Commissioned

Q5. (Luke 2:17-20) Great joy, praise, curiosity, amazement, telling others, thoughtful meditation. Which of these responses to the Good News are present in your life? In what manner do they show themselves? If some are missing, why? What can you do to recover these responses? My response to the Good News and present are all of the above, at one time or another. This is seen in the way I live life. If some are missing then I must endeavor to walk faithfully to be led by the Spirit so that any deficiency might be corrected and once more live in praise to God.

Q4. (Luke 2:11) What are the three titles of Jesus given by the angels? What does each mean? What does this tell us about Jesus' true identity? The three titles of Jesus given by the angels are “a Savior,” “Christ” and “the Lord,” "Savior" means "one who rescues, savior, deliverer, preserver." "Christ" comes from the Greek adjective christos, "anointed," which translates Hebrew mashiah, transliterated in English as "messiah. "The Lord" (kurios) means "owner, lord, master, a designation of any person of high position. All of this tell us that Jesus is indeed Savior and Lord of the Universe.

Q3. (Luke 2:7-8) Why do you think the message of Jesus' birth comes to shepherds, of all people? Why is Jesus born in a stable with a manger for a bed? This has to be intentional. What point is God making? I think the message of Jesus' birth came to shepherds, of all people, because they were considered to be in the lower echelon of society. The message was to go forth so that everyone would accept it. Jesus was born in a stable with a manager for a bed to maintain a lowly state, to show the world that the King of the Universe could identify with the lowly and those of the higher class. The point God was making ia that Jesus loves from the lowly to the higher-class.

Q2. Why do you think the journey to Bethlehem was difficult for Mary? Is pleasure an indication that we are in God's will or not? Any examples from your life? Extra Credit: Argue for or against this proposition: "Being a consistent Christian causes more hardships than just going with the flow." As a young maiden experiencing her first pregnancy, I think the journey to Bethlehem was very difficult for Mary. Having to leave the comfort of a home where she would have been sheltered from the cold winter night contributed to the harshness of the journey. Pleasure is not an indication that we are or are not in God’s will. We may experience both pleasure and displeasure when we are in obedience to God’s will. Being a consistent Christian may cause more hardship because you might take up the great commission which may take you into some places of hardship. Whereas a Christian who just go along with the flow might avoid the areas that might lead to hardship.

Q2. Why do you think the journey to Bethlehem was difficult for Mary? Is pleasure an indication that we are in God's will or not? Any examples from your life? Extra Credit: Argue for or against this proposition: "Being a consistent Christian causes more hardships than just going with the flow." As a young maiden experiencing her first pregnancy, I think the journey to Bethlehem was very difficult for Mary. Having to leave the comfort of a home where she would have been sheltered from the cold winter night contributed to the harshness of the journey. Pleasure is not an indication that we are or are not in God’s will. We may experience both pleasure and displeasure when we are in obedience to God’s will. Being a consistent Christian may cause more hardship because you might take up the great commission which may take you into some places of hardship. Whereas a Christian who just go along with the flow might avoid the areas that might lead to hardship.

Q3. (Luke 2:7-8) Why do you think the message of Jesus' birth comes to shepherds, of all people? Why is Jesus born in a stable with a manger for a bed? This has to be intentional. What point is God making?

Q1. (Luke 2:1-2) Why does Luke name the rulers in 2:1-2? What point is he making? Luke named the rulers to show Jesus in an historical setting. He shows that he's neither a myth nor a legend thah He is both historical and verifiable. He is mentioned not only in the New Testament, but by contemporaries and early documents such as Josephus, Pliny, Tacitus, Suetonius, Bar-Serapion, Thallus, Lucian, and the Talmud. Jesus is a person in history.

Q5. (1:24-25) What does Joseph accepting Mary as his wife say about his character? What is the significance for prophetic fulfillment of Jesus as a Son of David that Joseph "named" the child "Jesus"? Joseph accepting Mary as his wife says that he was a devout man, full of faith, obedient to God, just, merciful, and one who loved and carefully guarded both Mary and the Child Jesus. Joseph's naming the child "Jesus" fulfilled prophecy. It meant that he acknowledged him as his own son and thus becomes the legal father of Jesus according to Semitic law. As a result of this legal adoption, Joseph's ancestry as a descendent of David was transferred also to his legal son. Biologically, Jesus is begotten by the Holy Spirit and is thus the "Son of God" (Luke 1:32), but legally he is the son of Joseph and heir to the promises of David, Joseph's ancestor. The prophecy is fulfilled.

Q4. (Matthew 1:23) How did the prophetic concept of the virgin conception and the name "Immanuel" find their fullness in the birth of Jesus to Mary? The prophetic concept of the virgin conception and the name "Immanuel" find their fullness in the birth of Jesus to Mary as the Old Testament prophecy took complete fulfilment in this birth. Now God was with us in the flesh, God presence was with His people.

Q3. (Matthew 1:21) What is the significance of the name Jesus? Why do you think the angel gave the name to both Mary (Luke 1:31) and Joseph independently? The name Jesus means that it means "Yahweh Saves," Yahweh's salvation embodied in human form. The name was given to both Mary and Joseph independently because God did not hide anything about Jesus' birth from Mary and it was given to Joseph because the Father was responsible for naming the child in those days. As he named the child he legally adopted Jesus as his son.

Q2. (Matthew 1:19) What were Mary's options being pregnant and carrying a baby not her husband's? What kind of character did Joseph exhibit by deciding to divorce Mary quietly and leniently? Her options were to be rejected by her husband, to be stoned, to be shunned, to be given to another for marriage, or to be lost in society, shut away and forgotten. Joseph exhibited the character of a just and gentle man seeking to do the right thing not to embarrass Mary.

Q1. What would Jesus have learned as the son of a carpenter? What experiences would this have exposed him to? As the son of a carpenter Jesus would have learned to be a humble servant, to work with his hands, to survive in the family of carpenter. He would have been exposed to working with and serving people.

Q5. (Luke 1:42-43) In what sense are the titles "Blessed Virgin Mary" and "Mother of God" appropriate for Mary? Why are we sometimes hesitant to exalt her as "blessed among women"? The titles "Blessed Virgin Mary" and "Mother of God" are appropriate for Mary to merely express that Mary carried God Himself in her womb. We are hesitant to exalt her as "blessed among women" because we don't want to lean toward giving her diety status.

Q4. (Luke 1:38) What is the essence of Mary's positive response to the angel? What can we learn from her response for our own lives? In what sense was Mary's response an "informed consent"? When we respond to God, what do we consent to? Mary's positive response to the angel is her total submisstion to the will of God. We can leard from her response to seek daily to give ourselves completly to the will of God. Mary's consent was an "informed consent" because God revealed everything to her; the reasons for the birth and the how of the birth. When we respond to God we do so knowing that we have a God who is just, a God who loves us and a God who will always lead us in the path of righteouness. We consent to God's will.

Q3. (Luke 1:35) What does the virgin conception teach us about Jesus' nature? How central is the doctrine of the virgin conception to the Christian message? The virgin conception teaches us that Jesus' nature is divine. The doctrine of the virgin conception central to the Christian message because it is the miracle of God coming in the flesh to redeem man. Because of this miracle we who have accepted Jesus Christ have eternal life, and the Blessed Hope, for Christians.

Q2. (Luke 1:34) In what way does Mary's "How?" question (1:34) to the angel's declaration differ from Zechariah's "How?" question (1:18)? Why was Mary rewarded and Zechariah disciplined? Mary's "How?" question (1:34) to the angel's declaration differ from Zechariah's "How?" question (1:18) because Mary's was on the basis of wanting to knowing that what was bing said could only be accomplished by a work of God because there was no other apparent means. Zechariah's response was of pure unbelief mainly because of his prior experience with his wife. Mary was rewarded because of her complete trust in God's ability to perform as He said He would and Zechariah's discipline was to remain dumb until he saw the manifestation of God's word to him.

Q1. (Luke 1:31-34) What did the angel's announcement say about who Mary's Child was and who he was to become? The angel's announcement said that Mary's Child was to be called Jesus, He will be great, He will be called the Son of the Most High, the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will never end.'

Q5. (Psalm 32:8-10) How does sin make us stubborn? Why is it nearly impossible to discern God’s will for us when we hold on to unconfessed sin. Sin makes us stubborn when we refuse to repent of it and be forgiven. It is nearly impossible to discern God's will for us when we hold on to unconfessed sin because we refuse to acknowledge that our way is not God's way.

Q4. (Psalm 32:2-5) How does self-deceit operate with sin to enslave us? How does confession enable us to get free from sin? Why do we sometimes resist the truth about ourselves? What does it take to get us to see truth sometimes? Self-deceit operate with sin to enslave us when we allow ourselve to believe that the sin was no big deal or to believe that by our own strength we can overcome it. We find ourselves in the grip of the sin and not seeking to be freed by the cleansing and forgiveness of God. It is through our confession of these sins that we surrender and face our wrong, it is the first step in repentance. We sometimes resist the truth about ourselves because we do not want to change. To see the truth we have to see ourselves, others and situations through the lens of Scripture.

Q3. (Psalm 51:16-17) How does one achieve a truly “broken and contrite heart”? What are the earmarks of this condition? How does this differ from “being sorry” for a sin? How does humility relate to this condition? One achieves a truly “broken and contrite heart by deep repentance. The earmark of the condition is humiluty. It differs from "being sorry" for a sin because the repentant is truly sorrowful for sinning againt God.

Q2. (Psalm 51:10-11) In what way can God give us a “pure heart” after great sin? How would you define a pure heart? How does God purify our hearts? How does he purify our minds? After a great sin God give us a “pure heart” by cleansing us completely through forgiveness. A pure heart is defined by our relationship to man and to God completely in alignment to God's will. God purifies our heart by washing away unrighteous thoughts and desires through the shed blood of Jesus and giving us a heart for righteousness. Our minds are purified as we meditate on the Word of God that He has given to us for right living.

Q1. (Psalm 51:1-9) It seems that in verses 1-9 David emphasizes God’s mercy, his own sinfulness, and the completeness of God’s hoped for cleansing. Is it healthy to dwell on your own sinfulness? Why or why not? Does a person who has sinned greatly appreciate forgiveness more than one who has not? Why or why not? It is healthy for a person to dwell on a sin committed up to the time of repentance. Once he/she has repented and received forgiveness of God there is no need for them to continue dweling on that sin. To continue to dwell on the sin is not accepting the power of God to forgive and His great mercy. There is no sin greater than any other, we should appreciate God's forgiveness ALWAYS.

Q4. (1 Chronicles 22-29) Why do you think David prepares for the temple, even after the Lord refuses to let him build it? David prepares for the temple by establishing the one who will build it and providing the materials. How did David cooperate with the Holy Spirit in designing the temple and its worship? David cooperated with the Holy Spirit in designing the temple and its worship by giving to his son not his plans but the plans given to him by the Spirit of God. How did David’s example in giving motivate others to give? David’s example in giving motivated others to give because they witnessed their leader's willingness to give.

Q3. (2 Samuel 24:14-25) Why does David choose the punishment of a plague on the people rather than his other choices? David choose the punishment of a plague on the people rather than his other choices because he strongly believe in the mercy of God. David insists on paying Araunah for the threshing floor and the sacrifices. What principle drives this decision? The principle that drives this decision is fulfilling the role of a good leader to be an intercessor for the people. How should this principle guide our own giving to God? As leaders of God's people we too must submit our will to God, leading his people in righteouness and to intercede for the people of God.

Q2. (2 Samuel 23:1-7) How does David describe himself in verse 1. David describes himself as a prophet of the Most High, an Israelite, as a man appointed by God, a man anointed, and a Psalmist. In what sense was David a prophet? David was a prophet because the Lord made known to him His future plans for Israel's and David's lineage. What is the main message of verses 3-7? The main message of these verses shows the proper deamour of a king fully submitted to the will of God. How can this psalm guide government officials and elected leaders in our day? This psalm will guide the government and elected leaders in our day as they submit to God's will the nations will benefit from being under the rulership of a just God.