Bible Study - Sabbath School Podcast

Distractions and Temptations
Read about Samson’s temptations in Judges 14 and Judges 16:1, 4, 16, 17. Although called by God for a specific purpose, Samson served God while giving in to temptation. What does the outcome of his life teach us?
The great controversy is real, and we are all involved in it. The cosmic battle that began in heaven is now being played out in each of our own lives as well.
Satan knows that he has to pull out everything he’s got in the times that we’re living in, right before Jesus comes, to keep us from having a close relationship with God. Perhaps you’ve been distracted with something that may not necessarily be wrong in itself, but takes so much time and energy that there’s very little left for God. Maybe it’s work, social media, shopping, sports, or food. When we take a good hard look at ourselves, we’ll see that overconsumption and an imbalance of any of these things can allow for little time for God and others. The enemy knows each of our weaknesses and the kinds of things that distract us from spending time with God. We should remember to seek God first (Matt. 6:33) before rushing into our day and all that may come our way.
Jesus understands our condition, but He rebukes our apathy (Rev. 3:14-22). Although He is God, He was also a human being who felt tired, as we do (John 4:6). He knew the pressures of life, as we do, but He often got relief by going away alone to pray to His Father (Luke 5:16, Luke 6:12, Mark 1:35, Matt. 14:23). He knew that time with His Father was the best thing He could do to regain strength to battle temptations. It’s the best and surest way for us, too.
Samson fell because he thought he was strong. He depended on his own strength to overcome temptations. Every day, each of us faces battles with sin as the enemy of souls tries to weaken and destroy our relationship with God. He knows our weaknesses and zeroes in on them in order to dull our relationship with God and to bring guilt and a sense of unworthiness upon us, all of which tend to drive us away from God. The devil works to shift our thinking, our intentions, and our actions in order to gain a stronghold in some part of our lives. But remember: Our faith will help us to stand, and faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
What are you struggling with now? How can the Word of God help you right now?

Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Judges 14; Mark 9:42-48; Rom. 3:20; Matt. 5:17-18; Romans 3:28; Matt. 7:24-29

Memory Text: “I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts” (Psalm 119:93-94, NKJV).

Without a doubt, sin is the greatest obstructor to a close relationship with God. Not only does sin separate us from God now (Isa. 59:2), but it also deceives, hurts, consumes, and eventually destroys us. Our battle against sin and self is the greatest battle we’ll ever face, with tremendous, even eternal, implications.

Some dismiss sin as just a regular part of life. After all, it’s human nature to indulge in pleasure. But do we make light of sin because society has become so comfortable with it? We can tiptoe around the topic of sin, afraid that we’ll offend someone if we call it what it is, but in the end, the more we choose to live comfortably with it, the further we’ll slip from a healthy relationship with God.

Yes, every person has sinned, and our thoughts, motives, actions, and words hurt others, ourselves, and God. Ultimately, sin destroys our relationship with God, but God has revealed Himself to us through the knowledge of His law, which shines light on the sin in our lives.

This week let’s explore the reason God gave us His law and, when someone transgresses God’s law and consequently sins, what or who can help to restore their relationship with God.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, May 30.

Further Thought: We are justified (pardoned and set right with God) by faith (Rom. 5:1). We are then also sanctified (given power to be like Jesus) by faith (Acts 26:18). When we invite Jesus into our lives, we also become God’s children by faith (John 1:12). We live by faith in the Son of God (Gal. 2:20). “Nothing is apparently more helpless, yet really more invincible, than the soul that feels its nothingness and relies wholly on the merits of the Saviour. By prayer, by the study of His word, by faith in His abiding presence, the weakness of human beings may live in contact with the living Christ, and He will hold them by a hand that will never let go.”--Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 182.
“Their faith must be strengthened by fervent prayer and fasting, and humiliation of heart. They must be emptied of self, and be filled with the Spirit and power of God. Earnest, persevering supplication to God in faith--faith that leads to entire dependence upon God, and unreserved consecration to His work--can alone avail to bring men to the Holy Spirit’s aid in the battle against principalities and powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and wicked spirits in high places.”--Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 431.

Discussion Questions:
What five main points are highlighted in the quote immediately above when it comes to collaborating with the Holy Spirit against the enemy?
What role does faith play in this battle?
How do you see this right now in your own life?
Read Hebrews 10:23. Why is it important to hold fast to our confession of faith?
How often do you consider this truth that when you feel helpless, it’s an opportunity for you to rely more wholly on Jesus?
Summary: God gives each person a measure of faith as a foundation for a relationship with Him. As the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus modeled the power of faith for us all. When our faith is small, when we come with weeping and supplication with a surrendered heart, God will work miracles in our lives (see Jer. 31:2-4, 9, 11, 12). He will lead us in His straight ways so that we do not stumble any longer, and we will have peace. Jesus is the perfect example in all things, and having His faith will identify us as His people in the end times.

The Faith of Jesus
As this world comes to a close, part of the three angels’ messages describes God’s people keeping the commandments of God and having the faith of Jesus.
Read Revelation 14:12. What does “the faith of Jesus” mean?
If you study how Seventh-day Adventists have understood justification by faith, you’ll see that in the 1890s, an understanding of the faith of Jesus and the three angels’ messages was greatly emphasized in the church. Up until then, the church had put a great deal of emphasis on the law, and it needed more of a gospel emphasis. Ellen G. White summarized it well: “The commandments of God have been proclaimed, but the faith of Jesus Christ has not been proclaimed by Seventh-day Adventists as of equal importance, the law and the gospel going hand in hand.”--Selected Messages, book 3, p. 172.
Although Hebrews 11 lists godly men and women who had strong faith, no one has had faith that is comparable to Jesus’ faith.
Read Matthew 26:36-42. What does this tell us about the faith of Jesus at this crucial moment?
When we have the faith of Jesus, this means not only that, by obedience to Him and His Word we will emulate the faith that He had in God, but also that we will have an active and living daily experience with Jesus. It’s knowing and acting on the fact that without making Jesus the center of our daily lives, we can’t have a saving relationship with God.
Having the faith of Jesus means to have Jesus abiding in us, and thus His faith in our hearts, for Jesus is the true foundation of our faith. At times our faith might be weak and feeble. But Jesus is worthy (Rev. 5:9), and we can have His faith, both reflected in our own experience and being credited to us, by His gift of grace to all who believe.
How much do you want the faith of Jesus? Humbly ask God to give it to you and claim Hebrews 11:6 as your personal prayer, saying, “Lord, without faith it’s impossible to please You. I come to You and believe that You are, and that You will reward me when I diligently seek You. I do so now.”

Examples of Faith
Spend some time today studying Hebrews 11, the great faith chapter. Read it aloud first, without stopping. Then read it a second time, and write down your thoughts to the following questions:
Reread verse 1. What do you hope for today that you cannot yet see? (Think of immediate needs and eternal dreams.)
What role does faith play in your personal testimony and in your conversion?
Read verse 3 again, about God and Creation. Why, in many ways, should the existence of the Creator God be the easiest thing to take on faith?
Read verse 6 and write the message of this verse in your own words.
Verses 7-40 unpack the lives of various biblical personages. Why is faith the central factor that defines the strength of these people’s relationship with God?
Knowing God and having a living, strong relationship with Him requires faith. How can you strengthen your faith or encourage someone whose faith is wavering? Here are just a few ideas:
A tiny faith (like a mustard seed) is powerful and is all you need in order to grow a relationship with God (Matt. 17:20). As long as you’re willing to work with Him, God will help your faith grow.
Faith comes from hearing God speak to us in His Word, the Bible (Rom. 10:17). Commit to daily Bible study and prayer.
Ask God to increase your faith (Luke 17:5). As did the father who came to Jesus with a possessed child and who “cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, NKJV), we can recognize our unbelief and ask for God to increase our faith.
Faith and doubt can exist together (Mark 9:24). Don’t walk away from God simply because you have questions. In fact, it’s important to work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12-16) and to “own” your faith rather than borrow it from another, as five of the virgins tried to do (Matt. 25:8).
Respond to the Holy Spirit and ask for more of Him in your life.
Exercise your faith. Remember that faith is not a feeling, but a decision to believe. Remember that even in darkness, when you can’t see Him, God is there (2 Cor. 5:7).
As a personal prayer of thanks to God for His faithfulness, consider the words from the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”