Want to Know What REALLY Happened?
Independence Is Never Free. . . Ever
The past year, Adventist Today has had the opportunity to report on events and people in the Adventist community where its independence was critically important.
- When it comes to reporting the political push and pull at the Conference, Union, Division, and General Conference layers of denominational management, our independent journalism is essential
- When it comes to reporting the triumphs and troubles of pastors, teachers, and local congregation ministry leaders, our independent journalism is essential.
- When it comes to reporting on Adventist healthcare, publishing or educational system, our independent journalism is essential
- When it comes to reporting on the trends in the Adventist community; what’s working and not working among the membership, our independent journalism is essential.
- When it comes to reporting on the conservative, antagonistic fringe of Adventism, our independent journalism is essential.
- When Adventists get involved in the political system of whatever country in the world, our independent journalism is essential.
- But independent journalism isn’t cheep. You wouldn’t want for Adventist Today to always release the public relations pieces the denomination puts out. You wouldn’t want us to simply copy and paste a news service into our online presences and leave it at that.
- You anticipate we will go after a story and either be the ones who break it, or we really do our due diligence and get the story right, or we give you the reasons why a story is important to you personally and your ministry in the church and community.
So Here’s the Pitch
It takes significant reader support to provide effective independent journalism.
Checking the facts doesn’t take a few phone calls or a well-placed email. It takes hours of working your sources, and working on several drafts of your article until you support every detail with the truth. Sometimes it takes travel to look someone in the eye to tell if the story you are hearing from a distance, matches with the body language of people you meet in their setting.
That’s independent journalism. That’s what it takes, and more.
And you deserve the very best we can offer. But we can’t deliver that quality day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, without your support. We don’t have denominational budgets to fund our work. There isn’t a philanthropic family or corporation funding Adventist Today. We are reader supported, and we believe we’re worth supporting.
Your Donation is Doubled
 |
And remember, every dollar you donate this week is doubled by our Challenge Fund up to $22,500! Every Supporting Membership at $7/month is doubled. Every Sustaining Membership at $15/month is doubled. Every Advising Membership at $50/month is doubled. This is a gift that keeps on giving! (And don’t miss our gift to you become a member or if you fund a gift membership to someone else! See below.)
Don’t delay! We will be happy to help you sign up if an online registration seems daunting. Call 800.236.3641 or send us an email: members@atoday.org. Or you can mail in your membership sign-up with a check, mailed to:
Adventist Today,
PO Box 683,
Milton Freewater, OR 97862.
You’ll want that letter to be post-marked this week to be eligible for the $1=$2 match.
A Gift for You!!!
Dr. Sakae Kubo is the author of 15 books based on his ability to read the Bible in its original languages. A widely respected speaker and scholar, he served as professor of religion at Andrews University in Michigan, dean of the School of Theology at Walla Walla University in Washington, dean of Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts and president of Newbold College in England. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago after completing his undergraduate and seminary degrees at Andrews University. Among the volumes he has authored over his long career are Theology and Ethics of Sex, So Many Versions: 20th Century English Versions of the Bible, God Meets Man, Acquitted: Message from the Cross, The God of Relationships, Open Rapture, Once Saved Always Saved?, Calculated Goodness, A Reader’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and A Beginner’s New Testament Greek Grammar.
Table of Contents
Dedication ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….1
Editor’s Note ……………………………………………………………………………………………………2
Contents…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3
Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………….5
The Nature of the Kingdom………………………………………………………………………………..9
The Four Soils…………………………………………………………………………………………………10
The Seed Growing of Itself, the Mustard, and the Leaven……………………………………..15
The Tares and the Net That Caught Fish of Every Kind………………………………………..19
The New Patch, The New Wineskins, and the Old and New Wine…………………………23
The Children in the Marketplace………………………………………………………………………..27
The cost and value of the kingdom…………………………………………………………………….30
The Empty house……………………………………………………………………………………………..31
The Unfinished Tower and Unprepared Army………………………………………………………36
The Hidden Treasure and The Pearl of Great Price ………………………………………………40
Candidates for the Kingdom………………………………………………………………………………45
The Lost Sheep and Coin ………………………………………………………………………………….46
The Gracious Father ………………………………………………………………………………………..52
The Lost Brother ……………………………………………………………………………………………..57
Prayer in the Kingdom ……………………………………………………………………………………..61
The Importunate Widow and the Friend at Midnight ……………………………………………62
The Pharisee and the Publican……………………………………………………………………………67
Forgiveness and Grace in the Kingdom……………………………………………………………….71
The Unprofitable Slave and the Gracious Master …………………………………………………72
The Unmerciful Servant ……………………………………………………………………………………77
The Two Debtors ……………………………………………………………………………………………..81
The Good Samaritan………………………………………………………………………………………….84
The Two Sons…………………………………………………………………………………………………..88
Judgment in the Kingdom………………………………………………………………………………….92
The Rich Fool ………………………………………………………………………………………………….93
The Rich Man and Lazarus ……………………………………………………………………………….97
The Unproductive Fig Tree………………………………………………………………………………102
The Cruel Vine Dressers …………………………………………………………………………………105
The Wedding Feast and the Banquet ………………………………………………………………..109
The Sheep and the Goats…………………………………………………………………………………117
The Wise and Foolish Builders………………………………………………………………………..122
Second coming of the king………………………………………………………………………………126
The Watchmen, the Thief, and the Steward……………………………………………………….127
The Unjust Steward……………………………………………………………………………………….130
The Ten Virgins ……………………………………………………………………………………………133
The Talents and the Pounds ……………………………………………………………………………136
About the Author ………………………………………………………………………………………….141
Notes …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..142
Or, call us and we’ll help you complete the online steps: 800.236.3641
We need 35 readers today to become members or donors at $15/month to meet our overall goal this week.
We’d love to hear from you right now.
