DAILY TEXT, Today Wednesday September 25, 2024,  When I leave, fierce wolves will come in among you (Acts 20:29).

Let us examine the Scriptures every day 2024

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

When I leave, fierce wolves will come in among you (Acts 20:29).

Shortly after most of Jesus’ apostles died, false Christians began infiltrating the congregation (Matt. 13:24–27, 37–39). They said “twisted things to draw away the disciples and drag them away after them” (Acts 20:30). One of the “twisted things” they eventually began to teach was that Jesus did not offer his body “once to bear the sins of many people.” Contrary to what the Bible says, they taught that Christ’s sacrifice must be offered again and again (Heb. 9:27, 28). Today, many good-hearted people believe this false teaching. They go to church every week, or even every day, to celebrate what is known as the sacrifice of the Mass. On the other hand, there are religions that remember Jesus’ death less frequently, but most of their members do not clearly understand what this means. w23.01 21 par. 5.

What did a group of Bible students in 1872 come to understand?

In the 1870s, a group of Bible students led by Charles Russell began to look deeply into God's Word. They wanted to understand the true value of Jesus' sacrifice and how his death should be remembered. In 1872, they came to understand from the Bible that Jesus paid a ransom for all of humanity. And they did not keep what they had discovered a secret. On the contrary, they published it in books, newspapers, and magazines. Soon afterward, they began to celebrate the Memorial only once a year, just as Christians did in the first century.

How does all that the early Bible students investigated benefit us today?

How does all that sincere Christians investigated so many years ago benefit us today? Jehovah blessed their efforts, and we see clearly what Jesus’ sacrifice means and what it will accomplish. (1 John 2:1, 2) We have also learned that the Bible offers two hopes for those who obey God: immortal life in heaven for some and eternal life on earth for millions. And we feel closer to Jehovah when we reflect on how much he loves us and how much Jesus’ sacrifice benefits us personally. (1 Pet. 3:18; 1 John 4:9) So, like faithful brothers of old, we invite others to celebrate the Memorial with us in the way Jesus directed.

What have Jehovah’s servants done to invite others to the Memorial? (See pictures.)

Jehovah’s servants have been inviting people to the Memorial for many years. In 1881, this magazine invited brothers in the United States to meet at a house in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, to celebrate the Memorial. Later, each congregation began to celebrate its own Memorial. But it was not until March 1940 that publishers were told they could invite anyone in their area who showed interest. And in 1960, Bethel sent out printed invitations to congregations for the first time. Since then, Jehovah’s Witnesses have distributed billions of invitations. Why do we invest so much time and effort in this work?

Who benefits from our efforts to invite others to the Memorial? (John 3:16)

One reason we invite others to the Memorial is because we want them to know what Jehovah and Jesus have done for all of us. (Read John 3:16.) We want what they see and hear for the first time that evening to motivate them to know Jehovah better and to become his servants. But they are not the only ones who benefit from our efforts to invite others.

Our invitations also go out to another group of people: the inactive. We invite them to the Memorial to remind them that God still loves them. We are overjoyed to see that many choose to attend. That night reminds them of how happy they were serving Jehovah. Consider Monica.c During the COVID-19 pandemic, she began preaching again. After attending the 2021 Memorial, she said: “This Memorial has been very special to me. It is the first time in 20 years that I have preached to others and invited them to the Memorial. I did it with all my heart, because I had no words to express my gratitude for what Jehovah and Jesus have done for me.”—Ps. 103:1-4. Whether people accept our invitation or not, we do our best to invite them because we know that Jehovah values ​​our efforts.

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