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2. If there are full-fledged apostles today (and let's assume this for the sake of this question), who would be some of your nominees? Why would you nominate them? The true apostles, who God sends as an ambassador of Jesus Christ with a divine message, are normally the humble, the lowly, and the meek who have the power of God in them. My nominees would come from this group, and I feel that today there must be thousands if not hundreds of thousands, out there making a difference in this world of ours. But they never seek the limelight, but prefer for God to receive the glory. It would not be fair to mention only a few. Like the original 12 apostles they are busy turning the world upside down. Compare these with the false apostles who are so called Christian leaders, seeking the limelight and glorifying themselves, leading people astray with their false messages and teachings. They are normally motivated by their greed, ****, or power.

1. What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? (6:12) Any major situation or decision should be grounded in prayer, and the current world-wide pandemic is such a situation and all-night prayer is not only appropriate but an urgent necessity.

1. List some of the traditions that are taken for granted in your church, but are not directly mentioned in the Bible. Which seem to aid Christian mission? Which seem to impede the work of Christ? I’m too old to worry about traditions, rules, regulations, ceremonies, and whatever. More important is to worship our heavenly Father, to adore Him, to enjoy Him, to have a personal relationship with Him, to study His Word, and to live in obedience to Him. 2. Teaching that God's rules can sometimes be set aside for the sake of human need, can be dangerous. How can we observe this truth without abusing it? There is only one absolute truth and that is the Word of God. This cannot be manipulated in any way to serve our needs. 3. Are there any people who you are "looking for a reason to accuse"? (6:7) Why is this attitude dangerous? How can it blind you? See above.

3. Please share a struggle you had with trying to contain the Life of Christ in an "old wineskin"? Some of your brothers and sisters may understand the concept better if you'll share personally in your discussion group. No big problems here. It is more about me being in my comfort zone. Many of us are so content with the old wine that we don’t want to try the new wine. We are inclined to adhere to the old way things are done, and any deviation from these norms can upset one tremendously. This is especially true as one gets older. I have no difficulty in trying something new. I love the old hymns and it took me quite a while to get used to the new songs. But I must now admit there are many of the new ones I love, but some I feel have nothing to do with worshipping our Lord, being more of a form of entertainment. We have to be careful, for loyalty to the old ways may prevent us from believing and certainly will keep us from growing. There is the danger that many may even reject Christianity in its new so called modern format of today. Which to me borders on a form of entertainment rather than worshipping our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

2. What are the structures in our lives and society that are incompatible with the Life of the Spirit in our lives? Jesus Christ came to earth, and gave His life, to bring us forgiveness of sin and salvation. With Him comes a new covenant which was not meant to be a patch-up of the old religious system of Judaism with its rituals, rules and traditions. The gospel did not fit into this old rigid legalistic system of religion, since it offered grace whereas all Judaism could offer was law and rule keeping. The law could only point out sin and condemn people, but Jesus fulfilled the law, therefore there is no longer any need to continue with the old rituals - for sacrifices, priests, temples, and ceremonies. So, we have a new way of expressing personal faith, and certain structures we encounter are incompatible with our spiritual life. These are the traditions, rituals, rules, and even our own self-righteousness that hinders.

1. Does Jesus speak against fasting in this passage? What does He teach about fasting, if anything, in this passage? Jesus was not speaking against fasting, but states that there is no reason for His disciples to fast while He is with them – this was a time of feasting, not fasting. In this passage He is associating fasting with sorrow and mourning, and tells them that when He leaves them, in death, they could fast as an expression of grief.

4. In light of the lessons of this passage, what kinds of people around us should we be reaching out to? In light of all I said above we should be reaching out to the outcasts, the unloved, the perishing, the poor, the sick, the oppressed, and the broken-hearted. All those that Jesus Christ came to rescue. We should be teaching them that without Jesus they cannot receive forgiveness of sin and eternal life; for Jesus Himself said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). They must repent and put their trust in Him. He is the only way to heaven for sinful mankind – there is no other way.

3. Have you ever had a time when you felt like an outcast? What did it feel like to you, when Jesus' voice broke through all the static and let you know that He had chosen you and really wanted you? Please share your experience with the others in your group. No, not really, but more uncomfortable about being among unbelievers, but truly grateful that before creation Jesus chose me! This truly amazes me – a sinner saved by grace. There is always the worrying possibility that I did not stand out enough to be an outcast? I’m often reminded of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 were we are to give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Here I enjoy communion with the Lord by prayer. Then there is Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose”. Wow! God is working all things together for good to those who love Him. I know that it may not always seem so! There are times when we are suffering heartbreak, tragedy, disappointment, frustration, and bereavement, we wonder what good can come out of it. But the next verse gives us the answer: “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son” (Romans 8:29). So, whatever God permits to come into our lives is designed to conform us to the image of His Son. And then my favourite: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). I can’t imagine living in this world without the Lord on my side, without these promises, and without this understanding. Our Lord is sovereign, and knowing that He is control gives me complete peace, a peace that the world does not know or understand. (John 14:27).

2. Why do we Christians feel so uncomfortable around blatant sinners? Why did Jesus succeed in making Himself so at home in their presence? It reminds us of our desperate condition, of our evil thoughts, of the sins we have committed, and of who we were before our salvation. But for the grace of God; there go I. Then there is also the doubt, have we been truly forgiven? Maybe, we aren’t as good as we think we are? We tend to bring up the ugly past, forgetting that God has wiped our slate clean, and that we never need to be thinking of the past, for God forgives and forgets. We should rather be focusing on the new life we have in Christ. Remembering Psalm 103:12 which teaches us that God separates our sin from us as far as the east is from the west. Jesus spent time with sinners, not to join their sinful ways but to present them the good news that forgiveness was available. In order to preach the good news to the poor, the prisoners, the blind, and the oppressed, Jesus had to be mixing with them. Jesus Himself did not condone sin or participate in the destructive behaviours of the ungodly. He led a perfect, sinless life and had the “authority on earth to forgive sins” (Luke 5:24). He was showing that God’s kindness is intended to lead one to repentance” (Romans 2:4).

1. Who in our society would correspond to the rich outcasts like tax collectors were in Jesus' day? I think they would be those who love our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ - the ones who are rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom. It’s not about our wealth or possessions it’s about our faith in Him. “Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom He promised those who love Him?” (James 2:5). We as believers are the rich outcasts of today – the sinners who Jesus came to die for.

5. Whom do you feel most like at present? The paralyzed man or one of the four friends? Why? If I understand the question properly. One of the four friends. I feel like I had a small part in this cleansing and healing process by putting my trust in Jesus Christ, and persevering in getting my friend to Jesus. And of course, having met and been in the presence of the Messiah.

4. Why did Jesus use the term "Son of Man" rather than "Son of God" or "Messiah"? If He had used both these terms early in His ministry it would have caused huge reactions that would have resulted in the early termination of His earthly ministry. Therefore, to avoid this conflict He used the term “Son of Man”. Religious leaders would have been most angry and would have had Him stoned to death as a blasphemer, if He had initially used the term “Messiah”. He did later use the both terms.

3. Which of the two phrases IS easier to say? "Your sins are forgiven!" OR "Get up, take your mat, and go home!"? What point did Jesus want us to draw from this incident? It is just as easy to say “Your sins are forgiven!” as it is to say “Get up, take your mat, and go home!”, but Jesus makes the point that to forgive the paralyzed man his sins or to heal his body is humanly impossible. By announcing “Your sins are forgiven!”, the Pharisees could not see that the man's sins had been forgiven, not being visible, so they would not believe. But by performing the miracle healing as well, giving the paralytic the power to walk, could be seen; proving to them that He had truly forgiven the man’s sins. The point here seems to be that it is easier to say “Your sins are forgiven!”, because there is no way of telling if it has happened. If you say, “Get up, take your mat, and go home!,” then it is easy to see if the patient has been healed, if not you would be shown to be a fraudster.

2. What is the connection between sin and sickness in this passage? We live in a fallen world – a world that is in bondage to sin. Romans 6:23a – the wages of sin is death. Because of sin there is death in the world, and death is because of sickness. So, we see that both sin and sickness are inseparably linked together. And both are in God’s plan of redemption – the salvation of our souls and ultimately the healing (glorification) of our bodies. When we put our faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ our soul is saved and we will be waiting for the redemption of our body. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, not our sickness. By His healings Jesus is teachings us that in His eternal kingdom there will be no more death, no more sorrow, no more pain, and no more sickness. 1 Peter 2:24 – by His stripes we are healed.

1. Why do you think Jesus spoke the extremely controversial words, "Your sins are forgiven?" He could have been less offensive to the visiting guests. Why did He choose not to be? He knew the Pharisees and Scribes from every village in Galilee and Judea weren’t there to be blessed by His teaching. They felt threatened since Jesus challenged their sincerity and He was becoming very popular with people flocking to hear Him. They needed to find a reason to get rid of Him. His words “Your sins are forgiven!” were deliberately calculated to create a dilemma from which they couldn’t escape. Only God could forgive sins, and they knew this! So, here was the proof they needed - He was a blasphemer, a sin punishable by death (Lev 24:16)! If they were honest with themselves they would have to admit that Jesus was God in human flesh, for only God can forgive sin and heal a paralytic person.

5. A few weeks ago, we studied Luke 4:42 about Jesus going to a solitary place. Since then, have you made progress toward establishing a Quiet Time of your own? If not, what steps are you making to establish this Jesus-trait in your life? Yes, I have for many years now got into the routine of having a Quiet Time with our Lord for 4 mornings a week with my wife.

4. "I will. Be clean!" is pretty strong. Can you think of any place where Jesus indicates that He isn't willing to heal those who are sick? When it comes to spiritual healing, being forgiven and saved, Jesus will never deny anybody who comes humbly, repents and puts his trust in Him for forgiveness and salvation. There must be none of I deserved to be healed or I’m owed something attitude. But when it comes to physical healing it depends if it is God’s will to heal that person. We read in 1 John 5:14-15: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him”. It all about God’s will not our will. In our prayers we should not be demanding what we want, but rather pray for His will to be done. Trusting that He knows what is best for us. If we align our prayers to His will, He will listen; and we can be certain that if He listens, He will give us a definite answer. Start praying with confidence! Ultimately, our full physical healing awaits us in heaven. In heaven, there will be no more pain, sickness, disease, suffering, or death (Revelation 21).

3. What is the difference between believing God can do something for us and believing that He wants to do something for us? Would you call the difference faith? or knowledge? or both? We often obey God in the small things, but when it comes to the large ones, we want to cling to a measure of control, in case God does not make things happen according to our satisfaction. We couldn’t be more mistaken. Following God is always the right choice to make. God’s simple requests of us are oftentimes stepping-stones to His greatest blessings. The apostle Peter is a wonderful example of a man who took small steps that led to a great destiny. When Jesus asked to be taken out in Peter’s boat, the fisherman could have said no. After all, he’d put in a full night’s work and was probably exhausted. But by taking this small step, Peter received a front-row seat to hear the greatest teacher on earth, and he began a life-changing adventure. Although Jesus’ first request was fairly ordinary, His next suggestion would challenge everything Peter knew to be logical. Heading into deep water at midday for the purpose of catching fish was ludicrous to this fishing expert. Sometimes the Lord asks us to do what seems unreasonable. We should remember that the Lord is not obligated to work within the realm of what’s normal or logical. If Peter had refused this unusual request, he would have missed the biggest catch of his life. When he got out of that boat, the fish meant nothing to him because Jesus became his everything. The Lord isn’t waiting for us to do some big, impressive task for Him; He’s simply calling us to obey Him one small step at a time. The difference is that we need to trust God fully, knowing that His plan is always the best. Trust His purpose and plan. Faith and knowledge. Both.

2. Describe the kind of faith it takes to act and speak as this leper did. What level of belief was required of him? In the Bible, leprosy is a dreaded disease that is a picture of sin. We see that the leper does not ask for healing but for cleansing. He is desperate enough to approach Jesus falling on his knees before Him, begging, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” This shows complete faith in Jesus’ ability to cleanse him. He must have heard of Jesus’ many miracles of healing, so in desperation he risked possible flogging by approaching Jesus. Just image the crowd seeing Jesus stretching out His hand and touching the man, instead of drawing back. “I am willing; Be Clean”! The man was instantly cleaned! This miracle shows us the cleansing power of Jesus, not only over leprosy, but also over sin. For the leper to act and speak like this required absolute trust and the utmost belief in Jesus Christ as the Messiah! This leper knew that he was in a bad shape and that if Jesus did not help him, there would be no other way out.

1. Who in our society are treated like lepers were treated in Jesus' day? Who sometimes feels like a leper in the presence of Jesus? We are great at practicing severe forms of ostracism that can lead to people and whole families being treated like the lepers were treated in Jesus’ day. It may be race, gender, culture, poverty, religion, country, politics, anything, or even a football team. The trouble here is that we judge mostly by outward appearance and a person’s connections; not according to inward reality. Jesus knows our hearts and looks at the inside. It’s not the physical leper but the spiritual leper that is separated from Jesus. The spiritual leper is oblivious of their need for cleansing. Every day their minds are filled with pride, ****, greed, jealousy, anger, hatred, vengeance, ingratitude, and a host of other sins. Like leprosy in the Bible, sin is an incurable disease - and we all have it. Only Jesus’ healing touch can miraculously take away our sins and restore us to full fellowship with our Lord. But first, just like the leper, we must realize our inability to cure ourselves and ask for Christ's saving help.

5. What does it mean to you personally to "follow" Jesus? Share a bit of your personal journeying with your brothers and sisters and they'll share a bit of theirs with you. Mutual encouragement and reinforcement. My personal journey started late. I was 44 yo when I heard the gospel call. This changed my whole life, and I started getting serious about my relationship with Jesus Christ. It took another 20 years before I started committing myself – spirit, soul, and body – to the Lord. During this time, I learnt to trust Him not only for the salvation of my soul but also for the direction of my life. It was also a time for His cleansing power – sanctifying me. Getting rid of all my iniquities, my sinful desires and thoughts. He knows what is best for us and we must never be afraid to let God correct our plans. My wife and I always stand amazed at this, the way He led us through life, and often refer to this as Divine intervention. The Lord blessed me with a faithful supporting wife and we share the ups and downs of life together. Now, as an 82 yo I have come to understand there must be an acknowledgement of the Lordship of Christ. I have learnt to listen to my heavenly Father and be sensitive to the quiet voice prompting me throughout the day. It is when I keep my mind attuned to Him, that I begin to understand the significance of some decisions I might otherwise barely have noticed. One thing I know for certain is that every time I’ve obeyed God, He’s blessed me. When I disobey, it costs me. We’re talking about a God who loves us unconditionally and who has a perfect plan. Obeying Him will never prove disappointing. This results in having continuous fellowship and prayer with my Lord and Saviour Lord Jesus Christ. There is an inward peace even during these rough times the whole world is experiencing. I know our Lord is sovereign and in control. All was made possible only by His mercy and grace!

4. Does Jesus require all His disciples to leave everything? If not, why not? If so, in what sense? I don’t think Jesus requires all His disciples to leave everything, it only applies to those that He recognises as future leaders. In Peter’s case we notice three stages in his fellowship with Jesus. Initially he was simply a believer in Him as the Christ. Later he left his secular work as a fisherman, joining our Lord in His work of the divine kingdom. Finally, he was chosen by Jesus from all the followers to form a select band, to be trained as a future leader. The same with Levi, the tax collector, who was invited by Jesus to become His follower, and potential leader. He got up, left everything, and followed Him (Luke 5:28). Disciples (followers of Jesus), not involved in leadership roles continue in their normal work; as “to leave everything” is not meant in an absolute literal way. They are still actively following our Lord, spending time with Him, walking with Him, and learning from His Word.

3. How does Jesus respond to Peter's plea for Him to leave, due to Peter's sinfulness? Why doesn't Jesus address Peter's sinfulness at this point? What does Jesus talk about instead? I think Peter became aware who Jesus was and the recognition of his own unworthiness as contrasted with Christ’s greatness and holiness. Besides the miracle catch of fish, Peter had witnessed Jesus preaching with authority in the synagogue, His healing the sick (his mother-in-law included), and Jesus driving out demons. He knew Jesus was worthy of worship and adoration. So, fear and astonishment got hold of him by being in the presence of God. Jesus, in love, overlooks Peter’s sinfulness, forgives him and grants him repentance, as he understands Peter being overwhelmed by all what has been happening. He calms Peter’s fears and shows His confidence in Peter by appointing him as a catcher of men.

2. Why do you think Jesus asked Peter to attempt the seemingly impossible task of catching fish during the day, after he's tried all night and failed? Jesus wanted to teach Peter an important lesson. Things done by our own wisdom and strength are not always successful. And that the secret to success is to be guided by Him. There was also a lesson in the fact that the fishing was to be done in deep waters. We can be more daring - quit hugging the shore line, launch out further - fully trusting our Lord to provide while doing His work.

1. What things does Jesus asks Peter to do and in what order? Why the progression, do you think? Jesus asks Peter to row the boat out a little way from the shore. When He had finished teaching He asks Peter to row the boat out into the deep water and to let down the nets to catch fish. Jesus was standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, teaching the good news of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15). The people were crowding around Him, pressing closer and closer. Jesus shows His practical wisdom by getting Peter to push his boat out a little from the shore. Once he was not too close nor too far from the shore He was able to teach and view a greater number of people with even better acoustics. When Jesus had finished speaking He asked Peter to put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch. Here we have a carpenter telling an experienced fisherman how to fish, and ordering him to fish at an unlikely place and time. There is a progression. First there has to be an explaining and understanding of the facts of the gospel for people to believe. Jesus did this by teaching to the multitude. Once they believe, they are to repent and put their faith in Jesus - they win people to the truth so that they might be saved. This Jesus showed by the catching of fish, but they were to be fishers of men. The ultimate order would be: God sends out His servants; they preach the good news of salvation; sinners hear God's offer of life in Christ; some of those who hear believe the message; those who believe call on the Lord; those who call on Him are saved.