Lesson 10 (May 28-June 2), Jesus in Jerusalem

A Prophesied Coming

1. Did Jesus intentionally try to fulfil the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah to come, such as by riding a donkey? 
2. Why do you think Jesus permitted the people to proclaim Him as king? Would that not create misunderstandings as to the nature of His kingdom?
3. Why do you think the owner of the donkey so readily agreed to let the disciples have the donkey? How did Jesus know the owner would release it?

Jesus in the Temple

1. Why do you think the system of animal sacrifices has been abolished after the crucifixion of Jesus? Won't the practice of sacrifices continue to remind us of the awful cost of our salvation?
2. How successful was the sanctuary system in terms of understanding salvation?  How much did the Israelites actually learn from the sanctuary service?  
3. What practices and customs in the Adventist churches could lead to similar commercialisation as money changers and animal sellers engaged in at the temple?

No Fruit

1. Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? Did He experience frustration? Why didn't Jesus use the cursing of the tree to teach them about the importance of bearing fruit in our lives? Why did Jesus tell the disciples at this time only that they too could do such things, even to moving mountains if they only had faith? Would they not misunderstand that with faith they could do such things without reason?
2. What is righteous indignation? Is it justified?
3. What can lay members do to address perceived corruption in the church organisation?

The Stone

1. Why would tenant farmers not treat the son as they would the owner?
2. Why did the owner risk sending his son when all the servants sent earlier were beaten and stoned?
3. Why did Jesus speak in parables rather than speaking directly?
4. Was there any way that Jesus could have appealed to the chief priests and pharisees with more results?  Why were they so resistant to the teachings of Jesus?

The Cost of Grace

1. When Jesus taught that the chosen people were rejected and that people in the highways and byways would be invited, why did He still persist with them? Why not go to the gentiles?
2. Why do you think God loves humans so much when they do so much to reject Him?
3. Why would people insist on wearing their own garments when wedding ones were provided?

 

Lesson 9 (May 21-27, 2016), Idols of the Soul (and Other Lessons From Jesus)

Do some people have an advantage over others because of where they were born and brought up?

The Greatness of Humility

1. Is pride evil or just dangerous?
2. When does ambition become wrong?
3. What is the difference between childishness and childlikeness? What qualities of a child are desirable and make one a good candidate for heaven?
4. What makes doing a favour for a child superior to doing one for an adult?

The Greatness of Forgiveness

1. Why do so few people follow the instruction of Jesus to approach a person directly when he/she sins against you?
2. Is saying " I forgive you enough?" Can one know if he/she has truly forgiven someone else? How can one know?
3. What does Jesus mean by saying that an unrepentant person should be treated like a pagan or tax-collector?
4. Can some people forgive more easily than others?

Idols of the Soul

1. Why did Jesus tell the rich young ruler who wanted to know how to enter eternal life "to keep the commandments?" Can one go to heaven by keeping the commandments?
2. Who do you think was more sad at the end of the encounter--Jesus or the young ruler?"
3. Does Jesus expect each of us to give all our possessions to the poor and follow Him? Or did He say that because He knew that the young ruler had an inordinate love of money?

What's in It for Us?

1. Is renouncing worldly possessions to follow Jesus a guarantee of heaven? Is it commendable to become a hermit or a wandering monk?
2. What did Jesus mean by saying "the last will be first and the first will be last?"
3. Why should the disciples be greater in heaven than others?

We Are Able

1. What made James and John think that they were eligible to sit on the right and left hand of Jesus in the Kingdom?
2. Is it wrong to approach an officer to ask for a certain appointment in the church administration?
3. Can Jesus choose or not choose who will sit on his left and right?
4. What challenges are in the cup that Jesus was asking if they could drink from?

Lesson 8 (May 14-20), Peter and the Rock

You Are the Christ

1. When talking to the disciples why did Jesus refer to himself as "the Son of Man" instead of just "I?"
2. Didn't Jesus know what people were saying about him without being told?
3. Why did Jesus instruct His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah?

"On This Rock"

1. Was Jesus intending to start a new religion rather than refocus Judaism?
2. Is it a problem to understand Peter as a rock and part of the foundation of Christianity? Can we not all be such rocks as we confess that Jesus is the Messiah?
3.  Was Peter the leader of the disciples or just their spokesman, or just the quickest to speak?

"Peter as Satan"

1. What was wrong with Peter not wanting Jesus to suffer and die? Why did Jesus get so worked up by Peter saying that?
2. For those who still pray with "thee and thou," Why did Jesus say "Get THEE behind me Satan?" Similarly, why did Jesus address Satan as "thou?"
3. What is wrong with trying to save our lives?

Encouragement from Heaven

1. What made Elijah and Moses better comforters and supporters than angels?
2. Why did the transfiguration do for the disciples' faith?
3. Why would the disciples be afraid when Jesus was with them?

Jesus and the Temple Tax

1. Do you think that Jesus really paid tax, or was Peter bluffing?
2. Why do pastors have to pay tithe if the tithe is coming to pay their salaries? 
3. Why do you think Jesus asked Peter to get the coin from a fish rather than from under a stone?
4. Is it okay to allow people to continue in their misconceptions when we condescend to avoid controversy?

Lesson 7 (May 7-13), Lord of Jews and Gentiles

Feeding the Hungry

1. Why did women and children not count such as in the feeding of the 5000?
2. Why did God allow John to be beheaded? Did Jesus know that was going to happen? Did John's killing cause doubts about the Messiahship of Jesus?
3. Did Jesus deliberately perform a huge miracle to prove He really was the Messiah?

Lord of All Creation

1. What did the disciples learn from the episode of the storm that they did not know before?
2. Why did Jesus need time away from His disciples?
3. Does Satan also have some control over nature? 
4. Why How much control do humans have over nature?

The Hypocrite's Heart

1. What is more dangerous, legalism or liberalism?
2. What was the objective of the Pharisees (or Adventists) in being legalistic?
3. Are all human beings hypocrites?

Crumbs from the Table

1. Why would the disciples wish to send away the Canaanite mother who begged help for her demon-possessed daughter?
2. How does a person become demon-possessed?
3. Why did Jesus test the faith of the woman several times when He knew her faith from the beginning?
4. Did Jesus humiliate the woman?

Lord of the Gentiles

1. How do we know that the feeding in Matt 15 was for gentiles?
2. Why did God create the distinction between Jew and gentile? Was it avoidable?
3. Why do second and third generation Adventists treat newly-converted members like gentiles?

Lesson 6 (Apr 30-May 6), Resting in Christ

The Light Yoke of Christ

1. Why did Jesus (like so many Old Testament prophets did for many nations) curse towns and cities, pronouncing "woes" on them, for the failure of their inhabitants? Is it fair for a city to be reduced to rubble because its occupants were wicked?
2. Why does the Christian have to wear a yoke? In what way is following Christ a burden?
3. What is the connection between curses on wicked cities and promises for the weary?

Unrest Over a Rest Day

1. What was wrong in the efforts of the Pharisees to protect the Sabbath?
2. Have Adventists became as picky as Pharisees on the issue of Sabbath keeping? 
3. Is it possible that Pharisees were blessed by their Sabbath keeping?
4. In the struggle to get away from legalism have we become too liberal on Sabbath observance?

Jesus' Response

1. How does David's eating "forbidden" bread apply to our Sabbath keeping? Is it okay to buy food on Sabbath? milk cows on Sabbath? pluck fruit? What makes an act right or wrong?
2. How can Adventists make Sabbath more enjoyable for children?
3. On the whole how are our institutions doing with regards to making Sabbath a pleasant experience?
4. What does it mean that "the Sabbath was made for man?"

Healing on the Sabbath

1. Did Jesus purposely heal on the Sabbath?
2. What makes it okay for doctors and nurses to work on Sabbath?
3. Is it okay to produce medicines and medical equipment on Sabbath? What about driving an ambulance?

Keeping the Sabbath

1. Is there ay basis to claim that Jesus abolished the Sabbath?
2. Why should we not appreciate the efforts of pharisees and like-minded people today who try to protect the Sabbath?
3. Can sincere sunday-worshippers obtain the Sabbath blessings on Sunday?