Friday | Further Thought | September 11

September 11: Friday — Further Thought on Lesson 11

Read

• Ellen G. White, “A Liberal Church,” The Acts of the Apostles, pp. 335–345

Summary

• Jesus is our greatest example of self-giving because He became poor so that we could receive the riches of salvation.
• God’s love is revealed through giving because He gave His Son to save us from sin.
• The Bible shows that giving is an expression of love, because Christ gave Himself for us.
• God does not need our gifts, but He allows us to show gratitude by using His blessings to help others.
• Our money, time, and influence are gifts from God that can be used to advance the gospel.
• Giving can bring personal spiritual benefits, because it helps us loosen our hold on worldly things and grow in love for others.
• We can imitate Jesus by giving more than money, because we can also give our time, strength, influence, service, forgiveness, and care.
• A church filled with Christlike generosity can make the gospel more powerful in the lives of those who hear it.

Question

• How can I imitate Jesus’self-giving love in my daily life?

Answer

• I can imitate Jesus by giving myself to God and using my time, resources, abilities, and influence to serve others and advance the gospel.

Reflection

• What am I holding back that I could use to bless someone else?

Takeaway

• Jesus gave Himself to save us, and His love calls us to give ourselves in love for God and others.