Paul’s Authority and Gospel. (Oct 1-7)

Judaizers countered Paul by appealing to tradition.  How important is tradition?  Considering that Paul used to be a persecuting Pharisee (before his conversion) how would you expect it to influence the way he deals with Judaizers?

Paul the Letter Writer

1.       What makes Paul or any other scripture more difficult to understand?

2.       Why should Paul’s personal letters be considered “inspired” and useful for others?

Paul’s Calling

1.       Why was it important for Paul to be considered an apostle or eyewitness of the resurrection?  Since some books of the NT were not written by apostles, why bother?

2.       Can a person not commissioned by Christ be inspired by the Holy Spirit?

Paul’s Gospel

1.       What is the meaning of “grace and peace” that Paul should wish that for his readers?

2.       What is the essence of the gospel? How many sentences is the minimum required to describe it?

No Other Gospel

1.       In speech and in letters why do some people not get to the point immediately?  What are the some of the merits and demerits of beating around the bush?

2.       Why do some people allow themselves to be swayed by “preachers of another gospel?”

The Origin of Paul’s Gospel

1.       Should a person’s life or motives be taken into account when evaluating the message?   What kinds of facts or rumours can we spread about a person to render his/her message ineffective?     

2.       If you hear rumours about yourself that negative your message, how should you react?

Paul: Apostle to the Gentiles (for Sept 24-30)

Do God’s plans for our lives restrict our freedom?

Persecutor of Christians

1.       What do you imagine Saul’s relationship to God was like while he was a persecutor?

2.       How do you think God felt about Saul as He viewed the Pharisee’s sincerity in persecuting the early Christians?

3.       At the stoning of Stephen why do you think Saul chose to stand by the clothes rather than participate in the throwing of stones?

Saul’s Conversion

1.       What requires greater conviction, to be a persecutor or to be persecuted? How easy is it to change your opinion about something?  How does it feel to suddenly realize you have been on the wrong side? 

2.       Why does God not use such extreme measures to convert people today as he used for Saul?

Saul in Damascus

1.       How was inflicting Saul with blindness more appropriate than other things for example loss of hearing?

2.       What qualities would God have desired in a person whom he could send to Saul?

3.       Why do you think the record is silent on the effect of Saul’s conversion on his associates?

The Gospel Goes to the Gentiles

1.       During persecution which is a better place to hide, a city or a wilderness?

2.       Why do you think Saul changed his name? What challenges do you think Paul encountered as he began his ministry?

3.       Which is more challenging, establishing a new church or preserving members in an established one?

Conflict Within the Church

1.       Why do you think Jewish Christians were unhappy with gentiles joining the church?

2.       Considering that all of them had been expelled from the synagogue why would Jewish Christians still insist on Gentile members adopting their customs?

3.       Do those who have been in the church a long time have some right to preserve the “faith of our fathers?” 

4.       In conflict how can we be sure that we are on God’s side? 

Worship in the Book of Revelation

Why does our memory text and so many other texts stress “learning a new song?” What is there about learning a new song?  Does God appreciate a well-sung song better than an off-key one?

I Fell at His Feet as Dead

1.       How can we combine the need to maintain a view of God’s sovereignty and majesty on one hand with the other need to view him as a close friend?

2.       Why did Job keep quiet after observing all that God showed him in creation?  What did nature tell him?  Why did he not see all that before?

3.       Is it true that one cannot create anything greater than one’s self?

Holy, Holy, Holy

1.       What is the connection between praise and worship?  Can you have one without the other?

2.       How do you think you would feel in God’s presence?  How can you best prepare for such an encounter?

3.       Are we going to get punished for being so irreverent in his unseen presence?

Revelation 13

1.       Would you like to be worshipped?  Why or why not?

2.       Why is Satan so anxious to recruit people to his side?  What does he get out of it?

Revelation 14

1.        Why is Sabbath observance so important to God?

2.       Can a sincere Sunday-observer get the same blessing as a Sabbath-keeper?

3.       Is only Sunday worship the mark of the beast or is Friday, Thursday, etc, worship the same?

Worship God

1.       Why are angels not worthy of worship?

2.       Why do humans have an inclination to worship?

3.       Have this quarters lessons impacted your worship?  Why or why not?

Worship in the Early Church

Is the apostolic church the correct model for the form of worship today? (Wasn’t the church in that era evangelistic?) Is there an ideal format for worship or does the ideal change according to time and location?  How much has the format of Adventist worship adjusted to situation?

Many Proofs

1.       The personality of the disciples at Pentecost was a far cry from that which they displayed at the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus.  What were reasons that contributed to this drastic change in them? 

2.       Observe the women and the disciples at the tomb: Why were they so slow to comprehend that Jesus had risen from the dead?

3.       Even after the disciples accepted the fact of the risen Savior, why was there no attempt to preach till Pentecost weeks later?

The Preaching of the Word

1.        Why is it that in many parts of the world public evangelism is giving way to personal evangelism?  Are we missing anything because of this?

2.       Why do many members prefer the conversational style of preaching to the “evangelistic” style?

3.       Can we and should we have the “Spirit” of Pentecost in our worship services?

4.       Do we have anything to learn from the worship of Pentecostals?

Paul on Mars Hill

1.       How appropriate is it to quote uninspired sources in sermons?

2.       How wise or unwise is it to use illustrations from non-Christian mythology?

3.       Paul used logic and reason but did not have much success.  Why does emotional appeal often bring more results than logic and reason?

Worship Contrary to the Law

1.       Was it necessary for Christianity to be a new religion?  Could it have dovetailed Judaism?

2.       When is it necessary for an “offshoot” to separate?

3.       Why were the Jews so blind to see Christ as the fulfillment of all they were hoping for?

Love Conquers All

1.       What is the relationship between love and worship?  Does my dislike for anyone in the church affect my worship?

2.       How do others come into the picture of worship which is between you and God?

3.       Jesus instruct hearers (Matt 5:23) to leave their gifts and make things right with persons who had aught against them before proceeding with giving their offering.  Does that apply only to the giving of offerings or even to other aspects of worship?

In Spirit and in Truth: Worship in the New Testament

The Song of Mary.  Lk 1: 46-55

1.       Do you think this praise was spontaneous response or composed carefully? Does it matter? Why is Mary singing? Why do we sing other people’s songs instead of composing our own?

2.       How would I have responded to the announcement if I were in Mary’s place?

The Temptation.  Lk 4:5-8

1.       Satan wanted Jesus to “fall down –prostrate (in Hebrew)” and worship him.  Jesus replied that we should (fall down prostrate in) worship only to God.  Is this the correct posture for worship? Or is prostrate in attitude enough?  What are the reasons for your answer.

2.       Why did Jesus not take the easy solution to achieve what He wanted?  What did He really want and would He have gotten it this way?

The Samaritan Woman.  Jn 4:1-24

1.       Was the Samaritan Woman a true worshipper?

2.       What did Jesus accomplish by engaging her?

3.       Since Mt Gerazim was where Abraham and Isaac built altars and where God proclaimed blessings, what makes a spot sacred at one time and ordinary at other times?

4.       Is our church more sacred than our homes or offices?  Is a dedicated church more sacred than one not dedicated? Why or why not?

5.       Why do we go to church every Sabbath.  Can’t we worship better in different nature.  

True Worshippers.

1.       Jesus said the hour “will come” and “has now come” when we would worship neither in Mt Gerazim or Jerusalem.  When was that?

2.       If the location or forms of worship are not important why do we retain the same form week after week?  Should our worship be more spontaneous?

Who is Jesus

1.       Why would some Christians deny that Jesus is God?

How would our worship be affected if Jesus is not God?

Worship: From the Exile to the Restoration

(Keeping in mind the capture of the Israelites by the Babylonians and the destruction of the temple) How do you accept defeat whether in a game, a test, or a fight? How do you cope with defeat in the thing most important to you?

(Not in the lesson, but very very important.) Jeremiah was shown two baskets of figs – one good and one bad.  One represented those who were taken captive to Babylon, and the other basket represented those left behind.  Which one do you think the good figs represented?  Compare your answer with Jer 24:4-9.  Can you account for this fact?

EZEKIEL 8

1.     The apostasy of the Israelites as shown in vision to Ezekiel included installation of a statue of jealousy (8:5), inscription of graffiti on the walls (8:10), lamenting by women of the annual death of Tamuz (8:14), and sun worship by the men (8:16).  Is it fair to compare these with what occurs in our churches – jealousies, graffiti in the hymnals, letting our minds wander during the sermon, the prayer, the offertory to the unholy? 

2.     What is the difference or relationship if any between apostasy and carelessness?

Daniel 3

Adventists believe that Seal of God and Mark of the Beast kick into effect when the Sunday law is passed and Sabbath observance becomes a life and death issue.

1.     Would a person believing with all his/her heart that Sunday is the Sabbath and laying down his/her life rather than break that (erroneous) “Sabbath,” could that person obtain the Seal of God through such martyrdom? 

2.     Is it fair to say that the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace had the Seal of God for being willing to give up their lives rather than worship the image? Can you think of other doctrines have been issues of life and death in Bible history?

JERemiah 29

1.     When you want to return from captivity in a year or two, how do you come to terms with a prophecy that declares it will be seventy years? What can we do to ensure we survive a long period of darkness in our lives – sickness, joblessness, poor family relationships?  Where is God in all this?

2.     How can recognizing God’s sovereignty and submitting to it help us to endure?  Can our response postpone or hasten recovery?

ZECHARIAH 1

1.     The Israelites were told so often that the captivity had been sent because of their idolatry and Sabbath breaking that they never lapsed into those sins again.   To prevent recurrence they multiplied rule upon rule to guide proper Sabbath observance.  How did that contribute to true worship?

2.     Most of us are less strict in our Sabbath observance (and perhaps in other matters such as adherence to health principles) today than we were a decade or two ago.  Are we becoming less legalistic or more liberal? What makes this either good or bad?

Nehemiah 1

1.     Can one person—a leader or reformer, always make a difference in rousing the people out of apathy?

2.     Will a reformer always incur the displeasure of leadership?

3.     Can the ills that plague the Seventh-day Adventist church be tackled by ordinary members?

4.     Reformers often acquire the tag of “self righteousness.”  Why is this, and can it be avoided?