March

“The sheep” in the parable found at Matthew 25:31-36 represent righteous ones in the time of the end who have the earthly hope​—that is, the other sheep. They loyally support the remaining ones of Christ’s spirit-anointed brothers primarily by helping them do the worldwide preaching and disciple-making work. (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20) Every year in the weeks leading up to the Memorial, the other sheep show their support for Christ’s brothers by sharing fully in a global campaign to invite interested ones to the Memorial. They also help make all the necessary arrangements so that the Memorial can be held in every congregation worldwide. The other sheep are thrilled to support Christ’s brothers in such ways. These sheep know that Jesus views what they do for his anointed brothers as if they were doing it for him personally.​—Matt. 25:37-40. w22.01 22 ¶11-12

When we imitate Jesus’ qualities and ways of dealing with others​—for example, his pity for a leper, his empathy for a woman with a grievous illness, his compassion for the bereaved—​we are imitating Jehovah as well. (Mark 1:40, 41; 5:25-34; John 11:33-35) The more we become like Jehovah, the closer we draw to him. Following Jesus’ footsteps helps us not to be distracted by this wicked world. On the final night of his earthly life, Jesus was able to say: “I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) He meant that he had refused to allow himself to be influenced by the thinking, the goals, and the actions of this world. Jesus never allowed himself to lose his focus on the reason he was sent to earth​—to vindicate Jehovah. What about us? In this world, there are many things that could distract us. But if, like Jesus, we keep focused on doing Jehovah’s will, we too will “conquer” the world.​—1 John 5:5. w21.04 3-4 ¶7-8

The apostle Paul was familiar with Jesus’ promise that “everyone exercising faith in [Jesus] might . . . have everlasting life.” (John 3:16; Rom. 6:23) Paul certainly was among those who were exercising faith in the ransom. He was convinced that Jehovah is ready to forgive even those who have sinned seriously if they are repentant. (Ps. 86:5) Paul also had faith in the power of God’s love as expressed by Christ. Notice the reassuring words at the end of Galatians 2:20. Paul said: “The Son of God . . . loved me and handed himself over for me.” Paul did not put a limit on God’s love, as if to say, ‘I can see why Jehovah would love my brothers, but he could not possibly love me.’ Paul reminded the Romans: “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8) God’s love knows no boundaries! Paul was absolutely convinced of the power of God’s love. Paul knew how Jehovah had patiently dealt with the nation of Israel. w21.04 22 ¶8-10

When conducting a Bible study, help your student come to love Jehovah. How? Look for opportunities to draw attention to Jehovah’s qualities. Help your student to view Jehovah as a happy God who supports those who love him. (1 Tim. 1:11; Heb. 11:6) Show the student that he will benefit by applying the information, and explain that this is a reflection of Jehovah’s love for him. (Isa. 48:17, 18) Your student will be more motivated to make any needed changes as his love for Jehovah deepens. To progress to baptism, a Bible student will need to make sacrifices. Some students may need to sacrifice material things. Many may have to leave behind friends who do not love Jehovah. Others may be abandoned by family members who dislike Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jesus promised that those who follow him will not be disappointed. They will be richly rewarded with a loving spiritual family.​—Mark 10:29, 30. w21.06 4 ¶8-9

The apostle Paul likened the work of disciple-making to cultivating a crop, showing that we must do more than plant seeds. He reminded the Corinthians: “I planted, Apollos watered . . . You are God’s field under cultivation.” (1 Cor. 3:6-9) As workers in “God’s field,” not only do we plant the seeds but we water them and regularly check the progress of our plantings. At the same time, we recognize that it is God who makes the seed grow. What a privilege we have both to preach and to teach the truth to others! This work makes us genuinely happy. The apostle Paul, who helped many in Thessalonica to become disciples, expressed his feelings this way: “What is our hope or joy or crown of exultation before our Lord Jesus at his presence? Is it not in fact you? You certainly are our glory and joy.”​—1 Thess. 2:19, 20; Acts 17:1-4. w21.07 3 ¶5; 7 ¶17

Jehovah has drawn each of us to him. (John 6:44) Think of what that means. As Jehovah carefully examined all the billions of people in this world, he saw something precious in you​—a sincere heart that could grow to love him. (1 Chron. 28:9) Jehovah knows you, understands you, and loves you. How reassuring that is! Jehovah cares deeply about you, and he also cares about all your Christian brothers and sisters. To illustrate this point, Jesus compared Jehovah to a shepherd. If 1 sheep out of 100 strays from the flock, what will the shepherd do? He will “leave the 99 on the mountains and set out on a search for the one that is straying.” When the shepherd finds the sheep, he will not scold it for straying. He will rejoice. The point? Every sheep is important to Jehovah. Jesus said: “It is not a desirable thing to my Father who is in heaven for even one of these little ones to perish.”​—Matt. 18:12-14. w21.06 20 ¶1-2

When we reflect on God’s unfailing love for us, we deepen our own love for Jehovah and strengthen our bond with him. (Rom. 8:38, 39) We are moved to imitate Jesus’ example. (1 Pet. 2:21) In the days leading up to the Memorial, we focus on Bible accounts about Jesus’ final week on earth, his death, and his resurrection. Then on the evening of the Memorial, the discourse reminds us of Jesus’ love for us. (Eph. 5:2; 1 John 3:16) As we read about Jesus’ self-sacrificing example and meditate on it, we feel compelled to “go on walking just as that one walked.” (1 John 2:6) We are even more determined to remain in God’s love. (Jude 20, 21) We remain in God’s love by doing all we can to obey him, sanctify his name, and bring joy to his heart. (Prov. 27:11; Matt. 6:9; 1 John 5:3) The Memorial observance moves us to be more determined to live each day in a way that says to Jehovah, ‘I want to remain in your love forever!’ w22.01 23 ¶17; 25 ¶18-19

Jehovah has given us the gift of free will. We can choose which course we will take in life. Our loving God rejoices when we choose to serve him. (Ps. 84:11; Prov. 27:11) We can use our free will properly in many areas. Following the example of Jesus, we can choose to put the interests of others ahead of our own. Once when Jesus and his apostles were very tired, they traveled to a quiet place where they hoped to get some rest. However, that was not to be. A crowd found them, and they were eager to be taught by Jesus. But Jesus did not become irritated. Instead, he felt pity for the people. So, what did Jesus do? “He started to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:30-34) When we imitate Jesus by sacrificing our time and energy to help others, we bring glory to our heavenly Father.​—Matt. 5:14-16. w21.08 3 ¶7-8

Jehovah loves variety. This is evident in his amazing creations, including humankind. Each of us is unique. So Jehovah never compares you with others. He examines your heart, your inner person. (1 Sam. 16:7) He also takes into account your strengths, weaknesses, and background. And he does not ask more of you than you can give. We need to imitate Jehovah by seeing ourselves as he does. Then we will have “a sound mind,” thinking neither too much nor too little of ourselves. (Rom. 12:3) Of course, we may benefit by observing the good example of a faithful brother or sister who has a productive ministry. (Heb. 13:7) We might then see ways in which we can be more effective in our own ministry. (Phil. 3:17) But there is a difference between imitating someone’s good example and using it to assess your value as an individual. w21.07 20 ¶1-2

You can build your faith in the Creator by observing animals, plants, and stars. (Ps. 19:1) The more you study such things, the more convinced you will become that Jehovah is the Creator. When studying creation, pay careful attention to what the facts reveal about our Creator. (Rom. 1:20) For instance, you may know that our sun, in addition to providing life-giving heat, emits harmful energy in the form of ultraviolet rays. We humans need to be protected from those rays. And we are! How? Our earthly home has its own protective shield​—a layer of ozone gas that filters out the harmful radiation. As the ultraviolet rays from the sun get more intense, the amount of ozone grows. Now, do you not agree that there must be someone behind this process and that he must be a loving and an intelligent Creator? w21.08 17 ¶9-10

After a person gets baptized, we must continue to love and respect him. (1 John 4:20) What does this involve? For one thing, we give him the benefit of the doubt whenever possible. For example, we would not impute bad or selfish motives to him. Instead, we would show honor for our brother, considering him to be superior to us. (Rom. 12:10; Phil. 2:3) Actually, we should show mercy and kindness to all people. If we want to be among those who can rightly call Jehovah their Father forever, we must apply God’s Word in our lives. For instance, Jesus taught that we should show mercy and kindness to all people, even our enemies. (Luke 6:32-36) We may find that at times this is difficult for us to do. If so, we must learn to think and act like Jesus. When we do our best to obey Jehovah and imitate Jesus, we show our heavenly Father that we want to be part of his family forever. w21.08 6 ¶14-15

Learn to rely on Jehovah. He promises to shower us with blessings when we trust in him and give him our best. The Bible is filled with examples of individuals who exerted themselves in Jehovah’s service. In many instances, they had to take the first step before they received special blessings from Jehovah. For example, it was only after Abraham left his home​—“although not knowing where he was going”—​that Jehovah blessed him. (Heb. 11:8) It was only after Jacob wrestled with the angel that he received a special blessing. (Gen. 32:24-30) When the nation of Israel was about to enter the Promised Land, it was only after the priests stepped into the raging Jordan River that the people were able to cross over. (Josh. 3:14-16) You can also benefit from the examples of modern-day Witnesses who have relied on Jehovah and reached out. w21.08 29-30 ¶12-14

You older brothers and sisters know from experience how things were done in the past, but you also see the need to adapt to changing circumstances. You older ones who recently got baptized also have much to give. Younger ones will appreciate hearing about your experiences and the lessons you have learned. If you “practice giving” from your storehouse of experience, Jehovah will bless you richly. (Luke 6:38) As you dear older ones draw closer to younger ones, you will be able to support one another. (Rom. 1:12) Each has something of value that the other does not possess. Older ones have the wisdom and experience that they gained with the passing of time. Younger ones have energy and strength. When young and old work together as friends, they bring praise to our loving heavenly Father and are a blessing to all in the congregation. w21.09 8 ¶3; 13 ¶17-18

Why were many Jews disturbed by the way Jesus died? To them, Jesus’ death on a stake made him appear to be a criminal and a sinner​—not the Messiah. (Deut. 21:22, 23) Those among the Jews who stumbled at Jesus failed to recognize that he was innocent, that he was falsely accused, and that he was treated unjustly. Those conducting Jesus’ trial made a mockery of justice. The Jewish supreme court was hastily convened, and the proceedings were most irregular. (Luke 22:54; John 18:24) Rather than impartially listen to the charges and the evidence against Jesus, the judges themselves sought “false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death.” (Matt. 26:59; Mark 14:55-64) And after Jesus was raised from the dead, those unrighteous judges paid the Roman soldiers who were guarding his tomb “a considerable number of silver pieces” to spread a false story to explain why the tomb was empty.​—Matt. 28:11-15. w21.05 11 ¶12-13

Jehovah could put an end to this wicked system of things at any time. But his patience has proved to be a blessing for us! All descendants of Adam and Eve are imperfect when they come into the world. Still, Jehovah loves them and cares for them, and he has promised to bring an end to this wicked system of things. (1 John 4:19) And he has set the date when he will undo all the maladies that plague his human creation. Should not his love motivate us to endure along with him for as long as it is necessary? Jehovah set the perfect example of endurance. Jesus succeeded in imitating his Father’s endurance. As a human, Jesus endured hostile speech, shame, and a torture stake for our sake. (Heb. 12:2, 3) Jehovah’s example of endurance undoubtedly gave Jesus the strength to endure. It can strengthen us too. w21.07 12-13 ¶15-17

We daily experience our heavenly Father’s mercy. (Ps. 103:10-14) Jesus’ followers were imperfect; yet, he showed them mercy and forgiveness. He was even willing to sacrifice his life so that our sins can be forgiven. (1 John 2:1, 2) We strengthen the bond of love in our spiritual family when we are “freely forgiving.” (Eph. 4:32) Of course, forgiving others can be very hard at times, so we need to work at it. One sister felt that the Watchtower article “Forgive One Another Freely” helped her to do just that. She writes: “[The article] explained that being willing to forgive others does not mean that you approve of their wrong behavior or minimize the damage it causes. But forgiving does mean letting go of resentment for such wrongs and maintaining your own peace.” When we freely forgive our brothers and sisters, we show that we love them and that we imitate our Father, Jehovah. w21.09 23-24 ¶15-16

Jesus loved the truth, that is, the truth about God and His purposes. Jesus lived in harmony with that truth, and he made that truth known to others. (John 18:37) Jesus’ true followers also deeply loved the truth. (John 4:23) In fact, the apostle Peter referred to Christianity as “the way of the truth.” (2 Pet. 2:2) Because of their strong love for truth, the early Christians rejected religious ideas, cultural traditions, and personal opinions that were out of harmony with the truth. (Col. 2:8) Likewise today, true Christians strive to “go on walking in the truth” by strictly basing all their beliefs and their way of life on Jehovah’s Word. (3 John 3, 4) God’s people today do not claim to have perfect or complete knowledge of the truth. At times, they have made mistakes in doctrinal matters and in organizational direction. When the matter has come to light, they have made the needed corrections. w21.10 21-22 ¶11-12

Just as the walls surrounding an ancient city protected its citizens, so Jehovah’s acts of loyal love surround us, providing spiritual protection from dangers that could test our integrity. Further, Jehovah’s loyal love moves him to draw us to him. (Jer. 31:3) The psalmist David used another word picture to describe the protection that God’s people enjoy. He wrote: “God is my secure refuge, the God who shows loyal love to me.” David also stated about Jehovah: “He is my loyal love and my stronghold, my secure refuge and my rescuer, my shield and the One in whom I have taken shelter.” (Ps. 59:17; 144:2) Why did David connect Jehovah’s loyal love with a refuge and a stronghold? No matter where we live on earth, as long as we are his servants, Jehovah will provide us with all the protection we need to safeguard our precious relationship with him. w21.11 6 ¶14-15

When Jesus and his disciples were caught in a storm at sea, Jesus used the event to help them see areas where they needed greater faith. (Matt. 8:23-26) As the storm raged on and water swept over the boat, Jesus was sleeping peacefully. When the terrified disciples woke him and asked him to save them, the Lord gently reproved them: “Why are you so afraid, you with little faith?” Are you facing “a great storm” in your life? It might involve hardship because of a natural disaster. Or it may be a figurative storm, such as a severe health problem that has left you feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. You may be anxious at times, but do not let your anxiety stop you from trusting in Jehovah. Draw close to him in earnest prayer. Strengthen your faith by meditating on the times in the past when Jehovah helped you. (Ps. 77:11) You can be sure that he will never abandon you​—not now, not ever. w21.11 22 ¶7, 10

Someone might conclude that as long as he was careful not to take anything that did not belong to him, he would be obeying that command. Yet, he might be stealing in other ways. For example, a merchant who used inaccurate scales or measurements in order to deceive his customers would in a sense be stealing from them. Leviticus 19:13 connects stealing with dishonest business practices, saying: “You must not defraud your fellow man.” So fraudulent business practices are linked with stealing and robbery. While the eighth commandment set out the law on stealing, the details found in Leviticus help us understand how to apply the spirit of that law. We can benefit from reflecting on Jehovah’s view of dishonesty and stealing. We might ask ourselves: ‘In the light of Leviticus 19:11-13, is there something in my life that merits attention? Do I need to make adjustments in my business dealings or work habits?’ w21.12 9-10 ¶6-8

In your private prayers, think about specific mistakes you have made during the day and then ask Jehovah for forgiveness. Of course, if you have committed a serious sin, you will also need the help of the elders. They will listen to you and offer loving counsel from God’s Word. They will pray with you, asking Jehovah to continue applying the value of Jesus’ sacrifice “so that you may be [spiritually] healed.” (Jas. 5:14-16) Also, it will be helpful to meditate on the ransom. You may find it painful to think about how God’s Son suffered so much. But the more you meditate on the sacrifice Jesus made, the deeper your love for him and for his Father will become. Each year we deepen our gratitude for the ransom by attending the Memorial of Jesus’ death and by zealously inviting others to join us. What a privilege Jehovah has given us to teach others about his Son! w21.04 18-19 ¶13-16

Think of Jesus’ reaction when a multitude of people went to meet him on a mountainside. Jesus had spent the whole night in prayer. He must have been very tired, but when he saw the crowds, his heart went out to the poor and the sick among them. He not only healed them but also delivered one of the most motivating public discourses of all time​—the Sermon on the Mount. (Luke 6:12-20) Jesus was also generous with his personal time. Can you imagine how Jesus felt when he learned that his friend John the Baptizer had been beheaded? The Bible says: “At hearing [about the death of John], Jesus departed from there by boat into an isolated place to be alone.” (Matt. 14:10-13) But a large crowd arrived at that isolated place before he did. (Mark 6:31-33) He could see that they desperately needed spiritual refreshment, and he was quick to fill that need.​—Luke 9:10, 11. w22.02 21 ¶4, 6

How should we proceed when we realize that we have offended a fellow believer? We should turn to Jehovah in earnest prayer. We can ask him to bless our efforts to gain our brother. We should also take time to analyze ourselves. We can ask ourselves such questions as these: ‘Am I willing to sacrifice my pride, humbly apologize, and make peace? How will Jehovah and Jesus feel if I take the initiative to make peace with my brother or my sister?’ Our answers can motivate us to listen to Jesus and humbly approach our fellow believer in order to make peace. When we go to our brother to settle a difference with him, we need to do so with a humble spirit. (Eph. 4:2, 3) We should approach the offended one with the goal of removing any hurt from his heart. Remember that restoring peace with your brother is more important than establishing who was right and who was wrong.​—1 Cor. 6:7. w21.12 26 ¶13-16

Jesus felt pain of heart because he knew that his countrymen in general had already shown that they would refuse to respond favorably to the Kingdom message. As a result, Jerusalem would be destroyed and any Jews who survived the destruction of the city would be led into captivity. (Luke 21:20-24) Sadly, just as Jesus anticipated, most of the people rejected him. How do people in general respond to the Kingdom message where you live? If few respond positively to your efforts to teach them the truth, what can you learn from Jesus’ tears? Jehovah cares about people. Jesus’ tears remind us of how much Jehovah cares about people. “He does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” (2 Pet. 3:9) Today we show that we love our neighbors by persevering in our self-sacrificing efforts to touch their heart with the good news.​—Matt. 22:39. w22.01 16 ¶10-12

Your faith will grow stronger as you meditate on what Jehovah has already done for his people and on what he has done for you personally. Most important, though, your love for Jehovah will deepen. Love, more than any other quality, will motivate you to obey Jehovah, to make sacrifices in order to please him, and to endure any trial. (Matt. 22:37-39; 1 Cor. 13:4, 7; 1 John 5:3) Nothing could be more precious than a close, loving friendship with Jehovah! (Ps. 63:1-7) Remember that prayer, study, and meditation are acts of worship. Like Jesus, seek out quiet settings in which to spend time with Jehovah. Eliminate unnecessary distractions. Ask Jehovah to help you focus when you are engaged in spiritual activities. If you make the best use of your time now, Jehovah will reward you with life forever in God’s new world.​—Mark 4:24. w22.01 31 ¶18-20

Our thoughts influence our actions. That is why Jesus taught us to reject thoughts that can lead us to commit a serious sin. (Matt. 5:21, 22, 28, 29) We want to be pleasing to our heavenly Father, do we not? How important it is, then, that we immediately reject any bad thoughts that come to our mind! Jesus said: “Whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart.” (Matt. 15:18) Yes, our speech reveals a lot about who we are on the inside. So ask yourself: ‘Do I refuse to lie, even if telling the truth will cause me trouble? As a married person, am I careful not to flirt with those of the opposite sex? Do I avoid immoral speech like the plague? Do I reply in a calm manner when someone upsets me?’ You will find it helpful to reflect on those questions. If you try your best to remove abusive, lying, and immoral speech from your conversation, you will find it easier to strip off the old personality. w22.03 5 ¶12-14

Those who ask for counsel rather than wait for someone to approach them will often make greater spiritual progress than those who do not seek advice. So take the initiative by asking for counsel. When might we ask for counsel from fellow believers? Consider some situations. (1) A sister asks an experienced publisher to join her on a study and later asks for advice on how she can improve her teaching methods. (2) A single sister would like to purchase a pair of slacks, so she asks a mature sister for her honest opinion about the selection. (3) A brother is assigned to give his first public talk. He asks an experienced speaker to listen carefully to his talk and offer him some constructive counsel on how he can improve. Even a brother who has given talks for many years does well to ask for such feedback from experienced speakers and then to apply the counsel he receives.​—Prov. 19:20. w22.02 13 ¶15-17

Jehovah loves us and cares for us, just as he loved Jesus and cared for him during his challenging earthly assignment. (John 5:20) He provided for all of Jesus’ spiritual, emotional, and physical needs. And Jehovah did not hold back from expressing love for and approval of his Son. (Matt. 3:16, 17) Because he could always count on his loving heavenly Father, Jesus never felt alone. Like Jesus, all of us have experienced many expressions of Jehovah’s love. Just think: Jehovah drew us to him and has given us a loving and united spiritual family to make us happy and to help fill our emotional needs. (John 6:44) Jehovah also provides us with a steady supply of upbuilding spiritual food. And he even helps us to care for our daily material needs. (Matt. 6:31, 32) As we reflect on Jehovah’s love for us, our love for him grows. w21.09 22 ¶8-9

What was your life like before you began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses? Many of us would be frightened to think about it. Our outlook and personality were likely shaped by the world’s standards of right and wrong. If so, we “had no hope and were without God in the world.” (Eph. 2:12) But, as you studied the Bible, you discovered that you have a heavenly Father who loves you very much. You realized that if you wanted to please Jehovah and become part of his family of worshippers, you would have to make significant changes in your lifestyle, outlook, and thinking. You would have to learn to live by his high standards. (Eph. 5:3-5) Our Creator and heavenly Father, Jehovah, has the right to determine how members of his family should behave. And he requires that before we get baptized, we put forth effort to “strip off the old personality with its practices.” w22.03 2 ¶1-3

The other sheep are happy to be present as observers at the Memorial and contemplate their hope. They look forward to the Memorial discourse, for much of it focuses on what Christ and his 144,000 corulers will do for faithful humans during the Thousand Year Reign. Under the leadership of their King Jesus Christ, those heavenly rulers will help transform the earth into a paradise and lift obedient humankind to perfection. How thrilling it is for the millions of observers at the Memorial to imagine the future fulfillment of Bible prophecies, such as those found at Isaiah 35:5, 6; 65:21-23; and Revelation 21:3, 4. By picturing themselves and their loved ones in that new world, they strengthen their hope for the future and their determination never to stop serving Jehovah.​—Matt. 24:13; Gal. 6:9. w22.01 21 ¶5-7

What is the ransom? The price Jesus paid to buy back what Adam lost. (1 Cor. 15:22) Why do we need the ransom? Because Jehovah’s standard of justice as set out in the Law required that a life be given for a life. (Ex. 21:23, 24) Adam lost his perfect human life. To satisfy God’s justice, Jesus sacrificed his perfect human life. (Rom. 5:17) He thus becomes an “Eternal Father” to all those who exercise faith in the ransom. (Isa. 9:6; Rom. 3:23, 24) Jesus was willing to sacrifice his life because of his great love for his heavenly Father and for us. (John 14:31; 15:13) Moved by that love, he was determined to keep his integrity to the end and to accomplish his Father’s will. Jesus did so by remaining faithful until his death. As a result, Jehovah’s original purpose for mankind and for the earth will be fulfilled. w21.04 14 ¶2-3