I taught the lesson as a teacher for the first time on Saturday and though I was nervous, misspoke, didnt hear some of the brethrens questions, and never got through the whole lesson before time ran out, I felt a calmness come over me after I said a prayer to begin.
I was asked a question on whether being given wisdom and understanding from God we should worry about those that want to harm or attack us. They used the following verse to say we should hide from those who would harm us:
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.John 20:18-20
I disagreed and said that as you could see the diciples were hiding because of 'fear of the Jews' as the Pharisees hated Jesus and had done everything to rile the people against his followers. Yet these same disciples later went on to become the backbone of the church, speaking fearlessly in the name of the Lord and facing death without fear. What made the difference....? So why do Adventist today seem to have such fear of other Adventist who have fallen away or no longer believe, or else spreading fear with baseless hearsay rumors of what is being taught or said in our institutions, instead of fearlessly presenting the testimonies of Jesus Christ and his commandments and putting the rest in Gods sure hands.
I was asked a question on whether being given wisdom and understanding from God we should worry about those that want to harm or attack us. They used the following verse to say we should hide from those who would harm us:
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.John 20:18-20
I disagreed and said that as you could see the diciples were hiding because of 'fear of the Jews' as the Pharisees hated Jesus and had done everything to rile the people against his followers. Yet these same disciples later went on to become the backbone of the church, speaking fearlessly in the name of the Lord and facing death without fear. What made the difference....? So why do Adventist today seem to have such fear of other Adventist who have fallen away or no longer believe, or else spreading fear with baseless hearsay rumors of what is being taught or said in our institutions, instead of fearlessly presenting the testimonies of Jesus Christ and his commandments and putting the rest in Gods sure hands.
- Acts 9:27
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
Acts 9:26-28 (in Context) Acts 9 (Whole Chapter) - Ephesians 6:19
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,
Ephesians 6:18-20 (in Context) Ephesians 6 (Whole Chapter) - Ephesians 6:20
for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Ephesians 6:19-21 (in Context) Ephesians 6 (Whole Chapter) - Philippians 1:14
Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
Philippians 1:13-15 (in Context) Philippians 1 (Whole Chapter)