Lesson Six: MORE TESTIMONIES ABOUT JESUS
This week, we are looking at the commitment of John of Baptist towards the revealed truth of God’s kingdom regardless of whether it was accepted by a majority of the people or not, and that truth brings about division and determines who will receive it with open minds and humble hearts.
Memory Text: John 12:32
“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself’ “
SABBATH: Jesus doesn’t merely say, but also shows who He is by miracles and signs He performed. All the incidents in which Jesus is witnessed and testified of, create a deeper vision of Jesus, the Messiah.
SUNDAY: Despite John the Baptist giving his witness to the first disciples of Jesus, he does not cease to witness more of Jesus Christ. Some of John’s disciples are jealous of their master because of Jesus. However, John knows that his mission is for Jesus to increase, and he must decrease, and those who receive that testimony and believe in Jesus have eternal life.
(John 3:25-36, John 1:6-8, John 3:16 and 17)
MONDAY: Much as the Jews looked for a Messiah who was to rescue them from the oppression of the Romans, John the Baptist witnesses of Jesus as the Lamb of God. He was to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. God revealed to John the Baptist that Jesus was the Messiah. Likewise, it is only through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit that the knowledge of Jesus being Christ comes from God and not anywhere else.
(READ: John 1:31-36, 1 Corinthians 1:24)
TUESDAY: Jesus’ declaration as the bread of life at the time when He performed the miracle of feeding the 5,000 was meant to show them that He is not an earthly king. However, they refused conversion, which would transform them to recognise and accept Jesus as Messiah. On the other hand, the disciples experienced and believed that Jesus is the Messiah and none being comparable to Him.
(READ John 6:51-71)
WEDNESDAY: At Jesus’ baptism as He starts His ministry, God the Father testifies of how pleased He is in Jesus, His beloved Son and the Holy Spirit rests on Him in form of a dove. Likewise, towards the end of Jesus’ ministry at the cross, God’s testimony about Jesus points to the great sacrifice of the Lamb of God for the sins of the world, that we never have to face that penalty ourselves.
(READ: John 5:36-38, Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22, 2 Peter 1:17 and 18)
THURSDAY: Following Jesus’ proclamation as the source of living water, He is identified as a prophet like Moses and as the Christ by the crowd. However, some leaders, due to their murderous jealousy, adamantly refused to believe in any evidence for Jesus, human or divine, come what may, however, Nicodemus who was one of them chose to believe in Jesus.
(READ: John 7:37-53, Deuteronomy 18:15-19, John 19:39 and 40)
FRIDAY: The disciples found more peace and joy since they had accepted Christ more than in all their previous lives. Much as the Saviour was forsaken by many who had witnessed His wonderful works, Simon Peter expressed the faith of the disciples by declaring Jesus as the Christ. They knew that to be destitute of a Saviour was to be adrift on a dark and stormy sea.
(READ “The Crisis in Galilee” pages 383-394 and ” In the Outer Court” pages 621-626 in the Desire of Ages by Ellen G White)
CAPTIONS:
SUNDAY: Humility of the soul: John the Baptist testifies again
MONDAY: A new understanding of the Messiah
TUESDAY: Acceptance and rejectiom
WEDNESDAY: The witness of the Father
THURSDAY: The witness of the crowd
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Regarding the crucial subject of salvation in Christ: how does studying and wholeheartedly believing the powerful testimonies of God, of John the Baptist, and of others that Jesus is indeed the unique and incomparable Son of God help us to be drawn to Him, knowing that we are helpless and hopeless without Him?
- Why can it be so important for someone’s own faith to recount the things God has done in his or her own life?
