hanks

Q32. (Matthew 13:20-21) Why, according to the Parable of the Sower, why do some people fall away so quickly? What is their problem? The seed sprang up quickly but the shallowness of the ground prevented it from taking root. In the same way, the Word is quickly, immediately, impulsively, received with great joy. But there is a shallowness here; with no conviction of sin, no remorse, no repentance, and no depth – no root, and ultimately no real commitment. The Word of God does not penetrate the heart. Their main interest is more on worldly things like entertainment, sport, and trivial things but not eternal things. It is a light-hearted acceptance, and at the first sign of trouble or trials they fall away. Their faith might be genuine, but is not rooted enough to withstand the hatred and enmity of the family or world. Definity not prepared to suffer for Christ – they want the crown, but not the cross. Perhaps they enjoy the friendship, companionship, the entertainment, and the singing, but have no intention of serving the Lord. Thinking that life from now on would be a bed of roses, with God answering all their prays. Sadly, it might last awhile but, in the end, once the spell has subsided all is forgotten and they return to their former sinful life.

Q31. (John 10:6-15) Why does a true shepherd "lay down His life for the sheep"? How did Jesus' do this for His disciples? For us? In what way did Jesus intend His disciples to learn that they, too, must be willing to lay down their lives for the sheep? Can you think of any examples where Christ's servants have done this? The true shepherd is motivated out of love for his sheep; as opposed to a hireling who does not care about his sheep, and are only motivated by the love of self, and the love of money. The same loving relationship that exists between the Father and the Son exists between the Shepherd and His sheep – He knows His sheep. Some shepherds have willingly died while protecting their sheep from danger. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, on the other hand, willingly gave His life for His sheep. Even actually laying down His life for them. Dying on behalf of His disciples as well as for us - as our Substitute. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24). In the same way, Jesus intends us as His disciples to truly love and care for His sheep so much so that we should be willing to protect them with our life. Remembering that they are defenceless and need the care of a shepherd (Ps 23). Unlike the many in our churches today who choose the ministry as a means to a profitable occupation/business. They have no concern for the love of souls of men, or even for the love of truth (Titus 1:10-11). When danger threatens, they are nowhere to be found. Their main priority is self-preservation. King David is an example of a shepherd who many times risked his life for his sheep. However, I immediately think of Stephen who died as a martyr for Christ (Acts 7:59).

Q30. (John 10:1-5) Why is knowing the Shepherd's voice and obeying it so very important for disciples? What happens when we act independently of the Shepherd? What causes sheep to stray? God speaks to us through His Word. So, to hear His voice and to obey His commands requires us to read, study, and meditate on His Word. We need to be in prayer and have a personal relationship with our Lord. A verse in Psalms comes to mind: “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11). If only we can keep His Word as a special treasure in our heart. Before we put our trust in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we all, like sheep go astray (Isa 53:6). We turn to our own way rather than faithfully following our Good Shepherd. Also, sheep tend to travel together and follow the lead sheep which often can land them in dangerous situations. True believers hear and know His voice; they would never follow strangers, or be led astray by false teachers. Jesus Himself does not merely lead the way; He is the way (John 14:6). "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He teaches us the way (Luke 20:21), guides us in the way (Luke 1:79), and opened for us a new and living way (Heb 10:20).

Q29. (Luke 5:36-39) What did Jesus intend His disciples to learn from the Parables of the Unshrunk Cloth and the Wineskins? Why are we tempted to say, "The old wine is better?" How might our church traditions limit the Holy Spirit's work in our day? How do these parables illustrate the need for newly planted churches? Jesus is telling us that one cannot mix an old garment of self-righteousness and works with a new garment of forgiveness of sins, grace, and mercy. In the same way as old and new wineskins don’t mix. Mixing law and grace would result in a patched-up Christianity, which is not part of God’s plan. A fresh start was needed. Jesus came to fulfil the old covenant and bring in the new. If we are in our comfort zone it’s easier to think that the old is better. So, we reject the new, fresh teachings of Jesus. Most people are happy with their lives as they are - never seriously thinking of eternity. Not realizing that salvation involves radical transformation of heart, soul, and body, and a large change in lifestyle. For this to happen requires putting their faith in Christ and a re-birth which might not occur if church traditions limit the work of the Holy Spirit - blinding them to the need of a Saviour. In the same way, we must be careful not to become too rigid in our thinking like the Pharisees who stuck to their traditions and rules; not accepting our Lord Jesus as the Messiah. If we are not careful, we can easily find ourselves set in our ways, comfortable as things are, and opposed to change; all this preventing us from considering the planting of new churches.

Q28. (Luke 13:18-21) What lesson did Jesus intend His disciples to learn from the Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast or Leaven? Why might the disciples be discouraged by the "size" of the Kingdom? Why are we sometimes discouraged in Christian work? Why are patience and faith so important for disciples? Jesus teaches us that His kingdom is similar to a Mustard Seed and yeast, and that given time, it will experience phenomenal growth. The disciples should not be discouraged by the initial very small size. Despite these initial small beginnings, once it starts growing it is impossible to stop. Today we might also be discouraged by the attempts of governments to eliminate Christianity from their countries, and the persecution believers suffer. As well as the many people in the world today, turning their backs on our Lord Jesus. Yet like yeast, with time His kingdom will continue to grow. Personally, we need to have faith and patience in the opportunities given us. Whatever we are doing for the Lord might seem small and insignificant at the time. Remember that bigger is not always better, and that our Lord Jesus rejoices more in what is right, than what is big. Rather be patient, trust Jesus, and leave the results to God.

Q27. (Luke 11:17-22) In the Parable of the Binding of the Strong Man, who is the strong man? Who is the stronger warrior? How does this explain Jesus' power to cast out demons? How does it explain Jesus' power to set you free? To set your friends free? Satan is the strong man, and Jesus Himself is the stronger warrior. Today in the world, and especially in my country, we are surrounded by evil and wickedness of all kinds. It can be very easy for us to be overwhelmed by all this negativity and Satan’s schemes. But knowing that God is sovereign, that Jesus is stronger, and that eventually He will conquer all evil, keeps me at complete peace. This reminds me of Phil 4:7: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” As we put our trust in our Lord, we enjoy perfect, complete, and genuine peace – He is our rock (isa 17:10). We know that Jesus is mightier than Satan; He will overpower Satan and have him and his demons thrown into the lake of burning sulphur (Rev 20:10). We were all in bondage to sin, but Jesus’ death on the Cross and His resurrection has gained us victory over death, and has set us free from sin. In Rom 6:23 we read, “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We need to make a choice, either eternal death or accept the gift of eternal life by repenting and putting our trust in Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Our salvation is a free gift given only because of His love, grace, and mercy. We can intercede on behalf of our friends, and tell them about the Word of God that saves.

Q26. (Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) How do the bread and wine remind us of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins? In what way, when we partake of the Lord's Supper, do we "proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26)? In the old covenant, the forgiveness of sin demanded the shedding of the blood of a spotless lamb (Exodus 24:6-8). Now, in the new covenant between God and us, Jesus offered Himself as the spotless Lamb of God; shed His precious blood as a final sacrifice that would forgive sin once and for all. Of course, the bread and wine were representative of His body and blood. The Lord’s Supper was instituted so that we would remember our Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour in His death. By partaking of the Lord’s Supper, we celebrate its message of humiliation, as our Lord humbled Himself in obedience to God by dying on a cross. And its subsequent message of exaltation, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Phil 2:6-10). We proclaim both Jesus’ death and His return. We look forward to the day when He shall return and we shall be forever with the Lord. Come Lord Jesus, come.

Q25. (Luke 18:24-25) Why do you think people try to distort Jesus' Saying of the Camel and the Needle from a parable of impossibility? Why is salvation impossible to humans? People refuse to accept the fact that some things are only possible by God who is sovereign over all creation. All religions are religions of works except for Christianity which is a religion of grace. Making it difficult for people to acknowledge or believe that it is impossible for man to enter the kingdom of God by their own means. Especially the rich who can be possessed by their riches, which gives them this false sense of security, and therefore see no need for God. Jesus tells us clearly that by our own merits it is impossible for anyone to be saved. Jesus does give us hope however, for all things that are impossible for man, are possible for God. We are saved only through God’s gifts of grace, mercy, and faith (Eph 2:8-9). Faith in our Lord Jesus is the only way to come to the Father (John 14:6). We must humble ourselves and recognise our spiritual poverty before our loving Heavenly Father.

Q24. (John 4:13-14; 7:37-39) If water is symbolic of life, what is flowing or living water symbolic of in these passages? Who creates this spiritual thirst in a person? How are these promises fulfilled in believers? Flowing living water is both symbolic of eternal life, when we will never thirst again (John 6:35), and the Holy Spirit who just as water satisfies our thirst enabling us to bear fruit. We hear the Word of God, the Holy Spirit regenerates us, and we become aware of our sinfulness and our need of a Saviour. Our Lord Jesus invites the thirsting soul to come to Him, “let him come to Me and drink” (7:37). No one else will do – only Jesus Christ. To “drink” here means to appropriate Jesus for ourself. It means to trust Him as Lord and Savior. It means to take Him into our lives as we would take a glass of water into our bodies. As believers we will have our needs fulfilled, and will receive rivers of spiritual blessing that will flow out from us to others. That is, we will be channels of blessing to others. We have the promise of eternal life with our Saviour and the promise of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

Q23. (John 3:3-8) In what way is becoming a believer in Jesus similar to a second birth? What aspects of physical birth are analogous to spiritual birth that Jesus seeks to clarify with this analogy? What about wind's characteristics are we to attribute to the Spirit? In the first birth we are born sinners, but Christ’s kingdom can only be entered by the righteous. So, to become a believer there must be a change from sinner to righteous. This can only happen with a re-birth. Just as the first birth is necessary for physical life, so a second birth is necessary for spiritual life. Those born of the flesh are flesh and are in sin – hopeless and helpless in saving themselves. Those born of the Spirit are spirit – made fit for the kingdom of God, that is holy, pure, and spiritual. When saved, we become new creatures, the evil things which we formerly loved - we now hate, and the things of God which we formerly despised - we now love. In the same way that we cannot control our physical birth, so we cannot control our spiritual birth. It is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit. The new birth is very much like the wind, it takes place according to the will of God. Like the wind it is invisible, one cannot see it taking place, but we can see the results. The wind can be unpredictable and not always fully understood, in the same way the miraculous work of the Spirit is not fully understood by man.

Q18. (Matthew 20:1-16) What does the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard teach us about God's generosity? About grace? What in our heart rises up to demand recognition and fairness when we feel we are overlooked and taken for granted? How much of this is a godly sense of fairness and how much is pride? God is sovereign and in His loving-kindness whatever He decides to do or give will always be perfectly right, just, and fair. We see this in His generosity when it comes to the grace we are blessed with. This parable is about salvation, and we seem to forget what we really deserve is eternal punishment. We also notice in this parable that it is never too late to repent and put our trust in our Lord Jesus. This is not about fairness which demands justice, but about God’s generosity and grace for which we should be most grateful. Instead, it displays our sinfulness – greed, and envy.

Q17. (Matthew 13:47-50) What is similar about the Parable of the Weeds and the Parable of the Net? What belief are these two parables meant to counter? How does a belief in the ultimate triumph of righteousness encourage Christians? In both parables the main point is that both good and evil exist together. The kingdom is ruled by Satan and is corrupt, but this is only temporarily until the end of the age. The kingdom still belongs to God who created it, and one day the good and evil will be separated and judged by Him. The ungodly somehow think they will escape judgment - the fact that they are still alive helps them believe they will get away with their evil deeds. Also, by intermingling with believers they think they are not so noticeable. In this life it seems they are getting all the attention while the believers are despised and humbled. But there will be separation and judgment. This is a great warning to the unbeliever and a great encouragement to His disciples – righteousness will ultimately triumph. The good are headed for glory while the evil are headed for hell.

Q16. (Matthew 25:31-46) What are the "sheep" complimented for? What are the "goats" condemned for? Is this salvation by works? If no, why not? How does Jesus identify Himself with "the least of these My brothers"? Why did Jesus tell this parable to His disciples? What do modern-day disciples need to learn from it? How should this parable motivate missions to aid immigrants, the poor, and the homeless? The sheep - for putting their trust and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. They are the elect of God; all true believers; the sheep the Father gave His Son; the sheep Jesus laid down His life for; the sheep who know His voice. No one can earn a place in the kingdom - entry is based solely on their trust in Christ. The goats – for refusing to believe. They are not condemned because they refused to serve Jesus, but because they have rejected Him as their Lord and Saviour. No, this is not salvation by works. This is done in obedience to God’s Word and for the love of others. Jesus identifies Himself mostly with His Church, His disciples, and those in need. In His infinite love and grace, Jesus warns His disciples and all unbelievers that He does not want any to perish. We need to be aware that time is running out and the goats will face spiritual death and eternal damnation. There is an urgent need for them to hear the gospel and for them to get right with our Lord before it’s too late. True faith produces good works. Our love for the disadvantaged should be motivated by our love for Jesus. Our kindness not only reflects this love, but also glorifies our Heavenly Father.

Q15. (Luke 16:19-31). What was the Rich Man's sin that landed him in hell? Since it isn't stated explicitly, what must it be? In hell, what is the Rich Man's attitude towards Lazarus? What is the main point of the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus? What are you and your church doing to aid the very poor in your area? In the world? Although being extremely rich, his lack of compassion; casual indifference to the poor; his refusing to feed or care for Lazarus who was sitting outside his gate; his hard-heartedness and love of money; all landed him in hell. He lived for self, satisfying his bodily pleasures and appetites. This attitude showed he had no love of God in him. This is a warning to us to determine our attitude toward our money and possessions. Are we caring towards others, using our resources to help others and not selfishly hoarding. All of us are stewards of what we have, and we are to use it to bless others, to bring life, to bring health and hope and joy. This is a test of our faithfulness in stewardship. To whom much is given, of him will much be required. Despite his dire situation he still regarded Lazarus as a servant - having no respect for him as a person. Our church is actively involved in supporting a church in a poor rural area. Visiting, supplying food parcels, clothing and various urgent needs. In the word. We support financially 5 missionary couples over 3 countries – excluding ours.

Q14. (Matthew 7:3-5) What is humorous about the Parable of the Speck and the Beam? How can we get to a place where we can see with clear spiritual eyes? Why does Paul insist that "spiritual" members correct sinning Christians with gentleness? What does judgmentalism have to do with hypocrisy? It’s funny in that the person with the plank in his eye is the one trying to remove a speck from the other person’s eye. Not noticing his own condition, and that in actual fact he is the one needing help. Because of the plank, he can’t even get close enough to examine. This is often the case; the traits that bother us in others are often the habits we have ourselves. Our self-righteousness blinds us to our own sinfulness. To be able to see with clear spiritual eyes we need to first seek His kingdom and His righteousness (Mat 6:33). There needs to be a self-examination, asking the Holy Spirit to clean up our hearts. Get rid of our own sins first, repent, humbly asking our Lord forgiveness for all the times we focussed on the sins of others, and not seeing or ignoring our own. Jesus also mentioned that the eye is the lamp of the body (Mat 6:22-23), which will tell us about our spiritual condition. We expose our hypocrisy when we judge the shortcomings and faults of others, while we are blind to our own sin. We must not forget the way we judge others is the way we will be judged.

Which son represents the tax collectors and prostitutes? Why do you think so? Why is it harder to actually obey, rather than just mouth the words? How is the lesson of this parable similar to the lesson of the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders? (Matthew 7:24-27) Why is actual obedience essential to true discipleship? The first son represents the tax collectors and prostitutes. They, like this son, initially refused to obey, but later regretted not doing so, and changed their mind. Being counted as the worst of sinners, they could repent and accept Jesus as their Saviour. Therefore, living a life of obedience they would be allowed entrance into the kingdom of God. The religious leaders who did not repent and believe would be denied entrance. They stood condemned, and must have been stunned on hearing that despised, immoral people such as tax collectors and prostitutes were entering the kingdom and they, the religious leaders, were not! It is much easier to give a false impression of obedience than actually obeying commandments. In the same way the Foolish Builders make promises but had no intention of carrying them out. True repentance results in obedience to the gospel and to our Lord Jesus which is a distinctive feature of a true disciple.

Q12. (Matthew 7:13-14) Why is "seeking" necessary to "find" the narrow gate? Why do you think Jesus concludes this brief parable with the phrase, "and only a few find it"? How is this parable designed to strengthen disciples to be willing to go against the flow, to be different from others in the culture? Compared to the wide gate the narrow gate, being much smaller, would require one to earnestly search for it. It is only by repenting, putting our faith in Jesus, and studying the Gospel that we will come to the realisation that no one comes to the Father except through Him, and that He is the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6). This would be a narrow and difficult way, since to follow our Lord would require faith, discipline, obedience, and endurance. Each day we must diligently follow the Word of God - in the steps of our Lord and Saviour Jesus. It will be worth living as it is the only way to eternal life. Jesus warns us that “only a few find it,” meaning that on our own strength it would be difficult. We will need the wisdom and power of the Holy Spirit to help us find it. We will have to seek and keep on seeking, pray and keep on praying. Seek and you will find (Mat 7:7). Once we have found the narrow way, we will know that the crowd are on the wide way, living a life of self-indulgence and pleasure which can only lead to destruction. We must be careful not to follow the herd instinct and do it because other people are doing it. It is only natural to follow the crowd rather than the few. It is also natural to prefer the wide and broad, ease of access, to what is narrow and restricted.

Q11. (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49) Why does Jesus focus the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders on "putting into practice" rather than in "believing"? How can you help young Christians move from believing to true discipleship? It’s not enough to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. A believer must listen to His Words and obey them; that is put into practice what He says. In this parable we see the wise man who believes in Christ, who hears His sayings, and who obeys them. He is the one who builds his life on Christian principles. The foolish man also believes but fails to follow Jesus’ teachings. We can help our young Christians move to true discipleship by getting them to realise the importance of having a solid foundation, one that is built on Christ, the solid Rock. Tests and crisis in life are unavoidable, they come suddenly and in many forms. It’s best to be prepared for this. The only way to survive, is to regulate their life earnestly and prayerfully, that it is in harmony with the words of Jesus, as revealed in Scripture. The foolish builder goes his own way.

Q10. (Matthew 5:23-26) Why did Jesus tell the Parable of the Guilty Defendant? How do people we have wronged and to whom we have not kept our promises get in the way of us worshipping God properly? In what ways is it hypocritical not to address these matters to the best of our ability? Jesus was using a law court as an illustration of the urgency of getting things right with God before it is too late. Here on earth, it makes sense to try and be reconciled as soon as possible with an opponent that you have wronged. That is before he takes you to court and you find yourself being thrown into prison. How much more important is it for us as sinners to be reconciled with our Lord. Here we are given every opportunity to be saved, and this must be done rather sooner than later. If not, we would find ourselves standing before God as our Judge. If we are found guilty and condemned for our unbelief, we stand the risk of being thrown into eternal punishment, with no hope of ever getting out. The urgent message is for us to get right with God by repenting of our sins and by committing ourselves to Jesus Christ in full surrender. By being at enmity with others we are not walking in the light, we are not having fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7), and cannot claim to be without sin (1 John 1:8). It is this sin that prevents us from worshipping God properly, since it interferes with our fellowship with God. Jesus teaches us that we should make an extra effort to restore our relationship with the person we have wronged. We have to remove whatever is the cause of the enmity. When we have offended others, or when someone has offended us, we should work tirelessly for a peaceful resolution of the matter (Rom 12:18). We have to replace our sinfulness with the righteousness of Jesus. We should love peace, make peace, and be at peace. It would be hypocritical if we don’t first reconcile with another before we serve the Lord in any way. The problem causing the separation, enmity must first be removed. This problem applies of course to home and family as well.

Q9. (Mark 7:14-23; Matthew 15:10-11, 15-20) What does Jesus teach about the heart of man? What does Jeremiah 17:9 tell us about the heart of man? Why do we try to look good on the outside, but resist letting Jesus change us on the inside? Why is repentance necessary for an outwardly "moral" person in order to be saved? Jesus teaches us that it is out of the heart that all evil proceeds. This includes all our evil thoughts, evil deeds, evil deceit, including our attitudes, motives, and desires. As well as envy, slander, pride and foolishness. That all external sins are initially conceived in the heart, and it is not the fault of external factors that we sin. We love to blame our education, our childhood, our financial circumstances, or any other external excuses for our sin. But Jesus tells us that the problem of sin is internal. In 1 Sam 16:7 we read, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." Jer 17:9 tells us that the heart is deceitful. It continually lies to us. Telling us what we want to hear, not what we should be hearing from God. Not only will it deceive us, our hearts are totally depraved, corrupt, sick, and beyond cure. Unbelievers will not understand it. As believers we might be aware of our deceitfulness and wickedness, but God knows our hearts fully (1 Cor 2:11). Prov 28:26 tells us that whoever trusts his own heart is a fool. The Word of God can disclose our own hearts to us so that we can see and not be fooled by the deceit and wickedness that is hidden in our own hearts. We learn this from Heb 4:12 which tells us that the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. It discerns what is within us, both good and evil. We resist Jesus changing us on the inside because we like what our deceitful hearts are telling us. How great we are, how successful, whatever. All lies. Our focus in on self, whereas it should be on Jesus. These are some of the verses that help me to remain focused on the Lord. Psalm 119:11, “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Proverbs 3:5-6, “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.” A person is defiled morally by what he thinks in his heart even though he may be careful to be obedient to the Word of God. We need to have a clean heart and for this to happen we need a new heart. Only the Holy Spirit can give us a new birth and a new clean heart. We need to be regenerated, born again, made a new creature by repenting and by putting our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, trusting Him as our Saviour.

Q8. (Matthew 21:33-46) Who do the servants sent to collect the landowner's share of the crop represent? What happened to Israel who rejected God's servants and Son who were sent to them? This is a parable about resisting those whom God sends to us to help us. Have you ever seen a church reject a pastor or leader that God sends to help them? Why is supporting our pastors and leaders important to God's plan for the church? (Hebrews 13:7, 17). In the Beatitudes, how does Jesus encourage those who are rejected and persecuted? (Matthew 5:10-12)? The prophets, messengers, and finally His Son, Jesus Christ, were the servants God (the landowner), sent to collect His share of the crop. In this parable Jesus was speaking of the nation of Israel that had been carefully prepared by God to be His fruitful vineyard (Isa 5:1-7). And the care of this vineyard (Israel) was to be done by the nation’s religious leaders, but they would not acknowledge God’s right over them and had the prophets and messengers (servants) badly treated. Ultimately, they would even kill His Son. Israel paid a horrible price for killing the Son of God. About 40 years after the crucifixion the Roman army utterly destroyed the city of Jerusalem. A great number of people were killed and enslaved. The destruction is certainly great, and the judgment might seem severe, but then the sin was also great, so the judgment fits the sin. It is better to build our church upon the solid rock of Jesus Christ. This parable teaches us that we need to be careful in resisting or rejecting, for example, those God sends to help us. Any indifference or opposition may result in the Gospel being taken away. Our spiritual health suffers. Supporting our pastors and leaders in their shepherding roles is important in that they are representatives of God in the church. Authority has been given to them and it is up to us to obey them. Remember they will have to give account to God. Their task is to help us grow spiritually in Christ, and to teach us His Word and how to live a life of faith. From 2 Tim 3:12 we can know that all who live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, but Jesus encourages us in that all who are rejected or persecuted for His sake will be greatly rewarded in heaven.

Q7. (Matthew 22:1-10; Luke 14:15-24) In Jesus' Parables of the Wedding Banquet (Matthew) and the Great Banquet (Luke), who are the people represented by those recruited from the streets and lanes of the city? From the highways and hedges? Who do the servant-recruiters represent? How diligent are you and your church in recruiting those who are of a lower class than others in your congregation? What keeps you from this Kingdom task? How might your church fulfil it? Those of the streets and lanes of the city would be the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame (14:21). The common people, the ceremonially unclean. The people from the highways and hedges would be those from outside the city. The outcasts, the undesirables, the untouchables, and the Gentiles. Today this would include all people who are spiritually destitute. Sinners who are aware of their uselessness, hopelessness, and unworthiness. It will also include God’s chosen ones - the humble, the poor, the base, the lowly, and the nobodies. All can come and believe. A lame man can believe, a blind man can believe, a deaf man can believe, a dying man can believe. The young and the old, the wise and the foolish, the rich and the poor, they can all believe if they will. The servant-recruiters would be the servants who are told to seek, urge, and persuade to accept the invitation. Today this would describe us as believers who are given the task of spreading the good news of the Gospel and Jesus; seeking and inviting lost sinners to repent and put their faith in our Lord and Saviour. This would be done with loving kindness and persuasion. Up to now as a church we have not been very effective. But we do try. Coincidentally, our church has started about a few months ago with a concerted effort, to spread the news about Jesus in our community. The whole congregation are tasked with making a real effort in obedience to our Lords’ command. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are determined to fulfil this commission.

Q6. (Matthew 22:1-10; Luke 14:15-24) Who do the excuse-makers represent? What are the potential results of excusing ourselves from carrying out God's will as we know it? Each of these excuse-makers had already agreed to attend this banquet. On the second invitation they insulted the host by refusing to attend and all gave very feeble excuses for not attending. This parable was a special message to the Pharisees, the Scribes, and most of Israel, who rejected outright our Lord Jesus and His invitation. They were the seed of Abraham; they had Moses and the Law; therefore, they had no need of the pardoning grace of God that Jesus had come to bring. They were so sure of their own self-righteousness. However, this invitation applies to lost sinners today as well. God calls them. All things have been prepared – Jesus has finished the work of redemption when He died for sinners on the cross, and arose from the dead. The love of the world, the love of the flesh, the love of self, keeps them resisting or delaying their response to the invitation. All sorts of weak and feeble excuses are also used. What is tragic is the fact that many have had the privilege of having heard the Gospel over and over, but have not accepted. At the time they don’t realise that this invitation is the most important event in their life. This is an invitation to spend eternity with Jesus. Now is the time to accept as a second invitation might never come!

Q5. (Luke 13:6-9) What caused Israel's barrenness in Jesus' time? What keeps the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) from growing and maturing in our lives? What can we disciples learn from the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree? The fig tree can be seen as a picture of Israel - a very privileged nation who turned their back on our Lord Jesus Christ. We see this in their religious leaders – especially the Pharisees and the teachers of the law. Their hatred of the Son of Man was the result of their evil hearts, as evidenced by their blasphemy, bitterness, hypocrisy, pride, and abuse. Jesus Himself called them a brood of vipers (Mat 12:34), and a den of robbers (Mat 21:13). Our gracious Lord was patient with the nation, waiting three years during our Lord’s earthly ministry, but the nation was barren, producing nothing of value. After another forty years He allowed the Roman armies to destroy Jerusalem and the temple. Finally, the tree was cut down. This parable also applies to us. We see a God full of love, who is patient, not wanting any to perish (2 Peter 3:9). He desires that all should come to repentance, so He purposely extends the time of grace so that all might have every opportunity to be saved. He delights in showing mercy, and encouraging us to repent and bear fruit (Mat 3:8). Is there proof by the way we live that we have repented of our sins? Do our actions match our words? We often take life for granted with no consideration to thank Him. We should be living a life of righteousness with visible fruit of the Spirit - a life that brings glory, honour and praise to our heavenly Father. God is seeking fruit, as He judges our words by our actions that accompany them. He has spared us up to now, but He has every right to cut us down. We must not make the mistake that His kindness, mercy, and grace will carry on forever. The day of judgment will eventually come. The time to repent is NOW.

Q4. (Matthew 18:23-35) In the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, where do you see justice? Where do you see grace? Where do you see greed? Where do you see unforgiveness? What lessons from this parable are disciples to incorporate into their lives? I see justice exercised by the king. One would have thought the servant would have been grateful for having been forgiven and would therefore forgive his fellow servant. Instead, he applied justice by having his friend cast into prison. This caused the king to apply this same justice to the servant. He got what he deserved and was cast into prison. I see grace shown by the king. We know the servant stole the money and was not sorry for what he had done, he only regretted being caught. He did not deserve this forgiveness, it was purely an act of love, mercy, and grace on the part of the king. I see greed in the servant who was given much, was unwilling to forgive. Pure greed, no consideration or compassion for others. He wants it all. I see unforgiveness in the servant. Having received forgiveness, he was unable to share forgiveness with those who wronged him. He was living only according to justice; always seeking to get what is his. Jesus warns us that we cannot forgive if we do not have humble and repentant hearts. Where there is pride and a desire for revenge, there can be no true repentance. It is not enough to receive God’s forgiveness; we must experience that forgiveness in our hearts so that it humbles us and makes us gentle and forgiving toward others. Ephesians 4:32 tells us to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” It is because of His great mercy that we are forgiven, and having experienced this mercy we will want to forgive others.