Santhana David

The Holy Spirit, of course, enabled 70 elders to be leaders to share Moses’ burden – their prophesying was an experiential confirmation that the Spirit of God was on them - it was only to show the people as they (the 70) prophesied only once. Through this God made His point something like saying, My spirit is with these 70 – that’s it. Moses thought that with God’s mere presence in the midst of Israel, His people will distinguish God’s people from all other peoples of the earth : How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" (Exodus 33:16)

The work : The work of the Holy Spirit’s in the Old Testament is basically the granting of certain ability to perform specific tasks. Much like the way the spiritual gifts operate in the New Testament, the Spirit would gift certain individuals for services. Effects : I believe that it’s a calling for a present realization of the promise of a covenant - “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you and I will remove the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes” (Ezek 36:26~28)

Q3. 1) (Ezra 4:1-3) Sometimes uncommitted people try to co-opt true worship for their own ends, as did the enemies of the Jews. What is the danger of letting people without a deep heart commitment and close walk with God redesign the church's image in the community? Redesign worship? Redesign the preaching? Ultimately, there will be two groups of people - one group called “FEW,” and the other, “MANY.” – “MANY will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evil doers!’” (Matt 7:23) Evidently, there many within the Church, the so called self deceived who profess Jesus, whose activities seem to have marks of genuine ministry – but Jesus, with a broken heart, will declare to them, “I don’t know you,” When one lives a life compromised with sin one will not know where they’re heading towards. Remember what Jesus said, ‘Are you therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God? (Mk 12:24) Really, what could be more deadly than diluted faith in Jesus? In Penang, Malaysia, where I live has sort of become mainstream attraction, where even non-Christians have added a Christian name to their secular names - some of them even come to Church services– they don’t think about the lives of service or the persecution the church undergoes. They and even Christians within the parish are “lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, … haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2Tim 3:2–4). They might lead church organizations or be involved in mission trips but live within a watered down “Good News.” They even introduce Biblical based form of games, camps or other activities to make Christianity look much simpler to follow and practice. Then in Church these lukewarm Christians give half hearted talks on the faith and propagate lethargic ways or forms of worship which might actually insinuate the latest way of being Christian and new way of worship and fellowship. These so called “true” followers of Christ if allowed may even teach others, especially the young to justify sins until it becomes a norm even within the parish church as a whole. I hope I’m not being judgmental and surely not bulking all Churches and Christians as a whole. But, mind you, if we go a little deeper into this zone it gets scarier. With this mindset, Christians might want to think that they know what Christianity is all about. These acts of hypocrisy actually waters down the image of the Church not only from within but also from the outside – where non Christians look upon the Church as a house of God filled with hypocrites, living in pretense. If we get too caught with this kind of Christian lifestyle and worship, Oh! My!!! When we knock at the door asking the Lord to open the door for us, again Jesus will definitely say, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers” (Matt. 7:23) b 2) How can we be innovative and still be faithful to God's heart? “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you” (Mk 9:19) and later He says “Everything is possible for one who believes.” (Mk 9:23) And I believe there was a doubt in Jesus about our faith. I think I’m definitely not alone and to be open and honest about my feelings, I would say that most Christ followers have at one time or another struggled with doubts and it’s sad to say that I know sincere Christians who have been believers for years who still struggle with faith. “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.” (Hebr 3:1~2) The book of Hebrews provides Christians with vital words to all who are "partakers of the heavenly calling." Is there a biblical pattern that we can ensue that will help us? Yes, this is a course of action that has been called, “The Master’s Plan,” which is an application of New Testament principles which, by the way, coincide with insights of modern research by the church growth specialists concerning the way we are able to most effectively worship and grow in our faith. God is calling for a people who are free from the materialism and foolishness of this world, basically, Christians who are not living for the world, but who wake up each morning and hear Jesus calling them to Himself. I believe there are many in the body of Christ who truly are not bound to anything on this earth. You could take away their house, bank account, job or business - everything but the clothes on their back - and yet still they would love God with all their heart. We need to understand that all our striving against sin, all our sanctified service to God and crying out in prayer are not considered faithfulness? I believe that faithfulness to God is impossible unless it springs from a trusting and believing heart! The soil of the human heart must be properly “mixed and fertilized” by walking by the Spirit (Acts 1:8; 4:31; Eph. 5:18) and praying for laborers for the harvest (Luke 10:2); for open doors and the ability to make the Gospel clear (Col. 4:4) Finally, most of time in our lives, we are tempted to do things we know we shouldn't do. Just walk away if the temptation is hard, and if it just keeps coming, we need to pray and ask God to help take away the temptation, and put ourselves in another situation else to distract ourselves.

Q2. a) Rebuilding the temple in order to restore worship is the point of all this work. Is your personal worship what it should be? I was born into a Catholic family and had been a committed Christian for 30 over years minus the years as a child and the adolescent years as a teenager. I was then a member of Parish Liturgy team, an extra-ordinary minister of communion, a member of the Parish Pastoral council and so forth. I go for daily masses except on Mondays. But the due to a certain resentment and ego (I don’t wish to discuss this), when I was about 56 yrs old, I moved into an inexperienced comfortable zone missing masses on Sundays by sleeping the night away. It was really an easy transition. It was then that my mind and heart grew dull and my vision for God is gradually blurred. It was during one of these days, that I was in a “bus-stop” (raining & riding a bike with no raincoat) when I heard 2 Jehovah witnesses discussing Psalm 142, which reads, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; ….” Yes! That was it. At that very moment I knew what exactly it was that I really missed. I think as God raised Cyrus to release the Jews from captivity to rebuild the temple, God influenced me to rebuild and renew my inner my spiritual and physical wellbeing. Now I’m right back on track that leads to the “narrow gate”. I guess “it takes a bad to discover a good.” I now go for daily masses, except on Mondays and physical exercises to which I played no heed to and now even participating in this Rebuild & Renew course. It was a massive and a most necessary change. ***”except on Mondays” = no masses on Mondays as it’s an off-day for priests*** What foundations do you need to lay again in your personal restoration and revival of faith? First I need GOD – He’s my “wake up call” – Through daily prayer disown the sense of disorientation and normalize the foundation of faith in God through Jesus with wisdom from the Holy Spirit – I also needed to recommit my Faith in my Creator in order remain faithful to Him – Only if I do these things in true faith will God restore His trust in me. Me as a vessel and temple of the Holy Spirit must only allow God to be the captain and be the crew member to do what God commands & not feelings or others influence my thoughts, words and actions - I know now that only God judges – I should just forgive and move on.

Question 1 : a) Why did only some return to Jerusalem when given the opportunity? : Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:5) In my opinion only those as mentioned in Ezra 1:5, living in obedience to God, were raised up to return to their Jewish homeland to rebuild the Temple – it is the same influence God had on Cyrus’ spirit to free the Jews to return to Jerusalem – In the Persian king, God raised up an earthly king to accomplish His very own divine plan for His people, the Jews – bringing them back from captivity. Remember ! The 70 years is up (Jeremiah25:11~12) On those who did not return : Many remained in Babylon – some probably too old (70 yrs. Since the destruction of Jerusalem) to endure the long journey – same for those with babies and young children – and many would have been sick and disabled – finally, let’s not forget those who were already living in comfort as many Jews had attained noteworthy status during the reign of Cyrus, these were probably born during the captivity in Babylon. What are the likely characteristics of those who return vs. those who stay behind in Babylon? I believe, that those who returned from exile lived in obedience to the laws of God – those were the ones who lived in Babylon, who continually professed their love for Jerusalem saying, “If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill. May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.” On the other hand, those who did not return were not influenced or called by God. They could have been the ones, with their Babylonian names, had accepted the way of life there, and being complacent did not see the reason to return from exile – probably accepted the religion of the land and lived in disobedience to the God. c) Why do only some answer Jesus' call to follow him on his journey to a radically different kind of lifestyle and mission? For me, the call of Jesus, is a call to repent and return to the Good News – the many, if not all Jews then were called by Jesus - many did these were the chosen ones – but this paved a way for the Gentiles to be followers of Jesus today all over the globe. But answering the call is not all there is – Christians would have to find and walk through the narrow gate – only those who most deservingly receive the gift of Salvation – only those who REPENT & RETURN to this new way of Christian life will be rewarded with this gift, which leads us to gate and walk through to sit with the Lamb at the consummation of all things. But many, including Christians are living in complacency – the comforts of life they take pleasure in makes it difficult – they just can’t leave behind their luxuries and coziness behind and answer the call of Jesus – it’s just too arduous – they’d rather say “O Jesus I’ll be a Christian from where I am – all the while I’m driving – I just cannot that extra mile You require” d) What are the characteristics of true disciples? Jesus said, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven” (Matt 10:32-33). A true disciple will always freely broadcast Jesus Christ. Discipleship must come hand in hand with obedience to Jesus and without that it’s just unthinkable! “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Lk 9:23). Therefore, answering and following Jesus involves being hated, persecuted and the readiness for martyrdom.

In what way is God's glory dependent upon us living submissive, obedient lives? Christians are to submit to others on a variety of levels, including a broad range of circumstances and settings, which also includes submission in the context of suffering. Submission is the key to unity and harmony in human relationships - in the church, in marriage, and in any relationship, submission is the basis for unity. Submission is at the core of man’s relationship with God and of discipleship. Adam and Eve’s sin was a revolt or rather “insubmission” against God - a refusal to submit to Him. We glorify God by our submission to His will and commands. How is God hurt when we get rebellious? God hates rebellion, and says it "is as the sin of witchcraft" (1 Sam 15:23). In fact, the Bible tells us that there comes a time, if a person remains in unrepentant sin, we should "deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord Jesus (1 Cor 5:5). God's grace is not a license to sin - it only shows our lack of love for the Lord, Who we must obey to please and show our gratitude to Jesus for giving His life for us.

Q2. (1:15-16) In your own words, how would you define "holiness"? In what sense are you (by definition) holy now? For me the whole form of holiness is 1st to be set apart by God through prayer and to be cleansed of sinfulness. Here I need God because He Himself is holy, faultless and pure. For me and my household, we have adopted to live unblemished code of lives and ensure we live out the laws of God. In what sense must you be obedient in order to become holy? I’d like to think that only if I pay heed to Christ’s gospel call to repentance from sin and turn to active sacrificial faith, I’ll be able to start a whole new holy life – that is simply a life of obedience to God’s laws which he gave us through Moses. What is your biggest struggle with holiness? Though I try and most of the time succeed in living a moral Christian life, I sometimes fail by conforming to some self seeking lusts such as money and pleasure. This is my biggest struggle. When I fall, I get up knowing God Who is holy and faultless will forgive me and through His grace will help me not repeat that offence. But before you know it, sadly I'd fall again and the cycle restarts. Now praise be to God when I'm in a sinful situation the Spirit reminds me what I prayed for in my morning prayer and I refrain myself from indulging in the act of sin.

Q1. (1:13) What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention? For me I see a gracious God reminding us through Peter the apostle to live sinless and purpose filled lives. Our undivided attention must be to gravitate towards Godliness, in order to inherit SALVATION at Christ’s second coming. Why should it inspire hope? Why should it inspire self-control and soberness? The basis of our Christian faith is HOPE – a hope to obtain salvation of our souls through FAITH as mentioned earlier in the text (verse 9). In order to attain that salvation which is yet to be revealed we need the grace of God to inspire us to live moral lives by guarding our minds from ungodliness and all forms of materialistic drunkenness. What happens in our lives when we don't really expect Christ to come soon? We will experience and do the following :- a) drift towards indiscipline, disobedience and lose self control Gravitate towards ungodliness slump to prayerlessness c) And finally the loss of hope in salvation.

Q3. (1:5) According to 1 Peter 1:5, what is God's part in securing your salvation? What is your part? If Christians could only read and understand the Bible as a little child would, could we not understand the simple truth God offers. But our carnal minds have distorted the Word of God. If only we can like Jonah from inside the fish pray, ““But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord’” (Jonah 2:9) Then, God would do His part by shielding believers by His power till the day of Salvation. Me, on my part must pray and allow the Holy Spirit to awaken in me the deeply hidden/rooted awareness of sin within me and live a life of obedience by living every Word of God in order to be confounded by the wisdom of God. Then, and only then, as God said, He, “will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” This surely will bring me salvation.(Ezekiel 36:27)

Q2. Why do forgiveness (sprinkling) and obedience come together as a package? The shedding of Jesus’ blood He won the forgiveness of sins which in itself is salvation in order that we may enter into God’s Heavenly Kingdom thru obedience to Jesus. I believe it must be seen and understood that forgiveness is an act of obedience, therefore a package. Why is it deceptive to think you can have one without the other? Forgiveness signifies true repentance which is followed by obedience – but if one thru disobedience falls into the same state of sinfulness then it means one never truly sought repentance. Hence FORGIVENESS = OBEDIENCE. Extra credit: If true faith requires obedience, how can we say that we are saved by grace rather than works? (Ephesians 2:8-10) Well, the answer to this, I believe lies in understanding that the nature of one’s reliance on God, through obedience, is only made possible through faith. Works on the other hand, is the accomplishment of some good work thru which one may assume that one has earned a status of privilege before God. This is what St Paul in a number of his letters has described as boasting. No one, no matter what works he/she has achieved, or rather accomplished can make a claim on God, let alone earn a standing before Him. Humans are saved by God’s grace received thru faith which requires obedience.

Q1. a) How would you describe the behavior of a Christian who identifies more with his present homeland than his heavenly one? Un-Godly! this type of Christian life is basically in ruins – he/she will not be able to give God the supreme place in his/her life – conforming to the patterns of the world thereby being unable to transform one’s mind to test and approve what God’s will is - in contrast to Romans 12:2. Have you ever caught yourself doing this? That’s a definite ‘YES’ – I’d be lying if I said otherwise – today we all live in a multi-tasking world – I have fallen many times but Jesus has shown by His falls during the way up to Golgotha that I too can get up ask for God’s forgiveness and walk the walk again trying hard not to fall back into the materialistic world. c) What has to happen to get our spiritual priorities straight? “……….though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” (1Pet 1:6b) I believe I need to reset my spiritual priorities. I cannot point a finger at someone else and say that he/she is not doing it right – if I walk with Jesus asking for His grace and strength thru prayer He’d surely remind me where my priorities should be – though this is easier said than done, I’m thankful that I have a great God who never gives up on me.

Q4. a) (Psalm 27:8) What does it mean "to seek his face"? Back on Mt. St. Sinai, God told Moses said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” Even Moses hid his face. The sight of the full glory of God has never been available to humans who are full of sin, for God’s fire consumes sin and God is that “God is a consuming fire.”(Hebr 12:29) Only true hearts which echo the Will of God can seek God’s face – hearts which look to Jesus, like the saints who have been transformed into the likeness of Christ. The psalmist here as in an earlier Psalm wrote, “As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.”(Ps 17:15) Therefore, I think, the psalmist understood that one day, he would see God’s face, in a righteous state. As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. (Ps. Ps. 17:15) Jesus, himself han many times indicated that the righteous would have intimacy with God and their fulfillment: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Mat. 5:8) What is necessary in us to have a desire for that? We must turn Jesus and scripture which are our lenses through which we see the imagery God. We cannot truly know God, his will, or the way of salvation apart from His WORD. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Scripture reveals the ultimate wisdom, which comes from a diverse source, and teaches us of a different kind love. c) How did talking to God "face to face" change Moses? The brief but significant encounter with God did actually change Moses. The end of 34th chapter of Exodus describes a brief but significant account of what happens to Moses after talking with God. “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord, God.” (Ex 34:29) More importantly, this shows that, what Moses knows about himself decreases in importance and perspective after talking with God. d) How will it change us? What does it cost us to actively seek him? Is it worth it? How does seeking his face relate to our theme of the Glorious Kingdom? For me, I think I will lose myself and all track of time. I will stand in GRACE. (Rom 5:2) I remember someone wrote, “Grace is nothing more nor less than the face that love wears when it meets imperfection, weakness, failure, sin.” When I enter into the Lord’s presence and behold His Glory, God will reveal the flaws in my life and I believe I will come face to face with the reality of my imperfection. I will realize the things that are against His desires and the changes He wants to make within me. Only then, will the chains of this materialistic world fall off and Satan will lose his grip on my life. This will be the change when I encounter God and it’ll be worth every pound of mercy, forgiveness and grace I’d receive. Seeking the face of God changed Moses – his face shone – didn’t it ? (Ex 34:29) What more with us ? The Glory of God will always be revealed and the Glorious Kingdom of God realized here on Earth.

Q3. Based on John's vision of the Bride, the Holy City, in Revelation 21, how would you describe in your own words the glory we will experience? The starting words of Revelation 21 bring to mind the beginning words of Genesis 1:1, where it is written, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Well, now, that creation will now be the “old heavens and the old earth.” Only the heirs of salvation, who can get near as possible onto the mount of meditation and faith can have a clear view of this “new heaven and a new earth,” which came down from heaven. The inhabitants of this city, the church, bride of Christ, will only be the risen and repented saints whose bodies will be freed from all dishonor, deformity, diseases, and imperfections, because in this city they are separated and secure from all evils and enemies. All, in the New Jerusalem, will be transformed into the likeness of Christ's glorious body, shining like the SUN of RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jesus, in the Kingdom of God. The citizens of this city will reflect the glory of God which in itself is the presence of God. God brought into this world the “WAY,” who died on the Cross for teaching us about salvation and the Kingdom of God. But till today, we, the living, cannot perfectly reflect the glory of God. Therefore, we need to make ourselves fit by reminding ourselves the importance of relating to God through repentance, without forgetting the importance of encouraging one another to repent, allowing God to transform us through His grace and become “sheep.” Only then, can we enter into the new heaven and new earth, prepared for us. And there in the presence of God we will reflect the Glory of God with dazzling splendor.

Q2. a. (2 Timothy 2:12a) What does it mean to "rule and reign" with Christ now, in this life? It’s the same old story, as the issue at hand is fellow believers, the “saints,” verses the unrighteous. The “saints,” will equipped with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, and have all the knowledge required at their disposal to settle difference of opinions with one another. As Paul puts it, “If we endure, we will also reign with Him”, it our perseverance in wanting endure without disowning Christ, He will not disown when He comes to reign over all. 2 Tim 2:12a, is sort of similar to “He who overcomes, and who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and He shall rule with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father. (Rev 2:26~27) Here, Paul assertion is that if this is the destiny that awaits saints in the coming kingdom, then surely now saints ought to be able to settle minor disputes without taking one another to court. b. What do you think it will mean after Christ returns? How does this relate to our theme of the Glorious Kingdom? Jesus left no doubt that He will return to complete His mission of salvation for mankind. (John 14:1~4) Therefore, we must take every opportunity available to seek repentance while we are still living, or it’ll be too late. When Christ returns those still living and the resurrected dead will face God in judgment. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Cor 5:10) Then, will come the fulfillment of the messianic prophesies and promises of the Kingdom of God. The destruction of Satan, which will be the greatest of triumphs of Christ, and thereafter there will be no more sins, suffering or death. It has everything to do with our theme. On the 2nd follow up question, firstly, there is the everlasting dominion that Jesus Christ, our Lord is going to establish and then Jesus comes gloriously to set the Glorious Kingdom. In order to fully understand the Glorious Kingdom, we must recognize and invite grace as an unseen guest and live it out as a true follower of the Glorious Christ.

Lesson 6 Q1. a. What does Matthew 24:30-31 tell us will happen when Christ returns? Many have provided hypothetical responses with regards to the coming of the Son of Man. The vision of Daniel, I believe, gives us a better imagery of this future episode though it falls short of the ultimate reality and the “sign from Heaven” is, I think, more than just a visible emergence from the sky. The mourning pitches us with prophecy of Zechariah, “…. They will look on me, the one they have pierced and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." (Zech 12:10) Obviously in today's context, the mourners will be the unrepentant sinners. The Son of Man coming with power and glory will deliver His ultimate judgment, which will be the separation of goats from the sheep. b. How does this relate to Daniel's prophecy of the Son of Man? It is basically a vision of a prophet of old retold by the Living Lord of Glory Himself while He walked the earth. "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him.” Dan 7:14. It is with this power and glory that the Son of Man will destroy every enemy and erect His own everlasting dominion, which will not pass away. The destruction will include mourning unbelievers, who mourn and weep in endless horror and despair but repented sinners who look to Jesus Christ and those who sowed in tears will harvest and reap in great joy.