Discipleship Under Pressure

Sabbath School Class—A Life of Discovery
March 8, 2008
Larry R Evans

There will be no class notes this week do my travel.
Quiz for Reflection

1. The proverb “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong” is found in the book of Hezekiah. True or False?

2. It is the spiritual gift for some disciples of Christ to amass political powers to further the work of His church. True or False?

3. Jesus chose not to use religion as a means of gaining greater wealth. [Jn 6: 14,15] True or False?

4. Being frugal (not wasteful) with the resources of God can be a misuse of those resources. [Jn 12:1-6] True or False?

5. What the Church can’t accomplish in quiet, calm tones it should attempt with more direct, forceful approaches. [Lk 9:51-56; Mk 6:11] True or False?

6. A misuse of Scripture can lead to abusive relationships. [Mt 4:5-7; Lk 9:51-56 with 1 Ki 18:36-38] True or False?

7. It is possible to do work for the Lord without it being done under the Lordship of Christ.[Mt 26:69-75] True or False?

8. When it comes to being an effective disciple it the amount of time that one has spent with Jesus (experience) that matters and not one’s zeal. [Mt 26:33, 69-75 and Lk 7:3-10] True or False?

9. Disciples of Christ often do not realize that they are being prepared by God to meet challenges and opportunities which they will soon meet. [ Mt 26:27-35; 16:21] True or False?

10 Abiding in the presence of Christ will prevent selfishness. [Mt 26:14-16] True or False?

Reflective Review

In some ways this is a study of well-intentioned disciples who made some pretty serious mistakes. It is also a contrast between those who were able to make a comeback and those who did not. Perhaps Peter is one of the best examples of someone who, when under severe pressure, denied the very One who had given him the greatest hope. When the gravity of the situation hit him, it nearly overwhelmed him. Was there a chance for recovery? Is there hope for those who blow it? This lesson assures us that there is indeed hope but we must not miss a major point: Much of the despair that comes to us comes as a result of things not turning out the way we think they should. That can create serious pressure. Judas who had also wished to be in control chose to stay in control which led to his own demise. Peter who had failed in his own sight was restored by the God who understood him far better than Peter understood himself. By letting go Peter was able to be restored. His despair allowed him to be open to healing. The pressure points revealed some inner flaws and by seeing them exposed, though painful, healing and restoration became possible. Not all pressure is bad but not all learn that surrender is the first step to victory.

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