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. 
 4:20   My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 
 4:21   Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 
 4:22   For they [are] life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 
 4:23   Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life. 
 4:24   Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee. 
 4:25   Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. 
 4:26   Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. 
 4:27   Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil. 

 
 What practical truth is found here, and how can we apply this to our own lives as we seek to live in faithfulness to God?

Yes, this is the all important question "How can we obey?"  And, we know that spiritual things are spiritually discerned, so hearing with the ears is not enough. Something is missing.


The act of "hearing" marks the first step in education. In Hebrew thought, the seat of wisdom or of intelligence is located not in the brain, but in the ears. This implies that even before we seek to conceptualize or solve a problem, we first need to hear it. This means we need to listen. When Solomon asks for wisdom, he specifically asks for "a hearing heart" (1 Kings 3:9, literal translation).

Amen!  We need to better understand what the Bible means when it says that we may have a "new heart". What is the "new heart"?  Is it a "hearing heart"? And if so, do we get a "hearing heart" before conversion? And if not, then how can we hear without a "hearing heart"? If we are going to follow this lesson, then we had better understand the language, at least the Bible language dealing with both "hearing" and the "heart". What Bible scholar can help us here? How can we obey if we cannot hear? And how can we hear if we do not have a hearing heart?


The first act of wisdom, then, is "to listen," which suggests that wisdom comes from an external source (in this case, the parents). We cannot discover wisdom by ourselves. The self-made individual is an impossible concept in the domain of biblical wisdom. Wisdom is first of all something that we receive, not something we shape with our own skills or that we unearth through our own brilliance and reasoning.

Amen! What saith the Lord about our wisdom that comes from within?  Since it is a proverb, 14:12, it is particularly appropriate in today's lesson. "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Yes, human wisdom which runs rampant in the church is foolishness.

The capacity of "paying attention" (Hebrew, "to put one’s heart") implies the involvement of the heart. The search for wisdom, then, is not merely a cold, objective enterprise. The heart, which is the core of the individual and (in Hebrew thought) the seat of emotions, participates in the search for wisdom.

Read Matthew 13:44 and Jeremiah 29:13.

13:44   Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 

29:13   And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart. 


What link can you find between these verses and the search for wisdom as it is expressed in Proverbs 4?

The Bible is telling us that we have a work to do if we want to have life, eternal life, salvation. What is that work left for us to do that we might be saved? According to these verses in Prove 4 and the ones in Matthew and Jeremiah, we must do something if we want to have eternal life. We hear from some that God does it all and there is nothing we must do to be saved. But, this is not so from what we read in these three Books. What must I do to be saved?


Emotions play a crucial role in our basic existence as humans, and thus cannot and should not be ignored in our relationship with God. How do we learn the proper place and value of emotions in regard to our spiritual life? How have your emotions steered you right (and wrong), and what have you learned from those experiences?

This is a most important discussion. We are studying the correct use of the will and what emotions have to do with truth and salvation. Don't become confused or discouraged, we will work through this so that the simplicity of the gospel will shine forth. Our Guide will point us to His truth, not the wisdom of man. We will discover what we must do to be saved. It appears that it has much to do with "hearing". Let our Bible scholars share the Scripture that unlocks the answer.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Mimi

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #6 on: January 03, 2015, 11:25:15 AM »
Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #7 on: January 03, 2015, 11:41:02 AM »
Amen, Mimi!  That gets to the very bottom of Sunday's lesson which is entitled "Hear". Now, what is it that we must hear and what does it have to do with faith, salvation, and wisdom?
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Mimi

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #8 on: January 03, 2015, 11:50:07 AM »
 :) What a beautiful truth. It is the Living Water that brings life everlasting.

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The Scriptures are the great agency in the transformation of character. Christ prayed, "Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is truth." John 17:17. If studied and obeyed, the word of God works in the heart, subduing every unholy attribute. The Holy Spirit comes to convict of sin, and the faith that springs up in the heart works by love to Christ, conforming us in body, soul, and spirit to His own image. Then God can use us to do His will. The power given us works from within outwardly, leading us to communicate to others the truth that has been communicated to us.  {COL 100.1} 
     The truths of the word of God meet man's great practical necessity--the conversion of the soul through faith. These grand principles are not to be thought too pure and holy to be brought into the daily life. They are truths which reach to heaven and compass eternity, yet their vital influence is to be woven into human experience. They are to permeate all the great things and all the little things of life.  {COL 100.2} 
     Received into the heart, the leaven of truth will regulate the desires, purify the thoughts, and sweeten the disposition. It quickens the faculties of the mind and the energies of the soul. It enlarges the capacity for feeling, for loving.  {COL 101.1}
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #9 on: January 03, 2015, 12:12:42 PM »
Amen, Mimi!!  The Word was made flesh! The Word is a revelation of the character of our God. The law is a transcript of His character.

You share this truth: "Received into the heart, the leaven of truth will regulate the desires, purify the thoughts, and sweeten the disposition. It quickens the faculties of the mind and the energies of the soul. It enlarges the capacity for feeling, for loving." This is conversion. The Truth, Jesus, received into the heart brings forth the fruits of His Spirit. The mind is then able to love the "unlovable". There is then love, joy, and peace in the soul, even when the world is falling apart. Just what we need today!

Let us continue so that all may understand the relationship between, hearing, the heart, and salvation. Man is not saved by his own works, yet without hearing we shall not be saved. We have shown from Scripture that faith cometh by hearing the Word, and the Word was made flesh, Jesus. Does faith have anything to do with salvation? And, how can an unconverted person hear truth if spiritual things are spiritually discerned?
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Mimi

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #10 on: January 03, 2015, 12:54:53 PM »
It comes down to those who diligently seek truth. They know there is a void and they search to fill it. These two texts come to mind for such ones.    "he that cometh to God must believe that he is."

Matthew 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.


Hebrews 11:6   But without faith [it is] impossible to please [him]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and [that] he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.


The Holy Spirit attends, comforts, guides and illuminates the path of the sincere. John 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

And this ... Each hearer should strive to understand each presentation of Bible truth as God's message to him, to be received by faith and put into practice in the daily life. Hearing brings conviction that there is need of a Savior because sin is seen in the life.

God bids us fill the mind with great thoughts, pure thoughts. He desires us to meditate upon His love and mercy, to study His wonderful work in the great plan of redemption. Then clearer and still clearer will be our perception of truth, higher, holier, our desire for purity of heart and clearness of thought. The soul dwelling in the pure atmosphere of holy thought will be transformed by communion with God through the study of Scriptures.
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #11 on: January 03, 2015, 01:26:22 PM »
Mimi, thank you for sharing on this most important lesson.  The first verse you shared is certainly applicable to the lost who do not have faith in God because they do not know Him. They cannot obey any more than could Paul before he was converted and understood he was under condemnation. The other three statements of truth would appear to be made to those who know God already. Since we have an audience which includes many who do not understand what conversion is and have not experienced the new birth, we need to focus clearly on the relationship between "hearing", "faith", and "salvation".  It is true that even though one be converted, he must continue to follow the same path that got him to the point of conversion, for it is the same grace that keeps, as converts.

Let's listen to the counsel coming directly from the greatest Teacher who ever walked upon this Earth. He tells us exactly what is needed to be able to obey the commands found in our proverbs, and to be able to enter the kingdom of God. The instruction is found in John chapter three where we find Jesus telling Nicodemus he is not fit for heaven and must be converted. That his obedience is not of the heavenly kind. In other words, he is full of self.

 3:3  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 
 3:4   Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 
 3:5   Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 
 3:6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 
 3:7   Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 
 3:8   The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. 
 3:9   Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 
 3:10   Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 
 3:11   Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. 
 3:12   If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things? 
 3:13   And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven. 
 3:14   And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 


Until man is born of the Spirit, allows Jesus through the Spirit to take possession of "the heart", he remains at enmity (opposed to) with God and has no enmity (opposition) towards Satan or sin. In other words, he is aligned with evil because man's nature is evil. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. In other words, flesh is selfish which is evil, and can do no good thing. Read Romans seven if you want to better understand our evil flesh (fallen nature). God has provided a remedy that can keep that flesh under at all times. It is the Spirit of Christ indwelling the heart. Then the mind and heart are no longer "carnal". We then have the "mind of Christ" and possess a "new heart" which has been purified by the blood of Christ.

But, that is a symbol. The blood of Jesus is not poured upon our hearts, what is the reality? What does the blood of Christ do that changes the heart of man? Yes, the blood of Christ makes an atonement for our sins, that is not a symbol. The symbol for the atonement was the blood of the lambs that were slain by Israel. The blood of animals was to teach of the sufferings and death of Christ (slain blood) which atones for our sins when we allow it to. But, the blood cannot atone for our sins unless we make a full surrender to Jesus and are changed. Our lesson deals with how we can be changed. When reading what Jesus said to Nicodemus we find a direct statement that applies to our lesson. After telling Nicodemus he must be converted, Jesus did not leave him without knowledge of what he must do in  order to be born again.

How do the words of Jesus relate to our lesson, particularly to "hearing", "faith", and "salvation"?
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Mimi

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2015, 01:52:49 PM »
3:5   Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
 3:6   That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
 3:7   Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 
3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3:8.
{FLB 54.1} 

     The greatness of God is to us incomprehensible. "The Lord's throne is in heaven" (Psalm 11:4); yet by His Spirit He is everywhere present. He has an intimate knowledge of, and a personal interest in, all the works of His hand. . . .  {FLB 54.2}
     It was the Maker of all things . . . who created the human soul, with its capacity for knowing and for loving. And He is not in Himself such as to leave the demands of the soul unsatisfied. No intangible principle, no impersonal essence or mere abstraction, can satisfy the needs and longings of human beings in this life of struggle with sin and sorrow and pain. It is not enough to believe in law and force, in things that have no pity, and never hear the cry for help. We need to know of an almighty arm that will hold us up, of an infinite Friend that pities us. We need to clasp a hand that is warm, to trust in a heart full of tenderness. And even so God has in His Word revealed Himself.  {FLB 54.3} 
     Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. The carnal mind cannot comprehend these mysteries. . . . The worldly-wise have attempted to explain upon scientific principles the influence of the Spirit of God upon the heart. The least advance in this direction will lead the soul into the mazes of skepticism. The religion of the Bible is simply the mystery of godliness; no human mind can fully understand it, and it is utterly incomprehensible to the unregenerate heart.  {FLB 54.4} 
     The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them; but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden.
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2015, 02:34:34 PM »
Thank you, Mimi. Let's look at this truth you  have shared. It addresses the issue squarely.  We agree that Nicodemus was not converted. His heart was in need of the Spirit of God. In other words, his was a carnal heart and could discern all that Jesus spoke of. But, he was not ignorant or his need after listening to Jesus. He probably had no idea of what Jesus was talking of as to how to be born again of the Spirit, not then.

"Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. The carnal mind cannot comprehend these mysteries. . . . The worldly-wise have attempted to explain upon scientific principles the influence of the Spirit of God upon the heart. The least advance in this direction will lead the soul into the mazes of skepticism. The religion of the Bible is simply the mystery of godliness; no human mind can fully understand it, and it is utterly incomprehensible to the unregenerate heart."


The carnal mind (Nicodemus) cannot comprehend these mysteries....It is utterly incomprehensible to the "unregenerate heart".   So, how is Nicodemus to proceed since he cannot understand how the process works? What we all do, he could do. Without the change in nature taking place (being a partaker of God's divine nature) we cannot do any good thing (for the right reason). We can surely quit smoking to keep from dying, maybe, but we cannot do it for the right reason. Because we are selfish, aligned with Satan and evil. Then what did Jesus tell Nicodemus he could do.....in order to avert hellfire and brimstone? If a good Baptist were to understand the words of Jesus to mean he was not saved, I assure you that like Saul, he would be looking high and low to find out how to be born again. Why? Because he knows that unless he is born again of His Spirit, he is going to burn in hell for eternity. Well...he is wrong about half of that. He will burn, but not for eternity, only as long as it takes to pay for each of his sins.

So, such a "good" leader in Israel could not leave the matter as it was. He would want to be born again, if not to avert hell, then to maintain his status in the nation. What could Nicodemus do that would lead to his conversion, thus obedience to the commands in Proverbs four? The answer was given by Mimi earlier, but we need to nail this down and put it into the context of Jesus' discussion with Nicodemus and Sunday's lesson. Then we need to understand what the heart has to do with this. What was Nicodemus to do in light of the words of Jesus to him?
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2015, 02:56:12 PM »
Can a Bible student explain what the following verses have to do with Sunday's lesson?


Numbers
 21:4   And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. 
 21:5   And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for [there is] no bread, neither [is there any] water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. 
 21:6   And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 
 21:7   Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. 
 21:8   And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 
 21:9   And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Mimi

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #15 on: January 03, 2015, 03:02:59 PM »
 ;) You are giving us easy hints, Richard.

When at last Jesus was lifted up on the cross, Nicodemus remembered the teaching upon Olivet: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." The light from that secret interview illumined the cross upon Calvary, and Nicodemus saw in Jesus the world's Redeemer.  {DA 176.2}

He remembered what he heard. His faith came by hearing and seeing the prophecy fulfilled in the death of Christ on the cross. As a result, he was born of the Spirit and Nicodemus was a frontline worker in the cause of Christ. 
  For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Psalm 119:89 

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #16 on: January 03, 2015, 03:37:39 PM »
But, spiritual things are spiritually discerned. You saw it!  :)

Ok...now let us break it down so that it is not misunderstood. It was not the fact that a prophecy was fulfilled that Nicodemus believed, but what was it that caused Nicodemus to be converted? There are some reading that do not yet understand how man is saved. Let's use Scripture to put the pieces together.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #17 on: January 03, 2015, 04:57:17 PM »
How are we saved?
Ephesians
 2:5   Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 
 2:6   And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus: 
 2:7   That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in [his] kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 

How was Nicodemus to be saved? In the very same manner, by grace.

But, what about faith? We having been talking about faith up to this point.

 2:8   For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 
 2:9   Not of works, lest any man should boast. 


We are not saved by faith, but by grace through our faith in the promise. We must believe that Jesus is who says He is and that He will save us to the uttermost.

In order to believe this, we must know who He is. Do you know Jesus well enough to trust Him will all you have and all you are? Will you trust Him enough to give up your job if you are working on the Sabbath? That requires a lot of faith? You surely need to know Him. Abraham was asked to sacrifice His son of faith. How much do you trust Jesus? To make a full surrender of everything, we need to know Him very well. How do we get to know if He is trustworthy?

Let's keep this in line with our discussion.  As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.....

What has that to do with Nicodemus being converted and saving faith?


Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #18 on: January 03, 2015, 05:56:30 PM »
Pastor Stephen Bohr just finished preaching at GYC. He did a good job of explaining that by beholding we become changed in character, transformed into His image. Let's look at the lesson Jesus wants us to learn.

Jesus pointed Nicodemus to when Moses was told to make a brass serpent.
 21:8   And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
 21:9   And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. 


What was Jesus telling Nicodemus to do? What must we all do if we want to live? We must "look and live". We must look at what? What did the serpent represent? And why was it to be placed on a pole and lifted up? Later in the Book of John, chapter 12, Jesus says "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death He should die." Is it possible that by looking at Jesus lifted up on the cross that we might see grace? Is it possible that by beholding God's grace we are transformed in nature? Is it possible that the atonement does more than give guilty man the opportunity to be forgiven? Can it be that grace is more than a word, but a transforming power?

Then, how is it that hearing can increase our faith to the point of trusting completely in Jesus? The "hearing" is with a condition. We pointed this out. The Scripture says "So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Romans 10:17. The hearing is by the Word. Who is the Word? Jesus is the Word. The Word was made flesh. So by hearing the Words of Jesus, especially the closing scenes of His life, our faith will be increased. It is an intellectual and a spiritual truth that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to what it is accustomed to love and reverence. "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." 2 Cor. 3:18.

There are other principles working also. Love begets love. How can we resist the love of Christ when we learn of His great love for us? So, let's finish up Sunday's lesson. We now better understand that by hearing of the truth of God's character (grace), we are not only forgiven, but transformed in nature. Then we have power to obey the counsels we have read in Proverbs chapter four. What must we learn to do if we want to follow the right path? "It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. As we thus dwell upon His great sacrifice for us, our confidence in Him will be more constant, our love will be quickened, and we shall be more deeply imbued with His spirit. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross."  DA 83.
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Richard Myers

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Re: SDA Sabbath School Lesson 2-First Quarter 2015-From Ears to Feet
« Reply #19 on: January 03, 2015, 06:00:50 PM »
The last part of Sunday's lesson deals with emotion. What has this to do with the lesson, especially the new heart or conversion? The question was asked "How do we learn the proper place and value of emotions in regard to our spiritual life?"
Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.