tom.nabors

Q1. (Matthew 13:44-46) What do the Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price have in common? What is the main point of these parables? How should it affect our values? Our lives? They both compare the Kingdom of Heaven to items of huge value, that a person would give up anything to possess. It should effect us and our values the way Paul expresses it in Philippians 3:7,8.

Q4. (Luke 17:33-36) What does our passage teach about the separation and judgment that will occur when the Kingdom comes? How should this affect our lives? Our testimony? Our love for our neighbors? It will happen in the twinkling of the eye. It will be too late for repentence and turning to God, believing the Gospel. Therefore, we must be ready. In other words, TODAY is the day of salvation, this hour, this minute. Don't put it off! It should affect us to implore our unbelieving neighbors with the truth of the Gospel, that is if we love them.

Q3. (Luke 17:24-32) What indications does Jesus give in this passage that he will suddenly come in his Kingdom without further warning? What are the implications of this for our attitude? For our lives? It will be sudden and cataclysmic. It will not be expected. There will be no warning. The desctruction will be so swift and thorough that it will not make sense to even try to go home if you are out. Instead of turning back because we long for things of this world, as Lot's wife did, we should look forward to the Day of the Lord.

Q2. (Luke 17:22-24) What do Jesus

Q1. (Luke 17:21) In what sense was the Kingdom of God present in the Person and ministry of Jesus? In what sense is the Kingdom of God present today? The Kingdom of God is present in Jesus because King Jesus gathered disciples, ministered to people, called people into His kingdom. The Kingdom of God is present today in the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Q4. (Matthew 11:12; Luke 16:16) Admittedly, this is a hard passage to interpret. However, if you take the

Q2. (Matthew 6:33) What does it mean in verse 33 to

Q1. (Matthew 6:24) Jesus seems to make it sound like you can

Q2. (Matthew 13:22; Luke 8:14) Which of the thorns that Jesus mentions do you think is the most dangerous: Riches, worries/cares, or pleasures? Why do you think so? Worries/cares seem to be the thorn that is most dangerous because anxiety or worry shows a lack of faith and the cares of the world can be greater than our love for God.

Q4. Why is repentance so central to the Kingdom of God? Why is baptism important to converts to the King? Can Christ reign in an unrepentant heart? Repentance means turning away from our old life of sin. We cannot be serious about the Reign of Christ if we don't turn from our sins. To pretend to follow Jesus while we are still living in sin is an affront to his Kingship over us. Baptism is our public proclamation of repentance and being symbolically washed, cleansed or overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. If Jesus saw the need to "fulfill all righteousness" in this way, we should to show solidarity with Him. Repentance also means acceptance of the Lordship of Christ. It means no longer conforming to the world but renewing the mind in conformance to Christ.

Q3. (Matthew 3:11) What is the point of comparison between John

Q2. (Matthew 3:5-10; Luke 7:30) How would John

Q1. What happens when people adopt the Christian faith without repenting of their known sins? Why do people avoid repentance? What percentage of Christians today do you think are unrepentant, unprepared in heart? Based on Scripture, it would seem to be impossible for someone to become a true believer without first repenting. As far as we know from the Gospels, Jesus' first public speaking began with repent before He said believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15). In Acts 2, Peter told those asking him "what shall we do?" to "Repent and be baptized...". So, if people adopt the Christian faith without repenting, that faith would not be genuine. People avoid repentance because they do not really want to turn from the sin they love. I would hesitate to guess a percentage but it is probably much higher in a country that does not persecute Christians.

I would more readily ask for repentance each day and thank God for keeping me in the belief that Jesus Christ is the only way, that He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. I would ask that He keep me in the way of the Spirit instead of the way of the sinful nature. This passage helps me in my witness so that I witness only with the Gospel. This passage absolutely denies Universalism.

All of the words are words calling us to actively do something. When we actively do things we tend to learn better than passively waiting for things to happen. So, when we ask, seek and knock we learn what God answers yes and no to, we find out where to find Him and what doors He opens. Each seems to increase in intensity since seeking requires more activity, energy and boldness than asking and knocking more than seeking. The significant of the tense is that it is a continuous action, not a one time thing as in the aorist tense.

Yes, unfortunately more than a few times. It is out of anxiety and self-guilt that I have done this. We must show love to other's failings because we recognize that we too have failed miserably but in spite of that God showed and continues to show His love for us.

Jesus mentions the pagans to show how unbelievers act. He is trying to make the point that we should not act like unbelievers but should act differently. Unbelievers chase after the material things of this world because they put their faith only in themselves and their ability to provide. A believer chases after the kingdom of God, knowing the supreme value there instead of the temporal world. Knowing that Father God understands our physical needs provides the freedom to seek His kingdom first.

At least 3 times, the phrase "do not worry" occurs in this passage. Excessive worrying is sinful because it shows a lack of faith, a lack of belief. Worry and trust could be construed to be exact opposites because if we trust in God to provide, we would not worry about having to provide for ourselves. Worry is different from planning or working to provide because when we work to provide it is not us working but Christ in us working. This is very different from worrying.

We should not be overly anxious about our financial security. Anxiety about the material necessities takes time away from what is really important, seeking the kingdom of God and His righeousness. It also shows a lack of faith.

Jesus is speaking specifically and literally. Treasures on earth decay and are stolen. What a waste of time especially if storing up treasures on earth is done with disregard to storing up treasure in heaven. This is an old teaching as we can see in Jeremiah 2:11-13. "... But My people have exchanged their Glory for worthless idols. Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD. "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken Me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

The rich fool was condemned not for storing up material things but for not being rich toward God (Luke 12:21). The rich fool thought he could become so self-sufficient that he did not need anything or anybody else. This all-consuming desire to be independent even from God does not take into account eternity. Storing up treasure on earth will do no good to anyone in the long run because that does not last. Storing up treasure in heaven with God endures into eternity and is secure. (Matthew 6:19-21) This also reminds me of 1 Timothy 6:6-7: "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it."

I remember the standard my biological father applied concerning how his children were to behave themselves. He said, "Never do anything that would bring shame to the family name." It's my understanding that this example should be followed as Christians that our actions should never bring shame to our family name in all it's various forms. We are also to greatly revere God's name in all it's forms. When Christians use the work "God", it follows that we are referring to the Christian God. Therefore, using it in a exclamation is using it in vain and not in reverence. When we pray, we should always show and say our great respect for our Father and His name as a first priority.

In the context, verse 48 calls for us to go beyond the type of love unbelievers have. Even unbelievers love their children, their families and even their friends who love them back. Christian agape love calls for the type of love and common grace that God shows even to the wicked, causing "His sun to rise on" and "sending rain to". The only way we can extend our love to this level of Christian maturity is by focusing on Christ instead of ourselves.

Self-defense to protect the lives and property of our families and others from those who have obvious evil intent would be one example of using physical response would be condoned. This should only be done to the extent the evil is restrained and turned over to the judical authority.