lesson thirteen

JUNE 23–29

The Return of Our Lord

Jesus
“ ‘For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even
in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man’ ”
(Matt. 24:27, NIV).

As promised, Jesus will return for those who are His in the clouds of
glory, a most beautiful and awaited sight for those who will be antici-
pating Him. It will be a joyous occasion for those who love Him, more
beautiful than any view on earth that we have seen now.
 sabbath JUNE 23

Matt. 26:64; Introduction

Rev. 1:7 Spiritual 20/20 Vision

The Christian walk is a peculiar thing to most unbelievers. Christians “live by

faith, not by sight,” but in a world that maintains the notion that “seeing is believ-
ing,” faith in God—an unseen and, therefore, unbelievable being according to
the world’s standards—can come across as, well, ridiculous. To most people,
sight means confirmation. In any court of law, an eyewitness or a physical
piece of evidence aids an argument more than any attorney’s reasoning. Given
that sight is so essential to living in this physical world, why is the Christian
often denied this privilege?
Hold the hand of the One who promises to guide you.
When our Creator formed the earth, He bestowed Adam and Eve with per-
fect sight. Unfortunately, sin has marred our sight, not only in a physical way but
also, more significantly, in a spiritual way. This impairs our ability to have faith in
Christ. However, the Bible urges us to continue our journey in faith, and Jesus
promises us that our faith will be rewarded with clear spiritual sight.
Matthew 26:64 states that we “ ‘will see the Son of Man . . . coming on
the clouds of heaven’ ” (NIV, emphasis added), and Revelation 1:7 stresses
that He “ ‘is coming with the clouds,’ and ‘every eye will see [H]im, even those
who pierced [H]im’ ” (NIV, emphasis added). Both of these verses introduce a
completely new perspective into the Christian walk. All of a sudden, the Savior
that we know as our Creator is visible as our Redeemer. Whether sight means
salvation or destruction, the Lord Jesus, on His return, gives all people the
evidence, the proof, the final confirmation that He has come to take His faithful
people home. From the beginning, Jesus has been guiding us, and in the end,
He will be physically visible and will heal our spiritual blindness.
Oftentimes, we get discouraged in our everyday walk with Christ because
we cannot physically see Him. However, our Creator acts as a Guide for the
spiritually blind in a world of darkness. We are given divine encounters; still,
small voices; Bible-inspired personal convictions; little and big miracles; and,
most important, God’s Word. With this guidance from God, denying faith its
place in our lives would be irresponsible.
Walking by faith may be considered silly in the world’s eyes, but when Chris-
tians attempt to stumble through a dark, sinful world themselves and fail, they
realize that faith is a necessity. One day soon, our faithfulness will be con-
firmed, and Christ’s promise of being visible to the world will finally be fulfilled.
Every bit of doubt will be dispelled, and our living by faith will be rewarded with
renewed 20/20 spiritual sight. Until then, daily hold the hand of the One who
promises to guide you. He alone can provide the necessary vision to journey
through a dark world to a land of eternal light.

Lauren Waegele, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA

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sunday
JUNE 24
Daniel 2;
Matt. 7:21–23; 24; 25:13;
John 14:1–3;
Logos Luke 21:34–36;

Are You Ready? Rom. 12:1, 2;

Titus 1:16; 2:12, 13;
2 Peter 3;
Rev. 1:7; 14:12; 22:12

The Promise (Dan. 2:35, 44, 45; Matthew 24; John 14:1–3; Rev. 1:7;
14:12; 22:12)
The hearts of the disciples must have quickened when Jesus said,
“I go,” even though He also said, “ ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled’ ”
(John 14:3, 1, NIV). The time had come for Jesus to return to His Father,
and He prepared them for this separation with His promise to return
for them at a later time. He had given them the assurance: I will come
again. He had given them signs: wars, famines, earthquakes, signs in
the heavens, persecution, disloyalty, deception. Jesus’ promise to re-
turn became more precious to His followers when they experienced the
upheavals He had forewarned. “ ‘See, I have told you ahead of time’ ”
(Matt. 24:25, NIV). Jesus let them know what would happen so that in
the midst of their trials, they could continue to trust in Him.

Watch and pray.

The Delay (Daniel 2; 2 Peter 3)
The early disciples must have believed that they were living in the
toenails of time as described by Daniel. Yet the mysterious stone has
yet to strike the earth, and believers across two millennia have had to
grapple with this long delay in Jesus’ promised return. Peter explains the
delay by pointing out God’s different reckoning of time and His extensive
patience (2 Pet. 3:8, 9). Ellen White says, “If the Master should come, so
many would be found unready. God’s unwillingness to have His people
perish has been the reason for so long delay.”*

Preparation Needed (Matt. 7:21–23; 25:13; Luke 21:34–36; Rom.

12:1, 2; Titus 1:16; 2:12, 13; Rev. 14:12)
Jesus did not give the signs of His coming to keep His followers in
a state of anxiety. Rather, He gave the signs to strengthen our faith in
Him and motivate us to prepare. Some Adventists think they are prepar-
ing by becoming fixated on the signs themselves. It is possible to be so
focused on the events leading up to Jesus’ coming—natural disasters
and political events—that we neglect to prepare to meet the Jesus who
is coming by building our relationship with Him.
Other Adventists try to prepare by focusing on obedience—the char-
acteristic of those who keep the commandments of Jesus—while they
neglect the other descriptor in Revelation 14:12—keeping the faith of
Jesus. This faith is developed through a study of His Word put into ex-
periential practice in daily living.
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 Jesus gave us a formula to prepare for His coming: watch and pray.
Yet, what are we watching? Never in history have people had so many
distractions, so many demands on our time and attention. With comput-
ers in our hands and on our wrists, we have access to information, en-
tertainment, and instant communication in a continuous stream around
the clock. We need to evaluate the impact this has on our preparedness
for meeting our Lord.
It is impossible to develop an authentic and deep relationship with
Jesus without an intentional, continuous connection to Him through
prayer, a daily surrender of self to His direction. This connection devel-
ops our faith in Him rather than reinforcing faith in ourselves or in pos-
sessions or other people. Such a connection hones our ability to hear
His still, small Voice, who guides us into right living and self-sacrificing
service. It develops our passion for Jesus and for lost people. It helps us
not only to know Jesus but also to become more like Him. It prepares us
for the end-time events.
A most frightening warning is found in Matthew 7. A group of people
are deluded into thinking they are followers of Jesus. They claim the
right to enter the kingdom of heaven based upon their performance of
“good works,” implying that it is God who has given them the power to
do supernatural things—pretty strong evidence. Yet Jesus refuses them
admittance. He calls them lawbreakers, and, most significantly, Jesus
says, “ ‘ “I never knew you.” ’ ” Further, in writing to Titus, Paul describes
fake believers who deny through their actions the God they claim to
know (Titus 1:16). He also describes the genuine believer who says no
to what the world has to offer and practices self-control while waiting for
Jesus to appear (Titus 2:12, 13).
It is time to take our spiritual temperature and then to invite Jesus to
transform us through the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2). This way,
He can prepare us to meet Him when He fulfills that promise given so
long ago but still burning in our hearts today.

REACT
1. Reflect upon what you watch. Are the things that you give your at-
tention and time to helping you know the Jesus who is coming soon?
2. What do you need to do or stop doing in order to go deeper in your
relationship with Jesus?
3. Do you know Jesus well enough to trust Him no matter what hap-
pens in your life or in world events?
____________
* Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 194.
Kathy Goddard, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USAS
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monday
JUNE 25
Testimony
Keeping Our Eyes 2 Tim. 4:6–8

on the Prize
“Through his long term of service, Paul had never faltered in his alle-
giance to his Saviour. Wherever he was . . . he had never been ashamed
of the cause he was advocating. The one great purpose of his Christian
life had been to serve Him whose name had once filled him with contempt;
and from this purpose no opposition or persecution had been able to turn
him aside. His faith, made strong by effort and pure by sacrifice, upheld and
strengthened him.”1
In spite of the trials, Paul kept his mind and heart focused on his Savior.
Earthly troubles were worth enduring because of the heavenly promises from
Christ. Those who profess obedience to Christ will be tested as Paul was, but
we will have the same blessed assurances that guided Paul.

“Summon all your powers to look up.”

“In the religious life of every soul who is finally victorious there will be
scenes of terrible perplexity and trial; but his knowledge of the Scriptures
will enable him to bring to mind the encouraging promises of God, which
will comfort his heart and strengthen his faith in the power of the Mighty
One. He reads: . . . ‘that the trial of your faith, being much more precious
than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto
praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. . . .’ The trial
of faith is more precious than gold.”2
Many falsely believe that troubling times are a sign of God’s faithless-
ness. However, we must remember that Christ warned His followers that
they would suffer for His name’s sake, yet that suffering was to be a badge
of honor.
“Summon all your powers to look up, not down at your difficulties; then
you will never faint by the way. You will soon see Jesus behind the cloud,
reaching out His hand to help you; and all you have to do is to give Him your
hand in simple faith and let Him lead you. . . . God gives you intelligence
and a reasoning mind, whereby you may grasp His promises; and Jesus is
ready to help you in forming a strong, symmetrical character.” 3

REACT
1. Is a lack of trials a blessing or a sign that we are living too comfortably?
2. How can we keep our eyes on Jesus in our hectic, fast-paced world?
____________
1. Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 500.
2. Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 578.
3. Ibid., pp. 578, 579.
Brandon Beneche, Collegedale, Tennessee, USA
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 tuesday JUNE 26
Deut. 29:29; Evidence
Rom. 1:17; 8:22;
Heb. 10:35, 36 Why Did Jesus Leave?

It’s one of the most emotionally pressing questions in the hearts of Jesus’
followers. Seventh-day Adventists have a good theological narrative that ac-
counts for why He left and what He has been up to in the last two millennia
since He made His cameo on this planet. But still, when I am alone and weary,
it seems the metanarratives are not enough.
Why has He been gone for so long? Is He ever coming back, or are we all
like Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot?1 Sure, it’s been great to exist, but
I would much rather have had the Lord return a thousand years ago.

They will not draw back.

The answer to our hearts’ question begins with the primary Old Testament
motif of the coming day of the Lord; this day was going to be a day of rescue
and destruction,2 and just being a member of the covenant community didn’t
entitle you to rescue. Israelites had to live a life of constant attentive engage-
ment with the covenant of God—or as the Bible states: to have lived by faith.3
Further, in Hebrews 10, Paul speaks bluntly to his audience, which is wa-
vering in the faith. He reminds them that the day of the Lord is a fury of fire for
those who disdain the blood of the Son and encourages them to remember
their earlier days when they suffered gladly because they knew they had a
better and enduring possession (verses 35, 36). He then quotes the famous
Habakkuk passage—the just shall live by faith—quoted also in Romans 1:17.
Only this time he lengthens the quotation to emphasize that the Coming One
will come in a little while and not delay.
The Hebrew student will remember that the conjunctive waw translated as
“but” is a fluid conjunction—able to be translated in multiple ways—and in this
passage, it serves as a logical connection. Thus, the quoted text pushes that
the Lord is coming without delay and because He comes, the righteous will live
by faith: They will not draw back. They will live by faith and obtain life.
So yes, we do know why Jesus left, yet, we don’t know why Jesus has been
gone for what seems like forever. Yet, we are certain that He will come without
delay, and because of that—we live by faith.

REACT
1. Have you ever struggled to believe that Jesus was still returning? If so,
what was that like, and what did you find comfort in?
2. When was the last time you felt zeal and joy for suffering for Christ?
____________
1. Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot: A Tragicomedy in Two Acts.
2. Walter Brueggemann, Reverberations of Faith: A Theological Handbook of Old Testament
Themes (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002), p. 46.
3. Ibid., p. 78.
Bryant Rodriguez, Collegedale, Tennessee, USA
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wednesday
JUNE 27 1 Chron. 16:8–12;
How-to Ps. 19:1;

God’s
Matt. 28:16–20;
Mark 10:45;
Luke 6:38;
Transforming Work Rom. 6:5; 12:2;
Phil. 3:20, 21;
1 Thess. 5:17

In the beginning, God created us in His image. We were perfect in Him.

Once Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, however, we could no longer
be perfect—our bodies and minds started to decay. Disease and death,
once unknown to humanity, became commonplace.
God promised to send His Son so that He could one day transform all
who love Him back into the creations that we were meant to be. God is al-
ready working to transform our hearts to prepare us for His return. In order
to prepare for His coming, we must continually submit ourselves to God so
that He can do this transforming work in us.

Share God with others.

Step 1: Communicate with God. To have a relationship with God, we need
to communicate with Him the way we would communicate with anyone else
we care about. One way to do this is to pray constantly. God is always there,
and He always wants to hear from us, even if we have only a moment to talk.
Another way to commune with God is by studying the Bible. God in-
spired the Bible so that we have a way to understand His character. The
more we study, the more we know and the closer our relationship with God
becomes. Just like prayer, Bible study can be done at many times and loca-
tions. Mor ning worship is one good option because by focusing on God at
the beginning of the day, we can reflect on Him and our study throughout our
work and activities. Another good way to commune with God is to go out into
nature. God’s creation is one of the best reminders of His glory, and studying
His Word while experiencing all He made for us draws us closer to Him.
Step 2: Share Him with others. We have been given the call to spread
the good news of the Second Coming with the world. We can share our
faith with unbelievers, serve the homeless, go on mission trips, or even
give someone a simple smile. Even the smallest kind act can have a big
impact on a person’s life and our own lives as well. Every time we share
God with others, we are growing closer to Him so that He may transform
us into His image.

REACT
1. How can you find ways to be a more effective witness to others in your
daily life?
2. What ways can you think of to keep yourself accountable for daily
Bible reading and prayer?
3. How can sharing God with others prepare you for His coming?
Hannah Jobe, Collegedale, Tennessee, USA
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 thursday
Matt. 24:6, 7; JUNE 28
John 14:2; Opinion
Phil. 1:6;
2 Tim. 4:6–8;
Titus 2:13
Cleaning the Cobwebs

Hospitality was a common occurrence in our household. Whenever my

grandmother was planning to have guests over, we all pitched in to help pre-
pare to recieve the guests into our home. As a small child, my job was to dust
all of the furniture. Because I wanted to impress our guests, I performed my job
with the greatest care. When the guests arrived at our home, I would smile with
pride at the work I had done and hoped the guests also appreciated it. Jesus
is much more than a guest coming into our homes.

Jesus is much more than a guest coming into our homes.

Many of us have heard for our entire lives that Jesus Christ is soon return-
ing. With the current events and the turmoil within society, it is easy to see that
Jesus’ words are coming to fruition (Matt. 24:7, 8). In such tumultuous times,
it is important that we are preparing our hearts and our minds not only to be
able to withstand the difficulties of the last days but also to choose to live in a
Christ-centered way.
So what does this look like? Often we feel the need to impress others with
our accomplishments, our status, or even the way we dress. Social media has
created an even greater facade. If there are imperfections, a few quick filters
and edits will make us look incredible. We spend our time counting the com-
ments and likes on our photos and posts, and we allow these to determine our
identities. Meanwhile, the heart is sick and the spirit sicker. We pay no heed to
our souls or to the state of our hearts. Cobwebs litter us internally; while God is
preparing a place for us, we are not dusting our inner selves.
As we wait for the hope of Jesus’ return, He calls us to prepare ourselves
by casting aside the things that hinder us from growing closer to God. We
must be honest with ourselves about the things that clutter our lives. We must
prepare our hearts as we would prepare our homes for a guest—wiping down
and sweeping out the things that do not belong there. Let us cast those things
aside, so that we can boldly go forward in faith. And God is faithful—He prom-
ises to free us from those habits and sins that bind us. If you are struggling to
get rid of some cobwebs in your life, ask Him to help you.

REACT
1. What struggles in your life would you consider to be spiritual cobwebs?
2. What has been your main focus in life? Have your goals been focused on
daily living or your eternal life?
3. What changes do you need to make to refocus your life on heaven?

Alexis Christine Hartline, Collegedale, Tennessee, USA

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friday
JUNE 29
Exploration
“Let Them See You”
1 Thessalonians 1–5

CONCLUDE
In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, he commends their dedication
to Christ. The people of Thessalonica were Christians who dealt with suffer-
ing and persecution at the hands of both Jews and Gentiles, along with the
dominating presence of false prophets. Despite many obstacles, they refused
to compromise their established commitment to Christ. They disregarded the
teachings of false prophets and remained faithful to Paul’s teachings as God’s
word. But their faith exceeded mere words. Their lifestyles were clear examples
of God’s love, with a message that stretched as far as Macedonia and Achaia.
But in chapters 4 and 5 Paul is moved to remind the people that they must con-
tinue to live life in the present while keeping their eyes on Christ’s soon return.
We can learn a lot from the lives of the Thessalonians. We, too, live in
a time of suffering and false prophets, awaiting persecution; but like the
Thessalonians, our commitment to Christ should enable us to be examples
of love, steadfastness, and faith to surrounding nations. Our faith should
amount to more than mere words; we must exercise faith in our daily rou-
tines so that our lifestyles may represent what Christ has done for us and
the future we look forward to at His second coming. In preparation for the
Second Coming, though, we must not lose interest in our lives on earth.

CONSIDER
• Listening to the song “Let Them See You,” from the album A Messen-
ger by Colton Dixon. Meditate on the idea of allowing God to work in
you so that when people look at you, they see Him.
• Exploring various ways to enjoy life while waiting on Christ’s return.
Spend time outdoors enjoying creation, go on adventures with friends,
travel the world, and witness to the people you meet.
• Finding fulfillment in relationships that will bring more individuals to the
kingdom of God. Reach out to others so that they may have the oppor-
tunity to know Christ as well—even with a gesture as simple as a smile.
Remember, you could be the only Jesus someone is exposed to.
• Writing a letter to God about what you have to let go in order to let Him
in and making a promise to Him that you will allow Him to work in you.
• Using your various talents to reach out to people and assist in spread-
ing the message of Christ to the world.

CONNECT
Matthew 5:16; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 1:27; 1 Peter 3:15.
Ellen G. White, To Be Like Jesus, pp. 9, 18.
Sierra Kristine Emilaire, Collegedale, Tennessee, USA
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 next quarter’s lessons THIRD QUARTER 2018

The Book of Acts

If you have not yet received a copy of CQ for third quarter 2018, here is
a summary of the first two lessons:

Lesson 1 You Will Be My Witnesses

Logos: Acts 1:6, 7; Luke 24:25.

Memory Text: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and
Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NRSV).

Key Thought: When Jesus’ mission on earth ended, God sent the
Holy Spirit, who—ratifying their efforts with many signs and wonders—
empowered and led the disciples on a mission that reached the ends
of the earth. Jesus’ ascension and exaltation in heaven were neces-
sary in order for the Spirit to come. But the disciples did not clearly
understand this until after Jesus’ resurrection. The promise of the Spirit
comes in this context.

Lesson 2 Pentecost

Logos: Gen. 1:2; Isa. 28:25–27; Matt. 28:18–20; Acts 1:4–8;

8:1–8.

Memory Text: “This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are
witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having
received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out
this that you both see and hear” (Acts 2:32, 33, NRSV).

Key Thought: Pentecost was a day of joy and thanksgiving, when

the people of Israel brought before the Lord “ the firstfruits of the wheat
harvest ” (Exod. 34:22, NIV). The feast then became a fitting symbol for
the first spiritual harvest of the Christian church, when the Holy Spirit was
poured out more abundantly than ever before, and three thousand people
were baptized on a single day (Acts 2:41). Pentecost is often called the
birthday of the church, the time that Christ’s followers, Jews and (later)
Gentiles, were legitimized as God’s new community on earth.

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