Friday, February 26
Read Ellen G. White’s description of Jesus’ healing and teaching ministry in “At Capernaum,” The Desire of Ages, pp. 252-261.
“In the work of soul winning, great tact and wisdom are needed. The Savior never suppressed the truth, but He uttered it always in love. In His [dealings] with others, He exercised the greatest tact, and He was always kind and thoughtful. He was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never gave unnecessary pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure human weakness. He fearlessly denounced hypocrisy, unbelief, and iniquity, but tears were in His voice as He uttered His scathing rebukes. He never made truth cruel, but ever manifested a deep tenderness for humanity. Every soul was precious in His sight. He bore Himself with divine dignity; yet He bowed with the tenderest compassion and regard to every member of the family of God. He saw in all, souls whom it was His mission to save.” Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers, p. 117
Discussion Questions:
1. As a class, read over what Ellen G. White wrote above about how Christ ministered to others. Discuss the principles there, and then as a class discuss how well your own church reflects those principles corporately.
2. Do you know a “bruised reed” or “smoking flax” (Isaiah 42:3)? How can you help this person without “breaking” or “quenching” him/her? In what ways can you point such people to the Lord? In a practical sense, what would you tell them to do in order to get healing and help?
3. The argument for different authors of Isaiah originated from the premise that people cannot tell the future the way Isaiah did. What is the fundamental problem with this argument, and why must we, as Christians, reject that premise outright?
Summary: Deliverance requires a Deliverer. God’s servant nation would be delivered by two deliverers: Cyrus, who would set the captives free from Babylonian exile, and an unnamed Servant, whose identity as the Messiah is progressively revealed. This Servant would restore justice and bring the community of survivors back to God.
