Lesson Eleven: WHAT MORE COULD I HAVE DONE?
Introduction: Moving on with the fact that God is just and that He is the justifier, this week, we are invited to acknowledge and proclaim God’s justice and His loving intentions towards His people.
Memory Text: John 18:37 NKJV
Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
SABBATH; A story is told, of Denis, a boy who was orphaned and lived with a foster family. This came about because the king’s soldiers separated him from his parents, whom he never saw since then. This made Denis to hate the king. It was after learning that the king did this because of the Black Death plague that had attacked that land, that Denis’ heart was set free from this hatred for the king. Likewise, many people view God today, the way Denis viewed the king and often ask themselves why there is so much evil in the world. However, when we fail to get satisfactory answers, we look to Jesus on the Cross and trust that eventually, we’ll get the answers.
SUNDAY; Jesus refers to Satan as the illegal ruler of the world, and identifies Himself as the true King of the universe. Satan, as Scripture states, is the arch deceiver of this world and he is the one who accuses God and His people, however, Jesus Christ has victory over him for He came to testify to the truth against the devil and his works. In addition, Jesus demonstrated God’s love and righteousness at Calvary which exposed Satan’s slanderous accusations. Furthermore, we are assured that Satan is a defeated foe for his kingdom will perish at the end of the age.
(READ Revelation 12:9&10; Matthew 4:3; John 8:44; Revelation 13:6; Job 1-2; John 14:30; John 16:11; Acts 26:18; John 18:37; Revelation 11:15)
MONDAY; We are unable to judge God’s ways for we weak and sinful. However, we’re called to acknowledge how just God is. Romans indicates that the blood of Jesus is a demonstration of God’s righteousness because He patiently had not taken our past sins into consideration. Therefore, our God is not only forgiving but He is also just. In addition, through the history of redemption, God intends to show and prove to us that He is just. We see that God works to bring out the good for everyone concerned, given the chance given to Him in the great controversy.
(READ Romans 3:23-26; Romans 5:8; Revelation 12:10-12; Genesis 3:15; Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 Samuel 3:18)
TUESDAY; Prophet Isaiah sings a song about a vineyard, his beloved. The owner being God and the vineyard being God’s people. Here God affirms that He has done everything He could for His people. He did everything in His power to see to it that it produces good grapes but it produced wild grapes. He invites the people of Judah to judge between Him and the vineyard and the rhetorical question that He asks, is an invitation to acknowledge all the loving intentions, actions and expectations that God possesses on behalf of His people.
(READ Isaiah 5:1-7; Isaiah 1:8; Jeremiah 2:21)
WEDNESDAY; Jesus tells a parable where the landowner does everything possible to maintain a good relationship with the vinedressers. Jesus asks for a reasonable action of the landowner after doing everything. The conclusion of the audience proves that they recognise that he has done all that He could before bringing in judgement. In addition, we see that the Cross is where God demonstrated His love for you and I because God did all that He could to eliminate evil and we see how God through Christ, suffered most and endured all this, yet He did this that you and I can enjoy the freedom found in love.
(READ Matthew 21:33-39; Isaiah 5:4)
THURSDAY; However unqualified we are, God invites creatures to judge His character for at the end, the books will be opened and we will see the evidence that God is perfect and righteous. God cares so much about how His name is viewed because trust in someone includes what that person is known for, so as to have a deep relationship. God’s name is cleared of the wrong allegations by the Devil at the Cross and we shall be given the opportunity to see why God acted and did what He did, and it is then that every knee will bow and have every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, all being part of the vindication of God’s name.
(READ Romans 3:1-4; Isaiah 5:3&4; Revelation 15:3; Revelation 19:1-6; 1 Corinthians 6:2&3)
FRIDAY; There are many perplexities in the world today, however, at the right time, all these queries will be made plain. Where our minds see confusion and broken promises, we’ll see perfect and beautiful harmony as we continue to see the character of the One who works all things to be good for those who keep their trust in Him.
(READ “The Reward of Earnest Effort” pp 285-288 in Testimonies for the Church, Vol 9 by Ellen G White)
CAPTIONS:
SUNDAY; Christ the Victor
MONDAY; The just and the Justifier
TUESDAY; The song of my beloved
WEDNESDAY; Christ’s parable of the vineyard
THURSDAY; The vindication of God’s name
FRIDAY; Further thought
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS;
- In the great controversy, we know which side wins. How do our day-by-day choices impact which side we ultimately end up on? How can we make sure that we are on the winning side, even right now?
- When you look at the Cross, where God offered Himself as a sacrifice for all our sins, how do His words, “‘What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?'” take on an utterly amazing significance?
- Read Isaiah 53:4. Whose “griefs” and “sorrows” did Christ bear on the cross? What should this tell us about all that God has done for us and what salvation has cost Him?
- How can we be intentional in demonstrating our love for God, even in times of suffering?
