Laying
Aside Every Weight...
Screen
1
We invite you to pray with us:
Father,
Once again we come to You, asking You to open our hearts and minds to Your precious
teaching.
We know that true happiness dwells in obedience to Your will, and this is why we want to
open Your Word.
May this lesson reveal more about what You expect from each one of us, and may Your Holy
Spirit work within us, so that we put into practice what Your Word teaches us. In Jesus
Christ we pray.
Amen.
Screen 2
1 John 3:22
Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His
commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.
In our previous lessons, we have seen the importance of God's commandments in
our spiritual lives.
The apostle John tells us that we must not only keep God's commandments, but also seek to
do the things that are pleasing in His sight.
We will thus grow in the knowledge of the Lord.
Screen 3
Hebrews 12:1
Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us.
God asks us to seek what is pleasing to Him, not only for our happiness, but
also because we must set an example to the people around us in order to attract them to
Christ.
As ambassadors for Jesus, we must watch over the purity of our behavior, words, and
thoughts.
This is why we must lay aside every weight that would prevent us from reaching this goal.
Screen 4
Mark 4:24
And [Jesus] said to them, «Take heed what you hear.»
Isaiah 33:15,16
[He] who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed (...)
will dwell on high.
First, the Word of God asks us to be careful what we hear. It is so easy to
lend an ear to gossip... but not so uplifting.
The Christian will also carefully select the kind of music he listens to. Nowadays, there
are a lot of songs whose content only promotes sin.
Screen 5
Isaiah 5:12
The harp and the strings, the tambourine and flute, and
wine are in their feasts; but they do not regard the work of the Lord.
Isaiah 23:16
Take a harp, go about the city, you forgotten harlot;
make sweet melody, sing many songs, that you may be remembered.
The Old Testament was already reporting the existence of music whose style and
lyrics were inviting to evil, and meeting places where such music could be heard.
Still today, God asks His people to refrain from these things.
Screen 6
1 Samuel 16:14,17,23
The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a
distressing spirit (...) troubled him. (...)
Saul said to his servants, «Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to
me.» (...)
And so it was, whenever the spirit (...) was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and
play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing
spirit would depart from him.
A bad choice of music can exert a disastrous influence on us.
On the other hand, a good choice of music can help to purify our thoughts.
Screen 7
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom,
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with
grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:19
Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
These two passages show us excellent examples of music furthering our spiritual
growth in Jesus.
Screen 8
Matthew 6:22,23
The lamp of the body is the eye.
If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.
Proverbs 23:7
For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.
What we hear and see feeds our thoughts, and these thoughts will then influence
our words and deeds.
This is why we have to watch what our ears and eyes pick up.
Screen 9
Psalm 101:3
I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.
Isaiah 33:15,16
[He] who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and
shuts his eyes from seeing evil: he will dwell on high.
We must act with proper judgment concerning how we feed our mind.
Movies, television, books, and magazines can easily poison our thoughts if we don't make
wise choices.
Screen 10
Proverbs 3:31
Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.
Psalm 119:37
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things.
Violence, illicit sex, drugs, and other inducements to evil: this is the menu
often offered by movies, television, books, and magazines.
God invites us to take care of what we hear and see, in order to preserve purity of mind,
and thus to foster a better relationship with Him.
Screen 11
Matthew 5:28
I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for
her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
The quality of nourishment we give our minds influence our thoughts which will
be purified or perverted accordingly.
It is our responsibility to make the best choices.
Screen 12
Psalm 119:136
Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not
keep Your law.
Let's ask ourselves: do we shed rivers of water, just like David, when we see
people transgressing God's law?
Everything we have seen in movies and on television, everything we have read in books and
magazines, has hardened our hearts.
But there's good news: our condition is not hopeless, since our hearts can still be
softened through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Screen 13
Philippians 4:8
Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever
things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy -
meditate on these things.
2 Corinthians 10:5
(...) bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ.
By giving healthy food to our minds, we facilitate the work of the Holy Spirit
who will gradually purify our thoughts.
Screen 14
Exodus 19:10
Then the Lord said to Moses,
«Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their
clothes.»
God also asks us to set an example by our outward appearance.
Proper hygiene and neat dress should characterize every ambassador of Christ.
Screen 15
Genesis 35:2,4
«Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify
yourselves, and change your garments.» (...)
So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods which were in their hands, and all their earrings
which were in their ears.
Exodus 33:5,6
The Lord said to Moses, «Say to the children of Israel,
"You are a stiff-necked people. I could come up into your midst in one moment and
consume you. Now therefore take off your ornaments, that I may know what to do to
you."»
So the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments.
God also asks His people not to wear jewelry.
Screen 16
Hosea 2:13
I will punish her for the days of the Baals to which she
burned incense. She decked herself with her earrings and jewelry.
Isaiah 3:18-21; 4:4
In that day the Lord will take away the finery: the
jingling anklets, the scarves, and the crescents; the pendants, the bracelets, and the
veils; the headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands; the perfume boxes, the
charms, and the rings. (...)
When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion (...).
Jewelry only feeds pride and covetousness.
Let us abstain from it.
Screen 17
Revelation 12:1
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the
sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
Revelation 17:4
And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was
full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and
pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her
fornication.
We will soon study the two women of Revelation:
- the first one is pure, clothed with the sun;
- the other is impure, covered with jewels.
Which one of these two women will we identify with?
Screen 18
1 Peter 3:3,4
Do not let your beauty be that outward adorning of
arranging the hair, of wearing gold, or of putting on fine apparel; but let it be the
hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit,
which is very precious in the sight of God.
What is worthy in God's eyes is not a costly appearance, since He expects from
us a sober appearance.
God values a purified heart and a sincere commitment toward Him.
Screen 19
1 Timothy 2:9,10
In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in
modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or
costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.
Although addressed to women, these counsels aim at men as well!
Let's note that in this passage, «braided hair» means more
than a simple plait. In those days, wealthy women were often making braids adorned with
jewelry.
Screen 20
Ezekiel 23:40,43
You painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with
ornaments. (...)
I said concerning her who had grown old in adulteries, «Will they commit harlotry with
her now, and she with them?»
Jeremiah 4:30
And when you are plundered, what will you do? Though you
clothe yourself with crimson, though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, though you
enlarge your eyes with paint, in vain you will make yourself fair.
Still concerning outward appearance, let's note that the Word of God associates
gaudy cosmetics with apostasy and paganism.
Screen 21
2 Kings 9:30
And when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it;
and she put paint on her eyes.
Revelation 2:20
I have a few things against you, because you allow that
woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and beguile My servants to commit
sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
Jezebel, symbol of the apostate woman, is exactly the example not to be
followed by the believer.
The Christian woman should avoid gaudy make-up, and choose instead to maintain a natural
and healthy appearance.
Screen 22
John 17:15,16
[Jesus said,]
«I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them
from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.»
To lay aside all those weights, we do not need to exile ourselves on a desert
island! Indeed, it would be difficult to preach the gospel on a desert island...
What we need is the presence of Christ within our hearts.
Although we are surrounded by those weights, God will give us the strength we need to
avoid them and resist Satan's snares.
Screen 23
God urges us not to love the world nor the things in the world:
«Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.» (1 PETER 2:11)
«Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of
the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world - the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life - is not of the Father but is of the world. And the
world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides
forever.» (1 JOHN 2:15-17)
«Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore
wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.» (JAMES 4:4)
Screen 24
We must not touch the unclean things that are in the world:
«Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with
darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an
unbeliever? (...) Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."» (2 CORINTHIANS 6:14,15,17)
«For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a
people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the
earth.» (DEUTERONOMY 14:2)
Screen 25
With the help of God working within us, we can lay aside every burden:
«I can do all things through Christ who strengthens
me.» (PHILIPPIANS 4:13)
«For it is God who works in you both to will and to do.» (PHILIPPIANS 2:13)
«Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one
another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.» (GALATIANS 5:16,17)
«Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is
set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.» (HEBREWS
12:1,2)
Screen 26
1 Thessalonians 5:23,24
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely;
and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
Philippians 1:6
I thank my God (...), being confident of this very thing,
that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
If we really desire it, God will progressively transform us into His image, so
that we may be ready for Jesus' coming.
Screen 27
1 Thessalonians 5:21,22
Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from
every form of evil.
Ephesians 5:8,10,11,15-17
Walk as children of light, (...) proving what is
acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but
rather expose them. (...)
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time,
because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
Nothing is more important, for the Christian, than seeking to know God's will
and putting it into practice.
Screen 28
Let's not be conformed to the world, but let's seek to do God's will:
«Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and
perfect will of God.» (ROMANS 12:2)
«Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the
grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient
children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He
who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written,
"Be holy, for I am holy."» (1 PETER 1:13-16)
Screen 29
Ephesians 4:17-20
You should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles
walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening
of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to licentiousness, to
work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ.
Let's be careful. Ignorance and hardening of the heart prevent us from
discerning the snares of the world.
Fortunately, the Holy Spirit clearly reveals these snares to anyone who wants to do God's
will.
Screen 30
Philippians 2:5
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 2:16
We have the mind of Christ.
Is it difficult for us to lay aside every weight?
If so, let us ask ourselves this question: «What would Jesus do, if He were in my
place?»
This simple question will help us to make the best decision. If we believe that Jesus
would not take part in some activity, we should then choose to lay it aside.
Screen 31
Christians should contrast with people of the world:
«Do all things without murmuring and disputing, that you
may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked
and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.» (PHILIPPIANS
2:14,15)
«He who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the
rest of his life in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have
spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles - when we walked in
licentiousness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable
idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the
same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.» (1 PETER 4:1-4)
Screen 32
Like athletes, we must train in order to be ready for Jesus' return:
«Do you not know that those who run in a race all run,
but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who
competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable
crown, but we for an imperishable crown.» (1 CORINTHIANS 9:24,25)
«If anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the
rules.» (2 TIMOTHY 2:5)
«We urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you
received from us how you ought to walk and to please God.» (1 THESSALONIANS 4:1)
Screen 33
Let's put into practice what God teaches us, and He will be with us:
«I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to
have a walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.» (EPHESIANS 4:1)
«Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever
things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there
is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. The things
which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace
will be with you.» (PHILIPPIANS 4:8,9)
«Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.»
(1 CORINTHIANS 10:31)
Screen 34
Let us pray together:
Our Father,
If happiness were dwelling in the things of this world, You would not ask us to lay them
aside. But You know that they are weights which can only keep us away from You.
The apostle Paul wrote, «What things were gain to me, these I have
counted loss for Christ»; and he added, «I count them as
rubbish, that I may gain Christ.» (Philippians 3:7,8).
Please teach us to count these weights as rubbish that we willingly lay aside, so as to be
ready for Jesus' return. In His name we pray.
Amen.
Source of the Pictures of this Lesson
Screen 1: In: «Adventist Review» (Special Edition - «Time to
Go Deeper»), Review and Herald Publishing Association, p.20. Screen 2: In:
«The Watchtower» magazine (February 1, 1991), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract
Society, p.1. Screen 3: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (September 15,
1987), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.17. Screen 4: In:
«Awake» magazine (September 22, 1994), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society,
p.7. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 5: MANISCALCO, Joe.
In: «Images from the Bible and Sacred History CD», Chosen Works, MLI Software,
JM064.BMP. Screen 6: In: «The Bible for Children - Retold by Bridget
Hadaway & Jean Atcheson», London, Octopus Books Limited, 1973, p.125. Screen
7: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (October 15, 1986), New York, Watch Tower
Bible and Tract Society, p.23. Screen 8: HARLAN, Russell. In: «Uncle
Arthur's Bedtime Stories, volume 3» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Review and Herald Publishing
Association and Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1976, p.172,173. Picture edited by
Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 9: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (November
1, 1987), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.17. Screen 10: HUTCHINSON,
WM. In: «The Bible Story, volume 8» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1957, p.169. Screen 11: In: «Awake» magazine (July 22,
1994), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.26. Screen 12: In:
«The Watchtower» magazine (April 1, 1994), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract
Society, p.3. Screen 13: Photo by SPRINGER, Joel. In: «Adventist
Review» (September 1996), Review and Herald Publishing Association, p.17. Screen
14: Photo by Mark Bolster/International Stock. In: «Signs of the Times»
magazine (November 1998), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.18. Screen 15: RUDEEN,
Herbert. In: «The Bible Story, volume 2» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1957, p.41. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 16: In:
«La Révélation - le grand dénouement est proche», New York, Watch Tower Bible and
Tract Society, 1988, p.239. Screen 17: First picture: BISHOP, Tom.
«Woman of Revelation 12». In: «New Pictoral Aid For Bible Study» (BREADEN, Frank),
Australian Division of Seventh-Day Adventists, 1970, chart #40. Second picture: BISHOP,
Tom. «Woman of Revelation 17». In: «New Pictoral Aid For Bible Study» (BREADEN,
Frank), Australian Division of Seventh-Day Adventists, 1970, chart #45. Composite picture
by Cyberspace Ministry. Screen 18: In: «La Sentinelle» magazine (March
1994), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.1. Screen 19: Advertisement
for shampoo «Timotei». Screen 20: Booklet «Couleurs Extrêmes,
Xpérience Couleur», L'Oréal Paris. Screen 21: Photo from PonoPresse.
In: «Femme Plus» magazine (August 2000), p.40. Screen 22: HARLAN,
Russell. In: «Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories, volume 4» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Review and
Herald Publishing Association and Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1976, p.143.
Screen 23: In: «Vous pouvez vivre éternellement sur une terre qui deviendra un
paradis», New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1982, p.229. Screen 24: In:
«The Watchtower» magazine (June 1, 1993), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society,
p.17. Screen 25: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «The Bible Story, volume 10»
(MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1957, p.140. Screen
26: SEDLACK, Andrew. In: «The Bible Story, volume 9» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.),
Pacific Press Publishing Association, 1957, p.186. Picture edited by Cyberspace Ministry.
Screen 27: In: «The Watchtower» magazine (September 15, 1987), Watch Tower
Bible and Tract Society, p.10. Screen 28: In: Revue «The Watchtower»
(March 15, 1988), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, p.1. Screen 29: ZINGARO,
Charles. In: «Votre Bible et vous» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Pacific Press Publishing
Association, 1978, p.48. Screen 30: ANDERSON, Harry. In: «Votre Bible et
Vous» (MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Press Publishing Association, p.104,105. Screen 31: In:
«The Watchtower» magazine (March 15, 1987), New York, Watch Tower Bible and Tract
Society, p.17. Screen 32: Photo by Peter Grumann - The Image Bank. In:
«La Sentinelle» magazine (October 1995), Pacific Press Publishing Association, p.1.
Screen 33: NYE, Vernon. In: «Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Stories, volume 2»
(MAXWELL, Arthur S.), Review and Herald Publishing Association and Pacific Press
Publishing Association, 1976, p.98. Screen 34: Picture Collection «Corel
Gallery Magic» by Corel, 1997, CD #8, Photo Library 3, 424023.PCD.
Any copyrighted images not bearing a statement of permission, are used
for the purpose of non-commercial scholarly commentary or criticism in accordance with section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law, and with article 29 of Canada Copyright Act (Chapter C-42), which by
law can be without the consent or endorsement of the copyright holder. Images lacking
attribution are either known or assumed to be in the public domain, or have an as yet
undetermined status. Anyone having knowledge of proper attribution for an image is
requested to contact us via email below so that it can be correctly noted. It is our
intent to comply fully with applicable laws regarding intellectual property rights.
The test of Lesson 37 is waiting for you!