His Return as King and Friend . . .OR . . . Does God Really Love Us Forever?

Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope
June 28, 2008
Larry R Evans, D.Min.

Quiz for Reflection

[To get the most from the quiz read the passages in brackets and look for a thread of thought which may give more depth and understanding to the question being asked.]

1. The Old Testament atonement symbolism ended at the cross of Christ. [Lev.16:29-34; Dan. 8:13-26; Heb. 9:28] True or False?

2. The fear factor should not be used when describing the Second Coming of Christ. [Mt 25:31-34; 2 Thess 1:6-9; Jn 14:1-3] True or False?

3. What Jesus emphasized about His Coming depended on the group to whom He was speaking. [Jn 13:36-Jn 14:3; Mt 24:30-31; Rev 1:5-7 & 6:15-17] True or False?

4. As we see earthquakes and wars abounding we should not be alarmed. [Lk 12:14-21; Mt 24:3-8; Mk 13:5-8] True or False?

5. We can influence the timing of Christ’s Second Coming. [Mt 24:14; Rev 12:7-12] True or False?

6. The benefits of Christ’s First Coming are contingent on His Second Coming. [Gn 3:15; Micah 5:2; Lk 2:11; Jn 14:1-4] True or False?

Reflective Review

It’s no fun being separated from family and friends. When it happens reunions take on special significance. The time in between is hardest but memories from the past hold us spellbound as we focus on the next time we will be together. Separation whether it be by death or distance, from our Christian perspective, is temporary. Neither circumstance dampens our efforts to rejoin friends and loved ones. Heartaches and hardships may come but memories of family ties and friendships remain. Special times together, are not compromised by absence—in reality they strengthen our eagerness to rejoin our family and friends. The Message paraphrase of Romans 8:31-35 is Paul’s resounding anticipation which reinforce his determined efforts to be reunited with Jesus. Though not privileged like the disciples who walked many miles with Jesus, Paul’s encounter with Him on the Damascus Road was enough to know that Jesus was not only King but also Friend.

Rom 8:31 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose?

Rom 8:32 If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us?

Rom 8:33 And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen?

Rom 8:34 Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us--who was raised to life for us!--is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.

Rom 8:35 Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

Rom 8:36 They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.

Rom 8:37 None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.

Rom 8:38 I'm absolutely convinced that nothing--nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow,

Rom 8:39 high or low, thinkable or unthinkable--absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.

We must remember that this is not a one-way friendship. It is a fact that God first loved us. He has been planning for this reunion for a long time! I am reminded of an imagined conversation between God and us . . .

“’Can anything make me stop loving you?’ God asks. ‘Watch me speak your language, sleep on your earth, and feel your hurts. Behold the maker of sight and sound as he sneezes, coughs, and blows his nose. You wonder if I understand how you feel? Look unto the dancing eyes of the kid in Nazareth: that’s God walking to school. Ponder the toddler at Mary’s table; that’s God spilling his milk.

‘You wonder how long my love will last? Find you answer on a splintered cross, on a craggy hill. That’s me you see up there, your maker, your God, nail-stabbed and bleeding. Covered in spit and sin-soaked. That’s your sin I’m feeling. That’s your death I’m dying. That’s your resurrection I’m living. That’s how much I love you.” –Max Lucado, In the Grip of Grace, pp. 179-180.

We conclude this quarter’s studies on Jesus with a single question: “How much do you love Him?”

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Preparing a People

[ There will be no additional study notes this week.] October 10, 2009 Larry R Evans Reflective Introduction It has been said that “A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves.” (Marcus Aurelius Antonius). Think about that a moment in the context of our lesson for this week. God in His infinite wisdom knew precisely what unbridled human nature is capable of doing. With this large desert-wandering congregation now freed from slavery, He sought to establish a sense of community among His people—a kind of community that would stick together in the coming promised land. Wolves would arise among the sheep. He knew that. He anticipated this happening so rules were created to protect the sheep though even then His rules were open to abuse. The family unit was the foundation for this new community yet it was the very object of attack. Infidelity and distrust within the family happened and still happens today. Is there any hope? The lesson today is f...
Read more

Who Was Jesus?

Sabbath School Class—Life as Discovery and Hope April 5, 2008 Larry R Evans Due to travel and various appointments there will be no additional class notes this week. See Reflective Review below. Quiz for Reflection 1. The disciples, as students of Scripture, recognized that Elijah was to return. [Mt 16:13-15; 1 Ki 18:16-46; Mal 4:5,6] True or False? 2. Prophetically speaking, Christ was Elijah. [Mal 4:5,6; Jn 1:19-23; Mk 1:2-8] True or False? 3. The Bible teaches supernaturalism—a foundational presupposition of biblical faith. [Mt 1:20,21; 1 Cor 15:13; 1 Thess 4:13-18] True or False? 4. Emphasizing the historical aspects of one’s faith is a 20 th century phenomena. [Deut 6:4-12; 1 Cor 11:23-26] True or False? 5. Coming to Jesus is a personal decision and not a theological one. [Mt 11:28; 16:13-20] True or False? 6. It is more difficult to accept Jesus today as the Messiah than it was in His own day? True or...
Read more

“Jesus and the Johannine Letters” OR How to Respond in Times of a Church Crisis

[Due to other responsibilities there will no additional study notes this week] July 4, 2009 Larry R Evans Introductory Reflections We now begin a series of studies of 1,2 and 3John. We will discover how the Apostle’s close relationship with Jesus for 3 ½ years gave him the necessary footing to withstand Satan’s onslaught of the truth that Jesus came to establish. Later on the Apostle Paul would say of his time “the secret power of lawlessness” (NIV) or “the mystery of iniquity” (KJV) was already at work! (2 Thess. 2: 7. We will gain valuable insights into what our response should be today in light of Satan’s persistent effort to dilute and confuse the truth even by those who profess to believe. (1 Jn. 1:6,8,10). The circumstances or heresy may be different but the principles for us to follow remain. Three vital responses need to be considered: How will we personally respond to the sacrifice of Christ for us?; When facing a church crisis what attitude and what ki...
Read more