Lesson 10 (Aug 27-Sept 2) Jesus Won Their Confidence

Winning Confidence

1. How did God win Abraham's confidence?
2. Why did the Israelites lose confidence in God repeatedly?
3. Does the presence of a little doubt mean that one does not have faith?

A Careful Balance

1. Why did members of the Corinthian church take pride in being of Apollos or of Paul? Has there always been and will there always be factions in the church? 
2. How should one address a problem in a church? Is there any merit in reporting this to the higher organisation?
3. What problems in our local church might deter visitors from returning after one or a few more visits?

Social Capital

1. What behaviour of Adventists makes deductions from goodwill with our neighbours? In other words what are obstacles to good relationships with our neighbours?
2. What can we do that builds up good relationships? Or in other words invests in social capital?
3. Is our community service aimed at conversion?

The Value of Social Capital

1. How can we contribute to the community without spending much money?
2. Why was the king willing to support Nehemiah's project of rebuilding the wall?
3. What makes corporate businesses willing to support ADRA and our ingathering (welfare projects)?

Favour with All People

1. How useful is our health message in an Indian community? How much respect would Indians have towards our Adventist lifestyle?
2. How much would our community miss us if our church and its members were removed to a different location?
3. If prejudice against Adventists is based on misinformation what can we do to correct their understanding?

Lesson 9 (Aug 20-26), Jesus Ministered to Their Needs

Interruption For Ministry

1. When Jesus had demonstrated that he could heal from a distance without going to the home of the sick, why did he follow Jairus to his home to heal his daughter consuming much time?
2. Why did Jesus stop to discuss the matter of the woman who touched the hem of his garment? Wasn't it embarrassing for her? Didn't it delay his mission to Jairus' daughter?
3. How do we handle a situation where a person in need comes to us when we are busy?

How Can I Help You

1. Why did Jesus ask questions such as "Would you like to be healed?" or "What can I do for you?" when it was obvious to everyone especially Jesus? What did the questions accomplish?
2. Should we also ask people in obvious need if they need help or how to help them?

The Deeper Needs

1. How did Jesus know what people were thinking, or what they had done in the past? Will God be willing to help us know about people we want to help?
2. Was it appropriate for Jesus to forgive sins when the person had not asked for forgiveness? Should people have to apologise before they may be forgiven?
3. If we do not feel forgiven does it mean that we are not forgiven? Is it possible that even after asking forgiveness in prayer that one may still feel unforgiven?

Dorcas in Joppa

1. Why are men not included in our Dorcas societies? Should our churches have another society for men? What about young people?
2. How much help do our Dorcas societies render to people not of our church?
3. How active is the Dorcas society in our church?

The Church at Work

1. Do members neglect their duty to the community because there is a Dorcas society to care for it? Should every member be made a member of the society?
2. Is social service better left to the Sabbath school classes to organise or is that against the purpose of classes?
3. By saying we have to hate father and mother and follow Him, did Jesus intend to convey that serving Him and others comes first in life?

Lesson 8 (Aug 13-19), Jesus Showed Sympathy

Hearing the Groan

1. Why did God wait till the Israelites groaned before raising up leaders to deliver them? Doesn't He hear the groans before they are uttered? Do parents ever wait till their children groan? What benefits are there in letting them groan first?
2. What does God do when he sees the tiny sparrow fall?How does that comfort us when we sorrow?

Our Sympathetic Saviour

1. Did Jesus heal all the sick people he encountered?  On what basis did Jesus decide whom to heal?
2. Why does God need our assistance to help people in dire circumstances? Can't he help them directly?
3. Is it enough to use our available resources to help poor Seventh-day Adventists or does God require us to use some of that to help non-Adventists in need?

Walking in their Shoes

1. Does walking in another's shoes require me to sacrifice the interests of myself and my family? Did the good Samaritan do that?
2. Would the relatives or general public approve of all the forgiveness and generosity the prodigal's father bestowed on the undeserving son?
3. Does real life work like the above two parables or are they not realistic?

Jesus Wept

1. Why did Jesus weep when he knew he was going to raise Lazarus? Did he weep when other people died?
2. What are things we can do besides weeping to show that we care when people lose a family member?
3. Why did Jesus weep over Jerusalem? Does he weep for other cities too?

Another Kind of Comforter

1. Why did Jesus refer to the Holy Spirit as the Comforter? What is his main role today?
2. What do we have to do to be know in our community as a comforter?

Lesson 7 (August 6-12) Jesus Desired Their Good

Jonah in Nineveh

1. Why didn't God pick a more sympathetic and mission minded person than Jonah to preach to Nineveh?
2. What made Jonah so effective? Why did the Nineties respond to Jonah's message?
3. How effective is preaching hell for converting people? What made Jonah more effective than Noah?
4. Did Jesus also use Jonah's approach for Jerusalem and Israel?

The "Anyway" Principle"

1. How much should we expect a sinner to change before baptising him or her?
2. Is it possible to preach effectively without love?
3. How can we identify hate?

Love Never Fails

1. Why is love more important than specifics of commandment keeping?
2. Is rejection of Christianity on the basis of the nature and character of Christians justified?
3. How much can love do and what can love not do in winning people for Christ?

The Second Touch

1. Why did Jesus use saliva and touch when His word alone was adequate to heal?
2. Why was the blind man of Mk 8:22-25 not healed completely after the first stage of saliva and touch? What made the second touch work?
3. What makes some people who have eyes, blind?
4. What makes touching so effective?

The Other-centered Church

1. How can we harmonise the following Bible passages: Do nothing out of selfish ambition; Love your neighbour as yourself?
2. In what ways can Jesus be our model for concern for others when He had no family such as we have to give priority to?
3. Is humanitarian work that does not result in baptisms a poorer way to use resources than work that results in adding members to the church?

Lesson 6 (July 30-Aug 5), Jesus Mingled With People

Christ's Method Alone

1. Why did the Jews not mingle more with their neighbours? Had given them any instruction that they understood or misunderstood?
2. Was Jesus interested solely in the salvation of people or did He treasure friendships for any other reason?
3. What will be the response of church leaders when members mingle with people of questionable characters? How can possible criticism be handled?

Lost and Found

1. Can lost people be found without mingling with them?
2. Why do people get lost inside the church?
3. Can we blame the shepherd if sheep get lost on the way?
4. Had the father neglected the prodigal's older brother?

Eating with Sinners

1. Should we wait to be invited by sinners or should we be inviting them home? Did Jesus ever invite people for meals?
2. Why are people reluctant to invite others to their home for meals? How can one overcome such reluctance?
3. Is Sabbath a good day to invite people for meals or is it making too much work for the host?

Mingling Wisely

1. Did Lot make a mistake in choosing to settle in Sodom? How successful was their decision?
2. Why did Israel keep falling into idolatry when they mingled with non-Israelites?
3. Should more Adventists be studying in non-Adventist institutions? 

In the Midst of a Crooked Generation

1. Is there any community that we should avoid because they are too bad?
2. Can we be lost because we failed to witness? 
3. Has the Adventist church wasted too much energy and resources on internal issues which could have been used in witnessing?