Seeing the Goldsmith's Face
Sabbath School Lesson
October 27, 2007
Larry R Evans
Class notes @: http://ssclassnotes.blogspot.com
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
1. The way we meet trials and hardships as well as our ongoing struggles with temptation has an impact on the reputation of God. True or False [Mt. 5:16; Job 1:9-11; 1 Cor 4:9]
2. Had Job submitted to God earlier he and his family would have been spared much agony. True or False [Job 22:21]
3. The one assurance Job had was knowing that he could find God in times of distress. True or False [Job 23:1-3]
4. Just before Christ comes those who are His followers will have a miraculous surge of intelligence/insight enabling them to know the hidden truths of God. True or False [Dan.12:3,4,6,10]
5. As understanding and compassionate Christians we realize that each individual’s walk with Christ is a private affair. True or False [Eph.4:11-16]
6. As Christians we should share and one of the most prized possessions which we should share with others is our character which has been refined through trials. True or False [Matt 25:1-13; Zech. 8:23]
INTRODUCTION
An Atheist in the Woods
An atheist was walking through the woods.
"What majestic trees"!
"What powerful rivers"!
"What beautiful animals"!
He said to himself.
As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a
rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look.
He saw a 7-foot grizzly charge towards him. He ran as
fast as he could up the path. He looked over his
shoulder & saw that the bear was closing in on him.
He looked over his shoulder again, & the bear was
even closer. He tripped & fell on the ground. He
rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear
was right on top of him, reaching for him with his
left paw & raising his right paw to strike him. At
that instant the Atheist cried out, "Oh my God!"
Time Stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out
of the sky. "You deny my existence for all these
years, teach others I don't exist and even credit
creation to cosmic accident." "Do you expect me to
help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as
a believer"?
The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would
be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask You to treat me
as a Christian now, but perhaps You could make the
BEAR a Christian"?
"Very Well," said the voice.
The light went out. The sounds of the forest resumed.
And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws
together, bowed his head & spoke:
"Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive
from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen."
Trials don’t automatically teach us the lessons we need to learn. Sometimes they can reinforce wrong concepts of God, of life in general and even of ourselves. Our study this quarter, and specifically this week, helps provide a lens by which trials can be seen in the light of our preparation for eternity. What we learn from the trials of life is often built upon the foundation principles we have learned or refused to learn and acknowledge. Scripture provides an important lens for interpreting life’s most challenging moments.
1. The way we meet trials and hardships as well as our ongoing struggles with temptation has an impact on the reputation of God. True [Mt. 5:16; Job 1:9-11; 1 Cor 4:9]
Reflecting the image of Jesus in the midst of difficulties is important because it provides the vindication of God’s honor to the universe!
Note the following passages from the Message:
Matthew 5:16
Mat 5:16 Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. (The Message)
Job 1:6-12
Job 1:6 One day when the angels came to report to GOD, Satan, who was the Designated Accuser, came along with them.
Job 1:7 GOD singled out Satan and said, "What have you been up to?" Satan answered GOD, "Going here and there, checking things out on earth."
Job 1:8 GOD said to Satan, "Have you noticed my friend Job? There's no one quite like him--honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil."
Job 1:9 Satan retorted, "So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart?
Job 1:10 Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does--he can't lose!
Job 1:11 "But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He'd curse you right to your face, that's what."
Job 1:12 GOD replied, "We'll see. Go ahead--do what you want with all that is his. Just don't hurt him." Then Satan left the presence of GOD. (The Message)
1Cor 4:9
1Cor 4:9 It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We're something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street.
“As Paul descries the status of the apostles in 1 Corinthians 4:9-13, he wants the Corinthians to realize the enormous contrast. The apostles have been made a spectacle to all the universe, like the worst of men, criminals condemned to die in the games of the arena. It is quite likely that Paul was referring to the parades in Rome that took place when a conquering military leader returned from a victorious campaign with captives in tow. The captives, destined to die in the arena, were the general’s trophies and appeared last in the line—those who were to die in the gladiatorial shows came into the arena as the grand finale, ‘on display at the end of the procession.’ (vs.9)” (W. Larry Richards in 1 Corinthians, The Abundant Life Bible Amplifier, p.83)
“The very image of God is to be reproduced in humanity. The honor of God, the honor of Christ, is involved in the perfection of the character of His people.” (The Desire of Ages, p. 671) See also Rom. 8:29.
2. Had Job submitted to God earlier he and his family would have been spared much agony. False [Job 22:21]
Eliphaz was an accuser of Job and one of the charges he brought against Job was that he needed to submit to God if he wanted relief from the trials that seemed to overwhelm him. (Job 22:21)
Do hard times come to us because we have not submitted to God? OR . . . If not, can we conclude that the absence of trials means we have fallen from God’s concern? What interpretation should we give towards the presence or lack of presence of trials?
Perhaps, rather than attributing the trials to either God or Satan we should focus more on how we respond to the particular trial making sure we are doing all we can to submit to the will of God regardless of their origin.
3. The one assurance Job had was knowing that he could find God in times of distress. False [Job 23:1-3]
In response of Eliphaz’s counsel for Job to “Submit to God” Job responds with these words,
Job 23:2-5
2 "Even today my complaint is bitter;
his hand is heavy in spite of my groaning.
3 If only I knew where to find him;
if only I could go to his dwelling!
4 I would state my case before him
and fill my mouth with arguments.
5 I would find out what he would answer me,
and consider what he would say.
(from New International Version)
Job struggled. He could not understand why all of this was happening. He wanted to talk directly to God. He knew God would not ignore him (v.6) if he could only find Him.
Ever felt that way? What you “see” simply doesn’t make sense.
Simone Weil wrote, “We see either the dust on the window or the view beyond the window, but never the window itself.” What did Job not see and should that contain some kind of assurance for him?
Eph 6:12
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.(from New International Version)
“No one gets an exemption from hardship on planet Earth. How we receive it hinges on whether we believe in an alternate reality that transcends the one we know so well. The Bible never minimizes hardship or unfairness—witness books like Job, Psalms, and Lamentations. It simply asks us to withhold final judgment until all the evidence is in.” (Philip Yancey, Rumors of Another World, p.2170
4. Just before Christ comes those who are His followers will have a miraculous surge of intelligence/insight enabling them to know the hidden truths of God. False [Dan.12:3,4,6,10]
Prov 1:7
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and discipline.(from New International Version)
“The fear of the Lord is that reverent attitude compounded of love awe, and gratitude that distinguishes men who have realized their own unworthiness and have found salvation in God’s gracious plan.” (3SDA Bible Commentary, p.949)
As we think about personal character development Daniel 12 provides us with some insights as to just how important character development really is.
Dan 12:1
12:1 "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people-everyone whose name is found written in the book-will be delivered.(from New International Version)
Dan 12:2-4
3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.
(from New International Version)
Dan 12:8-10
8 I heard, but I did not understand. So I asked, "My lord, what will the outcome of all this be?"
9 He replied, "Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand.(from New International Version)
“The time of trouble is the crucible that is to bring out Christlike characters. It is designed to lead the people of God to renounce Satan and his temptations. The last conflict will reveal Satan to them in his true character, that of a cruel tyrant, and it will do for them what nothing else could do, uproot him entirely from their affections. For to love and cherish sin, is to love and cherish its author, that deadly foe of Christ. When they excuse sin and cling to perversity of character, they give Satan a place in their affections, and pay him homage.” (E.G. White, Our High Calling, p.321}
5. As understanding and compassionate Christians we realize that each individual’s walk with Christ is a private affair. False [Eph.4:11-16]
John Donne wrote, "All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated...As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness....No man is an island, entire of itself...any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." (Meditations XVII)
Scripture also emphasizes that we of ourselves are but one part of a bigger whole—a larger community.
Eph 4:15-16
15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (from New International Version)
6. As Christians we should share and one of the most prized possessions which we should share with others is our character which has been refined through trials. False [Matt 25:1-13; Zech. 8:23]
“We are now living in a most perilous time, and not one of us should be tardy in seeking a preparation for the coming of Christ. Let none follow the example of the foolish virgins, and think that it will be safe to wait until the crisis comes before gaining a preparation of character to stand in that time. It will be too late to seek for the righteousness of Christ when the guests are called in and examined. Now is the time to put on the righteousness of Christ,--the wedding garment that will fit you to enter into the marriage supper of the Lamb. In the parable, the foolish virgins are represented as begging for oil, and failing to receive it at their request. This is symbolic of those who have not prepared themselves by developing a character to stand in a time of crisis. It is as if they should go to their neighbors and say, Give me your character, or I shall be lost. Those that were wise could not impart their oil to the flickering lamps of the foolish virgins. Character is not transferable. It is not to be bought or sold; it is to be acquired. The Lord has given to every individual an opportunity to obtain a righteous character through the hours of probation; but he has not provided a way by which one human agent may impart to another the character which he has developed by going through hard experiences, by learning lessons from the great Teacher, so that he can manifest patience under trial, and exercise faith so that he can remove mountains of impossibility. It is impossible to impart the fragrance of love,--to give to another gentleness, tact, and perseverance. It is impossible for one human heart to pour into another the love of God and humanity. {EG White, Youth Instructor, January 16, 1896 par. 2}
CONCLUSION
There are many ways we could conclude this study—a study which began with maintaining faith during hardships such as those experienced by Job and then onto to the “time of trouble” depticted by Daniel where our character would indeed be displayed to the entire universe during most difficult of times. Perhaps some of the insights found in the interview by Philip Yancey of Henry Nouwen pulls together some of the more pertinent insights from our reflective study although it may sound a bit morose at first.
“Henri Nouwen had much time to ponder death after being struck by a car and losing two-thirds of his blood due to internal injuries. His faith became more personal and more certain, he reports. Despite a lifetime of spiritual activity, he had always been pestered by fear, guilt, and shame. ‘But now, when I walked around the portal of death, all ambiguity and all uncertainty were gone. . . . Death lost its power and shrank away.’ He became convinced that dying is our most important act, for which life is a long journey of preparation. . . . ‘Theology means looking at the world from God’s perspective,’ he concluded. . . . He then spoke of anticipating rewards from ‘the Lord, the righteous Judge.’ My goal for growing older, for preparing to die, is to care less about how others view me and more about how God views me.” (Yancey, Ibid, pp.219,220)
The ultimate test and fruition of our character development may be summed up best in the words of Paul,
Rom 8:37-39
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (from New International Version)
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