A pastor tells a fascinating story of visiting an old Native American fort in the northwestern section of New York. It was a remote area, but the fort was still well preserved. This area was populated by Native Americans for centuries. Each year thousands of tourists visited the fort. The pastor asked the guide if any of the visitors had ever found Indian arrowheads. The guide smiled and responded, “Yes, at the front gate of the fort, right where you are standing.” The pastor wondered how that might be. Scores of people walked over that very sight daily. Why hadn’t they found a cherished Indian arrowhead? The guide then explained that the arrowheads were just below the surface. The best time to find them was right after the winter, during the spring thaw. They were there all the time. Under the right conditions, they appeared.
In this week’s lesson, “The Roots of Restlessness,” we will study attitudes that are often hidden from sight and raise their ugly heads from time to time. Attitudes such as pride, selfishness, unhealthy ambition, and hypocrisy too often characterize the lives of Christians and tarnish our witness. The apostle Paul tells us to look diligently, “lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb. 12:15, NKJV). Roots of evil remain in all our hearts. These roots, if not dealt with, produce shoots, which then produce evil fruits. This week, we will carefully examine a few of these roots and study ways to recognize them—and then, by God’s grace, root them out of our lives.
Part II: Commentary
A casual glance at Jesus’ statements in Matthew 10:34–39 may cause confusion. If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, why did He say that He came not to bring peace to this earth but a sword (Matt. 10:34)? Why did He indicate that a “ ‘man’s foes shall be they of his own household’ ” (Matt. 10:36)? And why does He say, “ ‘He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me’ ” (Matt. 10:37, NKJV)? There are several major issues here. Jesus wanted His followers to recognize the cost of discipleship. When an individual accepts Christ and is committed to follow Him, the devil is angry. We should not be surprised when there is opposition to the gospel. We have declared war on Satan and are engaged in a battle with all the forces of hell. Jesus is pointing out in these passages that peace, true peace, comes from following Him in the middle of the battle. The issues here are loyalty and allegiance. Although Jesus invites each one of us to respect our families, we have a higher loyalty. Peace floods into our hearts when we place Christ first in our lives and have the assurance of His presence.
Christ’s Condescension
The apostle Paul reveals one of the most detailed descriptions of the condescension of Christ in all of Scripture. Some theologians have called this the “cascade of God’s love.” In Philippians 2:5–7, Paul declares, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (NKJV, emphasis supplied). Notice the contrast between these two expressions: the form of God and the form of a bondservant. The Greek word for “form” is morphe, which also can be translated as “the essence of” or having the “nature of.” Jesus was equal with the Father in the very essence of His nature. Christ existed with the Father from all eternity as coequal and coeternal. He “made Himself of no reputation,” or, literally translated, He emptied Himself of His privileges and prerogatives as God’s equal and became a man. He not only became a man, but He also became the lowliest of men, a servant. He not only became a servant, but He also became a humble, obedient servant. He not only became a man who was a humble, obedient servant, but He also died the death of the cross, the most horrible of all deaths. Jesus, our eternal Lord, our all-powerful Creator, the One served by all, became the servant of all. Jesus’ life graphically illustrates that a life of self-sacrificial service is a life of restfulness and lasting joy.
Christ’s life of self-sacrificial, loving service stands in direct contrast to the two brothers in Luke 12:13–15. These two self-seeking young men were arguing about the inheritance they were to receive from their father’s estate. One of the brothers came to Jesus and asked Him to mediate their dispute. Jesus refused, clearly pointing out that true peace and joy come from giving, not grasping. We are truly happy when we make others happy, not when we try to manipulate them to make ourselves happy.
Ambition/Pride and the Heart of Christianity
During the Last Supper, at one of the most solemn moments in human history, the disciples were still debating who would be the greatest in the kingdom. On the eve of Christ’s betrayal and trial, they still believed He was going to establish an earthly kingdom, and if He was, they wanted first place in this new kingdom. This was not the first time there was rivalry among them over who would be greatest in His kingdom. There is a story in Matthew 20:20–28 that reveals the heart of what Christianity really is. It powerfully describes the essence of what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Here is the background of the story. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem for the final time. He has unsuccessfully tried to explain to His disciples that He soon will be rejected, tried, falsely accused, and crucified. For some reason, their presuppositions about the Messiah have kept them from understanding the nature of His mission. They filter what Jesus says through the mistaken ideas of earthly greatness that swirl around in their heads. Their ideas of prominence in a new kingdom and of worldly greatness are the basis for James and John’s mother’s request, found in Matthew 20:20, 21.
“She said to Him, ‘Grant that these two sons of mine sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom’ ” (Matt. 20:21, NKJV).
James and John, along with Peter, were part of Christ’s inner circle. They were His closest compatriots. Had not Jesus Himself said shortly before:
“ ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’ ” (Matt. 19:28, NKJV)?
Wasn’t it logical for James and John to think that if Jesus was going to Jerusalem to set up His eternal kingdom, they more than anyone else deserved to be near Him on His throne? They had been nearest to Him throughout His ministry. They were His confidants—His closest followers. They believed that they deserved this position of honor and privilege.
The other disciples were obviously distressed over this attempt by James and John to elbow their way into first place in the kingdom. Jesus’ response is timeless. It speaks to the heart of authentic Christianity. Calling the disciples to Himself, Jesus said, “ ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve’ ” (Matt. 20:25–28, NKJV).
The principle of this world is grasping. The principle of Christ’s kingdom is giving. The principle of this world is self-promotion. The principle of Christ’s kingdom is self-sacrifice. The principle of this world is a focus on self. The principle of Christ’s kingdom is a focus on others. Jesus knew what was going on in the disciples’ minds, and He spoke to the very heart of the Christian life. Out in the world, Jesus said, it is quite true that the great man is the man that controls others. Such a great man is master, whose command others must leap to obey. With simply a word, this man can command service, and his slightest need will be supplied. Out in the world was the Roman governor with his regalia and retinue, the eastern potentate with his slaves, the wealthy merchant with his servants, and the landholder with his estates. The world counts them great, but in Christ’s assessment, service alone is the badge of greatness; greatness does not consist of commanding others to do things for us. It consists in our doing things for others. This is the Christian revolution; here is the complete reversal of the world’s standards. Here is a new set of values.
“In the kingdoms of the world, position meant self-aggrandizement. The people were supposed to exist for the benefit of the ruling classes. Influence, wealth, and education were so many means of gaining control of the masses for the use of the leaders. The higher classes were to think, decide, enjoy, and rule; the lower were to obey and serve. Religion, like all things else, was a matter of authority. The people were expected to believe and practice as their superiors directed. The right of man as man, to think and act for himself, was wholly unrecognized.
“Christ was establishing a kingdom on different principles. He called men, not to authority but to service, the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak. Power, position, talent, education, placed their possessor under the greater obligation to serve his fellows.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 550.
Part III: Life Application
As we contemplate Jesus’ life, our lives are transformed. We become like the One we most admire. We are changed into His likeness as we behold His grace, mercy, compassion, and goodness in His Word. His self-sacrificial life inspires us to look outside of ourselves to the needs of others. Someone has rightly said, “Anyone wrapped up in himself or herself is a very small package.” To deepen the impression of this week’s lesson, here is a practical assignment for this week:
• Find a quiet place to be alone and ask God to help you see a specific need in someone near you.
• Once the Holy Spirit impresses you with this need in that person’s life, ask God what you can do to meet that need. The act might be something as simple as inviting a lonely elderly neighbor over for supper, babysitting for a single mom, comforting a person diagnosed with cancer, encouraging a young person, or tutoring a child.
• Make a positive decision that you will give of your time to bless someone else within your sphere of influence. As you bless someone else, you, in turn, will be blessed beyond measure.
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A pastor tells a fascinating story of visiting an old Native American fort in the northwestern section of New York. It was a remote area, but the fort was still well preserved. This area was populated by Native Americans for centuries. Each year thousands of tourists visited the fort. The pastor asked the guide if any of the visitors had ever found Indian arrowheads. The guide smiled and responded, “Yes, at the front gate of the fort, right where you are standing.” The pastor wondered how that might be. Scores of people walked over that very sight daily. Why hadn’t they found a cherished Indian arrowhead? The guide then explained that the arrowheads were just below the surface. The best time to find them was right after the winter, during the spring thaw. They were there all the time. Under the right conditions, they appeared.
In this week’s lesson, “The Roots of Restlessness,” we will study attitudes that are often hidden from sight and raise their ugly heads from time to time. Attitudes such as pride, selfishness, unhealthy ambition, and hypocrisy too often characterize the lives of Christians and tarnish our witness. The apostle Paul tells us to look diligently, “lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” (Heb. 12:15, NKJV). Roots of evil remain in all our hearts. These roots, if not dealt with, produce shoots, which then produce evil fruits. This week, we will carefully examine a few of these roots and study ways to recognize them—and then, by God’s grace, root them out of our lives.
Part II: Commentary
A casual glance at Jesus’ statements in Matthew 10:34–39 may cause confusion. If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, why did He say that He came not to bring peace to this earth but a sword (Matt. 10:34)? Why did He indicate that a “ ‘man’s foes shall be they of his own household’ ” (Matt. 10:36)? And why does He say, “ ‘He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me’ ” (Matt. 10:37, NKJV)? There are several major issues here. Jesus wanted His followers to recognize the cost of discipleship. When an individual accepts Christ and is committed to follow Him, the devil is angry. We should not be surprised when there is opposition to the gospel. We have declared war on Satan and are engaged in a battle with all the forces of hell. Jesus is pointing out in these passages that peace, true peace, comes from following Him in the middle of the battle. The issues here are loyalty and allegiance. Although Jesus invites each one of us to respect our families, we have a higher loyalty. Peace floods into our hearts when we place Christ first in our lives and have the assurance of His presence.
Christ’s Condescension
The apostle Paul reveals one of the most detailed descriptions of the condescension of Christ in all of Scripture. Some theologians have called this the “cascade of God’s love.” In Philippians 2:5–7, Paul declares, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (NKJV, emphasis supplied). Notice the contrast between these two expressions: the form of God and the form of a bondservant. The Greek word for “form” is morphe, which also can be translated as “the essence of” or having the “nature of.” Jesus was equal with the Father in the very essence of His nature. Christ existed with the Father from all eternity as coequal and coeternal. He “made Himself of no reputation,” or, literally translated, He emptied Himself of His privileges and prerogatives as God’s equal and became a man. He not only became a man, but He also became the lowliest of men, a servant. He not only became a servant, but He also became a humble, obedient servant. He not only became a man who was a humble, obedient servant, but He also died the death of the cross, the most horrible of all deaths. Jesus, our eternal Lord, our all-powerful Creator, the One served by all, became the servant of all. Jesus’ life graphically illustrates that a life of self-sacrificial service is a life of restfulness and lasting joy.
Christ’s life of self-sacrificial, loving service stands in direct contrast to the two brothers in Luke 12:13–15. These two self-seeking young men were arguing about the inheritance they were to receive from their father’s estate. One of the brothers came to Jesus and asked Him to mediate their dispute. Jesus refused, clearly pointing out that true peace and joy come from giving, not grasping. We are truly happy when we make others happy, not when we try to manipulate them to make ourselves happy.
Ambition/Pride and the Heart of Christianity
During the Last Supper, at one of the most solemn moments in human history, the disciples were still debating who would be the greatest in the kingdom. On the eve of Christ’s betrayal and trial, they still believed He was going to establish an earthly kingdom, and if He was, they wanted first place in this new kingdom. This was not the first time there was rivalry among them over who would be greatest in His kingdom. There is a story in Matthew 20:20–28 that reveals the heart of what Christianity really is. It powerfully describes the essence of what it means to be a follower of Christ.
Here is the background of the story. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem for the final time. He has unsuccessfully tried to explain to His disciples that He soon will be rejected, tried, falsely accused, and crucified. For some reason, their presuppositions about the Messiah have kept them from understanding the nature of His mission. They filter what Jesus says through the mistaken ideas of earthly greatness that swirl around in their heads. Their ideas of prominence in a new kingdom and of worldly greatness are the basis for James and John’s mother’s request, found in Matthew 20:20, 21.
“She said to Him, ‘Grant that these two sons of mine sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom’ ” (Matt. 20:21, NKJV).
James and John, along with Peter, were part of Christ’s inner circle. They were His closest compatriots. Had not Jesus Himself said shortly before:
“ ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’ ” (Matt. 19:28, NKJV)?
Wasn’t it logical for James and John to think that if Jesus was going to Jerusalem to set up His eternal kingdom, they more than anyone else deserved to be near Him on His throne? They had been nearest to Him throughout His ministry. They were His confidants—His closest followers. They believed that they deserved this position of honor and privilege.
The other disciples were obviously distressed over this attempt by James and John to elbow their way into first place in the kingdom. Jesus’ response is timeless. It speaks to the heart of authentic Christianity. Calling the disciples to Himself, Jesus said, “ ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve’ ” (Matt. 20:25–28, NKJV).
The principle of this world is grasping. The principle of Christ’s kingdom is giving. The principle of this world is self-promotion. The principle of Christ’s kingdom is self-sacrifice. The principle of this world is a focus on self. The principle of Christ’s kingdom is a focus on others. Jesus knew what was going on in the disciples’ minds, and He spoke to the very heart of the Christian life. Out in the world, Jesus said, it is quite true that the great man is the man that controls others. Such a great man is master, whose command others must leap to obey. With simply a word, this man can command service, and his slightest need will be supplied. Out in the world was the Roman governor with his regalia and retinue, the eastern potentate with his slaves, the wealthy merchant with his servants, and the landholder with his estates. The world counts them great, but in Christ’s assessment, service alone is the badge of greatness; greatness does not consist of commanding others to do things for us. It consists in our doing things for others. This is the Christian revolution; here is the complete reversal of the world’s standards. Here is a new set of values.
“In the kingdoms of the world, position meant self-aggrandizement. The people were supposed to exist for the benefit of the ruling classes. Influence, wealth, and education were so many means of gaining control of the masses for the use of the leaders. The higher classes were to think, decide, enjoy, and rule; the lower were to obey and serve. Religion, like all things else, was a matter of authority. The people were expected to believe and practice as their superiors directed. The right of man as man, to think and act for himself, was wholly unrecognized.
“Christ was establishing a kingdom on different principles. He called men, not to authority but to service, the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak. Power, position, talent, education, placed their possessor under the greater obligation to serve his fellows.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 550.
Part III: Life Application
As we contemplate Jesus’ life, our lives are transformed. We become like the One we most admire. We are changed into His likeness as we behold His grace, mercy, compassion, and goodness in His Word. His self-sacrificial life inspires us to look outside of ourselves to the needs of others. Someone has rightly said, “Anyone wrapped up in himself or herself is a very small package.” To deepen the impression of this week’s lesson, here is a practical assignment for this week:
• Find a quiet place to be alone and ask God to help you see a specific need in someone near you.
• Once the Holy Spirit impresses you with this need in that person’s life, ask God what you can do to meet that need. The act might be something as simple as inviting a lonely elderly neighbor over for supper, babysitting for a single mom, comforting a person diagnosed with cancer, encouraging a young person, or tutoring a child.
• Make a positive decision that you will give of your time to bless someone else within your sphere of influence. As you bless someone else, you, in turn, will be blessed beyond measure.