God gives us free will. The power of the will lies within our minds, our brains. We have two options. We have the option to choose to do or not to do. Often, we struggle with the option do our will or to do God’s will. Unfortunately, our will is selfish, so it generally gets us in deep trouble. How then can we develop the habit of choosing God’s will?
We are continuing our examination of the Life of Christ and others from the perspective of Living in a Crucible.
Symbolically, a crucible is the fiery trials we experience as we grow and develop.
Crucibles are painful, they are uncomfortable, and they hurt, but they are beneficial in developing our character.
From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 3: Sabbath.School
See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School
Inviting the Holy Spirit’s Presence
God Almighty, teach us your will and your way and give us the power to do it. In Jesus Name Amen.
Memory Text
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; . . . but if it dies, it produces much grain” (John 12:24, NKJV). (Split)
JESUS GIVES US A PICTURE of a seed of wheat dying as an analogy of our submission to his will.
What does this dying seed of wheat show?
It shows us what it means to give our wills fully to God.
What happens when a seed of wheat dies? First, the wheat seed or kernel falls from the stalk. The thing is, this seed has no control over where it falls or how it falls to the ground. It also has no control over the ground that covers it. It does not decide where on the ground it falls or how it falls to the ground that surrounds it and then covers it.
Second, there is a period of waiting in which the seed waits to grow and develop. During this time, the seed lies in the earth. Interestingly, the seed doesn’t know what will happen to it in the future. Why, because it is only a seed of wheat, and as a seed it can’t think!
Third, the seed dies. The seed must die for it is impossible for the seed to become a kernel of wheat except it dies. This means the seed must give up its safe place in the earth as a seed. It must “die.” In other words, the seed must give up its past. To be transform, it must give up what it has always been so that it can become something new. This transformation changes the seed into a fruit-bearing plant which becomes food suited to eat.
So, it is with us:
All who would bring forth fruit as workers together with Christ must first fall into the ground and die. The life must be cast into the crease of the world’s need. Self-love, self-interest, must perish. But the law of self-sacrifice is the law of self-preservation. The seed buried in the ground produces fruit, and in turn this is planted. Thus the harvest is multiplied. The husbandman preserves his grain by casting it away. So in human life, to give is to live. The life that will be preserved is the life that is freely given in service to God and man. Those who for Christ’s sake sacrifice their life in this world, will keep it unto life eternal.—Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 86.
In this series, we look at God’s will for us and how best we can live out his will in our lives. We look at our living out God’s will by looking at the example of submission Christ left for us. As we review this lesson keep the analogy of the kernel of wheat or dying seed. Meditate on how it applies to your own life as it relates to dying to selfish will and allowing the will of God to take control of your life.
Jesus is our model. How did he manage his will. Find out in Day 2:
