Joe_Applegarth

Q1. (John 9:1-3) Is sin always the cause of sickness or affliction? What are some of the good results that come out of the sicknesses and afflictions of godly people? No, not always, sometimes bad things happen to good people. You hear a lot of us professing to be Christians lauding God for the good things that happen but the bad things are also part of God’s master plan so that, as Jesus explained to the disciples, “…the works of God should be revealed…” in us. We are not God we are human beings and that being the case, it’s in our nature to take God’s work for granted when things are going well. When misfortune comes upon us, that’s when godly people turn to God in earnest so, in that sense, I believe He uses it to draw us closer to Him.

Q6. (John 8:58) What does Jesus' statement, "Before Abraham was, I am," tell us about Jesus? How does this statement relate to John 1:1-5? To the Jews, Abraham was (and still is) the greatest man who would ever live and in that context Jesus is saying that He (Jesus) had been in God's plan from the very beginning and in effect is telling them that, "I am" before Abraham in both power and authority. He is reiterating exactly what John says in 1:2 in that He was with God from the very beginning, thus He was clearly “before” Abraham in time and v1 makes it abundantly clear that He was also “before” Abraham in power AND authority.

Q5. (John 8:44) What does this verse teach us about the devil's character? What does this tell us about people who don't always tell the truth? If Jesus is "the Truth" (14:6), what is a habitual liar? The devil is the enemy. He’s not just the enemy of God, he’s the enemy of all mankind and single-minded in his mission to destroy us. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) All of us, whether good or bad, are God's creation. “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (John 1:3). That said, even though we are all God’s children by creation, a liar is nothing more than a child of Satan. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist--denying the Father and the Son. (1 John 2:22) Habitual liars, no matter what face they try to put on it, are deniers of the truth and the truth is Jesus Christ.

Q4. (John 8:34-36) How does sinning enslave a person? What is necessary to set a person free from bondage to sin? What part does Jesus' "truth" (8:32) have in this? How does the "Son" set people free? If you find yourself trapped by habitual sin, how can you get free? How does sinning enslave a person? Well, one need only look to the Book of Proverbs for the answer. “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.” (Proverbs 5:22). Sin, like ****, greed and dishonesty are easily recognizable. Other sin, such as a desire for success, fame, glory, prosperity and power, can be subtle and not easily recognized without Christ in our lives. There is a distinct difference between personal motivation that is guided by the Holy Spirit and being driven by our own materialistic, worldly desires. What is necessary to set a person free from bondage to sin? It’s only through Christ Jesus that we can be truly freed from bondage to our sin. Our sins are not always obvious but He will make them known to us and make us free. In order for Him to do His part WE must, first and foremost, recognize that we are sinners and pray sincerely that He will make our transgressions known and forgive all of our deceitful ways and misplaced priorities. Once we are able to recognize the sin that we have in our lives we then must repent and be baptized. “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) What part does Jesus' "truth" (8:32) have in this? Jesus’ truth is vital! It’s far and away more than just a guideline for human morality, He said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man comes to the Father but by Me.” Jesus IS unconditional truth! He is the true source and total embodiment of truth who was sent by God for the redemption of the sins of all mankind which is exactly why, in v36 He said, “…if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” How does the "Son" set people free? My KJV says "Ye shall be "made" free." That said, I believe it would depend upon the actual translation of this scripture. If the true translation is “the truth (Jesus) will set you free” that would then mean that if He sets us free, we can return to our sinful ways. i.e., you can “set” a prisoner free from jail but he can quickly return and by the same token, you set an animal free but it can also can return. If the translation is “the truth will make you free” the connotation changes significantly. To be “made free”, implies a more powerful interpretation in that if we are “made” free, God remakes us. There are many verses of scripture that tell us that God not only wants to free us of our sin but that His plan is to “make” us perfect just as Jesus was perfect. If He “makes” us free, He is proving us with everything we need to cultivate the talents that He’s already provided, thus we will surely be made free in the image of Christ Jesus. In either case, Christ freed us from our sins through His death, resurrection and ascension to sit at the right hand of His Father on the throne of the kingdom of God. If you find yourself trapped by habitual sin, how can you get free? 1) believing that Jesus is exactly who He says He is, 2) by studying His word diligently, 3) prayer, 4) repentance and 5) baptism into Christ.

Q2. (John 8:21-24) What does it mean to "die in your sins"? What is the consequence of this? How is it possible for Jesus' enemies to be speaking with the Savior from sin without receiving forgiveness from him? They are so close, but so far! Do you know anyone like this? Refusing to accept Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior is to die in your sin and to die in one’s sin is to die unforgiven, damned for eternity and deemed to be unfit for His kingdom. These were self-righteous men who either didn’t recognize, or didn’t care about their own sin, they were too intent upon mocking Jesus. If you don’t care, or can’t see your own sin, you can never repent and acknowledge your separation from God. These were earthly men who put all their trust in themselves and steadfastly refused to acknowledge the truth that stood before them. 1 John 2:15 tells us exactly why they didn’t receive forgiveness; “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” If the love of the Father isn't in us, we can never, ever hope to be forgiven.

Q1. (John 8:12) In what sense is Jesus the Light of the World? What is Jesus' promise concerning light for his followers? Exactly what does that mean for the way you live? Those who follow Christ don’t have to walk in the darkness brought about by their sin. Those who enter into fellowship with Him will walk in the light, just as He is in the light. His followers will then become light themselves and will be His torchbearers for others. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus says “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.” I believe I’ve become a much more credible witness for Christ. I’ve been in the darkness and since Jesus lit a path for me, I’ve never hesitated to use my own life experiences as a model for others. I pray every day that just one person can benefit from my mistakes so that they, too, can leave the darkness and come into the Light. In all honesty, if Jesus can change this sinner’s life, He is the light of the world and if He can do it in me, He can certainly do the same thing for others.

Q4. (John 8:10-11) Why didn't Jesus condemn the lady? Was she guilty, do you think? Instead of condemnation, what did Jesus tell her to do? Why is repentance necessary for salvation? What happens to the gospel when we don't emphasize repentance? Even though this woman may have been guilty of the charges against her she was being judged unfairly! Jesus teaches us that we should not judge anyone by appearances but with right judgment [John 7:24]. He didn’t condemn her to teach us that like Him, we too need to less judgmental and be more understanding and sympathetic for sinners. No person is worthy to condemn another sinner for the very things that he/she is guilty of! We all know that Jesus hates all sin but He loves the sinner and it appears that this woman had in-fact been sinful but Jesus loved and forgave her in spite of her sin. In John 12:47, Jesus tells us very clearly that He “did not come to judge the world but to save the world.” Was she guilty? Yes, I believe she was guilty. Why? The answer’s pretty clear in my mind; Jesus knows our hearts and everything we’ve done in our lives so had she been innocent of the charges against her He wouldn’t have had to tell her to “sin no more.” We on the other hand are not Jesus, we are human beings and as such, we can never truly know or understand another person’s weaknesses or the circumstances that ultimately contributes to their sin. One of the many weaknesses of our human nature is to judge others for their transgressions; often for the very same sins of which we ourselves are guilty! Repentance of our sins is necessary! We need to always keep first and foremost in minds that God is righteous and holy and we are, by our very nature, inherently sinful. The bottom line is that it’s our sin that builds barriers between us and God and without repentance it’s impossible for us to have fellowship with Him. Without repentance, we are “dead in our trespasses and sins” [Eph 2:1] and until we renounce our sin through repentance we can never be made alive in Christ. The gospel is a call to repentance and faith! That being said, how can one truly and completely embrace it without first facing (confessing) and turning away (repenting) from sin? After John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus began His ministry in Galilee saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” I don’t really see how the gospel can be believed until there is true and genuine repentance for the sin in one’s life.

Q3. (John 8:3-8) Why do you think Jesus wrote on the ground? Was the content of his writing important to the story? What effect did this have on the situation? There’s no way to know for sure why He wrote on the ground but there’s a lot of symbolism at work here. One reason that He did what He did could be that, under Jewish law, the priest was required to stoop down and write in the dust of the temple floor the law that had been broken and the names of the accused. In point of fact, he could write the law and the names anywhere as long as it wasn’t permanent. Since they were almost always in the temple, the dust on the floor was typically where they did their writing. I believe that by doing what He did, Jesus was showing the accusers that even though they weren’t abiding by Mosiac law, He would. Jeremiah 17:13 also provides a possible glimpse into why our Lord did what he did as well. “O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.” The Hebrew translation is as follows: "Oh YHVH, the Immerser of Israel, all those who leave your way shall be put to shame, those who turn aside from my ways will have their names written in the dust and blotted out, for they have departed from YHVH, the fountain of Mayim Hayim (the waters of life).." The passage in Jeremiah is an OT prophecy of what Jesus would do when He came - and in John 8, this is Jesus fulfilling that prophecy. These scribes and Pharisees were proud men filled with hypocrisy and prejudice who were trying to please, what they believed to be, a very demanding god. In truth, I think they knew in their hearts that the charges were contrived and I don’t believe that THEY really wanted to cast the stone. They wanted Jesus to condemn her, in order to shame and discredit him! These men were the elite, the teachers and interpreters of the law and they had just been thoroughly humiliated by this humble preacher from Galilee. They refused to believe that this man was the promised Messiah and I believe that in their hearts they knew they were wrong and their consciences simply got the best of them. Instead of admitting their trespass and accepting Jesus for who He was and asking His forgiveness, they simply dropped their stones and left in shame.

Q2. (John 8:3-8) Why did Jesus insist on unbiased, righteous witnesses casting the first stone? Why is verse 7 so often misused? Does Jesus require sinlessness of those called on to judge? What does he require? How does this compare with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:1-5? By saying what He did, He put them on the same moral plane as the woman they were judging. He simply pointed out that we have all sinned and once they recognized that for what it is they would have to eliminate the self-righteousness from their hearts and judge her fairly. Jesus rightly pointed out that only those who had no self-interest in the outcome could justly execute a death sentence upon her. A lot of Christian folk mistakenly take this verse to mean that Jesus is saying that we should never judge anyone, anytime, for any reason. In fact, that kind of attitude ultimately leads to an almost a complete acceptance of anything and everything and that’s absolutely NOT what He’s teaching here. In reality, He’s confronting her accusers for not fully implementing the provisions of the law. In reality He’s simply pointing out and upholding the strictest requirements of Mosaic Law. By doing so He’s calling attention to the fact that her accusers were misusing her to get to Him so they themselves were themselves in violation. Deuteronomy 17:7 says that the witnesses were required to cast the first stone so He was interpreting the law in its strictest sense. In no way does he even remotely suggest that the woman’s sin should be glossed over or should be forgiven without any payment of the penalty it deserved. In fact, it would be Jesus himself who would pay the penalty not only for her sin but for the sins of her accusers and all mankind as well. No, Jesus is not saying that you have to be sinless, He’s saying that you have to set aside discrimination and moral judgment. We first have to recognize our own sin; if absolute sinlessness were required we wouldn’t be able to speak out about any evil. Jesus says exactly the same thing in Matthew when He said, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”

Q2. (John 8:3-8) Why did Jesus insist on unbiased, righteous witnesses casting the first stone? Why is verse 7 so often misused? Does Jesus require sinlessness of those called on to judge? What does he require? How does this compare with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 7:1-5? By saying what He did, He put them on the same moral plane as the woman they were judging. He simply pointed out that we have all sinned and once they recognized that for what it is they would have to eliminate the self-righteousness from their hearts and judge her fairly. Jesus rightly pointed out that only those who had no self-interest in the outcome could justly execute a death sentence upon her. A lot of Christian folk mistakenly take this verse to mean that Jesus is saying that we should never judge anyone, anytime, for any reason. In fact, that kind of attitude ultimately leads to an almost a complete acceptance of anything and everything and that’s absolutely NOT what He’s teaching here. In reality, He’s confronting her accusers for not fully implementing the provisions of the law. In reality He’s simply pointing out and upholding the strictest requirements of Mosaic Law. By doing so He’s calling attention to the fact that her accusers were misusing her to get to Him so they themselves were themselves in violation. Deuteronomy 17:7 says that the witnesses were required to cast the first stone so He was interpreting the law in its strictest sense. In no way does he even remotely suggest that the woman’s sin should be glossed over or should be forgiven without any payment of the penalty it deserved. In fact, it would be Jesus himself who would pay the penalty not only for her sin but for the sins of her accusers and all mankind as well. No, Jesus is not saying that you have to be sinless, He’s saying that you have to set aside discrimination and moral judgment. We first have to recognize our own sin; if absolute sinlessness were required we wouldn’t be able to speak out about any evil. Jesus says exactly the same thing in Matthew when He said, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”

Q1. (John 8:3-6) What was the trap Jesus' enemies tried to spring on him with the woman taken in adultery? What might be the consequence if he upheld stoning her? What might be the consequence if he said not to stone her? In a nutshell, they were attempting to discredit him as a teacher by presenting Him with an unsolvable situation. Jesus taught forgiveness and since adultery was a crime punishable by death under Mosiac Law they believed that if He failed to come up with a viable solution, his position of moral authority will be undermined. If that were to happen, they believed the people will be less likely to listen to Him which would diminish the danger that He posed to them. He was aware that the Romans had stripped the Jewish leaders of the ability to inflict the death penalty so upholding the sentence of death on the woman would be condoning a blatant violation of Roman law and could be arrested. If He said that they should let her off He would be defying the Law of Moses which would put Him further on the outs with the Sanhedrin.

Q4. (John 7:37-39) In Jesus' teaching on streams of living water from within, whom does he invite to drink? What does he promise to believers? How is this fulfilled at Pentecost rather than immediately after Jesus spoke it? To what degree has this been fulfilled in your life? Everyone who believes in Him. The Holy Spirit The Spirit could not be given before Christ was crucified (glorified). “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want (Psalms 23)

Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? I’m sure we all know someone who tries to shroud him/herself in a veil of Christianity simply on the basis that they regularly read God’s word, can quote scripture with the best of ‘em and have memorized verse after verse in an attempt to portray what they would like others to believe about them, BUT, even though we can parrot His words, if we don’t truly understand, if we don’t make an attempt to truly know Him and to obey His commands we are, plain and simple, a hypocrite at best. None of us can “truly” know God’s will for our lives. As a general rule I don’t believe that “knowing” His will for our earthly lives is a real priority in the grand scheme of things. Simply knowing that He actually does have a plan for us along with our faith, prayer, Bible Study and fellowship with other Christians will guide our footsteps through this life. Our primary focus should never be on earthly things. Guided by faith, our eyes should always be on the spiritual kingdom that’s awaiting us after we’ve gone from here. While we’re here though, we need to know, understand and obey His commands because the things that we do and say here plays a very serious role in determining our eligibility. [1 Peter 4:11] teaches that, “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.” Well, in order to “speak the very words of God” you would not only have to know those words, but you also have to truly understand and live them in your own life. In other words, you not only have to talk the talk, you also have to walk the walk of faith in our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides.” Scripture says that we won’t be judged on our works alone but, works (service) is still of the utmost importance. I really hesitate to quote one scripture to clarify another as that in itself would seem (at least to me) a bit hypocritical but Paul says what I want to say so much better than I, so here goes. “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” [1 Thess. 1:3]. Peter concludes 4:11 by telling us how we should conduct ourselves; “…so that in all things GOD may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” One final note and then I’ll finish; please note that Paul said “in all things GOD may be praised through Jesus Christ.

Q2. (John 7:15-17) How were rabbis trained in Jesus' day? How was Jesus trained? How were his disciples trained? What is the value of formal theological training? What is the value of learning to hear and obey the voice of the Spirit? Young rabbis were trained by becoming a disciple of a well-known rabbi or teacher of Mosaic Law. Jesus’ “training” wasn’t derived from the accumulated wisdom of a rabbi, He spoke directly for God! If doctrinally appropriate, formal theological training provides accurate interpretations of the Bible. Formal training stimulates thought, personal interaction with other Biblical scholars and teaches us to ask questions which should fuel a broader perspective of the Bible’s teachings. Hands down, THE most important thing we can do for ourselves is to learn to listen for and faithfully follow the guidance that the Holy Spirit provides. Jesus said in John 14:26, “…the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” The Holy Spirit conveys to us the words of God Himself so the value of learning to hear and obey Him is pretty clear… especially when you take Jesus’s own words into consideration, i.e., He will teach us ALL things and will remind us of EVERYTHING that He has said. If we don’t learn to hear Him, or we ignore Him when He speaks to us, just think of everything that we’re missing in our lives.

Q1. (John 7:1-5) Why did Jesus stay in Galilee and avoid Jerusalem? What is the balance between taking precautions to protect yourself and trusting yourself into God's care? The Jews were plotting to kill Him and He knew that His time (Passover) hadn’t come! According to God’s plan, Jesus’ confirmation as the Messiah by acceptance of His death on the cross, ultimately leading to the resurrection, was not to take place until the Passover, six months away. God doesn't promise us blanket protection from life’s adversities but I know that, through my faith, He WILL see me through them and (hopefully) He’ll teach me something along the way. God doesn’t dispense unconditional guarantees that misfortune and/or tragedy won’t befall us simply because we are a Christian. That said, it’s incumbent upon us to take reasonable precautions to avoid or prevent them if we can. When we can’t, He will always be there the see us through it all. All we need to do in return is Love Him and put our faith in Him and Him alone. “The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.” [Proverbs 22:3]

1) Jesus hand-picked the Twelve; they knew and believed that He was the Son of the Living God. Even as He spoke, Jesus knew that many of his (so-called) disciples would find it difficult to understand because they really didn’t understand that he was talking about spiritual, not physical things. Their faith was weak and because the things that he was telling them was hard to listen to, it’s obvious that they didn’t truly believe what He was saying. 2) Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” (John 8:31) A true disciple of Christ Jesus is one who diligently strives to be like his/her teacher. In that light, a true disciple of Christ Jesus hears, understands and believes His words. To understand and believe involves being a committed student of His teachings, doing the things that he teaches and living our lives for Him. A true disciple must also know how to love; “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34–35

1) Eating the bread of life is metaphorically the belief in and putting our complete trust in Christ Jesus as the source of our lives and ultimate salvation. “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:40). 2) Eating Jesus' flesh and blood is to believe what He says is true and right and to become totally dependent upon him for spiritual nourishment and life itself. I believe that, on some level, Jesus’ discourse was setting the stage for what was to come and when we participate in the Lord's Supper we do so in remembrance of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made so that our sins might be forgiven. The Lord's Supper is a ritual act (eating His flesh and drinking His blood) of remembrance of that sacrifice. Communion is a time set aside to remember not only that He died for us, it’s also a time for personal reflection and renewal of our own belief and trust in Him. The bread, of course, representing his body and our faith; the cup representing the precious blood that was shed to wash away our sin. 3) Jesus obviously wanted to create a very powerful image that would get the listener’s attention. We all need food to nourish and sustain our physical bodies and, obviously we can’t go long without a drink because it’s necessary for survival. Using this kind of extreme metaphor, Jesus is making it clear that, just like we need physical food and drink to nourish our earthly bodies, we need to allow ourselves to become totally dependent on Him for spiritual nourishment and well-being.

Believing in Christ Jesus. 2) Nibbling is professing to believe while ‘making a meal of it’ is believing and actually living one’s life as a true Christian, i.e., faith AND works!

1) He tells us clearly that God draws everyone to Him through Christ Jesus. Unfortunately, there are those who refuse, through ignorance or otherwise, to willing take that first step of faith to believe in the Father. Jesus is telling us that without true faith, no one can come to Him. 2) Those who teach predestination are clearly missing the mark. They teach that only those who God has chosen (predestined) will enter His kingdom but the Bible clearly teaches that God wants everyone to be saved! God, in His infinite wisdom gave us all the free will to choose not to be saved (although I can’t understand that particular mindset). If God didn’t take our personal decisions into consideration, He would certainly save everyone but that’s not how it works! Those who believe in Him through true faith will be drawn to Christ. 3) Without the Holy Spirit, there is no salvation. “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.” (Romans 8:9) It’s extremely important for us to make sure we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, in order to ensure our salvation.

Q2. (John 6:28-29) What kind of "works" do people sometimes pursue to please God? According to Jesus, what is the most important "work" that God requires of us? Volunteer work, work with the infirmed, helping around the church. 2) The work that God requires of us is that we believe in Christ Jesus, put our trust in Him and invite Him into our heart. "As many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of God" John 1:12

(John 6:26-27) Why were some of these "believers" following Jesus? What were their selfish motives? For what motives do true disciples seek Jesus? They were hungry and believed that Jesus would feed them. 2) Their motives should have been based in faith because His miracles led them to Him spiritually. Their “selfish” motives were simply wanting Him to attend to their physical needs. 3) A true believer (disciple) should seek Jesus because of a hunger and thirst to serve Him. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matt. 5:6)

(John 6:26-27) Why were some of these "believers" following Jesus? What were their selfish motives? For what motives do true disciples seek Jesus? They were hungry and believed that Jesus would feed them. 2) Their motives should have been based in faith because His miracles led them to Him spiritually. Their “selfish” motives were simply wanting Him to attend to their physical needs. 3) A true believer (disciple) should seek Jesus because of a hunger and thirst to serve Him. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matt. 5:6)

Q5. (John 6:14) How does the people’s desire to make him king relate to the third temptation Jesus met in the wilderness (Luke 4:9)? What would have happened to God’s plan of redemption if Jesus hadn’t retreated to the hills on this occasion? Why must we resist giving in to people’s plans for our lives? Other than rejecting the possible temptation to sit on an earthly throne and resisting the temptation to test His Heavenly Father by throwing himself from the temple, I really don’t see too much correlation between the two events. On one hand, Satan wanted Him to put Christ (and God) to the test (i.e. “if you are the Son of God”) and on the other, the Israelites wanted a king who would physically sit on David’s throne, a king who would expel the Romans from their land and they wanted Jesus to fill that role. Had he not gone into the hills, God’s plan for salvation would have been destroyed. God’s plan for our lives is the only thing that matters, “other people’s” plans for our lives are totally irrelevant at best! Here are Paul’s words: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

Q4. (John 6:12-13) Why does Jesus have his disciples pick up the left-over pieces? What does this have to do with his attitude towards waste? What does it have to do with his teaching the disciples about abundance? The large quantity of food is symbolic of ALL of the Lord’s gifts. Obviously, Jewish tradition dictated that the leftovers be gathered but I also believe that Jesus was teaching them thrift in the midst of abundance. The Lord God gives abundantly and we should take care that none of the things that He provides for us be lost or taken for granted. Proverbs says it better than I; (Proverbs 21:20) “There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man swallows it up.” We should not take for granted, nor should we waste the Lord’s gifts but rather, we should all exercise thrift in the midst of abundance.

Q3. (John 6:11) How did Jesus distribute the multiplied loaves and fishes to the multitudes? How do the disciples fit in? How are the baskets used? What impression do you think this is making on the disciples as they work hard during the ongoing miracle? He distributed them through the disciples who in-turn distributed them to the multitude. To hold the food as it was being distributed to the people and again to gather up the leftovers. I believe they were probably amazed and in awe of Christ.