Irmela

1. What was the Sign of Jonah to Jesus' generation? Why was it even more convincing than healing the sick? (11:29-30) The sign of Jonah is taken to be the sign of the resurrection. (Jonah was in the belly of the fish for 3 days and 3 nights. Jesus was in the tomb for 3 days and 3 nights. Then Jonah was spewed out by the fish. His appearance was possibly changed due to the acids in the fish's stomach. Jesus's resurrected body too was changed.) Jonah preached to Nineveh (3:4), 40 days and city will be overthrown. (They repented and the sentence was revoked) 40 yrs after start of Jesus's ministry, destruction of the temple (Matthew 24:1&2). Jonah was very reluctant to go to the heathen nation. Then he was very upset, to say the least, that they were not destroyed because they repented. After Jesus's resurrection we read in Acts 10 that Peter was sent to Cornelius (a Gentile), and they became believers. This too was met with resenment from the other Jewish believers, which we read about in Acts 11. The second part of the question about being convincing, I would say the prophet Jonah was part and parcel of their lives, of what they knew and had been taught. (No longer something they needed to be convinced about) They were still fighting the authenticity of Jeshua being the Christ. They were not prepared to believe it to be so. And He performed miracles, healings being part of them.

4. What are the dangers of seeing Christianity mainly in terms of family pride and responsibility, like the woman in the crowd? (11:27-28) It is so easy to think we can fall back on the fact that parents served the Lord. But it is more important that when you hear the Word, you act on it. You obey it and put it into practice. It is no good to think our forefathers did this and that and we do nothing. It is impotant to hear, obey and put into practice.

3. In Luke 9:49-50 Jesus says "Whoever is not against you is for you." But in 11:23 he says "He who is not with me is against me." Are these statements in conflict? What are we to learn from each? The stmts are not in conflict. One is either for Christ or against Christ. There is no middle path. There is no maybe. Either YES or NO, either FOR or AGAINST.

2. What in Scripture indicates that the spiritual warfare against Satan and his demons is not an even match? What verse in this passage indicates this? It is not an even match because Jesus can drive them (the demons) out. In verse 20 Jesus speaks about driving them out by the 'finger of God. In Matthew, he speaks about the Spirit of God. Whichever way they submit and obey His command

1. When Jesus is accused of being empowered by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, what are the three points of his answer? Put these points in your own words. a. (11:17-18a) b. (11:18b-20) c. (11:21-22) a. If someone from the family (k) fights against someone else from family (k). That family would soon be none and void. Can also be taken as if someone from family (k) speaks bad about another one from family (k). How can the integrity of the family last. b. They reckon Jesus drives out demons with satans help, that means their own sons must also make use of the same means. c. Jesus' was stronger or more powerful than the demons, so that was why He could drive them out.

5. Why can the Holy Spirit be considered the Father's best gift? According to the Scripture, does the Father only give the Holy Spirit to certain Christians? It is He Himself that He gives us. He gives Him to all who ask. We need to feel free to ask for the Holy Spirit.

4. How can fear of God's response keep us from praying boldly and persistently? How does Jesus answer this concern? (11:11-13) Jesus says clearly that God knows how to give good gifts to us. If we as humans who only see partly, know how to give good gifts to our children, then surely, He as God, who sees the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning, who knows our hearts, surely He knows much better what is good for us.

3. There are three promises in 11:9-10 that are really one promise. What is this promise? God will answer. Keep on asking, you will RECEIVE. Keep on seeking, you will FIND. Keep on knocking and the DOOR WILL BE OPENED. It might just be one of three answers. YES NO NOT KNOW But there will be an answer.

2. Does the parable teach that God won't help us unless we insist? What's the essential lesson of this parable? No. It does not teach us that there will only be an answer if we persist or insist. What it teaches us is not to give up asking until there is an appropriate answer. Or not to think we should not ask as it is too inconvenient or rediculous a request. We may approach God at any hour and request no matter what and there will finally be an answer, be it "Yes. No. Or not now. " ASK UNTIL THE ANSWER IS THERE

1. Where is the humor in Jesus' Parable of the Friend at Midnight? (11:5-8) From what is explained one can imagine. Probing around in the darkness to get to the door, firstly, is already an undertaking. To do this without waking anyone before more incessant calling or knocking makes it worse. Fulfilling the quest or not fulfilling it, will both wake the household. Thus the quicker it is done the quicker everyone can settle down again.

7. Why should we bring God into the fact of our tempting circumstances? Can't we expect God to deliver us from sins automatically? It is very important to walk with God everwhere literally as well as in your thoughts. Our own evil desires lead us back to the things that lead us to sin. (Stay away from that). If you do have to go back into that situation ask God to go with you. There is the sincere request though NOT TO LEAD US TO THAT PLACE. God does promise to help us though.

6. How can unforgiveness on our part block God's blessing? How can unforgiveness block God's forgiveness? Doesn't the fact that our forgiveness requires our forgiving others really a subtle form of "works righteousness"? If there is unforgiveness on our part that means there is more still there. Either bitterness or anger or resentment. These are things that we need to confess or repent from. By getting rid of them, by confession, we find we have also forgiven whoever did something to us. It goes hand in hand. If we do not forgive others then we cannot ecpect a blessing because there is a blockage for the free flowing blessing. Remembering always that forgiveness is by God's grace alone. We dare not take it for granted. If we then also forgive the blessings are bound to come. Number one there is PEACE.

5. Why should we continually ask forgiveness? Does the Father really forgive the sins we've asked forgiveness for? Must the same sins be forgiven again later? We need to ask forgiveness as soon as we become aware that we have committed a sin. Also as soon as we are aware that we have not done what we should have done. In this way we stay in fellowship with God. Yes, Christ has paid the penalty and forgiveness is there for the taking as it were. If the sin is committed again we need to come for forgiveness again. Maybe it is a stronghold that needs to be broken down. We are encouraged in the Word to "confess our sins one to another for the prayers of a righteous man availeth much". This I believe and have experienced to be so, especially in cases where a sin is easily often repeated. It's like not getting victory over it. After that it is definately easier to overcome. But cofession is vitally important.

4. Why do we seek to be independent of asking anyone for help? Why do we seek to be independent of God? Why should we ask God to "give" us daily bread so long as we can earn a living for ourselves? I guess the thought or feeling is there that we can take care of our own needs. To ask for help in anyway is almost like showing a weakness and proving that we are helpless. We cannot be independent of God. (I do not seek that) Without His help we would not have the ability to earn a living or provide for anyone's needs. We are dependent on Him be it whichever way food is supplied, be it through a gift or bought with ones own means. Then there is also the scenario where the food needed is not available. With unrests etc the shelves are empty of needed provisions. So even if money is available the food might not be. So whichever way you look at things it is important to look to God as our source to supply our daily needs and thank Him in whichever way He provides.

3. In what sense are we asking that the Father's kingdom should come? How should this prayer affect our living? We ask Him to manifest His power and glory. Just as when Jesus proclaimed God's reign He preached good news to the poor, freedom for the prisoners, sight for the blind, release/deliverance for the oppressed, the crushed and downtrodden by calamity and proclaimed the acceptable yr of the Lord. We should live as though the Lord's return is imminent.

2. What about our lives and words "hallows" the name of our Father? What desecrates and besmirches it? How should we "hallow" the Father when we begin to pray? If we live a life set apart from sin, we show respect and honour to God. Using His name as a swear word, we debase it and make it to be common. By doing this to His Name it is doing it to Him as a Being. We are slandering and besmirching Him. We are to worship Him and acknowledge Him as being holy.

1. What concepts about a father are we to attribute to God? Which ones don't fit him very well? What is so astounding about the fact that Jesus tells us to pray to God as Father? A father is one who cares for his family holistically. He takes the role of responsibility for their welfare which includes the discipline. He has fellowship with his children (he interacts with them). He has authority over his family (not with an iron fist). The family usually honors him with obedience and respect. (unfortunately even with seemingly perfect earthly fathers you get children who are prodigals) {God blessed us with a wonderful father. I have no problem of seeing God in this role} A role often taken over by the mother is protecting the children when there is a crises (in a hands-on way) and the father takes on a role of protecting the whole family in a 'distant' way. (Call to take turns to protect the community) The father is then absent from the home but fulfilling a duty to protect the family from a distance. [This indeed is the picture of the hen protecting her chickens under her wings]. Another way where the mother takes part of the responsibility on her shoulders is teaching the children. They are more with her during the day and the talking, crawling, walking etc will be mostly taught by her. But come the sports stuff, bicycle riding, fishing, etc again actually in total a shared responsibility. [Here one can get the picture of the eagle catching the young on her pinions] The concept of looking to God as my father was not difficult. Jesus often communicated with God in prayer. We are allowed to do the same. He does not want us to be distant from Him but wants a close relationship with us.

5. What patterns and practices could you institute in your daily life that would make you more like Mary? Make time to listen. It is very important not to only serve Him, but to also spend time to love Him and listen to Him. To worship Him.

4. In what ways do you sometimes find yourself busy, upset, and troubled like Martha? Years ago, yes, it was easy to find oneself in such a state when something needed to be completed urgently and there was no help forthcoming from anyone. Now still when not enough information is given and you are expected to complete a task, it is easy to get upset instead of staying calm.

3. How is Jesus' treatment of Mary astonishing in his culture? Why do you think he said the unexpected? Mary, as a woman, would under usual circumstances not have been encouraged to listen to what a rabbi was teaching his followers. In those days the women were not taught the Torah, in the same way the boys/men were. Jesus did not dissuade Mary from sitting at His feet and joining the men as they listened to His teachings. The usual thing would have been for Mary to help with the preparation of the food for the guests. Jesus did not send her to do that. I think firstly He knew that she desired to hear His teaching from a pure heart and secondly Martha could have possibly even joined them if she was not so concerned with the fact that Mary was not in her 'rightful role'. Because of that it all just took much longer. Jesus probably said the unexpected so that it would be remembered and not ignored. He knew that women were seen as inferior and not important enough to be able to listen and learn.

2. Martha was a spiritual woman. How was she seeking to honor Jesus? Mary was a spiritual woman. How was she seeking to honor Jesus? Jesus had been invited into Martha's home. Her way of honoring Him was to make scrumptious meals and placing those before Him and His followers. It just took time and I guess help would have been appreciated from her side. Mary in turn was not in charge of getting a meal in front of the guests so she honored Jesus by sitting at His feet and listening to what He was teaching His listeners. I think if Martha had gone about doing the meal etc with a joyful heart and not complained about Mary, it too would have been ok. I think it was her attitude towards Mary that was at fault.

1. This is just a short glimpse, a few verses, a couple of minutes in Jesus' entire lifetime. Why was it so important that it was preserved for you and me to read? It is so easy to put serving as top priority on our list of "what is important". It is important. But from this incident we see that simple serving is good enough sometimes. Then there is time to also sit and listen at the Master's feet. I guess we need to take a look at our motive behind the "fancy serving" also. Exactly the same as our motive for sitting at the Master's feet. I think that is why it has been put there for us to read, that we can examine ourselves and see what is important to us. Is it sitting and listening to our Lord and Saviour or is it being so busy (we actually start getting into a tizz about it) that we have no time to listen to Him.

7. How are we to emulate the Good Samaritan by "doing likewise"? What is God speaking to you from this passage? To show love to those who come across our path and not to ignore them and look the other way. At the robots there are often "beggars" hoping for money. Many use this for drugs or glue. Some are genuine. We have been requested by authority to not really support them. It is just so hard. I find it so hard to look them in the face and say "Sorry, i don't have". How can I be a neighbour?

6. What does the parable of the Good Samaritan illustrate? What does it teach us about love? About mercy? About selfishness? It illustrates that we are all people, nevermind race or whatever. We all have needs, from the greatest to the smallest. We all will come to the point sometime in our "walk" were we will have to choose to be a help to someone over and above our selfishness or to leave the trapped person be, and show our terrible selfishness. The parable illustrates quite clearly that our neighbour is not necessary a friend. (We cannot depend on human beings. They fail us again and again). Help comes from the unexpected. Love and mercy go beyond racial boundaries. It stretches beyond enemy lines. It is far beyond normal. Selfishness is rife even amidst the so called godly society of people.

5. Why do you think that the hero of the story was a Samaritan? What was Jesus' point by including the Samaritan? How do you think the lawyer felt about it? The Samaritans were not exactly 'loved' by the Jews. They were looked down upon as half-breeds and heretics. Having chosen the Samaritan as the hero makes the point of the role as neighbour very clear. (A person in need remains a person in need , be it a despised fellow-citizen, or someone looked up to as an upper-class civilian) Just as the person in need can be anyone so also the helper can be anyone. The lawyer no doubt learnt very clearly that it does not help to try to justify one's actions when one's conscience actually tells us differently. I guess he felt bad about previous actions.