Lesson 1 (Sept 28-Oct 4), Making Sense of History: Zerubbabel and Ezra

The First Return of Exiles

1. When God inspires a prophecy does that impinge on the freedom of those involved, such as when Cyrus had to pass a decree for the return of the Jews? 
2. Does God inspire parents who name their children such that Cyrus could be named as prophesied?
3. What is God's purpose in letting people know the future?

Overview of Kings and Events

1. Are there discrepancies between the Bible and secular historical records? Why would there be some?
2. Does a Bible reader need to know history in order to understand the Bible or is enough information given in the Bible?

The Second Return From Exile

1. Why would a king offer to let captives return to their home country? Why were they taken in the first place? Why were thy kept so long?
2. What would encourage people to follow a person back home? Why would they wish to return home? Would some wish to remain behind? If so, why?

Artaxerxes Decree

1. How likely is it that some of the Jews had escaped and returned to Israel on their own earlier? How advisable was it to try?
2. What could have prompted the king to release funds from his own treasury for the restoration of the temple?
3. How likely was it that during the captivity of the Israelites that the king could have learnt that Israel's was the true God?

Importance of Education

1. During the seventy years of captivity how settled would the Israelites have become in the foreign land?
2. How much education does one need to understand the Bible and its prophecies?
3. How advisable was it for the Israelite children to attend Babylonian schools?

Lesson 13 (Sept 21-27), A Community of Servants

Agents of Change

1. What does it mean to be a "living sacrifice?" If there is such a thing as a "dead sacrifice," what would it be? How is a living sacrifice different from that?
2. What kind of a person would be "Christ's hands," and how would that be different from "Christ's feet?"
3. What are things that make it difficult to be "God's perfume?"

A Servant Remnant

1. What made Moses willing to give up his opportunity for eternal life that his people might be forgiven? Was it possible for God to accept such an offer?
2. What made the people respect Moses as a leader? Was it his leadership skill? Was it his servant leadership? Was the fact that he could perform miracles?

Reaching Souls

1. How much are Adventists fulfilling Christ's command to "heal the sick and raise the dead?" Who all are expected to fulfil that?
2. What about the command to "cleanse the lepers and drive out demons? Is that for pastors or laymen to fulfil?
3. In ministering to a person's need before trying to witness to him/her for Christ, a wrong motive?

Grace Within the Church

1. What kind of a person can be called a saint? Can we identify some in our church as saints?
2. Should the church examine students' lives before letting them enrol for the ministry? What kind of things should be checked? What qualities are necessary to be a pastor?
3. Why was Jesus so anxious to remind his disciples to "love one another?" How well has the church followed that command?

Encourage Each  Other to Good Works

1. What makes it easier to do things in a group rather than alone, whether good or bad?
2. What are ways we can encourage a person to keep doing the good they are doing?
3. What projects can your Sabbath School class initiate that will put into practice what we have studied this quarter?

Lesson 12 (Sept 14-20), To Love Mercy

Kingdom Priorities

1. What did Jesus mean when He said not to worry about what to eat or what to wear? Aren't those important?
2. Who decides what the fashion is? What do they get out of it? Why do people want to wear what is in fashion? Is there a stigma to being old-fashioned?
3. Under what conditions can we disobey the government to obey God? Is it okay to smuggle Bibles into a country that forbids it?

Compassion Fatigue

1. When one decides to start giving to beggars, who is it easy to forget that resolve and ignore giving?
2. Is it possible to hurt people's pride by giving them charity when they have not asked for it? How can we avoid offending such people?
3. How can we expect God's guidance in matters of giving?

Generosity

1. Shouldn't God love a giver more who give's despite not being cheerful about it?
2. How can one learn to give cheerfully when it does not come naturally?
3. Is generosity quantity or attitude? Did the widow with two mites give with generosity? What about the Pharisee who gave liberally? Does the fact that he gave with great show cancel his spirit of generosity?

Peacemaking

1. Don't peacemakers in today's world end up making enemies of both sides?
2. How can one avoid getting hurt when getting involved with peacemaking?
3. What did Jesus mean when he said peacemakers would be called the children of God?
4. What is the biblical model for solving conflicts in church?

A Voice for the Voiceless

1. How can one know when is the time to be silent and when is the time to speak? Isn't it dangerous to speak at the wrong time?
2. Would the majority in a crowd support an effort to defend the defenceless?
3. What group near you needs your speaking out for them?

Lesson 11 (Sept 7-13), Living the Advent Hope

How Long O Lord

1. Why does God not respond immediately when people call on Him in their distress?
2. Does God answer a prayer He might not have just because a person pled over and over?
3. Does a prayer for the hundredth time demonstrate more faith than the first time?

A Certain Kind of Hope

1. Does the Advent hope show a disconnect with the current situation in the world?
2. How much hope does Adventism lend to members? How much hope have we conveyed to others?
3. What would the world have been like if not for Jesus interest in humanity?

Resurrection Hope

1. What did the fact of the resurrection do to the followers of Jesus? Why did the resurrection make so much difference?
2. Are there still benefits from Christianity for the current life if the future is taken away?
3. Why did the resurrected Jesus appear only to his disciples?

Judgement Hope

1. Do the wicked prosper more than the righteous or does it only seem like that?
2. Is it important only for the righteous to be rewarded or must the wicked be punished too?
3. Why does God allow the righteous to judge the wicked during the millenium?

No More Tears or Pain

1. Why are tears wiped away only in the New Earth and not in heaven itself before that?
2. Does suffering end only in the earth made new or in heaven before that?
3. Is the world getting better or worse? What makes it seem like that?