“All the paternal love which has come down from generation to generation through the channel of human hearts, all the springs of tenderness which have opened in the souls of men, are but as a tiny rill to the boundless ocean when compared with the infinite, exhaustless love of God. Tongue cannot utter it; pen cannot portray it. You may meditate upon it every day of your life; you may search the Scriptures diligently in order to understand it; you may summon every power and capability that God has given you, in the endeavor to comprehend the love and compassion of the heavenly Father; and yet there is an infinity beyond. You may study that love for ages; yet you can never fully comprehend the length and the breadth, the depth and the height, of the love of God in giving His Son to die for the world. Eternity itself can never fully reveal it. Yet as we study the Bible and meditate upon the life of Christ and the plan of redemption, these great themes will open to our understanding more and more.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 740.
“When we are receiving a training, as did Moses in the school of Christ, what shall we learn?—to become puffed up?—to have an exalted opinion of ourselves?—No, indeed. The more we learn in this school, the more we shall advance in meekness and lowliness of mind. We are not to feel that we have learned everything worth knowing. We should put to the best use the talents God has given us, that when we are changed from mortality to immortality, we shall not leave behind that which we have attained, but may take it with us to the other side. Throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, Christ and His work of redemption will be the theme of our study.”—Ellen G. White, Manuscript 36, 1885.
Discussion Questions:
What are ways that you have experienced for yourself the reality of God’s love? In class, talk about the different ways you have come to know and experience His love.
What exactly does it mean that Jesus came “in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7)? Compare Romans 8:3. Discuss these passages in light of each other.
What challenges to unity does the church in your area face? Whatever the issues, why would a willingness to be humble, to not do anything through “selfish ambition or conceit” (Phil. 2:3, NKJV), be a great way to at least start working through the issues?
Supplemental EGW Notes
Lift Him Up, “Special Care of the Flock,” July 23, p. 218.
This Day With God, “Eternal Loss,” December 7, p. 350.\
The above quotations are taken from Ellen G. White Notes for the Sabbath School Lessons, published by Pacific Press Publishing Association. Used by permission.