ABSG Questions for Discussion: Lesson 2 (Oct 7-13), The Controversy

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.

Friday, 13 October 2017

Lesson 2 (Oct 7-13), The Controversy

A Better Covenant

Did Jesus start a new religion or was it a continuation of the Hebrew religion?
How much of Christianity did the Old Testament anticipate?
How does the fourth commandment find a place in the Decalogue?

Jewish Laws and Regulations

Would it be wrong for someone to follow the Mosaic/Ceremonial laws today?
What benefits might there be in observing the Old Testament festivals? Are there any reasons why one should not observe them?
Are the laws on clean and unclean foods health laws or religious laws?

As the Custom of Moses

Should people have to surrender membership in such organisations as "Pharisees" when they become Christians? Why did Paul not inform them that Phariseeism was not valid any longer?
Why did the Pharisees call circumcision a rite of Moses rather than one given by God?
Did Paul have authority to tell members what to do?

The Gentile Believers

After the council decided that the Gentiles need not be circumcised, why were the Jewish believers permitted to continue following the custom? How did that affect the unity of the church?
On what basis did the leaders decide that circumcision was not essential to membership in the church? What are the essentials for salvation?
Which would have been a bigger obstacle to Jewish believers, making circumcision optional or ordaining women?
Why did fornication need to be included in the list of things that could not be compromised? Didn't the Ten Commandments cover that?
Why was it necessary to include "meat offered to idols" as banned when Paul thought it was not a problem? Was it a "give and take" situation?

Paul and the Galatians

How did Paul deal with churches that continued to insist on circumcision ignoring the decision of the church?
How can we determine what practices of the Jews were culturated and can be laid aside for Christians?
When Jesus told the disciples that whatever they bound on earth would be bound in heaven how much authority was He giving them? How infallible was the Jerusalem council? When Paul wrote that "eating meat offered to idols" was not a problem for him, was he non-compliant? Can council decisions be changed from time to time and still be the voice of God? Matt 16:19

How to Teach a Sabbath School Class

1. Make a conscious decision that you will lead a discussion and not preach a sermon. Prepare accordingly and be alert for discussion opportunities. A discussion in which many participate is very rewarding.

2. You must have a page of freshly written notes. Don't waste people's time with inconsequential things just to occupy the time.

3. Sprinkle your notes with discussion questions and mark them out in bold. Any time you feel you are losing the attention of the members get them into another discussion. The discussion should be relevant to the lesson as well as to everyday life.

4. Start the lesson with a discussion question, or at the very latest within the next few sentences. If you wait for ten minutes and then try to generate a discussion it will be too late. The class will have tuned you out because you have tuned them out.

5. The opening question should be general enough so that even those who have not studied will be interested in contributing.

6. Avoid questions that can be answered by a single word. If someone answers with "yes/no" ask them to give reasons for their answer. If the answer is too short ask them to clarify or simplify the answer.

7. If a member asks a question, that is a golden opportunity for a discussion. Don't waste it by answering it too quickly. Throw the question back to the members for their opinion. You can give yours at the end.

8. Avoid childish questions such as "Which day is the Sabbath?" Members will not feel any need to answer it. Similarly do not pause in a sentence for the members to supply the last few words. That kind of participation is not a discussion. Members must contribute ideas and thoughts and not just words.

9. Avoid trick questions. Members will be embarrassed if you show them wrong and they will not answer the next time. Also avoid questions that will make it obvious whether or not they have studied the lesson. Those who have not studied should also feel urged to contribute.

10. You may sometimes present two views and ask the members to evaluate the views.