Welcome

Many Sabbath School class teachers either preach a sermon to their class or deliver a monologue on the whole lesson, going through it "day-by-day." The most rewarding sessions involve the members in discussion. These questions here are intended to stimulate the active participation of the members in your class. Of course pertinent information imparted by the teacher is also very valuable, for which there are many resources in print and on the internet. This site seeks to provide a resource for discussions.

If you are a member and not a teacher and your class is boring, try asking questions such as these in your class.

Sunday, 29 March 2015

Lesson 1 (Mar 28-Apr 3), The Coming of Jesus

What qualities of a physician could assist in writing history as in the case of Luke?

An Orderly Account

  1. What could motivate a person to write another gospel when others have already been written?
  2. What could lend credence to a biography of a person the author had not met?
  3. How important is it to cite sources used in writing?
Call His Name John
  1. For what reasons could God's Spirit have refrained from inspiring any prophet to write during four hundred years between the two testaments?
  2. Why would God wish to produce miracle births for John and for Jesus?
  3. Can Zacharias be faulted for wondering at the prophecy of the angel since he and his wife were long past childbearing, or should he have believed immediately?
  4. Do fulfillment of previous prophecies ensure that a new one will be believed?
  5. Why do you think Joseph believed Mary's story of her pregnancy readily enough?
The Manger of Bethlehem
  1. Why would it be important for Luke to provide minute details of the taxation that sent Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem?
  2. Would Jesus have attracted more followers if he had been born in a richer setting than a manger in a stable? 
  3. Why do you think Jesus chose to be born in such humble settings when He could have chosen perhaps anything he wished?
The Witnesses to the Saviour
  1. How do you think God communicated to Simeon that he would not dies before seeing the Messiah?
  2. What effect would Simeon's prophecies have had on Mary?
  3. What are times in the life and ministry of Jesus that Mary would have felt her heart pierced? Anytime other than the cross?

Thursday, 26 March 2015

Lesson 13 (Mar 21-27), Women and Wine

A Toast "to Live"
  1. Why do some people think it distinguished to drink wine?
  2. Should governments ban the drinking of liquor or is it a personal right?
  3. Is a little wine permissible? Does wine have unsubstituable medicinal value?
A Toast "to Death"
  1. Is it sin to drink wine, or is it just bad for health?
  2. Is it okay to eat chocolates with rum or fruit cake with wine, or cough syrup with alcohol?
A Virtuous Woman
  1. How much would a king like Lemuel or Solomon know about the daily activities and schedule of a wife?
  2. How much is it possible for a young person contemplating marriage to know about the intended spouse?
  3. Is it more important to find the ideal spouse or to be the ideal spouse?
She Works
  1. What is so virtuous about being busy?  Is it possible to be too busy?
  2. Is it always praiseworthy to rise early, or is it possible that some people function better late at night?
  3. How can one cure laziness?
She Cares
  1. Are "caring and sharing" feminine virtues or should men exhibit them equally? 
  2. Is it possible to be too hospitable?
  3. Why do many men value beauty in a woman more than they value character? 


Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Lesson 12 (Mar 14-20), The Humility of the Wise

What is the difference, if any, in "humility" and "meekness"?  Are they the same thing? Does one precede the other?


Who Do You Think You Are?
  1. Why is pride the foundation of all sins? What was Lucifer's pride a symptom of? Why can God do little to help a proud person?
  2. Is humility a virtue one is born with, or is it cultivated?
  3. Is it wrong to be proud of one's achievements? Is it wrong to be proud of one's children and their achievements?
A Knowledge of God
  1. What was the psalmist's response when he considered the heavens, the work of God's fingers?  Why did he feel that way?
  2. What did Job experience at the end of the book that helped him?
  3. Why do many people who consider themselves wise, not believe in God?
Neither Too Much Nor Too Little
  1. Why would the psalmist ask God too neither give him too little or too much? What brings one closest to God, extreme riches, extreme poverty, or a life in between?
  2. What did Jesus mean when he taught us to pray for "daily bread?"
The Actions of the Arrogant
  1. What is difference between "pride" and "arrogance" What is the opposite of each?
  2. Why is it such a sin to curse parents?  Since the word curse literally means to belittle, what all does that include?
  3. Why is it necessary to confess before we can be forgiven?
Lessons From Nature
  1. Are we still like Agur who could not understand the way of the eagle in the air, or has that been solved?  Do we understand pretty much everything about animal life?  Is all that within reach?
  2.  What has more mysteries the greatness of the universe or the universe in the tiniest objects?

Thursday, 12 March 2015

Lesson 11 (Mar 7-13), Living By FaithDoes

What is the difference between 'trust' and 'faith'?

Keep the Law

  1. Why would God give special laws to a group of people, such as ceremonial laws for Israelites? Why should those laws not apply to other peoples?
  2. On what basis do we select some ceremonial laws as applicable to all people such as clean and unclean meats?
  3. What does it mean to be "under the law?"
Seek the Lord
  1. Whom does the law point to Jesus, Christians or non Christians?
  2. Are we born with a sense of right and wrong or do we learn that? If a person were raised in complete isolation would that person have the same sense of right and wrong?
  3. Is the search for God inherent or acquired?
Words for the Rich
  1. Does God expect us to give alms to all beggars who approach us or should we refrain from "spoiling" them till we know for sure that they are really needy?
  2. Are we all included in Jesus' definition of rich?
Handbook for the Poor
  1. On what basis do inspired writers declare that all humans are equal? Does God give the poor any advantages over the rich that compensates for being poor?
  2. Will God judge the poor any less harshly than he judges the wicked?
Loving the Truth
  1. Though the saying "spare the rod and spoil the child" is not in the Bible, is that the sentiment of the Bible? Does the Bible advocate spanking a child in the home and in the school?
  2. Do other methods of discipline work as well as spanking does?





Sunday, 1 March 2015

Lesson 10 (Feb 28-Mar 6), Behind the Mask

Is it wrong to wear a mask?

The Mystery of God
  1. Is the injustice in this world one of God's mysteries?
  2. Does the need for faith imply that life will be unfair?
  3. Where would we stand if life were absolutely fair?
The Fool as Wise
  1. Why did God give us a sense of what is right if we cannot be sure it is really right?
  2. What can we do to make sure that something is really right?
  3. How can we be guided when the Bible is silent on a particular issue?
The Sluggard
  1. Is it a sin to be lazy?
  2. Is it enough to avoid doing bad in order to go to heaven, or must one be active doing good?
  3. Are people born lazy or do they become that way?
The Friend as the Enemy
  1. Are we guilty if we do not rebuke a friend?
  2. How can one know if the rebuke is motivated properly?
  3. Would you like another to rebuke you when you know already for yourself what you are doing is wrong?
The Enemy as Friend
  1. Is it worth listening to what an enemy has to say about you?
  2. How can I know if I have the right motives in criticizing a person?  Should I try to correct my enemy or will it be misunderstood?
  3. How does flattery from a friend differ from an enemy?  Should I compliment a person if I am not sincere?