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Q4. (Luke 4:23) How does Jesus as the Great Physician resonate with our broken world? What does it mean to you that Jesus is your Great Physician and Healer? In our broken world Jesus is often used as a last resort to physically heal people. In desperation they might turn to Him. But to believers He is the Great Physician who heals not only physically but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually as well. The bottom line is that sin is our great illness, and we are in dire need of a Physician. It is the disease of the soul, and the remedy is the precious blood of Christ, the Spirit of Christ, and the Word of Christ.

Q3. (John 14:6; 10:7, 9) In light of all the world's religions, how can Jesus be the Way to God, the exclusive door or gateway? Why does this offend the world? Since it is true, how can we most winsomely declare this truth to our generation? The world feels offended by Christians telling them about the only way to heaven, and often say we have no right to tell them this, since they have their own way. There are so many different religions in the world today but they are all based on human achievement, and human righteousness. We invent new religions that accommodate our shortcomings and set standards that are humanly achievable. The only righteousness that God will accept is the perfection that He imputes to those who accept His Son as Saviour. Only Christianity is based on this Divine accomplishment, and Divine righteousness. Jesus is Himself the way to heaven. He does not merely show us the way; He is the way. We can only spread the Word hoping that the Holy Spirit has opened their ears and hearts. But to the world spiritual things are foolishness to them. Why waste time on spiritual things when you could be making money or having fun?

Q2. (1 Peter 2:4-8) In what way are these rock images of Christ attractive to our world? In what way do they repel people? Why? In what ways do you see Jesus as a Rock, Stone, and Foundation in your own life? The images of rock, stone, and foundation depict solidness; something which is strong and stable and dependable. It is for this reason alone that these images might be attractive to our world. They do not associate Jesus with these images at all, in fact the world hates Jesus. We can talk about God but at the mention of Jesus most people become uncomfortable. In our world today, people not only reject Christ, but they stumble over Him. He is a stumbling stone and a rock that makes them fall. The world prefers their sins to having Jesus as Saviour, since He exposes their evil deeds. Also, they stumble because of their disobedience to the Word. We remember Jesus said that if you love me you will do as I command. By disobeying the Word of God, we reject Jesus, who is God’s gift of grace to save us from our sins. To every one of us, Jesus will be either the chief cornerstone, the Lord of our lives, or He will be a stumbling stone. We must make a choice, we cannot remain neutral, because to ignore Him is to reject Him.

Q1. (Colossians 1:18) How should the assertion that Jesus is the "head of the body, the church" affect the way we conceive of the church? Is He talking about the universal Church or a local congregation, or both? If we believe that Jesus is the head of the church, how should that affect the way we conduct our life and ministry as the church? In what ways does the visible church represent the "head"? How well do we, as the body, follow His leadership? All believers in the Lord Jesus are formed into what is known as the body of Christ, or the church. And He is the Head of that body; both the universal Church and the local congregation. This concept looks at the church as a living organism, inseparably tied together by the living Christ. He controls every part of it and gives it life and direction. This affects the way we conceive of the church and the way we should conduct ourselves in the church. To function properly it is essential, therefore, that a church must have its Head in place and functioning. This means, supplying direction, maintaining order, giving it health, solving its difficulties, coordinating its activities, and supplying to every single member its own kind of life. All this is what our physical head does, and that is what Jesus, as Head of the body, desires to do. Each individual in the church is directly related to the Head and Jesus should be directing our activities at all times. Yet, despite the fact that we are to function as individuals, we must never forget that we belong to the whole, not only the local body but the whole body of Christ all over the world. As a church and as an individual believer, we are to be, as Jesus said, “the salt of the earth, and the light of the world”.

Q4. (John 10:11-14) What are the characteristics of the "Good Shepherd"? How do these contrast with the "hired hand"? God calls us to shepherd others as pastors, small group leaders, teachers, mentors, etc. How can we demonstrate that we are "good shepherds" rather than "hired hands"? The Good Shepherd always has great concern for His sheep. All that the Father has given Him will not go astray. He ensures that they are well cared for, fed and watered, and protected against predators by making sure they do not wander off. If they do He will rescue them. This all contrasts with the “hired hand” who serves for money. Their interest is only in the money they will receive. They do not own the sheep, so when danger comes they are more than likely to run away and leave the sheep to the mercy of the wolf. It is only by trying to emulate our Lord and Saviour can we demonstrate that we are good shepherds and not hired hands.

Q3. (Mark 10:43-45) How does Jesus serve (like Boaz) as a Kinsman-Redeemer to us? What does the idea of needing a ransom imply about our condition? What was the redemption-price that the Father paid for us? In the same way what God did for Ruth and Naomi through Boaz, He accomplished for all who cast themselves upon His mercy, in Jesus Christ. Because of our sin, our condition is most serious, and since we are unable to save ourselves, there is an urgent need for a Kinsman-Redeemer. God therefore, sent His Son who is the only One that could possibly meet this need. We read in Galatians 4:4-5: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” Jesus became our Kinsman, so that by His sacrificial, atoning death He might also become our Redeemer. The redemption-price was the blood of the Father’s Son. He paid the price, His precious blood was the ransom price which was paid to satisfy the claims of a holy and righteous God. This reminds me of the song – There is a Redeemer There is a redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son, Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Holy One, Jesus my redeemer, Name above all names, Precious Lamb of God, Messiah, Oh, for sinners slain.

Q2. How are we disciples to assist in Jesus' mission to seek and to save the lost? What is the love-balance between seeking to save our friends and having to back off because they feel we are trying to pressure them? Before a person can come to Jesus for salvation they must be aware of the fact that they have sinned (Rom 3:23), that the penalty for their sin is death (Rom 6:23), and that Jesus died to pay the penalty for those sins (Rom 5:8). By making people aware of these three basic facts we can assist our Lord in seeking and saving the lost. So, the Gospel must be heard, and explained. However, understanding and agreeing that these facts are true, is not enough for a person to be saved. There must be a response from the person to repent and trust our Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation. But at least we have made the person aware of their need and they can then respond personally to Jesus’ invitation: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30. Then, of course, there is the promise of forgiveness and eternal life: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16. When it comes to seeking the correct balance in telling our friends about the Gospel, I feel that I may back off too soon. Perhaps I can be a bit more assertive. So, prayer is important in evangelism. But I also feel that unless God works in a person’s heart, there will be no response, no matter how hard we try. Jesus Himself said: "No-one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44.

Q1. (Luke 19:10; Matthew 11:19) Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus is the Friend of Sinners? How should it affect your relationships with people who are deep in sin? Being a sinner I owe everything to my Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. Without His love, grace, and mercy there would be no future for me after death. He perfectly fulfilled God's desire for mercy as well as sacrifice. Since we have all sinned (Rom 3:23) and deserve only death (Rom 6:23); yet for all who believe in Him, God offers us as a free gift of eternal life. We have to acknowledge that we are sinners, repent and put our trust in Him. We have to come in faith, getting rid of our pride, and self-righteousness trusting in Him with our whole being and not leaning on our own understanding (Prov 2:5-6). Having done this, I know I will be spending eternity with Him! What a glorious prospect! I don’t think people realise the danger they are in by not accepting the offer, or even perhaps that there is a free offer available. So, there is an urgent need to spread the Gospel.

Q4. (Philippians 2:7-8) How are we to follow Jesus' example as the Servant? Why is humility difficult? Why is obedience hard? Where are you struggling right now to be humble and obedient? I think what Jesus had in mind for us as servants, He stated in Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.” These are tough words, and hugely contradicts the self-centeredness we see expressed by most today. Our ultimate concern must be for others, and this does not allow much room for self-concern. We are to have the mind of Christ who emptied Himself, and became a Servant. However, not many of us want to humble ourselves as servants. Neither do we want to be obedient to His Word – rather we will do it our way. We want to be in charge and we will choose when and whom and how we will serve – if at all. A true servant demands humility and obedience to our Lord. We are to glorify God and become less and less while He becomes more and more.

Q3. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) What is the purpose of the Lord's Supper? Why should we partake often? Why is it so easy to forget what Jesus has done for us on the cross? It is a memorial service for all believers in Jesus Christ. We are to remember the work Jesus did on the Cross for us – His death and His resurrection. We are to partake often until He comes, as this strengthens our faith through fellowship with our Saviour. We need to be reminded of what Jesus did in His life and death to earn our salvation – we often seem to take it for granted – not realizing the magnitude of the suffering.

Q2. (John 1:29) Why is Jesus referred to as the Lamb of God? To what degree does He take away our sins? How does He come to represent you - as your sacrifice for sin? The lamb was a sacrificial animal among the Jews, and God had taught them to slay a lamb and to sprinkle its blood as a sacrifice. The lamb was killed as a substitute and its blood shed so that sins might be forgiven. However, the blood of the lambs slain during the OT period did not put away sin. God was pointing towards our Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God, who would actually take away sin. Jesus would take away all our sins – past, present, and future. The death of Christ was great enough in value to pay for the sins of the whole world, but only those sinners who receive the Lord Jesus as Saviour are forgiven. As a sinner saved by grace I responded in faith and repentance knowing that in being regenerated by the Holy Spirit all my sins have been forgiven.

Q1. What does Jesus' holiness and righteousness demand of our lives as His disciples? In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, what was the primary characteristic of the sheep vs. the goats? Jesus was perfect in holiness before He came to earth, and because of His close relationship with God the Father, He managed to resist sin throughout His entire life here on earth. He is the only sinless person who ever lived. As believers we will never achieve complete holiness in this life; for there will always be a struggle between temptation and our sinful nature. Jesus is our source of holiness and righteousness, and if we are to become holy and righteous, we must recognize Him as the source. To do this we must know Him, love Him, obey Him, and walk in fellowship with Him – only then will we become more and more like Him. His holiness and righteousness should increasingly replace our natural character of **** and evil desires; resulting in a spiritual transformation. The parable of the Sheep and the Goats uses the sheep as symbolic of believers, and the goats as symbolic of unbelievers.

Q6. Since Yahweh seems to be formed from "I AM" as God's own name, what is the significance of Jesus' "I am" statements? Which of these "I am" statements means the most to you personally? Jesus is declaring His divinity and oneness with the Father – claiming equality with Jehovah. “I am the good shepherd” is the one that means most to me. Jesus is the good Shepherd because He gives His life for the sheep. As well as caring for the sheep daily, watching, feeding, and protecting them. This has been true for my life. He has always been there for me. Not only does He care for His sheep, but he knows His sheep and they know Him. So there is a loving intimacy between Shepherd and sheep. The Shepherd also knows the weak and the strong, the stubborn ones; as well as the hurts and the needs of every sheep. He knows all my weaknesses and all my sinfulness as well. And the sheep know and trust their Shepherd. As believers we trust Him fully.

Q5. (Luke 9:59-62; 6:46) Is Jesus our Lord if we don't obey Him immediately? Is He our Lord if we don't follow His teachings? What areas of your life do you need to surrender to His Lordship? I think of what Jesus said in John 14:15: "If you love me, you will obey what I command”. One of the ways we can express our love to our Lord is by obeying His commands. These are the instructions given us in the Gospels, as well as the rest of the NT. By not obeying or following His teachings we are alienating ourselves from Him and displaying an attitude of rebellion and disobedience. I try to surrender all to my Saviour; as well as acknowledging Him in everything I do. It is difficult and one stumbles every now and then.

Q4. Why is the title "Lord Jesus" such an exalted One? What does it tell us about Jesus' divinity? The name Lord, being none other than Jehovah (Yahweh), declares His Deity. After His resurrection and ascension, He became the Lord of history, the Lord of the church, and our Lord as believers. As believers we submit to His Lordship, and crown Him as supreme ruler over our lives. The name Jesus belongs to His humanity and the way of salvation through His redeeming Sacrifice. All this indicates that He is the Exalted One. All of which reminds me of these words: There is a name I love to hear, I love to sing its worth; It sounds like music in mine ear, The sweetest name on earth. Oh, how I love Jesus, Oh, how I love Jesus, Oh, how I love Jesus, Because He first loved me! Amen.

Q3. (John 1:18) How does the title "Only Begotten God" signify Jesus' divinity? How does the Only Begotten Son differ from you and me as sons and daughters of God? What does "only-begotten" say about Jesus' status with the Father? About the costliness of the cross? The Lord Jesus is God's only begotten Son. This describes Jesus’ special relationship with the Father; He is God's unique Son for there is no other son like Him. He always occupies a place of special nearness to God the Father, for even when He was here on earth, Jesus was still in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18). He was one with God and equal with God, and He fully revealed to men what God is like. When men saw Jesus, they saw God, and they heard God speak. God's thoughts and attitudes toward mankind have been fully declared by Christ. All this shows us the price God paid by sending His Son to die for our sins.

Q2. (Mark 1:10-11; Ephesians 1:6) If Jesus is the Father's Beloved, how can the Father send Him to die? How does that make sense, given what we know of parental love? What does that say about God's love for us? This gives us an idea of the magnitude of our Heavenly Father’s love for us. The Father loves the Son so much, yet He sends the Son to die for our sins. This is true love. We cannot even attempt to measure or imagine the love of God for His own sinless Son Jesus Christ. In our world, surely such a Father will not permit such a Son to suffer – never mind to die. Yet He "spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all." “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32). His love to His sinful children made Him willing to sacrifice His sinless Son. “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:10)” The Father’s sacrifice in allowing Christ to suffer and die must only be because: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).

Q1. In what way does the title Son of God make Jesus equal with the Father? When you deal with the Son, is that the same as dealing with the Father? Do you know Jesus the Son of God? Do you love Him? Scripture, strongly confirms Jesus’ deity as the eternal Son in the Trinity (see Matt. 11:25-30; 17:5; 1 Cor. 15:28; Heb. 1:1-3, 5, 8). The Son of God, referring to Jesus, is shown as being equal to God the Father in all of His attributes. In John, we also read that Jesus is the Son who fully reveals the Father, and has been given authority from the Father to pronounce eternal judgment, and to rule over all. So, to me, when we deal with the Son, it is the same as dealing with our Heavenly Father. Yes! I most definitely know Him, and this only by the grace of our Lord. Yes! I love Him above all else!

Q6. (Luke 9:35) Since Jesus is God's Chosen One, what does it mean to "listen to Him"? In what ways does your life reflect listening to Him? In what ways do you need to heed Him more explicitly? As God’s “Chosen One” and Son, the authority and power of Jesus comes directly from God. It is therefore worth our while, in actual fact, imperative that we listen to Him. In John 14:15, Jesus said: “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” The only way to know what He commands is to “listen to Him”, and we do this by studying and meditating on His Word. Besides, by keeping the Words of Christ, we glorify God and His love is perfected in us. This love for Jesus is our incentive for obedience, and at the same time our obedience is proof of our love and trust. Being retired I’m in the fortunate position of being able to spend a large amount of time studying the Word. It is then for me, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be obedient to His Word, to apply what I have learnt, and to daily become more and more like my Lord and Saviour Jesus. This way I will bring glory to my Heavenly Father.

Q5. Where did the title "Branch" come from? How does the imagery differ from the title "Root"? The prophet Jeremiah in both Jer 23:5 and 33:15 refers to the coming Messiah, Jesus as a righteous Branch, who will come to redeem the world from its bondage to sin and the powers of darkness. The prediction was that God’s judgment would fall on the nation of Judah because of their sin and rebellion against the Lord. Therefore, a Saviour was needed. The title Root differs in that Jesus used this name for Himself, as well as calling Himself the Offspring of David (Rev 22:16). We see Jesus as David’s creator, or Root, but because He came to earth in human form, He is also David’s descendant, or Offspring. This dual name of Root and Offspring speaks about His existence as the God-Man.

Q4. (Matthew 21:9, 15) Why were the chief priests and scribes so angry when little children referred to Jesus as "Son of David"? What does the title "Son of David" signify? These little children, seeing the wonderful things Jesus was doing, recognized the true expression of God's grace and broke out shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David." This fact that the children saw the worth of Jesus’ action must have infuriated the chief priests and scribes to no end. In the very first verse of the NT, Jesus Christ is referred to as the “Son of David.” Most probably because as the Son of David, He brings together the OT and the NT. The point is made that Jesus in His human lineage, was a descendant of David. This fulfilled God’s promise to David that one of David’s descendants would reign forever over His people.

Q3. (Matthew 16:13-16) Whom did Peter believe Jesus to be? How did Peter come to believe this? Why does Jesus command His disciples not to tell others that He is the Messiah? (Matthew 16:20). Peter believed Jesus to be the Christ, the equivalent of the Hebrew Messiah, God’s predicted Deliverer of Israel, the Supreme “Anointed One”, and King and Saviour. Peter was expressing the views of the apostles. His response was not an emotional one, given after Jesus had performed some miracle but was given in a calm setting in answer to a direct question from Jesus. They had all come to this conclusion as they observed the Lord Jesus over a period of time, witnessed His miracles, and heard His words. However, as Jesus mentions, this was not a conclusion Peter and the others had determined by their own ability. God, the Father in heaven, had revealed it to him. Jesus commanded His disciples not to tell others, most probably, because of Israel's unbelief. He knew no good could come from such a disclosure. It could even result in harm to the Jewish nation if they were to crown Him King. Triggering the Romans to ruthlessly crush the Jews.

Q2. Which are your favourite messianic prophecies? Which titles from those are dearest to you? Why? My favourite one comes from Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” 9:6a describes His humanity - His First Coming. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given. Child - bringing joy to the world. Son – the Son of God coming to earth under the authority of God the Father. 9:6b describes His deity - His Second Coming. And the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” The government will be upon His shoulder - He will reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. The rest of the verse describes His personal glories. His name will be called Wonderful - speaks of His Person and Work. Counsellor - His wisdom in government. Mighty God - the omnipotent, supreme Ruler. Everlasting Father (the Father of eternity) - Eternal Himself, He confers eternal life on those who believe in Him. Prince of Peace - the One who will at last bring peace to this troubled world. This prophecy encompasses some of the many attributes of Jesus which I feel describe our Lord very well.

Q1. What is the meaning of the words "Christ" and "Messiah? How does the Davidic Covenant influence messianic expectation in Jesus' day? Christ is our Lord’s title originating from the Greek word christos, which means “anointed”. Christ declares Jesus as God’s Anointed One, sent by God Himself. He had been sent to teach us about the Kingdom of God, to heal the sick, and to deliver us from sin. Messiah has the same meaning in Hebrew as “the Anointed One”. In Jesus’ day the Israelites expected David’s descendants to rule forever, and the Messiah would come and deliver them from their bondage to the Romans. He would overthrow the Roman yoke and reign forever. God has kept the Davidic Covenant unconditionally, preserving the rebellious Hebrew nation and bringing them back from exile “for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake”.

Q4. (1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 2:1) In what sense is Jesus our "one Mediator between God and man"? What happens to this personal relationship with Jesus when we ask a minister or a saint to intercede for us? How is Jesus our Advocate before the Father? In what ways are you an advocate for the powerless in your community? How do you function as a reconciler, a mediator, a peacemaker as you serve Christ? A mediator is a person who serves as a middleman or go-between to bring two opposing parties together. We are by nature sinners, and in this sinful state we are completely estranged from a Holy God, who will not tolerate anything that is unholy or unclean. Jesus, however, eliminated this gap between God and man by sacrificing His life on the Cross for our sins and purchasing our forgiveness. Cleansed of our sin through the blood of Jesus, we now have fellowship with God the Father. We have been reconciled to God through His Son’s work as our Mediator. There is only one Mediator, and His name is Christ Jesus. However, a minister or saint, who has been empowered by Christ can intercede for us, but it must go through our Lord Jesus. As our Advocate, we have Jesus coming before God as our defence attorney. Jesus’ argument on our behalf is based on His own atoning work. We have to be completely honest with Jesus if we expect Him to act as our Advocate before God. Only if we are truly honest with Him and confess our sins, will Jesus be faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). As Jesus Christ’s representatives here on earth we are able to function as a reconciler, mediator, and peacemaker serving Christ.