The Puzzle of His Conduct

Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope
May 17, 2008
Larry R Evans

Class notes will be posted later this week. Please note the texts in brackets.

Quiz for Reflection

1. Making God first can be confusing even to those who know us best. [Lk 2:47-50; Mt 12:46-50; Mt 27:1-4; Mt 27:1-4; Mk 14:1-6] True or False?

2. Anger is foreign to the character of God. [Eph 4:26; Rev 14:17-19; Mt 21:12,13; Mk 3:1-6] True or False?

3. Jesus cast the demons into the swine because the animals were unclean. [Mt 8:28-32; Lk 8:26-39] True or False?

4. Jesus disregarded His own teachings by not visiting John the Baptist when he was put in prison. [Mt 25:35,36; Isa 40:1-3,11; Mt 3:1-3; 4:11-17; 11:4-6, 7-15, 14:1-13] True or False?

5. The mission of Jesus was distracted by the presence of those who were living a life of rebellion towards God, and when the lifestyle He desired them to live was adhered to. [Mt 9:10-13; Hosea 6:1,4-6 and 2:23; Micah 6:8; Mt 3:7-10; Lk 5:29-31] True or False?

6. Jesus won the hearts of men and women by living a sinless life. [Desire of Ages p. 161; Ministry of Healing p. 141; Jn 11:32-36; Mt 14:14; Mk 8:2] True or False?

Reflective Review

It has been said that “A saint is one who exaggerates what the world neglects.” (G.K. Chesterton) So was the case of Jesus and in so doing He puzzled the most astute scholars of His day, angered the religious authorities, troubled His own disciples while at the same time He warmed the hearts of society’s outcasts. On the other hand, those who impressed Jesus were not typically those we’d expect to make the roster for those “most likely to succeed.” For example, there was the widow with the “generous” offering of two cents, a dishonest tax collector who climbed a tree to get a better view of Him, an adulteress, a blind beggar, a woman who had a line-up of five former husbands and living with one to whom she was not married, a boy with a meager lunch which fed a huge crowd. These were only a few who Jesus acknowledged in a special way. Even those whom He chose to be His closest companions would not have passed today’s executive interviews. He seemed to have a unique value system by which He discerned the possibilities of others. A system not widely practiced in His time . . . or in ours. He thought differently about such events as birth, life, marriage, death, the Passover and even the Sabbath. There was something about His worldview that drew conclusions from a radically different perspective. However, there was something, despite all His “strangeness,” that attracted scholars, fishermen, the openly sinful, politicians and even some among the groups of religious authorities who were rebuked by Him. Something should tell us: stop and listen to what the recorded words and actions of Christ are saying. They may puzzle us. They may confound our perceived insights but as painful as that might be, we must stop and listen. The popular adage would certainly apply to us: “Challenge your assumptions!” What really motivated Jesus? What was His purpose? What does He want for and from us? Are His actions to be seen in isolation from the Old Testament? It would appear, if we are to understand Him, that we must have a better grasp of what His mission really was and is.

During my study for this week’s lesson I found a statement which indeed challenged my own assumptions.

“They [the priests and rabbis of His time] felt sufficient in themselves for all things, and realized no need of a higher wisdom to direct their acts. But the Son of God was surrendered to the Father's will, and dependent upon His power. So utterly was Christ emptied of self that He made no plans for Himself. He accepted God's plans for Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans. So should we depend upon God, that our lives may be the simple outworking of His will.” (Ellen White in The Desire of Ages, p. 208)

Perhaps the reason His conduct was so puzzling was because He knew how to listen to the plans His Father had for Him. He seemed to know how to live in the Presence of the Father as He carried out the mission given to him. That too is our calling.