Yellow: Direct Response
Light Yellow: Additional Response
Celeste: Additional Points
“This is how the love of God was revealed” (1 JOHN 4:9).
1. How does commemorating the death of Jesus every year benefit us?
Isn't it true that rescue is an extraordinary gift? (2 Cor. 9:15). Because Jesus gave his life, we can have a close friendship with Jehovah and the opportunity to live forever. We have every reason to be grateful to Jehovah, who gave us this gift because he loves us very much. (Rom. 5:8). To help us remain grateful and never take the ransom for granted, Jesus commanded that we commemorate his death every year. (Luc. 22:19, 20).
2. What will we see in this article?
2 This year, the Memorial will take place on Saturday, April 12, 2025. No doubt we all plan to attend. It will do us much good to take time during the Memorial season to meditate on all that Jehovah and his Son have done for us. In this article we will see what the rescue teaches us about Jehovah and Jesus. In the next one we will analyze how the rescue benefits us and how we can show that we are grateful.
WHAT THE RESCUE TEACHES US ABOUT JEHOVAH
3. How could the death of a single man rescue millions of people? (See also images).
3 The ransom teaches us that Jehovah loves justice (Deut. 32:4). Why do we say it? As Adam disobeyed God, all of his descendants have inherited sin and death from him (Rom. 5:12). Jehovah sent Jesus to rescue us from sin and death. But how could the sacrifice of a single perfect man rescue millions of people? The apostle Paul explained it this way: “Just as many became sinners through the disobedience of one man [Adam], so many will become righteous through the obedience of one person [Jesus].” (Rom. 5:19; 1 Tim. 2:6). In other words, if all human beings became slaves to sin and death because a single perfect man disobeyed God, then to free us it was enough for a single perfect man to obey God.
ILLUSTRATION
Series of images: 1. Adam standing and in the background some people carry a coffin in a funeral procession. 2. Jesus standing and in the background people from different times, races, cultures and backgrounds.
One man enslaved us to death and sin, and one man freed us. (See paragraph 3).
4. Why couldn't Jehovah simply let Adam's obedient descendants live forever?
4 But did Jesus really have to die to save us? Could not Jehovah let Adam's obedient descendants live forever? From our imperfect point of view it may seem like a good solution, but let us remember that Jehovah's justice is perfect. So he couldn't ignore Adam's terrible disobedience and pretend nothing had happened.
5. Why can we be convinced that Jehovah will always do what is right?
5 But suppose that Jehovah had not paid the ransom, but had let Adam's imperfect children live forever. What would have happened? Since that would have meant overlooking his justice, people might wonder if he would do it again on other matters. For example, would you fail to keep any of your promises? But we don't have to worry about that, because Jehovah acted justly even though it meant sacrificing his Son whom he loved so much. So we are convinced that he will always do what is right.
6. How does the ransom help us see how much Jehovah loves us? (1 John 4:9, 10).
6 The ransom shows that Jehovah is just, but above all it highlights his deep love for us. (John 3:16; read 1 John 4:9, 10.) Jehovah sent his Son to die for us because he wants us to live forever and also be part of his family. Consider this: When Adam sinned, he was no longer part of Jehovah's family. And that is why we have all been born outside the family of God. But, thanks to the rescue, people who have faith in God and obey him will become part of his family one day. IEven now Jehovah can forgive our sins and we can have a beautiful friendship with him and with our brothers. How much Jehovah loves us! (Rom. 5:10, 11).
7. How does thinking about Jesus' suffering help us understand how much Jehovah loves us?
7 We can better understand how much Jehovah loves us if we think about the high price he had to pay to rescue us. Satan claims that no servant of God will remain faithful in difficult situations. To prove that this is not the case, Jehovah allowed Jesus to suffer before he died. (Job 2:1-5; 1 Ped. 2:21). When the people mocked Jesus and when the soldiers whipped him and hung him on a tree, Jehovah was watching from heaven. He also had to witness the painful death of his beloved Son. (Matt. 27:28-31, 39). Jehovah could have stopped them at any time. For example, he could have intervened when the people said, “May God rescue him now if He wants to help him” (Matt. 27:42, 43). But, if he had, the ransom would not have been paid and humanity would now have no hope. For that reason Jehovah allowed his Son to suffer until he took his last breath.
8. Why do we know that Jehovah felt pain when he saw his Son suffer? (See also the image).
8 It is true that Jehovah did not use his infinite power to prevent his Son from suffering, but that does not mean that he is insensitive. Jehovah created us with the ability to feel emotions, and since we were made in his image it is evident that he is also capable of feeling. In fact, the Bible says there were people who “hurt his feelings” and “made him sad.” (Ps. 78:40, 41). Let's think about Abraham and Isaac. Jehovah told Abraham to offer his son as a sacrifice (Gen. 22:9-12; Heb. 11:17-19). Abraham surely felt a mix of emotions as he prepared to quickly end his son's life. And Jehovah? How did you feel when you saw your Son being cruelly tortured to death? We cannot even get an idea of their immense sadness and pain. (See the video Examples of Faith: Abraham [part 2] on jw.org).
ILLUSTRATION
Jesus on the torture stake.
It pained Jehovah very much to see his Son suffer. (See paragraph 8).
9. What does Romans 8:32, 38, 39 teach you about Jehovah's love for you and all his servants?
9 The rescue teaches us that no one loves us as much as Jehovah, not even our best friend or our closest family member. (see Romans 8:32, 38, 39). In fact, Jehovah loves us more than we love ourselves. Think about this: Do you want to live forever? Well, Jehovah wants even more for you to live forever. Do you want your sins to be forgiven? Well, Jehovah wants it even more. The only thing he asks of us is that we accept his valuable gift by obeying him and having faith in him. Without a doubt, the rescue is very clear proof of the deep love that God has for us. And in the new world we will learn much more about Jehovah's love (Ecl. 3:11).
WHAT THE RESCUE TEACHES US ABOUT JESUS
10. a) What was Jesus' most distressed before he died? b) In what ways did Jesus vindicate Jehovah's name? (See also the box “The Integrity of Jesus Vindicated the Name of Jehovah.”)
10 Jesus cares deeply about his Father's reputation (John 14:31). He was greatly distressed that being accused of blasphemy and sedition would disgrace his Father's name. That is why he said to him: “My Father, if it is possible, take this cup from me” (Matt. 26:39). Because he remained loyal until his death, Jesus was able to definitively vindicate Jehovah's name.
ILLUSTRATION
Jesus prays fervently in the garden of Gethsemane.
By giving his life, Jesus showed how much he loves his Father. (See paragraph 10).
11. How did Jesus show that he loved people deeply? (John 13:1).
11 The rescue also teaches us that Jesus cares deeply about people, especially his disciples (Prov. 8:31; read John 13:1). Jesus knew that while he was on Earth, he would go through many hardships and suffer a very painful death. However, he did not fulfill his ministry out of a simple sense of commitment, but rather he put his whole heart into the work of preaching, teaching, and helping others. Even on the day of his death, he took time to wash the feet of his apostles, encourage them, and teach them lessons. (Juan 13:12-15). And later, while he was on the stake, he gave hope to the criminal who was next to him and commissioned Juan to take care of his mother, María. (Luc. 23:42, 43; Juan 19:26, 27). Jesus showed that he loved people deeply throughout his ministry and giving his life for them.
12. In what ways has Jesus continued to make sacrifices for us?
12 Christ “died once and for all,” but has continued to make sacrifices for us (Rom. 6:10). In fact, he continues to work hard to give us many good things that are possible because of the rescue. Think of all you do as King, High Priest, and head of the congregation (1 Cor. 15:25; Eph. 5:23; Heb. 2:17). He is in charge of gathering the anointed and the great crowd, a task that will be completed before the end of the great tribulation. (Matt. 25:32; Mark 13:27). He also ensures that his faithful servants are well-fed spiritually in these last days. (Mat. 24:45). And, during his Thousand Year Reign, he will continue to work to help us. As we see, when Jehovah gave his Son, he not only did so so that he could give his life, but also so that he could do many other things for us.
NEVER STOP LEARNING
13. How can meditation help you continue to learn more about the love that God and Christ have for us?
13 Meditation will help you continue learning more about the love that Jehovah and Jesus Christ have for us. Perhaps you can read one or more Gospels during this year's Memorial season. Try not to cover too much information at once, but instead slowly search for more reasons to love Jehovah and Jesus. And don't forget: try to tell others what you discover.
14. According to Psalm 119:97 and the note, what should we do to continue learning about the rescue and other teachings? (See also the image).
14 If you have been in the truth for many years, you may wonder if it is possible to continue discovering new details on such well-known topics as God's justice, His love, and rescue. But the truth is that with these kinds of topics one never stops learning. What can help you continue learning? Take advantage of all the information in our publications. If you come across a Bible text that you don't understand, search for information. And then throughout the day, meditate on what you discovered and learned about Jehovah, your Son, and their love for you. (read Psalm 119:97 and the note).
ILLUSTRATION
An older brother does his personal study with the Bible, a tablet and a notebook. See the table “Jesus' Last Week on Earth (Part 2),” which appears in Appendix B12-B of the “New World Translation.” Also consult chapter 129 of the book “Jesus: the way, the truth and the life.”
Even if we have been in the truth for many years, our gratitude for the rescue can grow more and more. (See paragraph 14).
15. Why should we continue searching for the treasures found in the Bible?
15 Don't be discouraged if you don't always learn something new or exciting when you sit down to read or study the Bible. In some ways, studying the Bible is like panning for gold. Many people spend hours, even days searching for gold. They are patient and persist because for them even the smallest nugget is valuable. The treasures we find in the Bible are much more valuable than gold (Sal. 119:127; Prov. 8:10). So be patient and don't stop reading and studying the Bible (Ps. 1:2).
16. How can we imitate Jehovah and Jesus?
16 As you study, look for ways to put what you learn into practice. For example, you can imitate Jehovah's justice by treating others fairly. And you can imitate the love that Jesus has for his Father and for people by being willing to suffer for the name of God, helping his brothers even if it means sacrifice, and preaching so that others have the opportunity to benefit from the extraordinary gift of the ransom.
17. What will we see in the next article?
17 The more we understand and value the ransom, the more we will love Jehovah and his Son. And then they will also love us more (John 14:21; James 4:8). That's why let's take advantage of everything that Jehovah gives us to continue learning from the rescue. In the following article we will analyze how the rescue benefits us and what we can do to show that we are grateful for this show of love from Jehovah.
WHAT DOES RESCUE TEACH YOU ABOUT THE FOLLOWING QUALITIES?
Jehovah's justice
The ransom teaches us that Jehovah loves justice. Why do we say it? As Adam disobeyed God, all his descendants have inherited sin and death from him. Jehovah sent Jesus to rescue us from sin and death.
The love of Jehovah
The rescue teaches us that no one loves us as much as Jehovah, not even our best friend or closest family member. In fact, Jehovah loves us more than we love ourselves. The only thing he asks of us is that we accept his valuable gift by obeying him and having faith in him. Without a doubt, the rescue is very clear proof of the deep love that God has for us. And in the new world we will learn much more about Jehovah's love.
The love of Jesus
The rescue also teaches us that Jesus cares deeply about people, especially his disciples. Jesus knew that while he was on Earth, he would go through many hardships and suffer a very painful death. However, he did not fulfill his ministry out of a simple sense of commitment, but rather he put his whole heart into the work of preaching, teaching, and helping others. Jesus showed that he loved people deeply throughout his ministry and giving his life for them.
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