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Beautiful Video for Sanctity of Human Life Sunday 2016
https://youtu.be/iUCYcEmx8vk
What is the value of the human race in God's eyes?
In "Doctrinal Discussion" Jason Lindahl writes:
The dignity of humanity as the divine image-bearer has been under hell's attack for a very long time. The ancient Gnostics taught that matter was evil, including human bodies. The Hindus teach that in reincarnation, a person can return to earth as an insect or a lowly beast. According to Hinduism, it will take a very long time and much trial and error for a living form to escape this cycle of death and rebirth and somehow emerge pure and perfect. In all of this, salvation depends not upon a loving, personal God, but upon us. It is at this point that the Bible gives us the greatest testament to the value heaven places upon humanity. For God's Word tells us that the Father did not leave us to find a solution to our problems through endless years of struggle and reincarnation. Instead, He stepped into our world to provide the solution, and He did it by becoming a man! In the person of Jesus Christ, God became man and remains a man forever. God showed what incredible worth humanity has by taking on flesh and bone. He then laid down that physical body in death to provide us with “so great salvation” (Heb. 2:3).
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 8.
Man – God's Special Creation
In "Word Focus" Glenn McClure writes:
The making or fashioning of man was not an act that resulted from a word spoken, but involved the personal and wise consideration of a planned purpose. This then resulted in an object carefully fashioned by God's own hands, so to speak, made from a substance (the ground) over which this object was to have dominion. It received life by the very breath of its Creator, and stands over all creation as the very image of its Creator. As H. Vorländer says, “His humanity resides in the life he has been given (2:7b) in his correspondence to God (1:27a). He is deemed worthy to be spopken to by God and to be given a task (2:16f.; 1:28)” (New International Dict. of N.T. Theology). God had purpose behind all creation, but that purpose resides in the grand purpose for man's creation. All of nature surely shows the handiwork of God, but His greatest expression is seen in man.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 4.
What are ways we neglect the dignity of humanity?
In "God's Word for Today" Gordon Snider writes:
Ever since the publishing of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of the Species in 1859, there has been an increasing tendency to treat people with less dignity than God intended. The problem is widespread in our society. Many of the ethical questions facing today's world — genetic engineering, abortion, and assisted suicide, to name a few — are the result of this tendency to treat people as things to be manipulated rather than beings to be honored and respected. Sadly, even Christians who take strong, biblical stands on these issues can fall prey to the same subtle temptation. Often, perhaps always, when we fail to show due consideration for others, we have yielded to the temptation to treat others as something less than human. When we use people to accomplish our goals, we have done the same. Abuse in almost any form begins with denying the God-given dignity of the other person.
Source: Building Christian Relationships: Adult Teacher's Insights, page 4.
Purchased by Christ's Blood
Read 1 Peter 1:18-21
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (vs.18, 19).
When someone shows up at church in a chic new dress or an obviously trendy new suit, the question that rises mentally (though unexpressed if properly filtered by cultural norms) — “How much did it cost?” Paul laid aside linguistic niceties to communicate his inspired assess-ment of the value of our redemption. He is saying in effect what some are tempted to say in response to the question here illustrated — “Never mind, you could never afford it!” And, we truly had no resources to purchase redemption from our predicament. There is little to nothing that diminishes the perceived value of our redemption more than the perception — real or imagined — that we were good enough, wealthy enough, moral enough, and sufficiently pedigreed or holy enough to deserve it. The songwriter, Augustus M. Toplady, nailed it with the assertion — “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.” In this — in Him — lies our hope, our confidence, our faith, and our future. You better believe it! (Wayne Sams)
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am. — Fanny Crosby
“The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
This devotional is the Saturday, March 4, 2017 entry of Opening the Word.
Teachers Must Be Teachable
Teacher, we appreciate you for your dedication and hard work in making God’s Word come alive for your students each week. The good teacher spends much time in preparation and delivery and too infrequently gets credit for the investment made.
This quarter of “Tips for Teachers” will focus on various ideas you can use to create variety in your teaching. It is understandable that different teachers will use different methods and styles to present their lesson, and that over time a teacher may find the style most suited to him or her and use it almost exclusively. There is a danger, however, that stability may create boredom. Therefore, the ideas presented are offered for your consideration and experimentation.
While the teacher is expected to regularly instruct the student - to teach him or her what God’s Word says and how to apply it to one’s life, there remains the need for the teacher also to remain teachable, ready to learn, so that he or she can more effectively teach others.