Sunday
June 26
1. A HUMAN REPRESENTATION OF GOD
a. Why do we need Jesus as our Saviour? Romans 5:12; 6:23. What will happen to those who do not care to be saved from sin and its consequences? 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9; Revelation 20:9, 14.
“In the cleansing flames [of God’s final judgment] the wicked are at last destroyed, root and branch—Satan the root, his followers the branches.”—The Great Controversy, p. 673.
b. What was prophesied about the incarnation of Christ? Hebrews 10:5. What names were given Him before His birth, and why? Matthew 1:21–23. What is the meaning of these names in relation to the plan of redemption? Luke 19:10; Hebrews 7:25.
“Christ was about to visit our world and to become incarnate. He says, ‘A body hast Thou prepared Me’ (Hebrews 10:5). Had He appeared with the glory that was His with the Father before the world was, we could not have endured the light of His presence. That we might behold it and not be destroyed, the manifestation of His glory was shrouded. His divinity was veiled with humanity—the invisible glory in the visible human form.”—The Desire of Ages, p. 23.
Monday
June 27
2. OUR GREAT NEED
a. What was God’s motive in sending His Son to save us? John 3:16.
“God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great was His love for the world, that He covenanted to give His only-begotten Son, ‘that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:16).”—The Desire of Ages, p. 22.
b. What parallel can be seen between Exodus 25:8 and Matthew 1:23? John 1:14.
“In the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, God communicated with Israel, revealing to men His will and imparting to them His grace. God’s glory was subdued and His majesty veiled, that the weak vision of finite men might behold it. So Christ was to come in ‘the body of our humiliation’ (Philippians 3:21, R.V.), ‘in the likeness of men.’ In the eyes of the world He possessed no beauty that they should desire Him; yet He was the incarnate God, the light of heaven and earth. His glory was veiled, His greatness and majesty were hidden, that He might draw near to sorrowful, tempted men.
“God commanded Moses for Israel, ‘Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them’ (Exodus 25:8), and He abode in the sanctuary, in the midst of His people. Through all their weary wandering in the desert, the symbol of His presence was with them. So Christ set up His tabernacle in the midst of our human encampment.”—Ibid., p. 23.
c. How does the name “Emmanuel” continue to be a reality even after Christ’s ascension? Matthew 28:20.
“Christ has made every provision that His church shall be a transformed body, illumined with the Light of the world, possessing the glory of Emmanuel. It is His purpose that every Christian shall be surrounded with a spiritual atmosphere of light and peace. He desires that we shall reveal His own joy in our lives.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 419.
Tuesday
June 28
3. ETERNAL LIFE OR ETERNAL DEATH
a. While the second death (which is extinction or annihilation) is reserved for those who have despised God’s love and mercy and have neglected His provision (in sending Christ), what assurance is given to those who choose to live? John 5:29 (first half); Romans 2:6, 7; Revelation 20:6; 21:4.
b. What is eternal life? Where and when does eternal life begin? John 17:3; 3:36; 5:24; 1 John 2:25; 5:11, 12, 20.
“Eternal life is the receiving of the living elements in the Scriptures and doing the will of God. This is eating the flesh and drinking the blood of the Son of God. To those who do this, life and immortality are brought to light through the gospel, for God’s Word is verity and truth, spirit and life. It is the privilege of all who believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour to feed on the Word of God. The Holy Spirit’s influence renders that Word, the Bible, an immortal truth, which to the prayerful searcher gives spiritual sinew and muscle.
“‘Search the scriptures,’ Christ declared, ‘for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me’ (John 5:39). Those who dig beneath the surface discover the hidden gems of truth. The Holy Spirit is present with the earnest searcher. Its illumination shines upon the Word, stamping the truth upon the mind with a new, fresh importance. The searcher is filled with a sense of peace and joy never before felt.”—Selected Messages, bk. 2, pp. 38, 39.
“As through Jesus we enter into rest, heaven begins here. We respond to His invitation, Come, learn of Me, and in thus coming we begin the life eternal. Heaven is a ceaseless approaching to God through Christ. The longer we are in the heaven of bliss, the more and still more of glory will be opened to us; and the more we know of God, the more intense will be our happiness. As we walk with Jesus in this life, we may be filled with His love, satisfied with His presence. All that human nature can bear, we may receive here. But what is this compared with the hereafter?”—The Desire of Ages, pp. 331, 332.
Wednesday
June 29
4. THE WORLD DIVIDED INTO TWO CLASSES
a. Describe the two spiritual classes of people and explain the difference that becomes evident when it is too late to make a change. Malachi 3:15–18.
“Everyone who enters the pearly gates of the city of God will be a doer of the Word. He will be a partaker of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”—This Day with God, p. 94.
b. What does the Bible say about the nominal faith that leads millions of professed Christians to have only a favorable opinion about Christ, whom they have never received as their personal Saviour? James 2:19, 20; Matthew 7:21–23.
“Many have a nominal faith in Christ, but they know nothing of that vital dependence upon Him which appropriates the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour. . . . Many concede that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of the world, but at the same time they hold themselves away from Him, and fail to repent of their sins, fail to accept of Jesus as their personal Saviour.”—Selected Messages, bk. 1, pp. 389, 390.
c. When will the destiny of the two classes be decided forever? Daniel 12:1; Luke 13:23–25; Revelation 22:11, 12.
“There is to be no probation after the judgment. When the work of the gospel is completed, there immediately follows the separation between the good and the evil, and the destiny of each class is forever fixed.”—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 123.
“The opportune time for us to work is now, just now, while the day lasts. But there is no command for anyone to search the Scripture in order to ascertain, if possible, when probation will close. God has no such message for any mortal lips. He would have no mortal tongue declare that which He has hidden in His secret councils.”—Selected Messages, bk. 1, p. 192.
Thursday
June 30
5. A MYSTERY: ONE SPIRIT AND ONE LIFE WITH CHRIST
a. How do we know from the Scriptures that, if we wish to be in the kingdom, we must have a victorious experience—we must have “God with us”—which is more than having an opinion? Galatians 2:20; John 14:16–18, 23; Revelation 3:20.
“By His humanity, Christ touched humanity; by His divinity, He lays hold upon the throne of God. As the Son of man, He gave us an example of obedience; as the Son of God, He gives us power to obey. . . . ‘God with us’ is the surety of our deliverance from sin, the assurance of our power to obey the law of heaven.”—The Desire of Ages, pp. 24, 25.
b. How is eternal life conveyed to us if we are united with Christ—that is, if we have “God with us”? 1 Corinthians 6:17; Romans 8:11.
“Christ became one flesh with us in order that we might become one spirit with Him. It is by virtue of this union that we are to come forth from the grave—not merely as a manifestation of the power of Christ, but because, through faith, His life has become ours. Those who see Christ in His true character, and receive Him into the heart, have everlasting life. It is through the Spirit that Christ dwells in us; and the Spirit of God, received into the heart by faith, is the beginning of the life eternal.”—Ibid., p. 388.
Friday
July 1
PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. What is the meaning of the name Emmanuel, and how does it relate to the plan of salvation?
2. How does Christ’s promise in Matthew 28:20 confirm the meaning of the name Emmanuel even today?
3. Explain Christ’s promises in John 3:36; 5:24, 39.
4. How can we distinguish genuine Christians from nominal ones?
5. Explain the beginning of eternal life.