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Q2. (1 Thessalonians 4:14) How will Christ bring with him those believers who have previously died? According to Matthew 25:31, who will also will accompany Christ when he returns? Unlike unbelievers we have a revelation from God that gives us hope for a glorious future with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We know that when Jesus died, He was resurrected by our Heavenly Father, and in the same way we will be resurrected with Christ at His Second Coming. A trumpet blast will usher in the new heaven and earth and “in the the twinkling of an Eye” Christ will return. All believers will be going with Christ and will be transformed – those alive will receive new bodies and those already dead will be raised out of their graves also with new bodies. When the Lord comes to earth in glory with His angels and saints, there will be no opportunity for unbelievers then living to receive Him as Messiah. Accompanying and assisting the Lord at His appearing in glory and judgment will be the magnificent host of all His heavenly angels. At that time, Paul says, "the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus" (2 Thess. 1:7-8).

Q1. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Daniel 7:13-14) In what ways does Daniel's prophecy of the Son of Man outline Christ's return? In light of this prophecy, why did Jesus use the title "Son of Man" rather than "Christ" or "Son of God"? As mentioned in Daniel 7:14, the Son of Man will Himself descend from heaven and be given all authority, glory and sovereign power. All peoples and every nation will worship Him. His kingdom will last for eternity. This is confirmed later in Daniel 7:27 where we read that He will establish an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey Him. We also read in Rev 20:1-6 that His Kingdom and reign will be established here on earth. Finally after the Lord’s millennial reign He will handover the Kingdom to God the Father and then Jesus Christ Himself will rule over God’s eternal Kingdom forever (1 Cor 15:24-28). Jesus Christ frequently used the title “Son of Man” to refer to Himself. It comes from Daniel’s prophecy, where we have seen that the Son of Man is a heavenly figure who, in the end times, descends from heaven and has all authority and power. Jesus was telling us that He is the Messiah and that all the authority, glory, and sovereign power was conferred on Him by our Heavenly Father and will be fulfilled at Christ’s Second Coming. Jesus told us, "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30). "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory (Matthew 25:31).

Q4. (1 Thessalonians 4:6-8) Why do you think Paul mentions such severe punishments for sexual immorality? Are these punishments more severe than for other sins? What effect should these warnings have on Christians? I feel that sexual immorality is not only a sin against our Lord and against other people, but it is also a sin against our own body. “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18). No, in our world today, I do not think the punishments for these sins are more severe than other sins. Most offences of this kind are not even punished in our criminal courts today. We should take special heed of these warnings. As believers we are to live lives of holiness and purity. If not, we will be playing with fire as we ignore and rejectict our Heavenly Father. We cannot be indwelt by the Holy Spirit and then indulge in sexual sin.

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5) Are humans actually capable of controlling their sexual urges? If so, why are so many people seemingly out of control? Why is it important to control ourselves sexually within marriage? What happens when sexuality does not have any boundaries? What happens to marriages, to children, to our spirits, to our bodies? Nothing seems to have changed much. We read about all the sexual promiscuity going on in Paul’s days which is exactly what is happening in our world today. I think we are capable of controlling our sexual urges but in our world of low moral standards, instant gratification, and of always being politically correct; anything goes. We see that today our sexual energies have deviated from the norm and need to be controlled and rightly channelled. This can be accomplished only if sex takes place in a heterosexual and monogamous marriage – as God has intended it to be. Even in marriage our sexuality must have boundaries and does not mean that within a marriage there is no need for restraint. There is a difference between **** and love. We need to be considerate of our marriage partner.

Q2. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4) What does it mean to be "sanctified"? In what sense are we "holy" now? In what sense are we in the process of becoming "holy"? What does holiness have to do with our sexuality? Sanctification is the on-going process of our growth in likeness to Jesus Christ. We were sanctified, the process started, when we were born again. We terminated our love for sin and our lives were no longer ruled by sin. This is all made possible by the Holy Spirit taking over and helping us. The moment we repented and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour we became new creatures – we are positionally made holy, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17. About our sexuality; heterosexual and monogamous marriage is the only context in which God approves of a sexual relationship.

Q1. (1 Thessalonians 4:1-2) What is the difference between (1) conducting our lives by rules and (2) conducting our lives trying to please our God? Which is stronger? Rule-keeping or love? On whose authority does Paul bring these commands? Every believer’s top priority should be to please God. If not, then we cannot claim to know and love God. Of course, pleasing God is much more than only doing God’s will. We could be conducting our lives by obeying rules without our heart being in it, or we should be conducting our lives trying to please God out of our love for Him. Doing the will of God from our heart with love is much stronger than just obeying a list of set rules. See Ephesians 6:6, “Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.” Today we do not seem to ‘walk the talk’ – we rather like to talk about the gospel, but not live and apply it in our everyday life. We should, out of the love for God, be shining lights for Jesus, and people should be able to point us out in the community. Our acceptance before God is not due to us obeying any laws, but rather we are obliged to keep God’s moral law and commandments. Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will obey what I command.” I find it does help if I keep my mind on divine things. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. (Philippians 4:8); which is also one of my favourite verses. Paul brings these commands by the authority of the Lord Jesus, that we should please God by living lives of practical holiness.

Q4. (1 Thessalonians 3:10-11; Romans 1:11) What is the value of visits of special speakers to a congregation? What can they impart that your regular pastor can't? Why is a ministry of itinerant preaching so difficult - and important? From experience I have found that there is so much depth in the Word of God. Just when you think you fully understand a certain scripture, you later find out that there is so much more to those specific verses. So special speakers to a congregation can explain other insights to the Word that perhaps our regular pastor had not yet come across or had not yet had the opportunity to expand on. It is good to get an alternative view of the truth. As believers we need constant growth in our knowledge of God’s Word, this will enable us to apply doctrines we have learnt to our daily life, and equip our faith to meet any of life’s problems we may face. The ministry of itinerant preaching is difficult as the speaker does not know the maturity in God’s Word of their audience. It is, of course, important for reasons mentioned that other aspects of the Word are preached resulting in a more well-rounded faith.

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 3:3-5) In what ways does persecution discourage Christians from active, open service? In what ways does it mature them? In what ways does it reveal our underlying motives? Why do you think God allows the tempter the ability to tempt us? Why hasn't he done away with Satan already? Satan controls the world and because believers live for God they stand out and become easy targets for attacks by the evil one. This, being exposed in our society, will discourage certain Christians. At the same time others will be focused on the rewards they will receive in heaven, and this will mature them, making them even more determined to do God’s work here on earth. To live for Christ is to live in opposition to Satan in his world and in his system. If, as a believer, we find ourselves popular and praised by the world then we must question our motives – are we living for Christ? The more we become like Jesus the greater will opposition from the world increase. We can even observe that when Christians are not persecuted, in some way or other by society, it means that they are reflecting rather than confronting that society. The tempter is giving the ability to tempt us solely for the purpose of developing complete maturity in us. At the time we might not understand what is happening to us but we can be sure that whatever God allows to come across our path is for our own good. He has promised He will never forsake us! God allows Satan to carry on for a limited period only so that our faith can be tested and found to be genuine.

Q2. (1 Thessalonians 3:2-3) Why is Timothy's role to be a strengthener and encourager so important? In what ways was this a sensitive role. How did it help Timothy to be sent on this assignment? How does delegating ministry help the overall enterprise of the Kingdom? Since the apostles were chased out of the city, Paul could only assume that these new Christians were under attack and that they might have been led astray from Christ. Therefore, and because of his inability to return to Thessalonica, Timothy was sent to strengthen and encourage them in their faith. So we see Timothy being sent on both a nurturing and a fact-finding mission. He had to stabilize the Thessalonians in their faith, to remind them that suffering for Christ was unavoidable, and then he had to report back to Paul with the news of how they were doing. This task as a strengthener and encourager was important as they needed confirmation and comfort in the Christian faith; someone to come and stabilise the situation – someone like Timothy. This was a sensitive role as he not only had to be careful about returning to Thessalonica but also because he was so young and inexperienced. However, the faith Paul had shown in Timothy must have given him the confidence needed for this assignment. If Paul could trust the credibility of Timothy, the Thessalonians could as well. Paul had written before, "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:19-21). By delegating ministry the Kingdom benefits as there are now more and more labourers able to spread the good news.

Q1. (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20) How can we justify a desire for rewards for our labour in light of God's free gift of salvation and our love for Him? What does Christ reward? What doesn't He reward? Why should showing accountability to our Master bring us pleasure? How does it motivate us? Jesus taught us a lot about believers being rewarded for good done after salvation. Jesus has told us that as believers we will one day stand before the judgment seat not to be condemned for sin but to be rewarded for good works, including our obedience to the Word and the spreading of the Good News. We will however, forfeit rewards for any acts of disobedience. We know our salvation cannot be lost and it remains for us to be a faithful servant to our Lord. This promise of rewards and our love for our Saviour is enough to motivate us.

Q5. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) What is the role of the Word of God in moulding disciples' lives? Does it have a power of its own? How does that seem to operate? What are the implications for disciplers of this powerful action of the Word? The Word of God is the means by which people are born again; for without the Word no one would know that salvation was available or even know the way of salvation. This is seen in Romans 10:14, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? As the disciples hear or read the Word they become convicted of their sins and come to realise that only through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can they ever be saved. It has a further vital role in moulding the lives of disciples, even completely transforming their lives. The effectiveness of the gospel is seen as believers become imitators of Christ. Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 4:4, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” So we see that our spiritual life is maintained by the daily nourishment with the Word of God. It is the Holy Spirit that empowers the disciples to persevere and continue to be Christians throughout their lives.

Q4. (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12) Why are "fatherly" roles so important to making disciples? How effectively do you think women can adopt these traits? Here we find Paul instead of being a burden to the church, he had been like a father to them by both example and by his teachings. The fatherly role involves not only setting a consistent example but also encouraging, comforting, and exhorting the disciples. Urging them to live a life worthy of God and His kingdom. The same can be said for mothers as they are an indispensable part of the parental team. Mothers are also needed in the mental and moral upbringing of children. The leaders and teachers of a church need to be balanced. They must not only be compassionate and caring as spiritual mothers, but they also need to set examples and live pure and exemplary lives as spiritual fathers – which set standards for others to follow.

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 2:6b-8) Why are "motherly" nurturing qualities so important to growing disciples? How effectively can male disciplers adopt some of these traits? These nurturing qualities of gentleness, affection, sacrificial love and unselfish work are essential qualities needed when ministering to growing disciples. A mother looking after her children comes down to their level, uses their language, and is not only gentle but affectionate and sacrificial as well. It means being kind to these growing disciples, and includes respecting them; showing them compassion; and being patient in teaching them. If a person as tough as Paul was, could use this feminine metaphor, then it can just as easily be adopted by male disciplers. One needs to be less self-centred and autocratic. All of us need to cultivate this ministry of gentleness, love, and self-sacrifice of a mother.

Q5. (1 Thessalonians 2:13) What is the role of the Word of God in moulding disciples' lives? Does it have a power of its own? How does that seem to operate? What are the implications for disciplers of this powerful action of the Word? The Word of God is the means by which people are born again; for without the Word no one would know that salvation was available or even know the way of salvation. This is seen in Romans 10:14, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? As the disciples hear or read the Word they become convicted of their sins and come to realise that only through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can they ever be saved. It has a further vital role in moulding the lives of disciples, even completely transforming their lives. The effectiveness of the gospel is seen as believers become imitators of Christ. Jesus Himself told us in Matthew 4:4, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” So we see that our spiritual life is maintained by the daily nourishment with the Word of God. It is the Holy Spirit that empowers the disciples to persevere and continue to be Christians throughout their lives.

Q2. (1 Thessalonians 2:3-6) Which of the character flaws mentioned in these verses is the greatest problem in the church? Why do you say that? How can you prevent one of these character flaws from overtaking you? I feel that preaching what people want to hear motivated by greed and pride is the greatest problem in the church today. In saying this I still acknowledge that the vast majority of preachers are sincere and honest. As always it is the few ‘rotten eggs’ that cause the most damage to our church’s integrity. In recent years there has developed a science of church growth focused not on the expansion of the gospel, but on clever marketing strategies to increase the financial wealth of the church, and its leaders. They do not see the gospel as being the precious treasure that has been entrusted to them by God, and that their responsibility is to please God by faithfully preaching the gospel irrespective of what the peoples reaction will be. By choosing to please man rather than God would, of course, produce growing numbers. All this is motivated by the desire for more money, more power, more adulation, and more recognition. Not all are fooled by these strategies and by pleasing God we can still spread the true gospel which is more important than numerical growth or success. If people are pleased by what is pleasing to God, there will be growth. Paul was keenly aware that he was not merely accountable to men. He assured the Thessalonians that when he spoke God's Word, he did so not as pleasing men. Nowhere did he make that more clear than when he responded to the allegation from false teachers in Galatia that he was nothing but a men pleaser. “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 (NIV).

Q1. (1 Thessalonians 2:2) Why is personal courage such an important character trait for a disciple - and for a discipler? How does lack of courage prevent evangelism? How does lack of courage prevent a congregation from being healthy? What is God calling you to do that will require courage on your part? We all need to proclaim the gospel with complete confidence in its power and credibility. It is God’s plan for human salvation and His way of bringing us into a right relationship with Him and of course with each other. I know we can put our whole trust in the gospel to change our lives and relationships. The gospel must always be proclaimed without fear, but I think what most of us fear is not persecution but rejection. I know from my personal experience that the fear of being ridiculed and regarded as foolish or stupid often prevents me from proclaiming the gospel. This lack of courage on my part is definitely preventing me from speaking specifically to two of my neighbours who I feel need to hear about God’s plan of salvation.

Q4. (1 Thessalonians 1:10) What does verse 10 teach us about the Christian faith? Which of these elements are most important? Which are less important? Which are underemphasized by the church in our day? It teaches us that it is all about Jesus. He is God’s Son, He will return, He has been raised from the dead, He is our Saviour, He will judge us for our sin. To me I would say that Jesus’ resurrection is the most important. Although they are all important and there is not one that is less important. The resurrection not only declared Jesus to have victory over death, but that He is the Son of God. We also have the promise that He will return from heaven. The element that is mostly under emphasized by our churches today is the fact that God’s wrath is coming, and here it is Jesus who will rescue us from this coming wrath. Already He has delivered us from the condemnation of our sins and when He comes He will accomplish the final stage of our salvation.

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 1:5b-6a) How important is imitation in the formation of a new Christian's spiritual life? What kinds of ministry are most conducive to imitation? Why is the character of the mentor or leader so important to the health of the church? How well do people grow in Christ who aren't part of a Christian community? In what way is your character important to your family and spiritual children? A new Christian needs guidance in the early years and will base their conduct on those believers they believe to be model Christians. As this is normally a complete transformation of behaviour, it is most important that they imitate only true Christians. For children Sunday School, and for adults, Bible study groups are the ministries needed to help in the early stages of the new spiritual life. Our leader is normally our role model and therefore it is vital that he/she be of good character, and most definitely displays the fruit of the spirit. Without taking part in a Christian community there are no role models to imitate, although sometimes I feel one escapes the gossiping and backbiting that does occur. In my case, as head of a family, I find it most important that my integrity is beyond reproach. That my word is my word, and that I am always available to all my family.

Q2. (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5) Why is the Holy Spirit's working so necessary to effective ministry? What happens when the main power behind our ministry is will-power? What is the role of miracles in Paul's evangelism? What would happen if we saw miracles in evangelism in our day? What is hindering this? We know from 1 Cor 2:14, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” On their own, unbelievers cannot understand the gospel. What is needed is the power of the Holy Spirit to open their minds and hearts. To have an effective ministry, so that spiritually dead are woken and blind eyes are opened, both the listener and the preacher need the energizing work of the Holy Spirit. It cannot be done by will-power alone. God must be involved, only He can awaken the soul, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved (Ephesians 2:4-5). Paul needed miracles to prove to the people his authority as an apostle. I believe many miracles occur every day, but not in the way depicted on our so-called Christian TV channels. Miracles continuously occur today in answer to prayer as many people experience all the time.

Q1. (Acts 17:1-10) Why do you think there was so much strong opposition to Paul's ministry in Thessalonica? Why do you think Paul keeps preaching the gospel, even though there is often a violent reaction against him? Does a violent reaction to our ministry necessarily mean we should stop? There was strong opposition to Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica, as there was in other cities. Paul was preaching the doctrine of resurrection and telling people that Jesus is the promised Messiah. Many believed, and this was pulling people away from the synagogue’s toward Christian fellowship. The Jewish leaders became envious of Paul as this loss of members must have affected the finances of the synagogues. These unbelieving leaders then decided to spread untruths about Paul and Silas saying they were deceivers, and at the same time they used mob tactics to chase them out of town. Paul must have been a very brave man, and he needed to be if the Word was to spread in the early churches. He himself had reminded Timothy that to spread the gospel requires courage and boldness, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7). Potential trials and persecutions did not deter him; besides our Lord Jesus had chosen him to be the apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). I think if one knows the truth and we meet violent opposition or reaction to it, surely we are to defend it with all our might.

Q4. (1 Chronicles 22-29) Why do you think David prepares for the temple, even after the Lord refuses to let him build it? How did David cooperate with the Holy Spirit in designing the temple and its worship? How did David's example in giving motivate others to give? When God had told David, through Gad, to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah, David must of suddenly realised that he had found the ideal site to build the Temple. Having found the site he is now full of enthusiasm for building the Temple, but knowing God had prohibited him from building it, he did the next best thing in organising all the materials, finances and know-how needed for such a mammoth task. Just as Moses had been given the blueprint for the tabernacle, so the plans were drawn up under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This was a massive project and there was no room for human error. All gave generously by following David’s example as well as other leaders.

Q3. (2 Samuel 24:14-25) Why does David choose the punishment of a plague on the people rather than his other choices? David insists on paying Araunah for the threshing floor and the sacrifices. What principle drives this decision? How should this principle guide our own giving to God? David chooses the punishment of a plague rather than the other options because he would rather face a just God than fall into the hands of ruthless men. He knows that if we confess our sins and seek God’s forgiveness, He will forgive (1 John 1:9). We will still reap the consequences of our actions, but God will deal with them justly and we can always rely on God’s love and mercy. David insists on paying Araunah because he knows a sacrifice must cost something, otherwise it is not a sacrifice. This same principle applies to our giving – if it costs us nothing then it is not a sacrifice; it has no true value. Any offering has to be a sacrificial offering of ourselves to our Heavenly Father.

Q2. (2 Samuel 23:1-7) How does David describe himself in verse 1? In what sense was David a prophet? What is the main message of verses 3-7? How can this psalm guide government officials and elected leaders in our day? David describes himself as an Oracle (Prophet); son of Jesse (a true Israelite – qualified to be a king); exalted (raised up by God Himself to be a king); anointed (by the God of Jacob); and singer of songs (Psalmist of Israel). David was a prophet in the sense that he often spoke God’s words under the influence of the Holy Spirit. The main message of these verses are the privileges and responsibilities of leadership. With leadership comes awesome responsibility, a responsibility that demands character and integrity and at the same time a submissive attitude towards God. Without righteousness and the fear of God, a leader becomes a dictator and abuses God's people, driving them like cattle instead of leading them like sheep. The leader must have the welfare of people at heart.

Q1. (2 Samuel 22 = Psalm 18) What do you find the most inspiring in the language of this psalm? What encourages you the most? Write down all the various titles and metaphors used of God in this psalm. The part I find most inspiring is found in verse 3 (NKJV), “The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.“ “In Whom I will trust” - He is my anchor in life and I cannot imagine living in this topsy-turvy world without Him. Trusting the Lord is a great antidote for worry, depression, discouragement, and fear. Trusting Him enables us to overcome the obstacles in life. So by putting our complete trust in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we find He dispels any anxiety, and there is no need to take tranquilisers or antidepressants. There is also no need to worry as we experience “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). Rather we pray with thanksgiving which involves complete trust in our Heavenly Father. When we trust God we are making a statement of belief and confidence, and we now become independent of the world’s temptations and rely rather on God’s care each day. We see that trusting the Lord's promises yields blessings; as shown in the verses of 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.” My strength; my rock; my fortress; my deliverer; my shield; my stronghold; my Saviour; my support; my lamp; my refuge; and many others.

Q4. (2 Samuel 16-20) What does this passage teach us about David's character and faith? What does it reveal about Joab's character? What kind of faith do you see in Joab? What does this passage teach us about the importance of friends? Is Joab really David's friend? David is really a man of many contrasts. He comes across as both a sinner and a saint. A man who can write such beautiful psalms that show such great insights; a man approved of God and who was “fully devoted to the Lord (1 Kings 15:3). A man God took from obscurity and made him king of Israel and Judea. But also a man who showed such immoral behaviour by committing the terrible sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and on top of this, the evil cruel act of murdering Uriah. He was a brilliant military strategist and a very brave man. It is easier for me to look upon David’s good side of his character which I think outweighs his weaknesses. In his personal life we see his emotions all mixed up; loving those who he should have hated and hating those he should have loved – this resulting in serious injustices being committed. We see God’s love and forgiveness working in David’s life. Joab was a true friend to David. Besides being an effective commander who advanced David’s interests, he was not afraid to confront David with good and strong advice. Joab’s execution of Absalom did temporarily cost him his position as commander, but his rebuke of the king showed strength of character. He was ruthless in achieving his objectives, as seen with the murder of Abner, Absalom, and Amasa. However, he was extremely loyal to David.