Sunday
November 30
1. RAISING THE STANDARD
a. How should one regard the responsibilities of an ordained office? 1 Timothy 3:1.
“Men who are chosen of God to labor in this cause will give proof of their high calling and will consider it their highest duty to grow and improve until they shall become able workmen. Then, as they manifest an earnestness to improve upon the talent which God has entrusted to them, they should be helped judiciously. But the encouragement given them should not savor of flattery, for Satan himself will do enough of that kind of work. Men who think that they have a duty to preach should not be sustained in throwing themselves and their families at once upon the brethren for support. They are not entitled to this until they can show good fruits of their labor.”–Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 446.
“In the home, in the school, in the church, men, women, and youth are to prepare to give the message to the world.”–Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 548.
b. Why should we encourage more individuals to accept the call to the ministry as their life work? Matthew 9:38; Luke 10:2.
Monday
December 1
2. EVALUATION
a. Avoiding prerequisites based solely on tradition (Mark 7:1–13), how do we know that God’s requirements for the Old Testament priesthood still apply today? Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; Matthew 5:20; 23:1–3.
b. Name some qualifications a candidate for ordination and for leadership should have. Exodus 18:21; Deuteronomy 1:16, 17; Ezekiel 44:23.
“In [Moses’] charge to . . . elders at the time of their ordination, he outlined some of the qualifications that fit a man to be a wise ruler in the church. . . .
“In the work of setting things in order in all the churches, and ordaining suitable men to act as officers, the apostles held to the high standards of leadership outlined in the Old Testament Scriptures.”–The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 94, 95.
“Those who claim to keep and teach the holy law of God, and yet are continually transgressing that law, are stumbling blocks both to sinners and to believers in the truth. The loose, lax way in which many regard the law of Jehovah and the gift of His Son, is an insult to God. The only way in which we can correct this widespread evil, is to examine closely everyone who would become a teacher of the Word. Those upon whom this responsibility rests, should acquaint themselves with his history since he professed to believe the truth. His Christian experience and his knowledge of the Scriptures, the way in which he holds present truth, should all be understood.”–Gospel Workers, pp. 437, 438.
“Sisters are closely connected with the work of God if He has called their husbands to preach the present truth. These servants, if truly called of God, will feel the importance of the truth.”–Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 138.
“An unsanctified wife is the greatest curse that a minister can have.”–Ibid., p. 139.
“God will not entrust the care of His precious flock to men whose mind and judgment have been weakened by former errors that they have cherished, such as so-called perfectionism and Spiritualism. . . . Although they may now feel free from error and competent to go forth and to teach this last message, God will not accept them. He will not entrust precious souls to their care; for their judgment was perverted while in error, and is now weakened.”–Early Writings, pp. 101, 102.
Tuesday
December 2
3. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
a. What sin is one of the most serious impediments to ordination? 1 Corinthians 6:18; Proverbs 6:32, 33.
“Immorality abounds everywhere. Licentiousness is the special sin of this age.”–Testimonies, vol. 2, p. 346.
“Never was this sin [breaking the seventh commandment] regarded by God as being so exceedingly sinful as at the present time. Why? Because God is purifying unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”–Testimonies on Sexual Behavior, Adultery, and Divorce, p. 249.
b. Name some abuses or misuses that will bring eternal loss. Matthew 25:14–30.
“If we dwarf our capabilities by inaction, if we deteriorate our talents, which are susceptible of the highest cultivation, we cannot in the better world redeem that past neglect of self-culture, that great loss.”–Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, p. 21.
“Every time one of the glorious faculties with which God has enriched man is abused or misused, that faculty loses forever a portion of its vigor and will never be as it was before the abuse it suffered. Every abuse inflicted upon our moral nature in this life is felt not only for time but for eternity. Though God may forgive the sinner, yet eternity will not make up that voluntary loss sustained in this life. . . .
“The capacities of enjoyment will be less in the future life for the misdemeanors and abuse of moral powers in this life.”–This Day with God, p. 350.
c. Name some moral issues to be examined in an ordination candidate and his wife–and even children. Leviticus 21:1, 5–7, 13, 14; Ezekiel 44:22; 1 Timothy 3:2–7; Titus 1:6–8.
“You excuse yourself by saying that your children are now beyond your control, too old for you to command. In this you mistake. None of your children are too old to respect your authority and obey your commands while they have the shelter of your roof. How old were Eli’s sons? They were married men; and Eli, as a father and a priest of God, was required to restrain them.”–Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 623, 624.
Wednesday
December 3
4. MAJOR QUALIFICATIONS
a. In our eagerness to ordain more laborers to enter the great harvest field, of what should we be careful in order to preserve the integrity of God’s work? Ezekiel 34:2, 10; Revelation 2:2.
b. Why do we need to look at the experience of an individual? 1 Timothy 3:6. How should persons be tested and selected for responsible positions?
“One man may be appointed to lead [a little company accepting the truth] for a week or a month, then another for a few weeks; and thus different persons may be enlisted in the work, and after a suitable trial someone should be selected by the voice of the church to be the acknowledged leader, never, however, to be chosen for more than one year. Then another may be selected, or the same one may be re-elected, if his service has proved a blessing to the church. The same principle should be followed in selecting men for other responsible positions, as in the offices of the conference. Untried men should not be elected as presidents of conferences.”–Testimonies, vol. 5, p. 619.
c. What other qualities must be considered in candidates for offices in the church? Titus 1:7–11; 2 Timothy 2:24, 25.
“Some who enter the field are mere novices in the Scriptures. In other things also they are incompetent and inefficient. They cannot read the Scriptures without hesitating, miscalling words, and jumbling them together in such a manner that the word of God is abused. Those who are not qualified to present the truth in a proper manner need not be perplexed with regard to their duty. Their place is that of learners, not teachers. . . .
“Those who cannot read correctly should learn, and they should become apt to teach before they attempt to stand before the public. . . .
“Ministers should be examined especially to see if they have an intelligent understanding of the truth for this time, so that they can give a connected discourse upon the prophecies or upon practical subjects. If they cannot clearly present Bible subjects they need to be hearers and learners still. They should earnestly and prayerfully search the Scriptures, and become conversant with them, in order to be teachers of Bible truth to others. All these things should be carefully and prayerfully considered before men are hurried into the field of labor.”–Testimonies, vol. 4, pp. 405-407.
Thursday
December 4
5. APPEARANCE
a. How do we know that the Old Testament statutes and judgments explaining the ten commandments still apply today? Malachi 4:4, 5; Matthew 22:36–40.
“Christ gave to Moses religious precepts which were to govern everyday life. These statutes were explicitly given to guard the ten commandments. They were not shadowy types to pass away with the death of Christ. They were to be binding upon men in every age as long as time should last.”–The SDA Bible Commentary [E. G. White Comments], vol. 1, p. 1104.
b. In the Old Testament times, what disqualified men for ordination? Leviticus 21:16–24.
“I was pointed back to the children of Israel anciently and saw how pure and holy the ministers of the sanctuary had to be, because they were brought by their work into a close connection with God. They that minister must be holy, pure, and without blemish, or God will destroy them. God has not changed. He is just as holy and pure, just as particular, as He ever was.”–Early Writings, p. 103.
c. How are ordained men to consider their manner of dress? Exodus 19:10, 11.
“[God] has given us evidence that He may be honored or dishonored by the apparel of those who officiate before Him. He gave special directions to Moses in regard to everything connected with His service. He gave instruction even in regard to the arrangement of their houses and specified the dress which those should wear who were to minister in His service. They were to maintain order in everything and especially to preserve cleanliness. . . .
“There was to be nothing slack and untidy about those who appeared before Him when they came into His holy presence. And why was this? What was the object of all this carefulness? Was it merely to recommend the people to God? Was it merely to gain His approbation? The reason that was given me was this, that a right impression might be made upon the people. If those who ministered in sacred office should fail to manifest care, and reverence for God, in their apparel and their deportment, the people would lose their awe and their reverence for God and His sacred service.”–Testimonies, vol. 2, pp. 611, 612.
Friday
December 5
REVIEW AND THOUGHT QUESTIONS
1. Considering the power of the gospel as revealed in the New Testament, are the qualifications for the ordained ministry to be higher or lower than in the Old Testament?
2. To what extent are we to evaluate the life of the candidate and his wife prior to conversion? Why is the seventh commandment important in this process?
3. Why is it essential to consider the character of a candidate’s children?
4. Since an elder’s responsibilities are of a local nature, how long of an experience is necessary in order to evaluate him? How thorough should the evaluation of a minister be?
5. How does one’s outward appearance affect the ministry?
“Knowledge, benevolence, eloquence, gratitude, and zeal are all aids in the good work; but without the love of Jesus in the heart, the work of the Christian minister will prove a failure.”–Gospel Workers, p. 183.
“The success of this cause [of God] does not depend upon our having a large number of ministers, but it is of the highest importance that those who do labor in connection with the cause of God should be men who really feel the burden and sacredness of the work to which He has called them. A few self-sacrificing godly men, small in their own estimation, can do a greater amount of good than a much larger number if a part of these are unqualified for the work, yet self-confident and boastful of their own talents.”–Testimonies, vol. 1, pp. 442, 443.
“Success does not depend upon numbers. God can deliver by few as well as by many. He is honored not so much by the great numbers as by the character of those who serve Him.”–Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 550.
“To those whom He calls to the work of the ministry, the Lord will give tact and skill and understanding. If after laboring for twelve months in evangelistic work, a man has no fruit to show for his efforts, if the people for whom he has labored are not benefited, if he has not lifted the standard in new places, and no souls are converted by his labors, that man should humble his heart before God, and endeavor to know if he has not mistaken his calling. The wages paid by the conference should be given to those who show fruit for their labor. The work of the one who recognizes God as his efficiency, who has a true conception of the value of souls, whose heart is filled with the love of Christ, will be fruitful.”–Evangelism, pp. 686, 687.