No one enjoys suffering. But that is exactly what a crucible is, suffering. And no one has suffered more than Jesus while he was upon this earth. But was it worth it? Could there have been another way?
Thank You for studying this Quarter’s Sabbath School Lesson with me. I hope you enjoyed it and will continue your study in the next quarter as we study about Death, Dying and the Future Hope. I am looking forward to learning more about this Future Hope. How about you? If you like, you can review my current and past Sabbath School Lessons on video at the following website Sabbathschooldaily.com. Send me a word, let me know how you are enjoying the lessons or offer suggestions on how I can improve. If you need prayer or want additional studies, put it in our comment section.
This is the conclusion of our examination of the Life of Christ and others from the perspective of Living in a Crucible.
It is my hope that you now fully understand that symbolically, a crucible is the fiery trials we experience as we grow and develop.
And though Crucibles are painful, although they are uncomfortable, and they do hurt, 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
Holy Father, thank you for Jesus, and though painful thank you for the crucibles. May we allow them to be used to improve our character and life in this world.
In Jesus Name Amen.
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ” (Matthew 27:46, NKJV).
ANYTIME WE STUDY THE TOPIC OF SUFFERING, we must ask the question: How did sin and suffering first start? The Bible gives us the answers. Sin and suffering happened because angels free creatures misused the freedom that God had given them. This answer leads us to ask another question: Did God know beforehand that theses angelic beings would fall? (Split)
Yes, but as C. S. Lewis wrote, God felt that giving the angels the freedom to choose was “worth the risk.”
Worth the risk? For whom? For us, while God sits on His throne in heaven? No, Not exactly. The freedom of all His intelligent creatures was so sacred, so precious that, rather than deny us freedom, God chose to bear in Himself the effect of the suffering caused by our abuse of that freedom.
We see this suffering in the life and death of Jesus. Jesus took on flesh and suffered like us humans. His suffering has created a bond between humans on earth with God in heaven that will last forever. (Split)
What is promising is what is expressed in the Book Story of Redemption. Jesus did not yield up His life till He had accomplished the work which He came to do; and He exclaimed with His parting breath, “It is finished!” Angels rejoiced as the words were uttered, for the great plan of redemption was being triumphantly carried out. There was joy in heaven that the sons of Adam could now, through a life of obedience, be exalted finally to the presence of God. Satan was defeated, and knew that his kingdom was lost.—The Story of Redemption, pp. 226, 227.
You see it is said that: [Satan] had hoped to break up the plan of salvation; but it was laid too deep. And now by the death of Christ he knew that he himself must finally die, and his kingdom be given to Jesus. He held a council with his angels. He had prevailed nothing against the Son of God, and now they must increase their efforts and with their power and cunning turn to His followers.
They must prevent all whom they could from receiving the salvation purchased for them by Jesus. By so doing Satan could still work against the government of God. Also it would be for his own interest to keep from Jesus as many as possible. For the sins of those who are redeemed by the blood of Christ will at last be rolled back upon the originator of sin, and he must bear their punishment, while those who do not accept salvation through Jesus will suffer the penalty of their own sins.—Early Writings, p. 178.
In this series of Lesson, we will look at Christ in the crucible. We review what he suffered in our behalf. We examine how his suffering affect God, the Father. And we observe how his suffering is beneficial to our eternal life.
Christ came to this world as a baby and lived as a child. Growing up, what was His life like as a child. Find out in Day 2: Jesus’s Childhood
