Lesson 5 (July 25-31), Spirit Empowered

Jesus and the Promise of the Holy Spirit

Why should we use the pronoun "He" for the Holy Spirit when the term in Hebrew is feminine in form? Why don't we use the neuter "it?"

1. Why did Jesus tell the disciples that it was to their advantage for Him to go to heaven and for the Holy Spirit to be with them?
2. Would the disciples have preferred to have Jesus stay with them?
3. Wasn't the Holy Spirit on earth all along? What would be different now?
4. What is the role of the Holy Spirit in witnessing?

An Empowered Church

1. What would the apostolic period have been like without the Holy Spirit?
2. Is it possible for us to have that same experience today or was that special?
3. Is there any difference or similarity in the thousands who were baptized in a single day in the time of the apostles compared with the thousands who are baptized in one day nowadays?

The Holy Spirit and Witnessing

1. How did the Holy Spirit help Stephen when he was being stoned?
2. How can the Holy Spirit guide the church to people(s) that are specifically searching for truth
3. What is holding back the Holy Spirit from uniting the church?

The Holy Spirit, The Word, and Witnessing

1. Should all sermons be Biblical?
2. Can a non-Adventist have the Holy Spirit and can such be invited to preach in our churches?
3. What is the evidence that the Holy Spirit is at work?

The Life-transforming Power of the Holy Spirit

1. How did the Holy Spirit overcome cultural barriers in the early church?
2. Does the Holy Spirit use women to witness in Bible times and today?
3. Is it possible for a low-class person to reach the higher classes or does it require a high-class person to witness to them?

Lesson 4 (July 18-24), Prayer Power

A Cosmic Struggle

1. How important is any one individual in the battle between good and evil that is going on in the universe?
2. What can one do to ensure he/she is on the right side of the battle going on?
3. How does it help if one prays for an unbelieving relative or friend?

Jesus-The Mighty Intercessor

1. Did Jesus spend most of His time praying for himself or for others?
2. How much difference does it make whether I am good or bad, when I pray on behalf of other people? Will God listen to my prayer more readily if I am a good person?
3. Why might praying on behalf of others every day be more effective than doing it off and on?

Paul's Intercessory Prayers

1. Why did Paul pray for people he had helped convert? Why should a pastor pray for people already in his church?
2.  How might it help if we tell a person we are praying for him/her?
3. What kind of prayer should one pray for a person he/she does not like?

Unseen Powers at Work

1. Did Daniel's prayer help bring about the end of the Babylonian captivity? How did it help for Daniel to pray about that?
2. Why would Satan have wanted the Jews to remain in Babylon?
3. Was Daniel interested in the fulfilment of God's purposes for the salvation of mankind or just for his people to go back to their homeland? 

Prayer Focus

1. Is it a sin to not pray for others?
2. Is it possible that someone might be lost because we did not pray for them?
3. How does it help if I agree to pray for someone because they have an exam or interview coming, or for their new home, or when they are starting out on a journey?

Lesson 3 (July 11-17), Seeing People Through

The Second Touch

1. Why do you think most sick people were brought to Jesus by a friend rather than come on their own alone?
2. Do more people today come to Jesus on their own or are they introduced by a friend?
3. Why do you think Jesus did not heal the blind man immediately? What purpose was served by the delay?

A Lesson in Acceptance

1. What would be the equivalent of "Samaritans"--a group looked down upon, in your area?
2. What in the Samaritan woman could have demonstrated that she needed Jesus?
3. Since there are so many unentered areas how should we prioritise which areas to evangelise first?

Begin Where You Are

1. Why would people prefer to be a missionary in a foreign land rather than in their home town?
2. How much does one need to know about the Bible before witnessing to others?
3. Why does it seem harder to convert family members than strangers? 

Dealing With Difficult People

1. What kind of person would you consider difficult to witness to?
2. How long should we persist with a difficult person before giving up and going to seek another?
3. How can a difficult person be brought to Jesus?

Sensing Providential Opportunities

1. What do you think Paul meant by "a door was opened for him?"
2. Should we wait for doors to open before witnessing?
3. How can we discover open doors?

Lesson 2 (July 4-10), Winsome Witnesses

UnlikelyWitnesses

1. How readily do people tackle a demon possessed person?
2. Can a demon be cast out in any other way other than the name of Jesus?
3. What was accomplished by allowing the demons to enter the herd of swine?

Proclaiming the Risen Christ

1. Why were the guards so terrified of the angel who appeared like lightening to roll away the stone of Jesus tomb, but the women who saw him unimpressed by the same angel?
2. Why did the women fleeing from the tomb trembling and astonished say nothing to anyone except for Mary Magdalene?
3. Why did the mourning disciples not believe Mary?

Changed Lives Make a Difference

1. Was there a difference in recognizing that Peter had been with Jesus the night before the Crucifixion compared with after the resurrection?
2. How can one tell whether a person really believes what he or she is preaching?
3. Can one whose life has not been markedly changed also preach effectively?

Sharing Our Experiences

1. Why is a personal testimony so effective?
2. What are some things can a person tell about as a personal testimony?
3. Is it true that a person shy to witness is a selfish person?

 The Power of a Personal Testimony

1. What made Paul a person in chains and who had suffered so much to be admired?
2. Why did Festus accuse Paul of being mad?
3. What brought Agrippa close to being persuaded and what held him back?

Lesson 1 (June 27-July 3), Why Witness

Providing Opportunities for Salvation

1. Do people respond better to guidance and correction from other people compared with from the Holy Spirit?
2. What responsibility do I have (if any) to those who have the light but are not living up to it?
3. Does imparting the gospel to people who have not heard it before make them more accountable than before they heard it?

Making Jesus Glad

1. After receiving a stock answer of "fine thanks," what followup questions can one ask to find out how things are really going in a person's life?
2. How is it that some people are lost within the fold?
3. What makes God so excited when a person comes to Him?

Growing by Giving

1. Is not witnessing a sin?
2. Are there ways of witnessing for those who are anti-social?
3. Are good witnessers born or developed?

Faithfulness to Christ's Command

1. Is the gospel commission an invitation or a command?
2. Can God transform me into desiring to witness, and if so, can I wait till the desire begins?
3. Are there Christian churches that do not evangelize? How do they grow?

Motivated by Love

1. What motivated Paul to undertake so many missionary journeys?
2. Is the lack of witnessing indication of a lack of love for fellow humans?
3. What does appreciation for one's personal salvation feel like?

Lesson 13 (June 20-26), Living by the Word of God

The Living Word of God and the Holy Spirit

1. If God works in humans both to will and to do, what do WE need to do to "work out our own salvation?"
2. If the Holy Spirit is desirous for us to understand the Bible correctly, why do we need to pray for His guidance?
3. How does one "hold fast to the Word of God?"

Learning from Jesus

1. Why does quoting Scripture help one to resist temptation?
2. How well does Satan know the Bible?
3. If there were no Bible is there any way humans could have identified Jesus as the Messiah?

Jesus Versus Scripture

1. If we use Scriptures to identify Jesus are we place the Bible above Jesus?
2. Did Jesus reject or minimize portions of Scripture by saying "ye have heard it said . . . but I say unto you?
3. What doctrines of the church would suffer if we rejected the entire Old Testament?

Quiet Times with the Word of God

1. What factors cause one to neglect Bible study and prayer?
2. What is the solution to "problems" that crowd out Bible study?
3. When is the best time to study the Bible and why?

Memory and Song

1. Why is memorizing Bible passages better than carrying a Bible around?
2. Which version should one memorize from and why?
3. How does music help in memorizing words?
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Lesson 12 (June 13-19), Dealing with Difficult Texts

Possible Reasons for Apparent Contradictions

1. If there were errors in the Bible would that be proof that it was not inspired?
2. What kinds of errors do translators make?
3. What kinds of errors would copyists make?

Dealing with Difficulties

1. Who has the final say on what a Bible text means?
2. Why is the Bible sometimes used by both sides of an argument?
3. How should a difficult text be handled?

Deal with Difficulties Humbly

1. Why is it important to have humility when studying difficult passages?
2. Why is there the saying "little knowledge is dangerous?"
3. What Biblical grounds is used to reject the Biblical Sabbath?

Determination and Patience

1. Why does the Holy Spirit not enlighten a Bible reader immediately?
2. Are there texts which are impossible to understand?
3. What legitimate tools can help us to understand the Bible?

Deal with Difficulties

1. What are ways in which we can let the Bible interpret itself?
2. What does prayer do that makes it important when studying the Bible?
3. Is it advisable to seek the help of another individual when understanding Scripture? How can they help?