PeteD

Lesson 26 Question 5 The nature of a person's fruit when connected to Jesus is that of a character change. The new character is righteous and good - it is well described in Galatians 5: 22 - 23 as the fruits of the spirit. When a person comes to Christ they become connected and we see this change. It can be called "being born again" or - reduced to "a soul is saved". While it it is true that a soul is saved, it is so much more. Simply calling this "a soul is saved" does not adequately convey the whole thing.

Lesson 26 Question 4 Apart from Jesus we can do nothing of significance. Of course, we can busy our selves and even sometimes achieve greatness and even believe it is we who do it independent of God will. But this independence is pride and ultimately leads to emptiness and ungratefulness. If what we do is not in God's will, it will amount to nothing. That is not to say that God cannot make anything of significance from what we do, but it is God who does it. God used Babylon, Persia, and Rome to accomplish His will.Yet for us - if we do anything independent of God, we sin and the truth is not in us and what we do amounts to nothing in the greater scope of things. Specifically, when it comes to being Jesus followers we have to be connected to him.

Lesson 26 Question 3 To abide means to be close, to look to, remain in. The doctrine of perseverance of the saints speaks to an ongoing and enduring abiding with - being close to or looking to Jesus. We can be assured of our eternal security if we abide in Christ - stay close - receive his nourishment, but in John 15: 4 - 5 there is also a warning for US to remain close lest we whither on the vine. If we stay close to Jesus, the Shepherd, nothing can snatch us away. God helping me, I shall endure and continually look to Jesus.

Lesson 6 Question 2 How are we pruned or cleansed by exposure to and obedience to Jesus' words? When we read and really listen to God's / Jesus' words - that is. hold them close, the Holy Spirit will enable the word to convict us of sin and enable us to remove it - cut it off or purified us / clean us. God's Word is like a two edged sword ... In John 8: 31-32' Jesus says if we obey Jesus' teachings we are really his disciples and that we will know the truth that sets us free - free from the tyranny / slavery of sin. Jesus words, that is his teachings and commands are to love God and our neighbor. As we study the Scriptures, they point us to Jesus our Savior. If we trust Jesus, we will do what He commands - that is obey - we can only do this with his help.

Lesson 26 Question 1 Judicious pruning benefits a grape vine by removing unproductive branches that are sucking nourishment from the vine while not producing fruit. God prunes our lives by removing those things that sap energy. God can give us the will to remove these things or He can intervene by any means. God does the same to congregations. We resist often because it can be painful. If we pray and listen to God we may see eventually that the pruning does ultimately help us produce fruit - fruits of the spirit.

Lesson 25 Question 5 Satan, the great accuser, tells us that we are lost and dammed. Indeed, we are but for the one who Satan has nothing on - namely Jesus Christ, our Redeemer. Satan has no claim on Jesus because of Jesus' perfect obedience to his Father. We can be freed from the accusers claim if we are covered by Jesus blood - that is - believe and receive Jesus gift of grace to us.

Lesson 25 Question 4 The Shalom - peace is also defined as general well-being - that we are promised. It is belonging to God in a state of reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ. God is with us. Isaiah 11: 6 - 9 tells of the pervasive change wrought by the Messiah.

Lesson 25 Question 3 As stated in the lesson, these verses plainly relate that the Paraclete reminds and teaches the apostles "all things "that Jesus taught them. No doubt, the Paraclete helped the apostles to integrate Jesus's teachings with Jesus's final activities - - the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. The Paraclete is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helped the apostles recall stories and integrate them in such a way as to formulate an accurate and consistent doctrine/teachings in the New Testament.

Lesson 25 Q 2 We are loved by our Savior, Jesus. He is our Lord. Although we could for a time obey his teachings with different motives than love, I don't believe we could sustain this obedience since eventually our self interest would conflict with the obedience / lifestyle that Jesus is asking from us. Love is the relationship dynamic they can sustain our will toward God and provide the impetus and desire to obey. Any other motive for obedience is unable to produce and Jesus' commands become a burden we are unable to bear. Love for God ultimately precedes our will to follow Jesus and to keep his commands. Since we will to do it based on love it is not a burden - - - simply said, we want to do it from our very core. Yes even though we love Jesus, our love is not perfect and our response to his love is not perfect and hence, one's will does not carry through perfectly this side of heaven. Unfortunately all of us fall short in many ways. We must constantly seek Jesus and forgiveness.

Lesson 25 question 1 Jesus sends the Paraclete variously translated as conselor, comforter, advocate, and helper. The Paraclete urges, exhorts and encourages. Frankly, I like all of these and appreciate the various translations. The Paraclete sometimes helps, or comforts, or encourages and even exhorts depending on the need. The Holy Spirit is called another Paraclete because Jesus was the first one who presented himself to the disciples - but with Jesus leaving Jesus says he will be with them and will be in them as the third person of the Godhead, namely the Holy Spirit.

Lesson 24 Question 6 To pray a prayer in Jesus name is to pray to God - approaching God being assured that one can expect a positive reception knowing that we are now sons and daughters of God and are therefore loved and received. It is not in our name that we pray but in the name of our faithful Savior Jesus. His name stands for all that He is about and is. Prayers that are out of his will and purposes are not for His glory and will not be heard. We, hopefully, will sense this through the urging of the Holy Spirit. We then can approach the heavenly throne humbly and repentant. This prayer we are assured will be heard - 1John 1: 9. The limits of the anything we can pray for are that the prayer is for God's glory and not for our own glory - the Holy Spirit helping us.

Lesson 24 Question 5 After Jesus was glorified, the Holy Spirit, as promised, was given to the disciples on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside us and since the Holy Spirit is begotten of the Father and the Son, we have the power of God dwelling in us. Wow! The promise of the Holy Spirit includes the promise that the Holy Spirit will be with the Apostles forever. I believe that this promise implies that it is not only for the apostles but is a gift for every Christian. I expect Christian today are uncomfortable with this promise because we don't see it happening. But we don't see it because we don't look for it, that is, we don't believe it. It points to our lack of faith. God help us to have more faith.

Lesson 24 Question 4 When we trust in Jesus, we are trusting in the Father who sent him. Jesus is saying in John 14: 1 and verses 6 - 11 what was said about him in John 1: 1 ,that he is the Word who was with God and who is God. So when we trust and receive Jesus and believe what he says and believe in him we are believing in God. That is to say, we are believing in the one who sent him. these two together - the Father and the Son - with the Holy Spirit make up the Trinity - the Godhead. It is not possible to trust in Jesus without trusting in the Father who sent him and neither is it possible to trust in God the Father fully without the Son who came to reveal him fully. Jesus can only portray God's actions and words because He is God. Jesus said that he can only do what the Father wishes because the Father lives within him - John 14: 10. The Father and Jesus are one. Here again we are speaking of the mystery of the Trinity. Tim Keller described the Trinity as a three sided glass pyramid - the three sides representing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When you look at one side you can see the other two sides also and together they make the one God. This construct has helped me although like all attempts to reduce the mystery of the Trinity, it is bound to have its faults. Charles Williams, a contemporary and friend of CS Lewis used the word coinherence to describe this.

Lesson 24 Question 3 It is not intolerant to believe that no one can come to God except through Jesus. To believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father is simply to attest to what the Scriptures teach us is true. Yet, we are not to hate the unbeliever for even God loves the world - John 3:16 - yet even here there is the requirement that people believe and trust and receive this love from God. That is to say, that they must love back. When this happens we rejoice. When it doesn't happen we are saddened. But we have to be extremely careful here lest we take on the pride of personal achievement as the Pharisee praying in the temple. The Old Testament saints were saved by their trust in God's gracious love through faith and by the effective and backward application of Jesus attoning sacrifice on the cross. The seeming exclusivity of the gospel,for me, is very uncomfortable. It raises so many questions about those seemingly good people who indeed do loving things and have a righteous conscience. It truly is a mystery along with the other paradoxes in the scriptures. What are we to do? We have to be obedient to Jesus' commands in the Great Commission and simply say we don't know what God will do but we trust that He will work it out. In the meantime, we know of the certain way of rescue revealed to us in the scriptures. This is what we must hold to and present to those who are perishing.

Lesson 24 Question 2 Jesus is the way to God - - no one comes to the Father but by him. Jesus said no one else has seen the Father. So, he is the only one who knows the way to God. Jesus also said in John 14: 9, 10 That anyone who has seen me has seen the Father... I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Jesus is indeed the highway or path to God. Through Jesus we have access to God. To follow Jesus is to be his disciple -- to learn from him, to emulate him -- but when the going gets tough, to cry out for help. Jesus asks us to love one another as he loved us. Jesus in himself is God's truth. He is the authentic, real expression of God -- the Logos -- word, hence he is the word. The implication of this is that the lies of the devil and of this world are confronted and destroyed by the deliverer, Jesus. Jesus is God's life: Jesus is the co-Creator with the Father of physical life. Jesus Christ is the one through whom God gives eternal life -- John 3: 16. Jesus is the living water in the bread of life that gives us eternal life.

Lesson 24 Q1 The father's house is heaven. It is a place of safety and majesty and rest - it is the Father's - it is vast... It represents God's glory. And it is a place were we will be with the Father and the Son. and there will be much joy there. Jesus will prepare a place for us ( those who follow ). This means that Jesus was referring then to his providing a way for us, that is ,a way to get there through his death and resurrection - as well as taking his rightful place at the right hand of God - readying the place for our reception. We can look forward do this with much joy. Oh what a wonderful reception it will be.

Lesson 23 Q 6 If we as Christians truly love one another as Christ loved us and because Christ love us, people will see that we are faithful followers of Jesus - they will see consistency and integrity in that we walk the talk. We will be good witnesses. And yes, to the extent that we love one another is evidence that we are indeed authentic disciples of Jesus. We sometimes avoid small intimate groups because to love like Christ loved us is not natural. It is hard work and can only be done with much prayer and grace from God. My church is small but we certainly could do better at fostering a holy intimacy and fellowship. And, I too need constant prayer to achieve this. I need to work at confession, transparency, forgiveness and all the fruits of the Spirit.

Lesson 23 Q5 To love is a command. We are required to love. That is to say it is necessary to love God and our neighbor if we are to be free, saved and rescued. The fact that love first originates with God does not take this oughtness - this requirement from us. We are to love God back. We believe God, trust God, receive God and the Son and we love back - love God and love our neighbor because God loves them also. The very nature of love requires giving, receiving and reciprocal giving back. If we don't give back love it means we never truly received it. But the reality is that we cannot do this on our own. We need help. We have to humbly accept that we are helpless and that we even need help to properly believe and receive God's love. Hence the requirement to walk humbly with our God. That is to say we need to have a receiving heart. Jesus' life chacterizes his love for us in that he came to be with us and died for us to satisfy the requirements of justice. The essence of the law and prophets is the requirement to love. And this is fulfilled by our response to God's love for us.

Lesson 23 Q4 It seems that habitual sin does make it easier to sin in the future. Once a decision is made to do anything, one can then more easily do the act without much further reflection. In the case of Judas, it seems that Judas was in the habit of giving in to his greed by pilfering funds he was entrusted to keep. It was the beginning of a downward path to perdition. It culminated in the lie of his accepting the bread of fellowship from Jesus while in his heart he was already planning his betrayal. At this point he had allowed Satan to take complete control of his faculties.

Lesson 23 Q4 It seems that habitual sin does make it easier to sin in the future. Once a decision is made to do anything, one can then more easily do the act without much further reflection. In the case of Judas, it seems that Judas was in the habit of giving in to his greed by pilfering funds he was entrusted to keep. It was the beginning of a downward path to perdition. It culminated in the lie of his accepting the bread of fellowship from Jesus while in his heart he was already planning his betrayal. At this point he had allowed Satan to take complete control of his faculties.

Lesson 23 Q 3 The kingdom of God is in upside down affair where the first are last and those on top are encouraged to go low. It has been refreshing to see the head of the Roman Catholic Church manifest humility. Only God can read one's heart and all of us must ask the hard question of our selves that what we do and how we show what we do is for God's glory and that we do it to help those he has entrusted us to serve.

Chapter 23 q2 Jesus did go to great lenths to make his point that just as He humbled himself, here, symbolicly and actually and as he would do to the ultimate degree on the cross, He is teaching that true servant love - agape - intails service and sacrifice. The new value is that if we wish to be great in the kingdom of God we have to be willing to serve. We are incouraged to think of others as better than ourselves - to be servants of all. The leaders, pastors, elders and anyone who would be considered to be in a high position are enjoined to go low. We have to be sure that we are acting and doing whatever because we want to help and lift people up and not ourselves. This is so unnatural for humans that we can only do it with God's help and with much prayer.

Chapter 23 q1 "A full bath", as does baptism, symbolizes our complete and secure salvation when we believe and receive Christ. We receive salvation for our sins and the penalty of those sins. We have eternal security. However, we often sin and need to frequently approach God and confess our sins. We are then assured that God will forgive us and cleanse us. This is symbolized by foot washing in this context. 1 John 1: 9

Lesson 22 question 6 Jesus show us what our attitude should be - one of love and mercy. This precludes a critical and judgmental attitude. Our message should be one that speaks to God's love and mercy. Yet, we must also tell people of the extreme danger they are if they refuse to receive Jesus . We must explain to them to look to Jesus. We are to do this in a loving and gentle way. We can do this only if we constantly remember what and who we were before our new creation relationship with Christ . This will keep us forever humble and grateful. God will help us to know what to say and how to say it. And our posture says much about our underlying attitude.

Lesson 22 question 5 These are tough questions for me. I like to be liked. My tendency is to clam up and it therefore takes a special effort for me to be faithful to my calling and to speak up. God help me. I love the story of Peter's failure. It gives me hope and a new resolve - not to place my faith in myself but to depend on Christ in me. I think Peter was profoundly change by his public failing and even more by his reinstatement by the loving and gentle Jesus.