The Promise of His Return

The Beginning and the End

1.       If all the time from the creation till the Second Advent were 12 hours on a clock, what would be the time now?  What was the time of the Adventist pioneers? What time did they think it was?  What about Jesus’ disciples? 

2.       Why do you think God reveals to us how the world is going to end?

Promise and Expectation

1.       Are we proud of our name “Seventh-day Adventist” or do we sometimes wish we had a more general meaning name like “Christian?”

2.       Why do non-Adventists not ask more often what “Adventist” means? Is it to many people just a name?

Our Great Assurance

1.       If the world could be improved and restored without a literal second advent, would that suffice?

2.       Why has God provided prophecies of His return?

Where is the Promise of His Coming?

1.       Why could not Eve’s son have been the Messiah and brought a quick end to evil?

2.       Why do you think God chose to foretell the coming of the Messiah?  Why not just come?

Behold I Come Quickly

1.       How can Jesus say “I come quickly,” when it’s already been two thousand years?

2.       Is there a real delay in the second coming or is it only an apparent delay?

3.       In the parable of the stewards waiting for the return of the master they were told to “occupy” till he returned (Luke 19:13): What should we be doing?

Love Stories

If God were not love, what would the world be like?

The First Romance

1.       What is romantic love? What determines if it is good or bad?

2.       Does romance increase or decrease with marriage?

Biblical Romances

1.       How was Abraham able to romance Sarah after so many years of marriage? Did the absence of kids contribute to that?

2.       Can arranged marriages like Isaac’s become romantic?

God’s Love

1.       Is true love Jealous like God’s?

2.       If God loves us so much, why doesn’t he make us want to stay with Him?  If you love someone who wants to leave, how can you make that person want to stay?

3.       How do you feel when someone loves you intensely, and that someone is God?

A Book of Romance

1.       If sex weren’t enjoyable would there be so many kids around?

2.       Are you embarrassed by the Song of Solomon?  At what age would you allow your children to read the book?  Why do you think it is in the Bible?

Jesus and Romance

1.       Why do you think Jesus performed his first miracle at Cana: (1) to find out what He could do? (2) to show His favour on marriage? (3) to honour His mother? (4) None of these? (5) All of these?

2.       In what ways does God bless our marriages?

God as Artist

What appeals to us more—God’s artistry or God-inspired artistry?

What is beauty?  Why does one thing appeal to one person but not to another? What factors determine if an object is ugly or beautiful?

God as Potter

1.       Are you satisfied with your body or would you like to undergo plastic surgery to improve your looks?

2.       What is the difference in accepting the way we are, and yet carefully grooming ourselves to improve our looks?

3.       Would you rather be good looking or would you rather have beauties of character?

God as Architect

1.       If it were safe and the climate friendly, would you rather live outdoors?

2.       Why do humans spend so much money to make their worship places beautiful?  Does God expect it?

3.       What, if any, are the dangers of us worshiping that which we have created to aid us in worship?

God as Musician

1.       Does it make any difference to God with what style of music we praise Him?  Why does it make a difference to humans?  Why does the same piece of music evoke different responses in different people?

2.       Is our music beautiful to God or does He accept it is an expression of love?  In what ways can music enhance worship?

3.       Do drums reveal an aspect of God that strings and brass cannot?

God as Author

1.       Does God still inspire writings or is He done with that?

2.       Why didn’t God dictate the words of the Bible and make it even more beautiful?

3.       How important is it to understand the form and literary style of the Bible?  What am I missing if I don’t?

God as Sculptor

1.       In what ways do we interfere with what God wants to make of us?

2.       We sing “Mold me and make me:” How do I know whether I am letting God do it?  What can I do to help God shape me?

The Promise of Prayer

What enables a person to spend hours in prayer (like Jesus and other prayer warriors) when so many have had had enough after three minutes?  What does it mean to “pray without ceasing?” Is the inability to pray long an indication of a poor relationship with God?  What is our attitude to long public prayers?

How do you think God feels about his people all reciting a memorized prayer together to Him?

Do you have to be good to have your prayer answered?

The Power of Prayer

1.       Why would God change His mind to do something because of a prayer?

2.       Will God relent after persistent prayers, after perhaps saying no a few times?3.        

Jesus, the Praying Messiah

1.       Did Jesus “need” to pray or was He just remaining in touch with His father?

2.       Does God honour the prayers of those who pray regularly more than of those who pray only when they are in trouble? What would be criteria for God to consider in responding to prayers of humans?

The Prayer of Faith

1.       What difference would it make to God if a person asks with faith or without faith?

2.       How can we know that something we receive is in answer to prayer especially if it started coming even before we prayed?  What does it mean “Before you call I will answer?”

Because You Do Not Ask

1.       Would you do something for a person just because he or she asked?

2.       Why would God not do something he would have done just because we did not ask?

Complying With Conditions

1.       If the thief on the cross had his prayer answered why can’t I eat junk food and then ask God for good health?

2.       Why is everyone against the Pharisees? Weren’t they sincere, and isn’t sincerity the important thing?

3.       Does God expect us to do anything towards having our prayers answered?

4.       How can we answer a child who prays for something good and does not receive it?