Paul’s Pastoral Appeal

When trying to reach people with the gospel, after sharing doctrines, how much of personal appeal is appropriate?

The Heart of Paul (Gal 4:12, 20)

1.       Is it an advantage or disadvantage to become like brothers or a father to the people we are trying to convert?

2.       Can I say now that “Christ is formed” in me, as Paul was longing for in the Galatians?  If not, what is it that might be keeping me from feeling so?

The Challenge to Become (Gal 4:12)

1.       Are Adventists in general we experiencing love, joy, freedom, and certainty of salvation like Paul did?

2.       Am I a good enough example for other people whom I am trying to reach? If not, why not?

I Have Become as You ((Gal 4:12)

1.       How much of traditional Adventism are we prepared to surrender in order to convert people of another background and culture?

2.       Have we compromised any essential part of the gospel in the name of contextualization?

Then and Now (Gal 4:13)

1.       Is there anything that I am using as an excuse to avoid reaching others as Paul could have used his illness as an excuse?

2.       Do my trials and infirmities draw me closer to God or do they drive me further away?

Speaking the Truth (4:16)

1.       What are the situations that prompt me to “be frank” with others?

2.       When does “being frank” result in making people enemies?

From Slavery to Heirs

Why do some people will their wealth to servants or even pets when they have children?

Our Condition in Christ

1.       How does it feel to be freed from rules of childhood (baby sitter, chaperone) to join the adults as equals?

2.       Does “putting on the garment of Christ” make us wolves in sheep’s clothing?”

3.       What is the connection of “baptism” to spiritual maturity?

4.       Does Freedom in Christ enable me to dress however I want, eat what I want, and behave how I want?

Enslaved to Elementary Principles

1.       How do you reconcile Jesus’ admonition to “become as children,” on the one hand and on the other hand, Paul’s exhortation to put away childish things?

2.       Does everyone becoming “sons of God” remove all distinctions of race, class, and gender only with reference to the law or in every way?

3.       What is the role of the law in the life of a mature Christian?

God Sent Forth His Son

1.       Why didn’t Jesus come immediately after Adam and Eve sinned, or soon after to liberate humanity from the law?

2.       Could Jesus have felt “under the law” during his life on earth?

3.       Few of us know how it is to be freed from prison, but can being “freed” as in children’s games give us a glimpse?

The Privileges of Adoption

1.       What are the privileges an adopted child receives?

2.       At what point is an adopted child or foster child ready to call a parent “mom” or “dad?”

3.       Why do we not address God as “daddy?”

Why Turn Back to Slavery

1.       What are ways in which a child’s life is secure and safe?

2.       What is wrong if grown up person wishes to return to the security of being a child?

3.       Are there some who prefer the security of being a slave to the responsibility of being a son?

4.       It may be childish, but is it wrong to prefer living under the law and being “guided” by it?

The Road to Faith

Considering 1 as the very beginning of an evangelistic series and 10 as the end, at what point in between would you recommend the importance of the “law” be presented?

Those Christians who believe the Ten Commandments are done away with, don’t they believe breaking it is wrong to lie, steal, commit adultery, etc?  What do they really mean when they say the law is done away with?  What keeps us Adventists from saying the Ten Commandments was nailed to the cross?

The Law and the Promise

1.       Do you feel good when you follow rules?  Why or why not?

2.       Could God have made things simpler by giving us an easier law to keep?

3.       If we were never expected to really keep the law (or were we?), was it given just to show us how far short we are of what God expected?

Kept Under the Law

1.       What do you understand of the term “under the law?”

2.       Does righteousness by faith put one “above the law?”

3.       How far can we go in emphasizing the importance of the law till we are in danger of rejecting grace?

The Law as Our Guard

1.       Gal 3:23 likens the law to a guard.  How would you like to have a guard with you constantly?  What circumstances would make you like to have one?

2.       Gal 3:23 also talks of being locked up by the law.  Under what circumstances would you like to be locked up?  Does this help see some negative things in a positive light?

The Law as Our Schoolmaster

1.       What are the advantages of having a supervisor?

2.       If you were to have to supervise a hostel/dormitory student 24/7, would you expect to be liked?  Would it be possible to do your job properly and still be liked?

The Law and the Believer

1.       Have you ever had such a bad dream it was a relief to awaken?  What made it a bad dream?  Is condemnation by the law something we can get such sudden relief from?

2.       Imagine if you could hear Jesus say to you as he said to some persons, “Neither do I condemn you,” or “Your sins are forgiven,” how would you feel?  Does it make it more real to hear from Him in person, than to read it in the Bible? 

The Priority of the Promise

What impression of God would you have got at the giving of the Ten Commandments with thunder and lightning?

What impression of God do you have of the One who made a covenant with Abraham.

Law and Faith

1.       What is the difference between a promise and covenant?

2.       As a human can you enter into a contract with God? What could you promise?

Faith and Law

1.       If we are not saved by keeping the law, why do we have to keep it?

2.       How will breaking the Ten Commandments affect one’s life?

The Purpose of the Law

1.       What can a mirror do and not do for you?  How does it help you understand the function of the law which is said to be like a mirror?

2.       [Paul says that the law is like a paidagogos (usually translated “schoolmaster”, “teacher” or “tutor” because of the English word pedagogy.  But it really signified a slave who needed to escort a student till he reached a certain age.]  How is the law like a “chaperon?”Do you like having a chaperon? 

The Duration of God’s Law

1.       Understanding the Ten Commandments to be eternal, how did Sinai affect our understanding of those commandments?

2.       Unlike some other Christians, Adventists understand it was the Ceremonial Law and not the Ten Commandments which were nailed to the cross.   Is it all right to believe that somehow the way humans relate to the Ten Commandments was nailed to the cross?

The Superiority of the Promise

1.       Have you made a promise you did not keep either because (a) you changed your mind or because (b) changed circumstances didn’t allow you to?  How much difference does it make?

2.       How much do you trust God to keep His promise?  What can you do more to increase your faith in His promise?