SDA Sabbath School Lesson 13--1st Quarter 2024--Wait on the Lord

[Richard Myers]

1st   Quarter  Lesson 13                                                                                                                                                                                  Mar 23 - Mar 29

Wait on the Lord

Commentary in Navy                  Inspiration in Maroon

[Richard Myers]

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study

Psalms 27:14; Romans 8:18-25; Psalms 131:1-3; Matthew 18:3; Psalms 126:1-6; Psalms 92:1-15; Mark 16:1-8; 2 Peter 1:19.

    Memory Text:
   "Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalms 27:14

We have reached the last week in this quarter’s study of the Psalms. The spiritual journey has taken us through the experience of awe before the majestic Creator, King, and Judge; through the joys of divine deliverance, forgiveness, and salvation; through moments of surrender in grief and lament; and through the glorious promises of God’s everlasting presence and the anticipation of the unending universal worship of God. The journey continues, though, as we live in the hope of the Lord’s coming when our longing for God will find its ultimate fulfillment. If there is a final word that we can draw from the Psalms, it should be “wait on the Lord.”

Waiting on the Lord is not an idle and desperate biding of one’s time. Instead, waiting on the Lord is an act full of trust and faith, a trust and faith revealed in action. Waiting on the Lord transforms our gloomy evenings with the expectancy of the bright morning (Psalms 30:5; Psalms 143:8 ). It strengthens our hearts with renewed hope and peace. It motivates us to work harder, bringing in the sheaves of plentiful harvest from the Lord’s mission fields (Psalms 126:6; Matthew 9:36-38). Waiting on the Lord will never put us to shame but will be richly rewarded because the Lord is faithful to all His promises (Psalms 37:7-11; Psalms 37:18; Psalms 37:34; Psalms 71:1; Psalms 119:137-138).

While waiting on the Lord to do what He says He will do, it would be good to behold Him, for by beholding Him, we will remember Him and get to know Him even better. And if there is one thing we ought to do, it is to spend time to behold Him. "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.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 30.

[Richard Myers]

Sunday  March 24
The Call of Waiting

Read Psalms 27:14; Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
Psalms 37:7; Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Psalms 37:9; For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
Psalms 37:34; Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
Psalms 39:7; And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee.
Psalms 40:1; (To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Psalms 69:6; Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
Galatians 5:5; For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Romans 8:18-25; For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

What do these texts implore God’s people to do?

By faith to trust God to do all He has promised. Most of all to keep us from sinning that hurts not only others in this world, but God. We hate the self that is within our flesh. We can't wait for the day when we received new bodies. We wants to see the end of suffering and death and a safe and secure universe. We wait patiently knowing the promises are sure and the end is very near.

Perhaps one of the greatest stresses in life is the stress of waiting. No matter who we are, where we live, what our station in life is, we all at times must wait for things. From waiting in line in a store to waiting to hear a medical prognosis, we wait—which we don’t always like doing, do we?

What, then, about waiting for God? The notion of waiting on the Lord is found not only in the Psalms but abounds all through the Bible. The operative word in all this is perseverance. Perseverance is our supreme commitment of refusing to succumb to fear of disappointment that somehow God will not come through for us. God’s devoted child waits, knowing with certainty that God is faithful and those who wait on Him can trust that if we leave our situation to Him, we can be sure that He will work it out for our best, even if at the time we don’t necessarily see it that way.

Waiting on the Lord is more than just hanging on. It is a deep longing for God that is compared to intense thirst in a dry land (Psalms 63:1). The psalmist waits on many blessings from God, but his yearning to be brought close to his God surpasses any other desire and need in life.

As we read in Paul, in this amazing passage in Romans, God and the whole creation are waiting for the renewal of the world and the blessed meeting of God and His people at the end of time. He writes: “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19).

What an incredible promise!

Amen!

Yet, while we are waiting for the ultimate salvation and reunion with God, even as “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs” (Romans 8:22), the Lord still abides with His people now, through the Holy Spirit.

Meanwhile, we are called to bear witness (Acts 1:4-8) to the plan of salvation, which will culminate in a new creation. That new creation is, ultimately, what we are waiting for, the final fulfillment of our hopes as Adventist Christians, whose very name, Adventist, contains the idea of the hope that we await. We wait, but we know that it’s not in vain. Christ’s death and resurrection, at the first coming, is our surety of His second coming.

Amen!!

What are some things you are waiting for now from God? How do we learn to wait in faith and in trust, especially when what we are praying for hasn’t yet come?

The answer is always the same, we need to be converted which means we trust God with all we are and all we have. How do we come to this most great miracle? We spend time with Jesus. We drink His blood and eat His flesh. We cannot trust God if we do not know Him intimately. By beholding Him daily we will be transformed into His character ( 2 Cor. 3:18).

[Richard Myers]

Monday  March  25
Peace of a Weaned Child

Read Psalms 131:1-3.

1 (A Song of degrees of David.) LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.
2 Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child.
3 Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.

What does this psalm teach us about our relationship with God?

What does David mean when he says he is as a weaned child? I think of Paul's writing that we are not weaned off of milk, but we ought to be. God is speaking through Paul telling us we are still carnal and need to be converted. “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.”  1 Cor 3:2. David is weaned off of milk and feeding upon "Bread" the Word of God. He sees himself no longer prideful, self is hid in Christ. Let Israel have the same hope he has in God.

God’s people live in a world that afflicts the faithful, a world full of temptations and hardship for almost everyone. A refreshed conviction that he is a child of God and dependent on God for his life consoles the psalmist and brings him to confess that his pride has no value. The deceitfulness of pride is that it causes the proud to become self-centered and unable to look beyond themselves. The proud are thus blinded to the higher reality of God.

In contrast, the righteous lift their eyes to God (Psalms 123:1-2). The acknowledgment of God’s greatness makes them humble and free from self-seeking and vain ambition. The psalmist confesses that he does not seek “great matters” and “things too high” (Psalms 131:1). These expressions describe God’s works in the world that are beyond human comprehension. Modern science has shown us that even the “simplest” things can be incredibly complicated and far beyond our understanding, at least for now. In fact, there’s a great irony: the more we learn about the physical world, the greater the mysteries that appear before us.

Amen!

Meanwhile, the metaphor in Psalms 131:2, “like a weaned child with [its] mother” (NKJV), is a powerful image of one who finds calmness and who is quieted in the embrace of God. It points to the loving relationship a child has with its mother at various stages in that child’s young life.

Through weaning us from insubstantial ambitions and pride, God introduces us to the nourishment of solid food, which is to “do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34; Hebrews 5:12-14). The childlike trust depicted in Psalms 131:1-3 is mature faith that has been tried and tested by the hardships of life and has found God to be faithful and true to His Word.
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The psalmist’s attention at the end rests on the well-being of God’s people. Ultimately, we are called to use our experience with God to strengthen His church. That is, from what we have learned, personally, of God’s faithfulness and goodness, we can share with others who, for whatever reason, still struggle with their faith. Our witness about Christ can even be within the church itself, where many need to know Him for themselves.

Amen. What is needed in the churches is an understanding of the foundation of our faith. Satan has stolen a march and deceived many as he deceived Israel on the foundation of faith in God. The sermon on the mount explained this to a Laodicean people in His day. It is the same need seen in churches today including ours. The church remains in a Laodicean condition with a multitude believing they are rich and increased with goods, not knowing they are miserable, wretched, poor, blind and naked. Jesus tells the seventh and last of the seven churches to "repent."  In this message is also the solution which brings about revival and reformation in His church. We must be a converted people who reflect the character of our God.

Amen dear Brother Beacon!   Yes, it is possible to reflect the character of God.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.” The sense of unworthiness will lead the heart to hunger and thirst for righteousness, and this desire will not be disappointed. Those who make room in their hearts for Jesus will realize His love. All who long to bear the likeness of the character of God shall be satisfied. The Holy Spirit never leaves unassisted the soul who is looking unto Jesus. He takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto him. If the eye is kept fixed on Christ, the work of the Spirit ceases not until the soul is conformed to His image. The pure element of love will expand the soul, giving it a capacity for higher attainments, for increased knowledge of heavenly things, so that it will not rest short of the fullness. “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.”

Many fail to keep their eyes upon Jesus. When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus when walking on water, he fell, so will we when we allow our eyes to wander away from Christ. When we again focus on the goodness of God, He will  forgive our sins and by beholding His glory we will be conformed to image (2 Cor. 3:18). It would be very good to spend a thoughtful hour a day contemplating the life of Jesus. It is this grace that saves us. The greatest sermon ever preached is that which is found in this chapter. The truth that was needed in that day is just as much needed today. The foundation of our faith is clearly presented. It is this which has been perverted by Satan then and now. It would be good for all to not just read this chapter, but to study it until they recognize what it means to be a converted Christian. There is no excuse for sinning. God wants to  keep us from sinning.

“ ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven’ ” (Matthew 18:3). What is Jesus saying to us here? What does this idea entail?

He is speaking to our church becoming converted as little children are innocent. As Israel thought they were ready for heaven, yet murdered the Son of God, so it is today in His Church. We need to understand the foundation of our faith as did Israel. "The truths He taught are no less important to us than to the multitude that followed Him. We no less than they need to learn the foundation principles of the kingdom of God." Desire of Ages, 299. "The tempter’s agency is not to be accounted an excuse for one wrong act. Satan is jubilant when he hears the professed followers of Christ making excuses for their deformity of character. It is these excuses that lead to sin. There is no excuse for sinning. A holy temper, a Christlike life, is accessible to every repenting, believing child of God." DA 311.

[Richard Myers]

Tuesday  March 26
Bringing in the Sheaves

Read Psalms 126:1-6.



1 (A Song of degrees.) When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.

3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.


What gives strength and hope to God’s people? What is being said here, in this context, that we can apply to our own lives today?

We have hope that the church will soon be delivered from its captivity. While we often don't see the fruit of our ministry, we shall and it will bring great joy to us.

The Lord’s miraculous deliverances in the past are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for God’s people and their source of hope for the future. The past deliverance was so great that it could be described as a dream-come-true experience (Isaiah 29:7-8). Notice that the generation that praises the Lord in Psalms 126:1-6 for His past deliverance of His people from captivity (Psalms 126:1) is presently in captivity (Psalms 126:4).

Yet, the past joy and relief are relived through songs and appropriated in present experience. The new generations keep biblical history alive by counting themselves as present among those who saw the events firsthand. Thus, a living faith cherishes God’s great deeds for His people in the past as something that the Lord has done for us and not simply things that the Lord did only for them (the past generations of believers).

In fact, the memory of the past spurs renewed hope for the present. The image of “the streams in the south” (Psalms 126:4) is a powerful metaphor of God’s acting suddenly and powerfully on behalf of His people. The very south of Judah was an arid desert region. The streams were formed suddenly and filled with rushing waters after heavy rainfalls during the rainy season. The early and late rains played a crucial role in the success of the agricultural year (Deuteronomy 11:14; Deuteronomy 28:12). Similarly, the image of sowing in tears and reaping in joy (Psalms 126:5-6) is a powerful promise of divine leading from a difficult present to a happy future.

The end of the harvest season was the time when the ancient Hebrew pilgrimages brought the fruits of the season to God’s temple in Jerusalem (Exodus 34:22; Exodus 34:26). The harvest motif provided a potent spiritual lesson to the people at that time. Just as the hard labor of sowing and caring for the fields, orchards, and vineyards is rewarded with the joy of a plentiful harvest, so the present trials of God’s people will be crowned with the joy of salvation at the end of time. The image of the great harvest points to God’s restoration of His kingdom on earth at Christ’s second coming (Amos 9:13-15; Matthew 9:37). Here, too, however, the theme of waiting arises. As with the harvest, we must wait to see the fruit and results of our labor.

Dwell on some times when you clearly and unmistakably saw the Lord working in your life or in the lives of others. How can you draw hope from those experiences for whatever you might be going through now?

We glory in our tribulation knowing from past experiences that God if faithful to deliver us from the attacks against us. It is not by might nor by power, but by the Spirit says our God!

[Richard Myers]

Wednesday  March 27
Waiting in God’s Sabbath Rest

Read Psalms 92:1-15.


1 (A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day.) It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:
2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
7 When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
8 But thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.
9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
10 But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
11 Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
15 To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.


What two aspects of the Sabbath day are highlighted in this song for the Sabbath day?

The praise of God for the great works of His hands (Psalms 92:4-5) and the Eden-like portrayal of the righteous (Psalms 92:12-14) clearly point to Creation, the first aspect that the Sabbath commemorates. The psalm also magnifies the Lord for His victory over enemies as the God of justice (Psalms 92:7-15) and so reinforces the second Sabbath theme—­redemption from evil (Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Thus, Psalms 92:1-15 extols God for His past Creation and present sustaining of the world, and it points to the end-time hope in eternal divine peace and order.

Amen!

The people can enjoy Sabbath rest because God is the “Most High” (Psalms 92:1); His superior position on the high places gives Him an unparalleled advantage over their enemies.

Yet, although He is the Most High, the Lord readily reaches down to rescue those who call on Him. The Lord’s work of creation and especially redemption of that creation should inspire people to worship God and love Him. After all, living in a fallen creation, without the hope of redemption, isn’t anything to be particularly thrilled about. We love, we suffer, we die—and do so without any hope. Hence, we praise the Lord, not only as our Creator but as our Redeemer, as well.

“Fresh oil” conveys the psalmist’s renewed devotion to serve God as His reconsecrated servant (Psalms 92:10). The anointing with oil was done for consecration of chosen people such as priests and kings (Exodus 40:15; 1 Samuel 10:1). Yet, the psalmist chose an unusual Hebrew word, balal, to describe his anointing that does not typically depict anointing of God’s servants but denotes “mixing” of oil with other parts of the sacrifice (Exodus 29:2; Leviticus 2:4-5). The psalmist’s unique use of balal implies that the psalmist wishes to present himself as a living sacrifice to the Lord and to consecrate his whole self to God (Romans 12:1).

It is not surprising to find thoughts about consecration in a psalm that is dedicated to the Sabbath because the Sabbath is the sign that the Lord sanctifies His people (Exodus 31:13). The images of palm trees and cedars of Lebanon portray God’s people growing in faith and true appreciation of God’s wonderful purposes and love. The Sabbath is the sign of the Lord’s eternal covenant with His people (). Thus, the Sabbath rest is essential to God’s people because it empowers them to trustingly wait upon the Lord to fulfill all His covenantal promises (Hebrews 4:1-10).

Amen!

Read through Psalms 92:1-15 again. What great hope is offered to us there, and how can we, even right now, take comfort in what it says?

We can sing praises about our God and tell others of His faithfulness to keep and bless us. As we do this remembering what He has done for us, our faith grows stronger.

Amen Brother Beacon!   Living faith, saving faith, means that we trust Jesus with all we have and all we are. Remembering and sharing what God has done for us will strengthen our faith even more!


Our confession of His faithfulness is Heaven's chosen agency for revealing Christ to the world. We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine. Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experience differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our praise shall ascend to Him, marked by our own individuality. These precious acknowledgments to the praise of the glory of His grace, when supported by a Christ-like life, have an irresistible power that works for the salvation of souls. 

[Richard Myers]

Thursday  March 28
Joy Comes in the Morning

Read
Psalms 5:3; My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
Psalms 30:5; For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Psalms 49:14; Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.
Psalms 59:16; But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.
Psalms 92:2; To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
Psalms 119:147; I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
2 Peter 1:19; . We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:


What time of day is symbolically portrayed as the time of divine redemption and why?

In the Psalms, morning is typically the time when God’s redemption is anticipated. Morning reveals God’s favor, which ends the long night of despair and trouble (Psalms 130:5-6; Psalms 143:1-12, God’s deliverance will reverse the present darkness of death (Psalms 143:3) into the light of a new morning (Psalms 143:8 ), and from being in the pit (Psalms 143:7) into residing in “the land of uprightness” (Psalms 143:10).

Amen! Praise God!

Read Mark 16:1-8.

1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.

What happened in the morning talked about here, and why is that so important to us?

The resurrection morning of Jesus Christ opened the way for the eternal morning of God’s salvation for all who believe in His name. Jesus’ disciples experienced the full strength of the promise in Psalms 30:5: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning,” when they met the resurrected Lord. It is only by God’s favor and unconditional love that our weeping is transformed to joy (Psalms 30:5; Psalms 30:7).

As the morning star announces the birth of a new day, so faith heralds the new reality of eternal life in God’s children (2 Peter 1:19). Jesus is called the bright and morning star (), whom we eagerly await to establish His kingdom in which there will be no more night, evil, and death (). In the end, more than anything else, this is what we are waiting for when we talk about waiting on the Lord. And, surely, the wait is worth it.

“Over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, Christ had proclaimed in triumph, ‘I am the resurrection, and the life.’ These words could be spoken only by the Deity. All created beings live by the will and power of God. They are dependent recipients of the life of God. From the highest seraph to the humblest animate being, all are replenished from the Source of life. Only He who is one with God could say, I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again. In His divinity, Christ possessed the power to break the bonds of death.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 785.

Death, it has been said, has been etched in our cells at birth. Though true, at least for us fallen beings, what has the resurrection of Jesus promised us about the temporality of death? Why must we never forget just how temporal death is for us?

Many fear dying, for they think of self and not of the peace that God wants us to have. Instead of looking at the blessing when a converted friend dies since he or she is safe from Satan's attempt to lead them away from Jesus, they see death as a bad thing. When Jesus died all heaven celebrated. Christ has gotten us a victory over death. It is for the truly converted Christian a short rest from the evil in this world. We sorrow over the loss of a friend, but we ought never sorrow for the one who has died in Christ. They are eternally saved never more to suffer. Victory has been won!!

[Richard Myers]

Friday  March 29
Further Thought

Read Ellen G. White, “Growing Up Into Christ,” pp. 67–75, in Steps to Christ.

The Psalms utter fervent appeals to wait on the Lord. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psalms 37:7). When waiting strikes us as burdensome, uncertain, and lonely, we should remember the disciples on the day of Jesus’ ascension to heaven (Acts 1:4-11). Jesus was taken up to heaven before their eyes, while they were left behind to wait for Him to come back on some unknown future day. Who has ever experienced a more intense yearning to receive God’s blessing now than the disciples on that day? They surely longed, “Lord, take us with You now.” Yet, they were instructed to wait for the promise of the Father and for Jesus’ return. If we think that the disciples were filled with despair and disappointment, we will be surprised. They returned to Jerusalem and did exactly what Jesus told them—they waited for the gift of the Holy Spirit and then preached the gospel to the world with power (Acts 1:12-14; Acts 2:1-47).

Our Lord’s commandment to wait on Him is an impossible one unless He has done His work in us through the Holy Spirit. No amount of human enthusiasm will ever stand up to the strain that waiting will impose upon our frail self. Only one thing will bear the strain, and that is abiding in Jesus Christ, namely, a personal relationship with Him.

Amen!!

 “Then if Christ is dwelling in our hearts, He will work in us ‘both to will and to do of His good pleasure.’ Philippians 2:13. We shall work as He worked; we shall manifest the same spirit. And thus, loving Him and abiding in Him, we shall ‘grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.’ Ephesians 4:15.”—Ellen G. White, Steps to Christ, p. 75. As we continue to wait on the Lord, we will find peace and contentment in the Psalms. Our prayers and songs are where God’s heart and our hearts meet daily.

Amen!

Discussion Questions

    Why is waiting significant in our spiritual life? Discuss the experiences of waiting of some biblical heroes of faith. How did waiting purify and strengthen their faith? (Romans 4:19-22; Hebrews 11:1-40).

As long as we stay on this Earth, when abiding in Christ, we participate in the sufferings of Jesus. God leaves us here that our faith may grow stronger as a witness to this world and the entire universe the power of God's grace to transform sinners into saints. We are the lesson book of the universe. God has promised that when this demonstration is over, sin will never arise again (Nahum 1:9). In order for this to happen, the universe must see the power of grace to save to the uttermost. It is your and my testimonies that assures them that if the weakest of the weak, the short ones living in fallen flesh, can go through a time of trouble such as never was without a Mediator and not sin, then the ones living in holy flesh need never worry about the security of the universe. A Lucifer will never again arise.

How does a sinner ever obtain such character? They have experienced the power of saving faith, of saving grace. They have a testimony of what God has done for them in the past. They have suffered as Christ suffered. They did glory in their tribulation and were strengthened as they kept their eyes upon Jesus. They trusted in Him to carry them through the trial (Rom. 5:3-5). Have we not learned that it was through suffering that Jesus' character was strengthened so He could carry the sins of the whole world? He was not able to carry the sins of the world when He was 12 years old, nor when 20 years old. He gloried in His tribulation knowing it worked for the glory of God and made Him stronger til He could carry the sins of the whole world. "Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered." Hebrews 5:8.
   
What is the end of our waiting? (Psalms 37:34-40).

34 Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: He is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.

That is, what are we promised when all things are, finally, resolved? What hope do we find in these texts, for instance, about the justice that has so long been missing in this life?

God will make all things right. The evil ones will be destroyed and the holy ones will live forever in a world without sin with the promise that sin will never again arise! Imagine living in a world without sin and a world where we can walk and talk with God!! We long for peace. Do we not already have peace that passes all understanding? We do if we abide in Christ and He in us. Love, joy, and peace are in the lives of all who love the Lord our God with the whole heart. But, along with that peace comes suffering, as did Christ suffer. It is not pleasant, but to partake in the sufferings of Jesus is the most weighty trust and the highest honor God can give to us. "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake." Phil. 1:29.

When we suffer, it is not only for His sake, but for ours also. We are made more patient and we gain and experience that prepares us for what is about to come. "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."
   
Why, as far as the dead are concerned, and as far as their own experience goes (Ecclesiastes 9:5), is their waiting for Jesus almost done?

The dead know nothing, they do not know the passing of time. From death until resurrection for either the wise of the foolish, it is but a moment in time for them.

What hope can we take from the answer?

Death is not something to be dreaded for those who abide in Christ. Waiting for Jesus is over for the dead as far as they are concerned, they do not know anything including the passing of time. Those of us who are alive must wait to see Jesus coming in the clouds of glory. But, our wait is shorter today than yesterday!  And while we wait, we have a work to do, the most important work ever entrusted to man. We are the lesson book of the universe. Our suffering and our waiting, testifies to the love of God and His power to keep from sin, even those who live in vile evil flesh. God wants to cleanse the heart from all sin. "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 7,9.

The "great controversy" between Christ and Satan will be over when God has a church that has ceased to sin. Satan charged God with being unfair in that He will not forgive sin that is not confessed and forsaken. He says that God in requiring obedience to His law is unfair since sinners cannot keep His law. The last generation to live on this Earth after probation closes will reveal a people who go through a time of trouble such as never was who will not sin. "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Rev. 22:11.

As Christ pointed to Job as an example of the power of grace to transform a sinner into a saint, so it will be when the waiting is over and time is no more. Jesus will point to the 144,000 as the result of the power of grace that has abounded and the universe will be forever safe.

As a people who have been entrusted with the sacred oracles of God, we have been greatly blessed this quarter with a wonderful revelation of the gospel of grace. We pray that our Sabbath School lessons from here on will also be of such a high quality. As some are already blessed with the Sabbath Day, and others are waiting, let us praise God for His Gift to us, His Son Jesus Christ. What a God we serve! Have a blessed Sabbath dear friends!