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Everything posted by haar
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Q3. (John 6:11) How did Jesus distribute the multiplied loaves and fishes to the multitudes? How do the disciples fit in? How are the baskets used? What impression do you think this is making on the disciples as they work hard during the ongoing miracle? After having the crowd seated in rows, Jesus took the bread and fish, looked to heaven and gave thanks broke the bread and fish into baskets. The disciples then took the bread and the fishes in the baskets round to the crowd and back to Jesus to refill until everyone had his fill. I think what might have been going on in the minds of the disciples was marvelling how great their Master was, having the power of multiplying meagre resources into huge supply to meet the needs of the crowd.
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Q2. (John 6:10) Why does Jesus have the crowds sit down before feeding them? What is the disciples' role in this? Why would you prepare for a miracle if you don't think it would happen? How ready is your congregation to see miracles take place? Jesus had the crowd seated before feeding them to ensure that everything was orderly and not rowdy. One will not prepare for a miracle like Jesus did if he wasn’t sure that it will happen. Jesus was very sure that the five loaves and two fishes would feed the crowd and thus prepare them for it. Hardly do some people look forward for miracles in many congregations these days.
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Q1. Involving Disciples
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 13. Feeding the Five Thousand, Walking on Water (John 6:1-21)
Q1. (John 6:5-9) Why does Jesus try to get the disciples to own the task of feeding the crowds? What is the significance to the story of the boy's five loaves and two little fish? I think he is trying to tell that even he takes care of them they too should care for the people who he will soon leave them with. The significance is that the small resouces entrusted to the Lord can be multiplied to meet the needs of others and ours of course. -
Q5. Discernment and Scripture
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 12. Life in the Son (John 5:17-47)
Q5. (John 5:39-40) What should be the role of the Scriptures in our lives? How is it possible for a person to be a great student of the Bible, but so lacking in spiritual discernment and lifestyle? How can we keep our churches orthodox but not legalistic and judgmental? The scriptures should influence our lives by being a lamp to our feet and a light to our path that guide us so that we will not stumble and fall. They should make us become more and more like Christ as we read and apply them in our lives. But if we do not eternalise them ie do not apply them then we will be great students but lacking in spiritual discernment and life style. -
Q4. (John 5:36-37) According to John's Gospel, what is the value of miracles? What is the weakness of faith that depends solely on miracles? Why do you think that we don't have more miracles in our day? How much is that dependent upon a congregation's attitude (and unbelief) towards the importance of modern-day miracles? Miracles are very important in attracting people to Christ. Faith that depends solely on miracles can easily disappear when the excitement goes away. We don't have many miracle in our generation because some christians think that miracles have pass away.
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Q3. Wisdom from the Father
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 12. Life in the Son (John 5:17-47)
Q3. (John 5:30) Why is Jesus so dependent upon the Father for wisdom? How dependent are you upon your culture to approve of your way of life and validate your wisdom? To what degree do you depend upon God for wisdom? Because He is subordinated to and thus dependent on God in role. No, I do depend on my culture to approve my way of life to a great extend. I seek God's face in almost every aspect of my life. -
Q2. Passing from Death to Life
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 12. Life in the Son (John 5:17-47)
Q2. (John 5:21-24) According to John 5:24, when does eternal life begin? What is our default position without Christ -- life or death? How can people come to eternal life if they never "hear my word"? How do your friends and neighbors normally hear Jesus' word? What might be your role in seeing that they hear his word? Eternal life begins NOW on hearing Jesus and believing the Father who sent Him Without Christ means death. It is difficult for people to come to eternal life without hearing as that is a prerequisite. Through street evangelism by groups and individuals. We all have a responsibility to preach the word of god as the Great Commission given by Christ Jesus. -
Q1. Listening to the Father
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 12. Life in the Son (John 5:17-47)
Q1. (John 5:19-20) Are we intended to emulate Jesus' listening to the Father, or is knowing the Bible a modern-day substitute for this? Why don't churches teach more about hearing the voice of God? What would happen in our generation if we would learn to dynamically hear God and then obey what he is saying to us? We can listen to God as He speaks to us through the Holy spirit in us as well as hear him through His written Word. Some Churches believe that God spoke to the prophets but now he speaks through the His written word and do not teach about listening to God. If we would listent o God and obey him, the world would a better place to live and our lives would attract no believers to Christ -
Q4. Inner and Outer Healing
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 11. Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-16)
Q4. (John 5:14-15) Is it possible to be blessed outwardly, but lost inwardly? Why did Jesus confront the healed man in the temple with his sin? How was this necessary for a full healing, his salvation? Does the man seem to respond with faith to Jesus' rebuke? Yes. This is why Jesus directed the healed [blessed] man to stop sinning or else something worst would happen to him. Jesus wanted him to stay physically and spiritually healed by not going back to sin. I am not sure if the man responded with faith to Jesus rebuke -
Q3. Spiritual Blindness
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 11. Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-16)
Q3. (John 5:9-13) Why are the "Sabbath police" (the Pharisees) so upset at the man who is healed? How can a person be so intent on rules that they miss what God is doing? Have you ever caught yourself doing that? Has someone in your church been so intent on "how we do things here" that they couldn't see God at work? What is the sin of the Pharisees here? The Pharisees were so upset that Jesus broke the law by healing the man on the Sabbath day. We need the Spirit leading to see beyond our legalistic stance and attend to spiritual needs that may be begging for our action. I do usually want to ensure that people do things they way they are designed to be and am learning that legalistic inclination can make us spiritually blind. The sin of the Pharisees is being more interested in keeping the law that they become blind to the spiritual need of the people. -
Q2. Inquiry and Prayer
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 11. Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-16)
Q2. (John 5:6) Why do you think Jesus asked the invalid if he wanted to get well? Why is it important for us not to make assumptions, but to seek discernment about people's needs before we pray for them? I have wondered why but from Dr. Ralph's notes, I now see that Jesus wanted to ***** the man's desire and faith to be healed. We may assume that we know the need of a person but discover that their desire is different from what we assume. We should therefore always ask them to tell us what they want. -
Q1. Character and Grace
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 11. Healing at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-16)
Q1. (John 5:1-16) How would you describe the invalid's character? The invalid's faith? How does Jesus' healing here demonstrate the grace of God? Why do we humans find it difficult to accept grace when it is offered to us? Why do we resist the concept that God's gifts are entirely by grace? He was a complainer like many of us and from the search light of Dr. Ralph, he was also a blamer and ungrateful. Jesus healing here demonstrates God's grace because the man was a sinner and ungrateful and did not deserve what he got. I am not very sure why some would find it difficult to accept grace when offered to them, As for me, I accept and celebrate God's grace in my life. I believe that all what we are and all what we have are as the result of the grace of God. -
Q4. Miracles and Evangelism
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 10. Healing the Royal Official’s Son (John 4:43-54)
Q4. Have you read of miracles accompanying a great harvest of new believers on the missions fields in our day? What place do miracles have in evangelism today -- both in your country and abroad? Why do some denominations in our day deemphasize miracles or claim that they were only for the early church? Why do some denominations emphasize miracles? Which of these types of denominations tend to grow faster? What kind of "discipling" is necessary for those who come to Christ primarily on the basis of miracles? I have heard testimonies where a preacher publicly prayed for rain at a village where their crops were drying for lack of rain and the rain came pouring down before evening and this drew many converts to the Lord. Thus miracles have the potential to draw souls to the Lord even today- in this generation Those who de-emphasise miracles need to dig through the scripture to see that Jesus promised us authority to do all that he did while here on earth and even more through the Holy Spirit He sent after He rose and ascended to heaven. -
Q3. Household Faith
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 10. Healing the Royal Official’s Son (John 4:43-54)
Q3. (John 4:53) What are the factors that caused the royal official's household (immediate family, extended family, and servants) to believe? How mature was this faith initially? How do you think the royal official was able to nurture it beyond mere "miracles faith"? The testimony from the royal official that the very time Jesus spoke word of healing to his some was the exact time the household reported that the boy was healed. He emphasised the exactness of the timing of healing the child and time Jesus word went out to prove that there was something supernatural in Jesus. -
Q2. Royal Official's Faith
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 10. Healing the Royal Official’s Son (John 4:43-54)
Q2. (John 4:43-50) What do we learn about the royal official's faith from his actions? Why did he travel 20 miles from Capernaum to Cana? What does this say about his faith? When he departs for home and "takes Jesus at his word," what does this tell us about his faith? The royal official's faith was great. He believed the word and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and therefore went away believing that what Jesus said has happened already. He has heard or seen some of the miracles Jesus performed and wanted to be a beneficiary of such divine experience too. He wanted his son to live. This shows that his faith was beyond the miracles but had faith in the Lord Himself. -
Q1. Maturing Faith
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 10. Healing the Royal Official’s Son (John 4:43-54)
Q1. (John 4:43-48) Many of the Galileans believe mainly because they have seen miracles. In what ways do miracles help build faith? Why does only seeing miracles not build a mature faith? Why does Jesus rebuke the Galileans in 4:48? Miracles pop up the faith of those who experience it or see them. Seeing the miracles should lead people to have faith in the source of miracles - Jesus Christ or else the objective of attracting people to the source of miracles will be defeated. He rebuke the Galileans because their interest stops at the miracles alone instead of the Master of the miracles who has more in store for them- eternal life. -
Q4. Savior of the World
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 9. The Fields Are Ripe for Harvest (John 4:27-42)
Q4. (John 4:39-42). Why do you think Jesus stayed two days in Samaria, when elsewhere he instructed his disciples not to preach in Samaritan villages? What does it mean that Jesus is the Savior of the whole world? What are its implications for our lives? For your church's mission? The time was ripe to extend salvation to the gentiles too. So he stopped to extend the grace to the Samaritans. Jesus came to save the whole world,[ whoever believes] We should therefore also have no boarders/ barriers for the Gospel -
Q3. Rewards for Workers
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 9. The Fields Are Ripe for Harvest (John 4:27-42)
Q3. (John 4:36-38) Sowers and reapers usually got "paid" when the crop was harvested. According to this analogy, what will Christian workers receive at the end of the age when the final harvest takes place and Christ comes? In addition to eternal life, Christians will get crowns for their service here on earth. -
Q2. Eyes for the Harvest
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 9. The Fields Are Ripe for Harvest (John 4:27-42)
Q2. (John 4:35) What caused the harvest to ripen so rapidly in Sychar? How likely is it that the testimony of one, discredited woman could make such a huge impact? What might God do with your testimony if you were to share it? Why is it necessary to "open our eyes" to see the potential spiritual harvest? The testimony/witness of the Samaritan woman drew the villagers to Christ. The power of the Holy produced the power to declare the message by the Samaritan woman and to make the message effective. God will empower us and our testimony to be effective. So that we will not miss the ripe time to reach out to the need thirsty soul. -
Q1. Jesus' Passion
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 9. The Fields Are Ripe for Harvest (John 4:27-42)
Q1. (John 4:31-34) What does Jesus mean by "food" in these verses? What was his passion? What is your passion? What will it take so that your passion, your goal in life, is to do the Father's work? In your life, what do you think that might look like? By "food" here Jesus meant doing the will of God, bringing the lost sheep home to God. Give them eternal life. His passion was to totally do the will of God and work for Him until all is done. I have a passion in work- work given to me by the church and the secular authority. This takes my determination, commitment, time, resources and energy. -
Q6. Spiritual Worship
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 8. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:4-26)
Q6. (John 4:23-24) What does it mean that "God is spirit"? What does it mean to worship in spirit and in truth? Have you ever "gone through the motions" of worship without worshipping? How can you worship in a way more pleasing to God? "God is spirit" means He is invisible and omnipresent. To worship in spirit and in truth means we worship in and by the power of the Holy Spirit with all our minds and hearts focused on God. Yes, several times when the mind wonders away to other things/ places. Holy spirit help to worship in spirit and in truth. Worship that pleases God is that which involves all our hearts, minds and in sincerity. -
Q5. Provoking Controversy
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 8. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:4-26)
Q5. (John 4:19-22) What motives cause the woman to bring up a religious controversy to Jesus? Why do people today try to generate religious controversies with us? What are their motives? She probably wanted to put an end to the long standing debate on the proper place of worship. To prove their own point of view as the right one. -
Q4. A Word of Knowledge
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 8. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:4-26)
Q4. (John 4:16-19) What was the effect of Jesus' special knowledge of the woman's history with men? What effect did it have on her faith? How can such gifts of the Spirit work today to bring people to faith or deepen their faith? It help her believe that Jesus was not just an ordinary human being and thus his message needed to be taken seriously and obeyed. We need to pray for God to open the minds of those we preach to. -
Q3. The Gift of God
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 8. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:4-26)
Q3. (John 4:9-15) What does the "gift of God" and the "living water" (4:9) refer to? What does receiving this gift result in (4:14)? Does this gift differ from or is another way of saying the "baptism with the Spirit" that John the Baptist spoke about in 1:33? The "gift" of God means the Holy Spirit of God. Receiving Him leads to having life eternal. To me the two are one and the same thing. -
Q3. The Gift of God
haar replied to Pastor Ralph's topic in 8. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:4-26)
Q3. (John 4:9-15) What does the "gift of God" and the "living water" (4:9) refer to? What does receiving this gift result in (4:14)? Does this gift differ from or is another way of saying the "baptism with the Spirit" that John the Baptist spoke about in 1:33? The "gift" of God means the Holy Spirit of God. Receiving Him leads to having life eternal. To me the two are one and the same thing.