Lesson 1 (Mar 26-April 1), Son of David

Would you like to be a tax collector?

A Book of Genesis

1. Why is Mathew anxious to portray Jesus as a descendant of Abraham when Joseph was not his biological father? How can Jesus be the seed of Abraham when there is no biological connection through the father? 
2. Did the messiah have to be a descendant of Abraham?
3. In what way is Jesus the "Word" of God?

A Royal Line

1. What is royal blood? How is it transmitted? Does a person adopted by a king have royal blood? If a usurper comes to the throne does he or his son have royal blood?
2. Was it fair for God to persist with wicked kings just for the sake of their ancestor David?
3. How can both Jesus and Satan be called the "Morning Star?"

Jesus' Early Family Tree

1. Who are more important in a family tree, males or females?
2. Is the Biblical practice of recording genealogies with men only cultural or God-inspired?
3.  Was Tamar's seduction of her father-in-law justified? What does her inclusion in the genealogy of Jesus indicate?
4. Why should Matthew take pains to mention the existence of Rahab, a harlot?
5. Why were the Moabites abhorred by the Israelites to the extent that they were banned from God's presence for "ten generations?" Was that fair to Ruth?

While We Were Yet Sinners

1. What do ancestors mean to us either good or bad? Is it important where we come from?
2. Does the presence of sinners in the genealogy of Jesus give us reason to excuse our sinning?
3. How can we account for good kings in the Bible having bad sons, or wicked kings having good sons?  to what extent are parents responsible for the outcome of their children?

The Birth of David's Divine Son

1. Why is it that the gentiles who sought the messiah had more open minds and hearts than the Jews?
2. In view of the fact that "there are many sheep not of this fold," and that many wolves exist in the church, how important is it to be a member of a church?
3. What delusion could we be suffering from in our wait for the Messiah to return?

Lesson 13 (Mar 19-25) Redemption

Binding Satan

1. Why is Satan bound for thousand years? Why not just annhilate him after the judgment is over?
2. In what ways does Satan bind people? How does Jesus release them?
3. What is the difference in the freedom that people leave the church for and the freedom that God offers?

The "Why" Questions

1. Why does God have to wait for a thousand years after the second coming? Why won't one year be enough?
2. Will Satan also be able to witness the judgment going on in heaven?
3. Why is necessary for the righteous to go over the records in heaven?

Final Judgment

1. Is justice more sure from the "elders at the gate" or the king? Why should the king have the final decision?
2. Do people know when they are resurrected after the millennium and see the Holy City descending that they have been on the wrong side all along? Why should they join Satan in trying to attack the city?
3. Will Satan have power to defend himself from the angry horde after the millennium?

New Heaven and New Earth

1. We can understand the need for a new earth, but why will there be a new heaven?
2. Why will there be "no more sea" in the new earth?
3. Will there be mountains in the new earth?

No More Tears

1. Will there be tears of joy in heaven?
2. Don't some people like to cry--going to see sad movies?
3. Why are tears wiped away only in the new earth and not in heaven?

Lesson 12 (Mar 12-18), The Church Militant

The Church at Ephesus

1. Is patience inherited or cultivated? How much credit should a person get for his or her patience?
2. What is "first love?" How does one lose his or her first love?
3. Why is it commendable to hate the Nicolaitans? When are we allowed to hate our enemies?

Smyrna and Pergamum

1. At what point do the people of God become the synagogue of Satan? Do members know when the devil has taken over their church?
2. Why is it that people who are monetarily poor become spiritually rich, and vice versa?
3. What would be today the equivalent of the doctrine of Balaam, which in those days was eating things sacrificed to idols and fornication?

Thyatira and Sardis

1. What is the difference between Balaam and Jezebel? Is one worse than the other?
2. Is the "morning star" Jesus or Satan?
3. What are the symptoms of being spiritually dead? Can one be dead and not realise it?

The Church at Philadelphia

1. When a person teaches something new in church how should the church respond? 
2. How can a church get rid of teachers of false doctrines? Who decides if it is false? Is disfellowshipping the correct response?
3. How can one become a "pillar" in the church?

The Church at Laodicean

1. Should we guard against saying "Amen" in church too often?
2. Why is it worse to be lukewarm than to be cold?
3. How is it a comfort to be rebuked and chastened?

Lesson 11 (Mar 5-11), Peter the Great

Darkness to Light

1. Why is "darkness" a negative image? Is darkness bad? Is light always good?
2. How is it that God's "peculiar people, " "holy nation" are in the darkness? What are they doing there?
3. What are ways in which God is calling His people out of darkness?

Peer Pressure

1. Why is it wrong to indulge in excesses of food and drink?
2. Why is it wrong to engage in deviant sexual activity?
3. Why is it wrong to accommodate one's lusts?
4. Why do people put pressure on their friends to join them in their wrong activities?

The More Sure Word of Prophecy

1. Did everyone hear the voice of God at the time of Jesus' baptism or only some? Are there any prerequisites to hearing God's voice?
2. What prevented Peter from being a good listener?  Why do you think Jesus selected Peter to be a disciple? What were his good qualities?
3. Can we know for sure whether an inspired person is writing down faithfully what he or she was shown?

Scoffers

1. Is an agnostic any better than an atheist?
2. Does 2 Peter 3:6 about the flood destroying the "world that then was" suggest that the flood of Noah may not have been global?
3. What is the connection between the flood  of Noah's day and hell fire at the end of the world?
4. Is Jesus intentionally delaying His return? Can a delay do harm or can it accomplish good?

Hastening the Day

1. Can activities of humans good or bad affect the date when Jesus will return, either to advance it or to push it back?
2. How is a coming accompanied by great noise and melting of the elements like a "thief in the night?" What did Jesus mean?
3. How is it possible for us to be found without spot or blameless?

Lesson 10 (Feb 27-Mar 4), Paul and the Rebellion

Adam and Jesus

1. What share do we have of Adam's sin? Is it fair for us to have a share it? Does it have to be fair?
2. Was it necessary for God to provide a way of salvation for humans? Would it have been unfair if He did not?
3. How great an achievement was it for Satan to succeed in making Adam and Eve sin?

The Church Building

1. Is Christianity a new religion or a continuation of Judaism?
2. What are various faulty foundations on which the church might be built?
3. Do we need to worship in a church building or can we do that just as well at home or in the open? 
4. Are all parts of a church building equally important? Are some parts of a church building more sacred than others?

The Church as a Body 

1. Are all parts of a human body equally important? Are some members of a church more important than others?
2. If Jesus is the head of the church where does the head of the church organization fit into this model?
3. If a person does nothing but attend church is he or she a part of the church?

The Armour of God

1. Seeing how David defeated Goliath, does one really need armour?
2. What do we need in order to defeat the devil?
3. What do humans do that is equivalent to taking off the armour?
4. Is it possible that we can sometimes resist the devil on our own?

The Last Enemy

1. Why was Christ's death inadequate to save us? Why did He have to be raised from the dead in order for us to be saved?
2. If this present life were the only one, would it be better to enjoy the pleasures of sin?
3. Does the great controversy end in stages or all at one time?

Lesson 9 (Feb 20-26), The Great Controversy and the Early Church

The Beginning of a New Beginning

1. Why could Jesus not succeed in explaining to the disciples that He had not come to defeat the Romans?
2. What was the purpose of Jesus spending 40 days with his disciples after his resurrection?
3. Do Adventists baptised just by water or by the Spirit too?

Pentecost

1. In what way was the Holy Spirit given at Pentecost different from earlier times?
2. What difference could be noticed among the disciples after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit?
3. At what point could it be said that the Kingdom of God had been set up on earth, incarnation, baptism, crucifixion, Pentecost, Second Coming, or Third coming?

Facing the Sadducees

1. Why would any Jew not believe in the resurrection? Does not the Old Testament teach about resurrection?
2. Does the performance of miracles indicate that preachers are genuine and their doctrines sound?
3. Is it more dangerous to be a Pharisee or Sadducee?

The Stoning of Stephen

1. How is it that Stephen was the first one stoned, rather than one of the disciples? Why does God allow certain people to be martyred and spare others?
2. Was Saul acting according to the best of his knowledge at the stoning of Stephen? Could he have been saved at that point in his life?
3. Who was the winner at Stephen's stoning?

Changing Attitudes

1. Was the attitude of the disciples towards Samaritans racial, religious, or national discrimination? Is religious discrimination excused?
2. How do we know that Peter's vision did not indicate that all meats were now fit to eat? Why is this portion of the Mosaic law still binding and not other portions?
3. Are all people really created equal?

Lesson 8 (Feb 13-19), Comrades in Arms

The Call of Peter

1. What did Jesus see in Peter that He called him to be a disciple?
2. When impulsive people speak, how sincere are they? In response to the large catch of fish in his net why did Peter say "Depart from me . . .  I am a sinful man?"
3. Would it have been improper for the Peter, James and John to attend that great catch of fish which Jesus had helped them catch, before following him?

"with Him"

1. Why did Jesus tell Peter to "Fear not," before he promised him he would become fishers of men?" 
2. What qualities were uppermost in the selection of disciples? Could others have followed Jesus if they were not selected?
3. Was Judas selected by Jesus? Why did Jesus ordain him? Is it appropriate to ordain treasurers and others who will not be involved in ministry?

Jesus' Dominion Over Nature

1. How much control over nature does Satan have?
2. How can God have more authority over nature than over persons?
3. Does the fear of the disciples of the storm at sea indicate their doubt that Jesus was truly the messiah?
4. How much can we today pray about rain or floods?

Who is the Greatest?

1. Is it appropriate to want to be a leader?
2. What is in the "cup" that Jesus drank from, that other leaders of the church must also be prepared to drink?
3. Can a leader really occupy his/her time with serving rather than leading?

Divine Encounter with the Word

1. After His resurrection, why did Jesus appear to two men we know nothing about rather than to some of His disciples?
2. Had Jesus "closed the eyes" of the two companions on the way to Emmaus as He talked with them? What does it mean that "their eyes were opened?"
3. What does this week's lesson have to do with the great controversy?