Lesson 10 for June 06, 2015

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FOLLOWING JESUS

What shouldn’t

I do?

Pharisaic ideas

What should I do?

Fearing God

Setting right priorities

Making the most of my

time

How to testify?

Being a witness

Being a servant

PHARIS

AIC

IDEAS

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.” (Luke 11:44)

The life of the Pharisees was based in external things, legalism, an ostentatious lifestyle and hypocrisy. They didn’t appreciate love, mercy and justice. Strict law keepers without love.

(Luke 11:42) They like to be recognized (Luke

11:43) Their hidden sins make them unclean

(Luke 11:44) They set strict rules but don’t keep

them (Luke 11:46)

They criticize others’ sins, but they do the same things (Luke 11:47-48)

They teach a “cold” religion which separate people from the truth (Luke 11:52)

Why did Jesus condemn the religious acts of the Scribes, the Pharisees and the Lawyers?

“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten

before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke

12:6-7)Fearing god (that is, respecting and revering God, Revelation 14:7) frightens fear away (fear, suspicion, misgiving…).

Fearing God casts our worldly fears out.

Jesus taught us what to fear: Don’t fear those who can’t take our eternal life away (Luke

12:4). Fear those who can dissuade us from the path to eternal life

(Luke 12:5). Don’t fear for our life, because it is in God’s hands

(Luke 12:6-7). Don’t fear confessing Christ (Luke 12:8-10). Don’t fear talking about God to those who ask us about our

faith (Luke 12:11-12).

FEARING GOD

SETTING RIGHT PRIORITIES“And He said to them, ‘Take heed and beware

of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he

possesses.’” (Luke 12:15)Jesus told the parable of the Rich Fool to explain the importance of setting right priorities (Luke 12:16-21).

E.G.W. (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, cp. 33, pg. 402)

“This foolish rich man in his supreme selfishness had laid up for himself treasures that he could not use. He had lived only for himself. He had over-reached in trade, had made sharp bargains, and had not exercised mercy or the love of God… Those who humbly use to the glory of God the means that He has entrusted to them will receive their treasure by and by from the Master’s hand with the benediction: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant: ... enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.’”

“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning.” (Luke 12:35)

People wore tunics in Jesus’ time. In order to move easily during work, they needed to “gird up their loins"; that is, to hold the tunic with a belt.

They also needed to light the lamps on at night in order to keep awake.

Jesus used those examples and three parables (Luke 12:36-38,39-40, 42-48) to teach that we must always be willing to carry out any work, to keep awake and to never discourage while waiting for His coming.

Waiting for the Lord to come back from the wedding.

Luke 12:36-38

The head of household who watches to protect the house.

Luke 12:39-40

An unfaithful or a faithful steward.

Luke 12:42-48

Making the Most of My Time

“Now is the time to prepare for the coming of our Lord. Readiness to meet Him cannot be attained in a moment’s time. Preparatory to that solemn scene there must be vigilant waiting and watching, combined with earnest work. So God’s children glorify Him. Amid the busy scenes of life their voices will be heard speaking words of encouragement, faith, and hope. All they have and are is consecrated to the Master’s service.”E.G.W. (God’s Amazing Grace, December 11)

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)Preaching and personal witnessing are the tools God has chosen to make His plan of Salvation known (1Corinthians 1:21).

Sowing God’s Word. Accepting it depends

on the person (the soil) receiving it.

The duty of the witness. Luke 8:4-15

Those devoting their lives to serving God will

“receive many times more in this present

time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

(Luke 18:30)

The reward of the witness. Luke 18:24-30

God has given us gifts (minas) to serve Him.

We are responsible for using those minas

for His glory.

The responsibility of the witness. Luke 19:11-27

Being A Witness

“But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.” (Luke 22:26)

Which should be our attitude when we are placed in a leadership position at Church?

Unlike leading secular governments, leading the Church of Christ means service.

Only those who understand the privilege of serving others are qualified to be a good Christian.

Being A Servant

“Christ gave His disciples a most important lesson in regard to who should be His disciples.

‘In the kingdom that I am about to set up,’ He said, ‘strife for the supremacy shall have no

place. All ye are brethren. All My servants there shall be equal. The only greatness

recognized there will be the greatness of humility and devotion to the service of others. He that humbleth himself shall be exalted, and

he that exalteth himself shall be abased. He who seeks to serve others by self-denial and

self-sacrifice will be given the attributes of character that commend themselves to God,

and develop wisdom, true patience, forbearance, kindness, compassion. This gives

him the chiefest place in the kingdom of God.’”E.G.W. (This Day with God, December 13)