EMC

Q28. (Philippians 2:5-11) Why did Jesus need to humble himself to become a human being? Jesus humbled himself in order to complete the task of redemption the Father had entrusted to him. Although He was with God and was God; being of the same substance as the Father, he did not hang on to that equality with God, but was wiling to humble himself to obey the father What do you think it meant to him to do this considering that he was divine? That must have meant giving up a great deal, it's like a demotion, falling down the ladder of hierarchy When he "emptied himself," what all do you think that included? That included taking on the nature of a servant who obeys his master What can you learn from Christ's voluntary humbling himself? I think we should not be too full of ourselves because we are nothing compared to Jesu. Instead we should learn from his example and practice some humility

Q27. (Matthew 1:21; Isaiah 53:4-6) In what sense has Jesus saved his people from their sins? Jesus has taken all the burden and his suffering brought us peace and healing What does Isaiah 53:6 teach us about how Jesus saved us from our sins? Jesus has sort of taken over all our sins and suffered for them in our place, he redeemed us In what way is Jesus like a sacrifice for sins? The fact that he suffered all that and died on the cross instead of us the true transgressors, that makes him a sacrifice. he was some kind of scapegoat as described by Isaiah, he was beat mercilessly, then crucified in the most exquisite torture that the Romans could devise. At the foot of the cross his enemies mocked him.

Q26. (Luke 2:39-52) Why do you think Luke feels it is important to tell a story from Jesus' boyhood. I think Luke wants us to appreciate the human nature of Jesus, to show that he was brought up in a normal environment at that time with other children of his time. So he was truly human What do we learn about Jesus from this? Jesus was keen to fulfill his calling, hence this urge to be in His father's house and absorb as much knowledge as he could Like every other child he had to obey his parents and wait for God's time in whatever we do. However sometimes I think his answer to his mother was rather short/rude to a parent (- point for discussion) Why is taking time to grow and prepare so important? Preparation is always important. I have learnt in my time that not planning is planning to fail. As one grows they become more mature and this more likely to act in an objective manner and understand issues more clearly Why are we so tempted to short-circuit it by our impatience? We are impatient, I think sometimes we are too full of ourselves thinking we know it all

Q25. (Daniel 7:13-14) What does the Ancient of Days grant to the Son of Man? The ancient of days granted the son of man authority, glory and sovereign power as prophesied in (Daniel 7:13c-14a) Why do you think Jesus used the title of "Son of Man" even though most didn't understand its importance? I think the use of this term highlights his human as well as Godly nature and thus acknowledging that he is the the Son of Man spoken of in Daniel's prophecy What does Jesus' authority mean to you and your life? It means Jesus is in control of my life, though sometimes I err and disobey that authority in pursuit of my own carnal needs

Q24. (Matthew 2:13-23) What can we learn from Joseph's action? Obedience What should we have to know about the outcome before we say yes to God? We don't have to know anything as long as we trust in him How can a good God allow infants to be slaughtered in Bethlehem? That bothers me also, often I am like Habakkuk asking why Lord? Do you believe God honors them as martyrs for the Messiah? Yees

Q23. (Matthew 2:7-12) Does gift-giving on this occasion involve love or mere custom? I think it involved love and more when you look at the significance of the gifts How were the Magi's gifts fitting for the Christ Child? Each of the three gifts had special significance Gold for Christ's royalty, frankincense for his deity, and myrrh for his humanity, What gifts can you offer Jesus that mean something? I would like to offer myself and ask the Lord to use me as He wishes. Hopefully to evangelise and bring more people to Christ What gifts demonstrate your love? Uum

Q22. (Matthew 2:1-6) In what ways is the kingship of Jesus a threat to our self-determination? We want to be in charge of our lives and do not want someone telling us what to do. As a result we resit the Kingship of Jesus What are our choices in light of his Kingdom? Accept Jesus as Lord and saviour and allow Him to lead us all the way. We must be willingness to acknowledge Him as the Lord and King of our lives.

Q21. (Luke 2:36-38) Why is it hard for us to value the time we spend in meditation and prayer? Because we are overwhelmed by what is around us that appears more important and thus take precedence over time spent in prayer and meditation Which of the times of our day do you think the Lord values most? I think anytime is important to him, however I was brought up to think prayers are most important when you wake up in the morning and just before bed How does listening to the Lord propel Anna's ministry? Because Anna listened to the Lord she was able to be in the temple and recognised the holy family when they came in. she was also able to speak what the spirit wanted her to speak and witnessed about the child to other believing people who are present

Q20. (Luke 2:25-35) Why does God send Simeon to the temple on this day? Because that was the day that Jesus's parents were bringing their son for the purification and consecration of the first born The Holy Spirit had promised him that he will not die until he sees the Messiah and he was there for the prophetic purpose Why do you think this incident is recorded in Luke's Gospel? I think because Luke writes for the gentiles and of all the gospels he appears to me the one who takes pains to include all other than just jews How was Simeon's prophecy over the Child fulfilled? Though Jesus was/is God's gift to His people, he was rejected. At the end of Christ’s ministry Mary felt the deep anguish as her son is rejected by the nation's leaders and ultimately crucified. This was prophesied by Semeion in the temple when baby Jesus was brought in for consecrationMary

Q19. (Malachi 3:1-4). Why is the suddenness of Christ's coming so fearful? It’s fearful because he is a just judge and we at least I am not worthy How were these verses fulfilled in Jesus' day. These verses speak of 2 messengers; one to prepare the way and the other the messenger of the covenant. These were fulfilled in John the Baptist and the second was Jesus himself How will they be fulfilled at his coming I think here maybe what is refereed to is his second coming, when he comes as a judge and unfortunately for us we know not when this will be. I would have loved to discuss this section with somebody here

Q18. (Colossians 1:15-20) Which of Christ's qualities of preeminence and greatness is especially meaningful to you? He is the most important being, was there before creation he is actually the creator and therefore omnipotent He is the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega, there is none like Him What does it mean for Jesus to humble himself (Philippians 2:7-8). According to Philippians 2, Jesus humbled himself by coming down to earth as a human being and taking the nature of a servant. As a human being he brought us closer to God In addition he was obedient to his father even when threatened with death Why is the incarnation such a miracle? It is a miracle in that God who is supposed to be invisible allowed himself to be seen in Jesus Christ. Christ had a human nature and experienced all that a human being experiences; hunger, thirst, anger, pain, compassion etc.

Christmas Day. (John 1:1-14) According to John 1:1-2, when did Jesus first appear on the scene? Jesus has always been there How divine is he? His nature is identical to that of God which makes Him super devine What is the theological term describing Jesus becoming a human being? (verse 14). Incarnation In what way does he bring us grace and favor from God? Jesus took our sins upon him to make us worthy. The favour is not based on our worthiness, because we are not worthy. we are made worthy by Grace aand favour In what way does he demand that we acknowledge his truth? We acknowledge his truth by holding on to His teaching, being his true disciples. He further emphacises this further down in John 14:6 when he says "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

How did the shepherds know to find the Holy Family? The good news was announced to them by an Angel, who explained to them where they would find this baby Messiah, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger According to verses 17, 18, and 20, what was their response to finding Christ They were filled with amazement and "great joy" and were full of praise They felt the urge to go and confirm the good news as well as offer their praises ---They evangelised, i.e. spread the good news They glorified and praised God What was Mary's reaction? Mary treasured all the happenings and pondered them in her heart. She had a lot to think about her situation her relationship with Joseph her aunt Elizabeth and her husband Zachariah's situation the connection between John and her son Jesus and probably a lot more about her folks

Why do you think the angels shocked the shepherds with their radiant glory? It was probably to get their attention; One minute the shepherds are talking quietly in the blackness of the winter sky and the next moment the hillside is ablaze with light and booming with the sound of an angel's voice. That's shocking! Why not something more low-key? Because of the magnitude of the event's implication. There is nothing low key about the coming of the Messiah What does the good news consist of that the angels bring? the coming of the messiah who has come to save the world from sin and the offer of blessing and peace What allows the shepherds to authenticate this news? the 2 signs; a child wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger.

Why is it important for us to know who governed the area at the time of Jesus' birth? I think it is important in that it makes the whole story of the birth of Christ credible, authentic. This also fulfills Micah's prophecy (Micah 5:2) and also that of Daniel What difficulties did Mary and Joseph face? Travelling for 4 days with a pregnant teenager almost term. All this was in winter and therefore very cold failing to secure accommodation at the Inn and hence having to settle for the stable and share the space with the livestock Getting into labour and having to use the manger as a crib What do you think God allowed such difficulties? To emphacise the point that following God is not a smooth journey nor a bed of roses. We must expect problems however we need to know where to seek help and take heart because He has overcome the world (John 16:33) in addition this highlights the point that as Jesus' disciples, we are not to seek glory but servanthood whether it is convenient or not. It also emphacises the need for humility Why does he allow difficulties in our lives? Some of it is to test our faith and James says testing faith produces perseverance and maturity. Problems teach us to depend on God

Why do you think God sent Jesus into this world when he did? A s explained in the teaching the time was right; religiously, culturally, commercially and politically What does it mean that he "redeemed" you? Jesus 'bought' me from the slavery of sin so that in him I am free What does it mean that he "adopted" you? As an adopted daughter of God I can claim my rightful place, my rightful status with Jesus as my brother and hence co-heir What is your inheritance? Inheritance, in this context, means that everlasting spiritual belonging to God, that salvation. By adoption as God's children we have that privilege of getting whatever we need through His son

Where is love most at home -- in times of strife or in times of peace? I think it all depends on the type of family and other factors around. One might say in times of strife as family try to give each other moral support and encouragement or in times of peace since there may not be any conflict What does our passage say about the emptiness of winning as our ultimate value? I think from the passage winning is not an issue at all since on the day of the Messiah no one will have the urge to harm another since everyone will get to know God and experience that personal relationship with the Lord, that is full of love, peace and harmony. How can you bring peace from Jesus in your world? You may bring peace by trying as much as possible to one's world by binging people to Christ so that each has a personal experience that gives them inner peace which can then exude to one's sphere of influence Who will it bless? all will be blessed, the 'peacemaker' and all around them

Why do you think God has a special place in his heart for the poor and disadvantaged? God has a special place in his heart for the poor and disadvantaged because often the world rulers see them as "losers" when they stand in court such that they are denied a fair hearing and thus denied justice. So Christ cares about justice for the weak and powerless, and becomes their advocate. In listening to the Our God listens to the weakest He becomes the voice of the voiceless Who are the unloved, overlooked, and looked-down-upon in your city? There is a lot of unemployment as a result there are a lot of people on the streets begging or just loitering and becoming a 'nuisance'. I use this word nuisance with caution Those without good education are also looked down upon Sadly while English is not a first language in my country, those who cannot speak English are also marginalised Those who live in the high density suburbs Now that I have started to think about it the list is endless What are you doing to demonstrate Messiah's love and justice to them? Pastor you have challenged me. Maybe I am not doing enough. Sometimes we prepare hampers for the families we worship with that we know are struggling. Other times we collect clothes and food stuff to distribute. but as I say we could do more, we will work on it. even if you may think you don't have enough there is always somebody with less and will appreciate a little help

Why do we resist letting the Messiah govern our own lives? I think its that battle of the flesh and the spirit. Very often we succumb to instant gratification Why don't we seek his counsel more often? Probably just our stubborn nature of wanting to try it o our own Why is surrender to his wise leadership so difficult for us? I would want to surrender all to Him, but again often I fail because of human desires What can we do about this hardness we find in ourselves? The best I suppose is to put extra effort to deny our carnal pleasures

(Psalm 110) According to verse 1, what is Jesus doing at present? I think Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God and presiding over all and conquering all as depicted in making '...your enemiesa footstool for your feet.' What will he ultimately succeed in doing? He will ultimately succeed in reigning over all and have His kingdom extended far beyond the boundaries of Israel What is the primary role of a priest? the primary role of the priest is to mediate between God and man How does Jesus function as a priest who brings us to God? (verse 4) He is our mediator, He bore our sins and carried our iniquities thus serving as Priest and Mediator to bring us to God

Why does Jesus provoke such negative reactions from some people? This is because those who will not follow him feel threatened by his power Why do people tend to resist any kind of authority? People resist authority because it prevents them from doing what they want to do that is not right. Usually when you are in the right path you don't resent authority What should we do when we detect resistance in our own hearts? I think one should pray for the strength to fight the resistance and ask Jesus to help us renounce our rebelliousness What does it mean to "kiss the Son" (Psalm 2:12)? Pay homage to the Son and acknowledge Him as the King of Kings, the one above all other earthly kings

What do these verses tell us about Joseph's character? His faith? When he takes Mary home to be his wife, These verses tell us that Joseph was a righteous, God fearing, compassionate man with unshakable faith he obeys God and accepts the great responsibility of raising a child that wasn't his in the face of being seen as a weak man in his society How does this affect his reputation in Nazareth as an upright Jew? Joseph risked being ridiculed by his fellow men, being looked at as a sinner, exposing his sexual impropriety unworthy of an upright Jew

Why is a never-ending Kingdom an anomaly in world history? There is so much fighting among power hungry people such that the kingdoms come and go depending on who is more powerful at that time Why is a just and righteous government so rare? Most leaders today are greedy, corrupt and cruel What justice will Jesus bring to you when he comes? Because He is just and righteous, I guess I shall have to account for my actions

Paraphrase in your own words the amazing titles given to Jesus in Isaiah 9:6. you did it so well Pastor Ralph, in the text I will only be repeating your words if I were to give an answer here How should knowledge of his titles affect our relationship to him? Wonderful Counselor We should pray for the spirit of discernment that enables to listen to His voice and be prepared to be guided by him in everything , Mighty God He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords; All powerful, omnipotent, as such he should have the ultimate say in our lives. When in doubt what does the Bible say. The Bible should thus be the manual that guides the way we should live Everlasting Father Father figure is all loving and caring. In this case He is said to be everlasting suggesting his omnipresent nature unlike earthly fathers who, even tough they may love us, may not always be there. So we can call on Him from anywhere anytime. Above all He is father to all not just a select few Prince of Peace To me the word Prince here is highlighting Jesus' human nature as the son of God and therefore brings Him closer to me. Together with the other previous titles He acts nd a peacemaker between me and God. He is my advocate so to speak and in Him I find peace and reconciliation with the Father

Why do people choose to live in darkness when light is available? (John 3:19). It appears this light we have seen is not so obvious to some and they do not realise what they are missing. For some however they are just bent on wrong doing and lack moral judgement. Why do people seem to resist the Light of Jesus? recently I hear a lot of people preferring to go the scientific way and saying Christianity is not scientific and therefore is not real. in some cases accepting Jesus means giving up a lot of their ungodly lifestyles and they do not want to do that Why do you sometimes hesitate to step into Jesus' full light? In some cases it is the fear of being ridiculed by those close to me How did Light transform the reputation of Galilee? Galilee was previously associated wit gloom, distress, darkness and a shadow deep darkness, light transformed it to a glorious place through "wonderful teachings, astounding miracles, compassionate healings, and authoritative commands that drive demonic influence from hapless victims". How has light transformed your reputation in your circle of friends? Difficult to say because I think the light in me could shine brighter. but maybe more people find it easy to share their personal problems with me and the parents in my congregation are comfortable to allow me to spent time with their children for an afternoon and sometimes camping