LIVING THE ADVENT HOPE
(Inspired from Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly)
KEY TEXT: 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore my brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work
of the Lord, knowing that your labor is vain in the Lord.”
YES or NO?
For leaders: Let them answer in every question, then follow-up questions like: “Are you sure?”, “Really?”
1. Do you believe in Jesus?
2. Do you believe that Jesus will come again?
3. Are you hoping for eternal life in God’s kingdom?
Then you are Adventists – meaning: those who await HIS coming and this kingdom- are people of hope. (“Advent”
means second coming)?
READING:
Revelation 21:1-5 and Revelation 22:1-5
The Bible’s descriptions of our life after sin are unquestionably wonderful and glorious and no doubt barely represent
what is awaiting us. Even in these verses, the descriptions are almost as much about that won’t be there as what will
be. When this world is all we have known, it can be hard to imagine life without pain and suffering, death and fear,
injustice and poverty.
Not only that there is no more of these things, but this description adds a personal touch: “He will wipe every tear
from their eyes” (Revelation 21:4). In the context of those who have been saved, God’s compassion for those who
have suffered throughout human history reaches a climax in this single sentence. Not only does He bring an end to
their suffering, but He personally wipes away their tears.
Battered and scarred by a life of sin and a world of injustice and tragedy, we can see in the book of Revelation hints a
process of healing for all of us who have been victims of sin in many different ways. Describing the tree of life, John
explains that “the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). Again, God shows His
understanding of, and compassion for, what is has meant to be human, to feel, experience, witness, and even participate
in the evil of this world. His plan for re-creating our world includes restoring and healing each of us.
Until then, we seek to be all that we can be in Christ, doing our part, as faltering and small as our parts might be, to
minister to those around us who need what we have to offer. Whatever it is we can do – KIND WORDS, A WARM
MEAL OR SNACKS, MEDICAL HELP, CLOTHING, COUNSELING- we should be doing with the kind, self-
sacrificing, self-denying love that Jesus manifested when HE was here.
Of course, the world is still going to get worse and worse, despite our best efforts. Jesus knew that; yet this truth didn’t
stop Him from ministering to others, and it shouldn’t stop us, either.
REFLECTIONS:
How can and should the hope and promise of Jesus’ return impact how we live now, especially in the context of
helping those in need?
APPLICATION:
Have a meeting with your IEL group what in-campus ministry you are going to do this week. What can you do to
minister to others? Or what can you do to help others by manifesting the character of Jesus: Kindness, self-denying,
and self-sacrificing love? (SDA or NonSDA). You may begin now, or anytime this week. Don’t forget to take picture
then post in on your FB wall and caption it with “CPAC Academy IEL In-campus Ministry” #CPACAcademy
#LivingTheAdventHope #IEL. You may add some religious quotes / bible verses in the caption if you want.
