Friends,
Revival will happen this time, and this is the way: If we ask God to give us His Holy Spirit and pray for each other, even for people we're not comfortable with in the church, and pray for our enemies. As simple as that...
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SPIRITUAL POWERS
Visit www.sse6.blogspot.com for easy Sabbath School Lessons Resources in English and www.ese9.blogspot.com in French
SPIRITUAL POWERS
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (NIV)4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have DIVINE POWER to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
THIS VIDEO CAN BE SHOWN AT YOUR CHURCHES AS IT IS MORE THAN RELEVANT TO THE LESSONS. BE PATIENT AND WAIT TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS AND ALL THE CONNECTIONS IN ORDER TO APPRECIATE THE POWER AND THE ATTENTION OF GOD, APART FROM THE EXTRAORDINARY IMAGES.
Click on the video at the bottom right for a totally enlarged screen, and connect the sound to powerful headphones and/or quality speakers. Find a Good Time, Be Amazed and Enjoy the Inspiration...PLEASE SHOW THIS VIDEO AT YOUR CHURCHES ON SABBATH AFTERNOON, BELIEVE ME IT WILL BE A HIT. SURELY IT WILL HAVE A BLESSED EFFECT ON THE SPIRITUALITY OF THE CHURCH. MAY GOD BLESS YOU EVEN MORE AND KEEP YOU IN A FRUITFUL FAITH IN HIM.
Click on the following links and open another tab for these playlists. Listen to sacred music while studying the lesson.
Heritage Singers sing to give glory to God in order to comfort you and strengthen your faith: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgnbF8BcALg&list=PLA6FC3F51B3D3592A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13U7QmSfmcI&list=PL5362507232EC2F63
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ8IRymyYVo&list=PL0B2EC328B1EBB04F
Wintley Phipps sings and gives glory to God in order to exhort you and encourage you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8HffdyLd0c&list=PL1F72C26656C325A9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMF_24cQqT0&list=PLF6E0F80C111634BB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVlAPL901Gk&list=PLA7473A1301242907
From www.ssnet.org and
http://www.ssnet.org/lessons/13c/helps/lesshp07.html
Lesson& References Index
Lesson 7 – August 10 – 16
Unity: The Bond of Revival
(All Bible texts are in the NKJV Bible unless otherwise indicated)Sabbath Afternoon
Memory text: Ephesians 4:1-3
1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Unity is an essential ingredient of revival. Conflict, division, and strife do not create an environment for nurturing revival. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on a church that had united in Christ’s mission to the world. Their petty differences were subordinate to the call of Christ’s larger mission. Striving for supremacy ceased in the light of Christ’s commission to reach the lost with the gospel. If the early followers of Christ were busy vying for power, the work would have been stymied from the start. Instead, convicted by the Holy Spirit to die to self, they were united in purpose and mission.
In short, where there is no unity, there can be no revival. Where jealousy, envy, and jostling for supremacy reign, the Holy Spirit’s power is withheld. How crucial, then, that we learn how to break down the barriers that sometimes separate us so that we can enter into the unity that Christ seeks for His church.
In www.cqbiblestudy.org
Introduction Unified in Christ!
Psalm 133
Sabbath AUGUST 10
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” (Amos 3:3). Are we as a church united as one body? Is it even necessary that we stand in one accord? God’s church in both the Old and the New Testaments faced the same questions we must ask ourselves today.Disunity in the church weakens our testimony to the world. When visitors come to our churches, do they find us quarreling? There is only one way to God, and that is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). If each member of God’s church is moving closer to God, they will be effortlessly moving closer to each other as well.
As God’s children, we are called to be “the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden” (Matt. 5:14, NLT). The unity of our church testifies that God is our Guide and that we worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Panic stricken, they attempted to fly, but the net prevented their escape.
An old children’s story from India tells about a flock of doves flying across the countryside. After flying a great distance, some of the doves began to complain of hunger. Noticing a rice field, the leader of the flock said they could all land in the rice field to fill their bellies for the long journey that was still ahead. When they had almost eaten their fill, a large net fell on top of them. In the distance, the birds could see a hunter approaching with a shotgun in his hand. The lead dove—calmly observing their disorder and disunity—spoke in a loud, firm voice to get their attention. “We must all work together to escape. This will be the only way we can succeed. All of us must beat our wings simultaneously, and we must all fly in the same direction. Follow my lead.” Then all together, each bird flock began to flap its wings. Despite the net still covering them, they rose high into the sky, flying in one accord all the way to their destination.*
All of God’s children, who reach their heavenly home, will be found in one accord in Christ. This week we will learn how to break down the barriers that sometimes separate us so that we can enter into the unity that Christ seeks for His church.
* “Unity Is Strength for Panchatantra Stories, Part 1,” http://www.scribd.com/doc/87937654/10/Unity–is–Strength (accessed July 24, 2012).
Sunday – Answering Christ’s Prayer for Unity
Read John 17
John 17:9-11
9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them.11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.John 17:20-24
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.
Acts 4:32-33
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.Ellen G. White, Counsels for the Church, pp. 98-99.
Chapter 15 – The Holy Spirit
It is the privilege of every Christian, not only to look for, but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.My brethren and sisters, plead for the Holy Spirit, God stands back of every promise He has made. With your Bibles in your hands, say: “I have done as Thou hast said, I present Thy promise, ‘Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.’” Christ declares: “What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” “Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Matthew 7:7; Mark 11:24; John 14:13.
Christ dispatches His messengers to every part of His dominion to communicate His will to His servants. He walks in the midst of His churches. He desires to sanctify, elevate, and ennoble His followers. The influence of those who believe in Him will be in the world a savor of life unto life. Christ holds the stars in His right hand, and it is His purpose to let His light shine forth through them to the world. Thus He desires to prepare His people for higher service in the church above. He has given us a great work to do. Let us do it faithfully. Let us show forth in our lives what divine grace can do for humanity.127Testimonies for the Church 8:22, 23
Notice that it was after the disciples had come into perfect unity, when they were no longer striving for the highest place, that the Spirit was poured out. They were of one accord. All differences had been put away. And the testimony borne of them after the Spirit had been given is the same. Mark the word: “The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul.” Acts 4:32. The Spirit of Him who died that sinners might live animated the entire congregation of believers.
The disciples did not ask for a blessing for themselves. They were weighted with the burden of souls. The gospel was to be carried to the ends of the earth, and they claimed the endowment of power that Christ had promised. Then it was that the Holy Spirit was poured out, and thousands were converted in a day.
So it may be now. Let Christians put away all dissension and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them ask in faith for the promised blessing, and it will come. The outpouring of the Spirit in the days of the apostles was “the former rain,” and glorious was the result. But the latter rain will be more abundant. What is the promise to those living in these last days? “Turn you to the stronghold, ye prisoners of hope: even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee.” “Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain; so the Lord shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” Zechariah 9:12; 10:1.
In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Answering Christ’s Prayer for Unity
...The “oneness,” or unity, of the disciples prepared their hearts for the reception of the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s power. Christ’s prayer for His church was fulfilled. They surrendered their differences. Love prevailed. Strife was banished.
“Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all” (Acts 4:32-33, NKJV).
This passage links the disciples having “one heart and one soul” with their “great power” in witnessing. In the challenging circumstances of first century Jerusalem at a time when Christianity was unpopular, these committed Christians shared their resources. They supported one another. They laid aside their personal ambitions. Their unselfish attitudes and generosity of spirit prepared them to receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s power for witnessing.
“Notice that it was after the disciples had come into perfect unity, when they were no longer striving for the highest place that the Spirit was poured out. They were of one accord. All differences had been put away.”-Ellen G. White, Counsels for the Church, p. 98.
In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Logos United We Stand
Matt. 18:1–5; John 10:30; 17; Acts 1:14; 2:1–4; 4:32, 33; 12:5–12; 1 Cor. 12:12–26; Phil. 2:1–11
Sunday AUGUST 11
Unity—Why? (John 10:30; Phil. 2:1–11)The concept of unity did not originate on earth with humanity. It started in heaven. Jesus said, “ ‘I and My Father are one’ ” (John 10:30, NKJV). Unity is not something we can ignore or “do” when we go to church. The call for unity comes from God, and the type of unity He is looking for is exemplified in the relationship between Himself and Jesus. Paul urged the Philippians to make his joy complete by “being one in spirit and purpose” (Phil. 2:2, NIV). Then he tells them that their “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus” (verse 5, NIV).
[Unity] is something tangible, something real, something that transforms one’s life and one’s environment.
Our Savior expects us to be united with Him and with our fellow church members. How can we call ourselves Christians and not imitate Christ? If there is a lack of unity and love within our churches, we cannot claim to love God. John asked the early church members how they could say they loved God yet hate a brother. The answer? If we hate anyone, we do not love God.
Unity—An Answered Prayer (John 17)
The only prayer we have of Jesus praying for His disciples involves unity. This shows the importance of the topic. Jesus asked of God “ ‘that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me’ ” (John 17:21, NKJV).
“There would be diversities of gifts (1 Cor. 12), but there was to be unity of spirit, objectives, and beliefs. There were to be no strivings for supremacy such as had recently plagued the Twelve (Luke 22:24–30). The unity springing from the blended lives of Christians would impress the word of the divine origin of the Christian church.”*
Those who are united with Christ and the Father will be united with other people who are united with Them. Every aspect of our daily lives, not just our religious activities or our individual ministries, must be in accordance with Them. Only then can unity be achieved and God be able to answer the prayer that His own Son offered on our behalf.
Unity—The Early Church (Acts 1:14; 2:1–4; 4:32, 33)
The book of Acts reveals the results of Jesus’ prayer for His disciples. After He returned to heaven, the disciples diligently and constantly sought God through prayer. Throughout the book of Acts, the results of such prayer are fully displayed along with the blessings showered by God upon the church. Even when problems arose, the early church was able to find solutions and to continue with the work of spreading the gospel. Prayer kept them on track. In Acts 6:1–7, we read that the Grecian Jews “complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food” (verse 1, NIV). So instead of tending to the issue themselves, the disciples appointed deacons to do so. This allowed the disciples to focus on their primary mission. The solution “pleased the whole multitude” (verse 5, NKJV). After choosing the deacons, “the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem” (verse 7, NKJV). Thus we see how unity solves problems and helps the church to focus on spreading the gospel. Unity allows the gospel to spread like wildfire.
Unity—A Transforming Power (Matt. 18:1–5; Acts 4:32, 33; 12:5–12; 1 Cor. 12:12–26)
Unity is not just a concept. It is something tangible, something real, something that transforms one’s life and one’s environment. The disciples did not understand the importance of unity and how critical it was to successfully spread the gospel. In Matthew 18, they asked Jesus who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven—a question whose answer could surely cause disunity. In their selfish hearts, each disciple desired to be greater than the disciple next to him. They had no sense of unity, and they did not see the need for it. Jesus’ response surprised them. He called a child to Him, and said, “ ‘Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’ ” (Matt. 18:4, NIV).
How different the disciples would be a few years later! Acts 4:32, 33 shows how they were of one heart and one mind, how they were focused on their mission. This transformation spread to the other believers. Thus, the church was united. When Peter was thrown in jail, the believers united in prayer. Such prayer brings power and changes lives. And such unity strengthens the church, of which Christ is the Head.
REACT
1. How willing are you to submit completely to God and be one with Him? What prevents you from doing so?
* The Seventh–day Adventist Bible Commentary, 2nd ed., vol. 5, p. 1053.
Monday – New Testament Illustrations of Unity
1 Corinthians 12:12-18
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
1 Peter 2:4-5
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God andprecious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.1 Corinthians 12:18-26
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentableparts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that partwhich lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
John 13:34-35
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
New Testament Illustrations of Unity
The New Testament world of the first century was divided by caste, social status, and gender. It was a society in social turmoil. The concepts of equal rights, freedom, and human dignity were not the accepted norms.
Then Christianity burst upon the scene. It created a social revolution. Jesus’ teachings of equality, justice, concern for the poor, and respect for the marginalized appeared radical. At the same time, New Testament believers united around the core values of Creation and Redemption. They taught that all human beings were created by God and that Redemption was made available to all people through the cross of Christ. The Cross showed that each person, regardless of his or her worldly status, was of immense value in God’s sight.
What images could be more powerful to illustrate unity in the church? The apostle Paul uses the body to illustrate the church and its members. The body is closely knit. Its members are inter-related and mutually dependent upon one another. All parts have their function. If one part of the body suffers, the entire body suffers (1 Cor. 12:18-26).
Peter adds the illustration of a spiritual building with the members as stones, each fitting perfectly into the construction of a glorious temple that will glorify Jesus’ name. In these illustrations, each member is intimately linked. It was this bond of loving unity in a world of fractured relationships, power struggles, and divisive schisms that was to be a powerful argument for Christianity. Jesus stated this universal truth clearly: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35, NKJV).
How well does your local church reflect the unity spoken about here? Ask yourself, too: are you helping to bring unity, or what attitudes might you be harboring that could be adding to the problem?
In www.cqbiblstudy.org
...“In [Christ’s] first disciples was presented marked diversity. They were to be the world’s teachers, and they represented widely varied types of character. In order successfully to carry forward the work to which they had been called, these men, differing in natural characteristics and in habits of life, needed to come into unity of feeling, thought, and action. This unity it was Christ’s object to secure. To this end He sought to bring them into unity with Himself. The burden of His labor for them is expressed in His prayer to His Father, ‘That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us;’ ‘that the world may know that Thou has sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me.’ John 17:21, 23.”1In www.cqbiblstudy.org
Testimony All for One, One for All
John 17:20–23
Monday AUGUST 12
“Christ is the great center.”
The apostles “would have their tests, their grievances, their differences of opinion; but while Christ was abiding in the heart, there could be no dissension. His love would lead to love for one another; the lessons of the Master would lead to the harmonizing of all differences, bringing the disciples into unity, till they would be of one mind and one judgment. Christ is the great center, and they would approach one another just in proportion as they approached the center.”2
REACT
1. The first disciples came from all walks of life. They varied in age, occupation, and culture. Yet they were united in purpose. How can we work in unity with those who differ from us?
2. What influence does Jesus expect Christian unity to have on the unbelieving world (John 17:21, 23)? Why is Christian unity such a compelling factor in reaching unbelievers? How can you personally utilize the united Christian community to share the gospel?
3. What does the Trinity teach us about unity?
4. Where is your church strong in exhibiting unity? In what areas could unity be strengthened?
1. Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 20.
2. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 296.
Tuesday - Elements of Unity: Our Mission and Message
Acts 1:8
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”Acts 4:33
33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.Acts 5:42
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.Acts 9:31
31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.Acts 28:28-31
28 “Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!” 29 And when he had said these words, the Jews departed and had a great dispute among themselves.30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Acts 2:41-42
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.2 Peter 1:12
12 For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth.Revelation 14:6-12
6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”8 And another angel followed, saying, “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
NOW THAT'S A GREAT PASSAGE!
In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Elements of Unity: Our Mission and Message
The unity experienced by the New Testament believers was based on far more than emotional warmth between members.
Read Acts 1:8, 4:33, 5:42, 9:31, and 28:28-31. What was the all-consuming passion of the New Testament church? How did this passion unite them?
The disciples were consumed with something much larger than themselves. Christ’s commission to take the gospel to the entire world swallowed up their personal ambitions. The church cannot reach the community with the gospel until it is united, but it will never be united until it is consumed with the preaching of the gospel.
Mission is a great unifying factor. The early believers rallied around mission. The life, death, resurrection, priestly ministry, and return of our Lord bound them together. New converts were anchored in the “apostles’ doctrine” (Acts 2:41-42, NKJV). The teachings of Jesus provided the foundation for their unity.
The apostle Peter uses the term “present truth” (2 Pet. 1:12). The message of “present truth” in Peter’s day united the church and propelled it forward with a prophetic impetus: Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament. They were united with an urgent, present truth message regarding the fulfillment of prophecy.
Now, in the final days of earth’s history, God has given His people an urgent, present truth message, as well (Rev. 14:6-12). It is the message of “the everlasting gospel” in the context of judgment, of obedience, and of the Lord’s return. This is what unites Seventh-day Adventists as a worldwide family. If this message were watered down, given a secondary place, or treated as a relic of the past, the unity of the church would be fractured, and its mission would lose its urgency. If the church’s message is either misunderstood or distorted, its mission will be unclear. It is the proclamation of the prophetic message of the Three Angels that gives Seventh-day Adventists the reason for our existence.
How connected are you with our message and mission? Or, look at it this way: why are you a Seventh-day Adventist? Bring your answer to class on Sabbath.
TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY OF BIBLE STUDY!
In www.cqbiblestudy.org
Evidence Signs of the Times
Acts 19; Eph. 4:1–6; Rev. 2:1–7
Tuesday AUGUST 13
Ekklesia is often translated as “church” and literally means “a group of citizens ‘called out’ to assemble for political purposes.”1 The actual word unity is not commonly used in either the Old Testament (Hebrew: yachad) or the New Testament (Greek: henotes); but the concept of being one is used many times.2 We see from Deuteronomy 6:4 that God (the Trinity) has “no contradiction within him.”3 Notice that the very definition of unity implies that different parts make a whole (such as the Trinity), instead of a whole initially existing. How can people with differences make a whole that does not contradict its parts or eventually fracture into many parts?We must keep the love between one another strong.
This was an issue in Ephesus. Ephesus was well positioned for trade and was known for its artists, philosophers, and other intellectuals, as well as the Temple of Artemis, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.4 The Ephesians’ pride in their temple and in the money they made from selling small idols of Artemis actually caused some people to riot against Paul when he spoke against idol worship. The Ephesians’ ties to income and cultural/religious differences between Greeks (Gentiles) and Jews made it difficult for the Ephesian church to be united. Furthermore, many Christians in Ephesus had an incomplete understanding of the gospel (Acts 19). Not having the right foundation prevented true unity with Christ’s ekklesia.
For revival to occur and unity to exist, we must disconnect from certain things in our lives. Finally, we must keep the love between one another strong (1 Cor. 13:13), and we must remain true to God, our first love (Rev. 2:4). He is the Source that brings us together as a church.
REACT
What are you connected to that might prevent you from connecting to Christ’s ekklesia?
1. Bruce Metzger and Michael Coogan, Oxford Guide to the Bible (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993), p. 121.
2. James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, 1988), pp. 29, 49, 749, 1090.
3. Oxford Guide to the Bible, p. 561.
4. Ibid., p. 189.
Wednesday - Church Organization: The Structure for Unity
Acts 9:10-17
10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.”And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11 So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.”
13 Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 9:26-30
26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.Acts 20:17
17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.Acts 20:27-32
27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Acts 15:1-31
15 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren.4 And when they had come to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and the apostles and the elders; and they reported all things that God had done with them. 5 But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.”
6 Now the apostles and elders came together to consider this matter. 7 And when there had been much dispute, Peter rose up and said to them: “Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. 8 So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, 9 and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they.”
12 Then all the multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles. 13 And after they had become silent, James answered, saying, “Men and brethren, listen to me: 14 Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
16 ‘After this I will return
And will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down;
I will rebuild its ruins,
And I will set it up;
17 So that the rest of mankind may seek the LORD,
Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name,
Says the LORD who does all these things.’
18 “Known to God from eternity are all His works. 19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, 20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, andfrom blood. 21 For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
22 Then it pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas who was also named Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren.
23 They wrote this letter by them:
The apostles, the elders, and the brethren,
To the brethren who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia:
Greetings.
24 Since we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, “You must be circumcised and keep the law” —to whom we gave no such commandment— 25 it seemed good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who will also report the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well.
Farewell.
30 So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement.
Acts 15:30-35
30 So when they were sent off, they came to Antioch; and when they had gathered the multitude together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement. 32 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. 33 And after they had stayed there for a time, they were sent back with greetings from the brethren to the apostles.34 However, it seemed good to Silas to remain there. 35 Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Church Organization: The Structure for Unity
...The Jerusalem Council saved the first-century church from a serious schism. Church organization with administrative authority was essential in preserving the doctrinal integrity of the New Testament church. In this instance, local church representatives were sent to Jerusalem to participate in doctrinal discussions, which would have serious implications for the future of the church. Once this representative group came to a consensus, they wrote out their decision in a committee action and circulated it throughout the churches where the problem had originated: Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia (Acts 15:23).
Members accepted the decision of the Jerusalem Council and rejoiced that the Holy Spirit had guided them to an answer to their dilemma (Acts 15:30-35).
In www.cqbiblestudy.org
How-to United in Action
Mark 3:25; Rom. 15:5, 6; 1 Cor. 1:10
Wednesday AUGUST 14
It is sad to see that although God encourages us in His Word to be united and to make peace with one another, we still create divisions among ourselves, often by gossiping about our brothers and sisters behind their backs. Jesus said that unless the church is united in purpose and mission just like the disciples were at the time of Pentecost (Acts 1:1–4), it will fail to fulfill its mission of preparing the world for His second coming (Mark 3:25). As at Pentecost, unity is an important requirement for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on God’s church in these last days of earth’s history.
All is not lost. There are things we can do to create unity among church members. Here are some suggestions you can try:
Be united in service. James 1:27 states that “pure religion” includes being of service to others. Look around your neighborhood and city. What needs do you find? Choose one or two and work together as a church to help fulfill those needs.
Be united in prayer. The early church was a praying church (Acts 2:42; 12:5, 12). Encourage the members of your church to form prayer groups and to pray for one another.
Be united in fellowship. Members of the Pentecost church regularly gathered at the temple and in their homes to study and eat together (Acts 2:46). Organize picnics, nature walks, potlucks, or other events that encourage church members to talk, mingle, and enjoy each other’s company.
REACT
1. Why do you think it is so hard to achieve unity in church?
2. What are some issues that cause disunity in your church?
3. Create a list of activities or attitudes that you think would help your church to be more unified. How can these activities and attitudes be promoted?
Thursday – Achieving Unity
Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 47-49.
Chapter 5
The Gift of the Spirit
When Christ gave His disciples the promise of the Spirit, He was nearing the close of His earthly ministry. He was standing in the shadow of the cross, with a full realization of the load of guilt that was to rest upon Him as the Sin Bearer. Before offering Himself as the sacrificial victim, He instructed His disciples regarding a most essential and complete gift which He was to bestow upon His followers--the gift that would bring within their reach the boundless resources of His grace. "I will pray the Father," He said, "and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." John 14:16, 17. The Saviour was pointing forward to the time when the Holy Spirit should come to do a mighty work as His representative. The evil that had been accumulating for centuries was to be resisted by the divine power of the Holy Spirit.What was the result of the outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost? The glad tidings of a risen Saviour were carried to the uttermost parts of the inhabited world. As the disciples proclaimed the message of redeeming grace, hearts yielded to the power of this message. The church beheld converts flocking to her from all directions. Backsliders were reconverted. Sinners united with believers in seeking the pearl of great price. Some who had been the bitterest opponents of the gospel became its champions. The prophecy was fulfilled, "He that is feeble. . . shall be as David; and the house of David . . . as the angel of the Lord." Zechariah 12:8. Every Christian saw in his brother a revelation of divine love and benevolence. One interest prevailed; one subject of emulation swallowed up all others. The ambition of the believers was to reveal the likeness of Christ's character and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom.
"With great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." Acts 4:33. Under their labors were added to the church chosen men, who, receiving the word of truth, consecrated their lives to the work of giving to others the hope that filled their hearts with peace and joy. They could not be restrained or intimidated by threatenings. The Lord spoke through them, and as they went from place to place, the poor had the gospel preached to them, and miracles of divine grace were wrought.
So mightily can God work when men give themselves up to the control of His Spirit.
The promise of the Holy Spirit is not limited to any age or to any race. Christ declared that the divine influence of His Spirit was to be with His followers unto the end. From the Day of Pentecost to the present time, the Comforter has been sent to all who have yielded themselves fully to the Lord and to His service. To all who have accepted Christ as a personal Saviour, the Holy Spirit has come as a counselor, sanctifier, guide, and witness. The more closely believers have walked with God, the more clearly and powerfully have they testified of their Redeemer's love and of His saving grace. The men and women who through the long centuries of persecution and trial enjoyed a large measure of the presence of the Spirit in their lives, have stood as signs and wonders in the world. Before angels and men they have revealed the transforming power of redeeming love.
Matthew 18:16-20
16 But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.18 “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”
Acts 1:14
14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.Acts 12:5
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.Acts 12:12
12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.Acts 6:7
7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.Matthew 28:16-20
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Achieving Unity
The closer we come to Jesus, the closer we come to one another. We see with new spiritual eyesight. The Spirit of Christ enables us to view one another differently. The little things that once bothered us are reframed by the grace of Christ. Cherished hostilities are relinquished in the light of His magnificent grace. Old scores and disputes are, as much as possible, set aside. Barriers are broken down. The gospel heals broken relationships.When the Holy Spirit was poured out in its fullness on Pentecost, the attitudes of the disciples toward one another were dramatically changed. In the light streaming from the Cross, they saw one another differently.
“Every Christian saw in his brother a revelation of divine love and benevolence. One interest prevailed; one subject of emulation swallowed up all others. The ambition of the believers was to reveal the likeness of Christ’s character and to labor for the enlargement of His kingdom.”-Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 48.
...Hoping or wishing for unity does not achieve it. The New Testament church prayed together and talked together. They studied God’s Word together, and together they shared their faith. Prayer, Bible study, and witnessing are powerful elements that create, foster, and sustain the unity of the church. As we pray for one another, we are drawn closer together. Participating in an evangelistic outreach to the community creates a sense of oneness or togetherness. A living, dynamic, unified and revived church is one whose members are praying together, studying God’s Word, and reaching out to their community.
What are some of the forces at play that threaten the unity of your local church, or even the church as a whole? Why is it important to understand what these forces are and to be ready to deal with them?
Opinion The Desire to Be Unified
John 13:34, 35; 17:9–11
Thursday AUGUST 15
For true unity to be achieved, each of us needs to experience a true heart conversion. Such a conversion is the work of the Holy Spirit. Only then can the culture of heaven truly be reflected on earth.
Friday – Futher Study
Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 19-21.
During His earthly ministry Christ began to break down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile, and to preach salvation to all mankind. Though He was a Jew, He mingled freely with the Samaritans, setting at nought the Pharisaic customs of the Jews with regard to this despised people. He slept under their roofs, ate at their tables, and taught in their streets.The Saviour longed to unfold to His disciples the truth regarding the breaking down of the "middle wall of partition" between Israel and the other nations--the truth that "the Gentiles should be fellow heirs" with the Jews and "partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel." Ephesians 2:14; 3:6. This truth was revealed in part at the time when He rewarded the faith of the centurion at Capernaum, and also when He preached the gospel to the inhabitants of Sychar. Still more plainly was it revealed on the occasion of His visit to Phoenicia, when He healed the daughter of the Canaanite woman. These experiences helped the disciples to understand that among those whom many regarded as unworthy of salvation, there were souls hungering for the light of truth.
Thus Christ sought to teach the disciples the truth that in God's kingdom there are no territorial lines, no caste, no aristocracy; that they must go to all nations, bearing to them the message of a Saviour's love. But not until later did they realize in all its fullness that God "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us." Acts 17:26, 27.
In these first disciples was presented marked diversity. They were to be the world's teachers, and they represented widely varied types of character. In order successfully to carry forward the work to which they had been called, these men, differing in natural characteristics and in habits of life, needed to come into unity of feeling, thought, and action. This unity it was Christ's object to secure. To this end He sought to bring them into unity with Himself. The burden of His labor for them is expressed in His prayer to His Father, "That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us;" "that the world may know that Thou has sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me." John 17:21, 23. His constant prayer for them was that they might be sanctified through the truth; and He prayed with assurance, knowing that an Almighty decree had been given before the world was made. He knew that the gospel of the kingdom would be preached to all nations for a witness; He knew that truth armed with the omnipotence of the Holy Spirit, would conquer in the battle with evil, and that the bloodstained banner would one day wave triumphantly over His followers.
Galatians 1:8-9
8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.In the Sabbath School lesson by Mark Finley, www.ssnet.org
Further Study: “In these first disciples was presented marked diversity. They were to be the world’s teachers, and they represented widely varied types of character. In order successfully to carry forward the work to which they had been called, these men, differing in natural characteristics and in habits of life, needed to come into unity of feeling, thought, and action. This unity it was Christ’s object to secure. To this end He sought to bring them into unity with Himself.”-Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 20.
In www.cqbiblestudy.org
Exploration United We Stand
1 Pet. 3:8, 9
Friday AUGUST 16
CONCLUDEAt Pentecost, the Holy Spirit united the church to fulfill Christ’s mission to the world. Church members put their differences aside in order to spread the gospel. Striving for supremacy ceased in the light of Christ’s commission to reach the lost. If His early followers had been vying for power, the work would have been blocked from the start. Instead, convicted by the Holy Spirit to die to self, they were united in purpose and mission. Where there is no unity, there can be no revival. Where jealousy, envy, and jostling for supremacy reign, the Holy Spirit’s power is withheld. How crucial, then, that we break down the barriers that separate us so we can enter into the unity that Christ seeks for His church.
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