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Q1. Read Exodus 32:1-14. What had the people done that was so bad? The people had broken the first commandment, by making an idol and worshiping it. They had mixed the worship of God with the idol worhip and pagan revelary of Egypt. How can a loving God be angry? God is a jelous God, and will have no other god's before Him. Is God's sentence to destroy Israel and raise up a new nation through Moses justified? Yes it's justified, because the people had so quickly turned away from the way the Lord had commanded them to live.

Q4. Why should we continually ask forgiveness? Though we are born again of the Spirit of God, and we have the new nature from God in us, and God's grace to help us, we also still have the sinful nature inherited from Adam. Because we still have the sinful nature, we are going to sin, though hopeflly less and less, this is why we constanstantly need God's forgiveness. How can unforgiveness on our part block God's blessing? To the degree that we are unforgiving towards others sins, God will be unforgiving towards us. This sin will cause bondage and stop the flow of God's blessing. How can unforgiveness block God's forgiveness? Unforgiveness is sin, and must be confessed and repented of to bring the forgivness from God. God expects his people to be forgiving, as He is forgiving.

Q3. Why do we seek to be independent of asking anyone for help? We want to apear strong and competent, we don't want to look weak and vunerable, this is really pride and we need to change this attitude to one of interdependence. Why do we seek to be independent of God? We have the fallen nature from Adam, that seeks to go its own way and not to depend apon God. We need to live through the new nature, the creature that is born of God and to abide in Jesus. Why should we ask God to "give" us daily bread so long as we can earn a living for ourselves? God gives us the ability to earn a living, God gives the sunshine and the rain that makes the crops grow. We can have nothing without Him.

In what sense are we asking that the Father's kingdom should come? We are asking for His kingdom to reign in us, we are also awaiting for Jesus to return and fully establish His kingdom on the Earth. Why are we asking for the Father's will to be done here on earth? Where His will is being done, His kingdom is being established. How should this prayer affect our living? We should be desiring His will all the time and doing our part to help bring it about.

What about our lives and words "hallows" the name of our Father? When we keep God concious, keep abiding and being thankful. When we are loving others, praying for them, talking to them about our loving heavenly Father. What desecrates and besmirches it? When we act in a carnal way, bad temper, swearing etc. especially in front of others. How should we "hallow" the Father when we begin to pray? Loving Him for who He is, aknowledging that He is the giver of every good gift, being thankful.

Q5. (Galatians 2:20) In what sense have we been “crucified with Christ”? What does that mean? In what sense do “I no longer live”? Whose life now motivates us? How does this verse relate to Paul’s closing comments about the “new creation” (Galatians 6:15)? What does Galatians 2:20 teach about Christ’s attitude toward us? Christ died for us and as we are in him our own flesh was crucified with him. We are no longer our own, we belong to God, and we are to lay down our own lives that Christ may live in us. I no longer live to the extent that I deny myself and lay my life down and yield to the Christ life. Christ wants us to give our lives to him as he gave his life to us.

Q4. (Galatians 2:15-21) What happens to the importance of Christ’s death if circumcision is deemed necessary to salvation? Why was this issue of the sufficiency of the Messiah’s death so important in Paul’s day? Why was this issue important to Luther and the reformers? Why is it so important in our own day? How does it affect the relative legalism of our congregations? Christ's sacrifical death on the cross to provide for God's salvation of humanity is central to Christianity and no conditions of man must be added to it. This issue of the sufficiency of the Messiah’s death is so important because any legalistic requirements added to it change the gospel in to a false gospel; salvation is by faith and faith alone in the gracious gift of our savior!

Q3. Why is it so hard to take the gospel to different peoples without wrapping it in our own cultural practices? Can you think of examples of this in Church history? What is the danger? How can we avoid such cultural faux pas in our church’s missionary enterprises? If we have only lived within our own culture and are used to sharing the gospel in that culture with success, it's easy to make that mistake. I can't think of any specific examples, but I'm sure it's been done where one culture is very different to another, like some of the Amazonian tribes in the 1960's for example. Missionaries need to be properly trained and to study the culture and language of the people they are trying to reach.

Q2. (Galatians 2:14) Why do you think Paul confronted Peter publicly rather than privately? Do you expect Paul had talked with Peter about this previously? How did a public discussion of this benefit the Jewish Christians? How did it benefit the Gentile Christians? What kind of pressure do you think this put on Paul? Paul confronted Peter publicly because they were both leaders of the people present and the matter was a serious one that had to be corrected, not only in Peter but in the believers who had seen his behavior and may have been tempted to follow his example. A public confrontation and discussion benefited everyone by correcting the error publicly and bring unity between Jew and Gentile believers. Paul would have been under considerable pressure, but he knew he had to obey God rather than man.

Q1. (Galatians 2:11-14) Why do you think Peter first embraced the Gentile believers in Antioch and later withdrew from them to eat only with Jews? What does this tell us about his character? Why should he have known better? What does this tell us about Barnabas? What does it tell us about the political clout of the visitors from Jerusalem? Have you ever acted like a hypocrite to impress others? What should you do when you recover your senses? He first embraced the Gentile believers because that's what he should have done as a church leader, so he was doing his job. He later withdrew from them when the Jews arrived to avoid critisizim from the Jews. He should have known better, because he had made a similiar mistake in denying Jesus three times. Barnabas was similiar to Peter in this. The visitors from Jerusalem must have had a lot of political clout. I have acted like a hipocrate in the past, putting on a false image of a 'perfect' Christian. I try to be genuine and confide in trusted friends, and keep seeking God for wisdom, courage and to be more like Jesus.

Q4. (Galatians 2:1-10) Why do you think Paul seems to distance himself from the leaders of the Jerusalem church (2:2, 6, 9)? Why does he at the same time write of their approval of his ministry? How does this further his argument to the Galatians in this letter? Paul wants to make it clear to the Galations that his his ministry and his approval come from God. Though he writes of the Jerusalem church leaders approval of his ministry, he wants to make it clear that it's God's approval that matters. His argument is backed by God's approval.

Q3. (Galatians 2:1-3) Paul is arguing that the Jerusalem leaders support his position on circumcision, rather than that of the Judaizers. What is the significance of Paul’s mention that Titus was not required to be circumcised? Titus was a non-Jew, a Greek. The significance of him not being circumcised is that it means Gentiles who become believers do not have be circumcised.

Q2. (Galatians 1:13-16) What factors in Paul's background made him an ideal apostle to the Gentiles? How did God use his being different from others? To ponder: How has your unique background fitted you for ministry? What uniqueness has God given you? What will it take to see that uniqueness as a God-given strength rather than as an embarrassment? The facts that Paul was formally a highly educated Pharisee and a Roman citizen made him an ideal apostle to the gentiles. Because of these differences he was able to debate well with the religious leaders and to appear before Roman officials and Caesar. I am unique in that no one has been through the exact same things as I have. I have a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and I have compassion on those that are suffering, especially the downtrodden. I still need emotional healing, which I am seeking God for to be more effective in prayer and ministry.

Q1. (Galatians 1:11-12) What is the source of Paul’s gospel? How do we know that it is a true revelation? How does it conform to our other foundational sources of Christian teaching? What is the danger of taking the teaching of contemporary leaders as our doctrinal basis without checking it with the Scripture? Paul received the gospel by revelation from Jesus Christ (v.12). We know it is a true revelation because of the fruit it brings forth and the fruit and transformation in Paul and in his life. There is no contradiction to other Christian teaching. If we listen to contemporary leaders as our doctrinal basis without checking it with scripture we can easily get into error and be lead away from Christ.

Q2. Paul called the Judaizers’ message as a “different gospel,” a perversion of the true gospel. How is this dangerous to the Galatian believers? How do twisted gospels (or an unbalanced interpretation of the gospel) affect Christians in our day? The Judaizers' "different gospel" was dangerous to the Galation believers because it took those following it away from grace and back under the law into a "works" gospel. Going away from grace and the Christ-centred life is also included in twisted gospels and unbalanced interpretations being taught today, this affects people in many ways such as getting them into striving, following a human leader instead of Christ or Paul's example, bondage, loss of joy and love, cults, being a bad example to the world and ultimately if not corrected leading people to hell instead of heaven.

Q1. (Galatians 1:4) According to verse 4, for what purpose did Jesus give himself? How does Jesus rescue people today? How does he keep people from falling back into their old ways? Jesus died on the cross for our sins, exactly as God the Father had planed from the beginning. This was done to rescue us from this evil world and bring us into the family of God. Jesus rescues people today by loving them and drawing them to the Father, they are forgiven through his work at the cross. They are kept by his grace and intersession to the Father on their behalf.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 13:12) What is the equivalent of a “holy kiss” in your congregation and culture? Why is a warm familial greeting so important in a healthy congregation? Why do people sometimes resist being greeted warmly? The equivalent of a "holy kiss" today can be a friendly smile and maybe a handshake and a few kind words. This is important because it helps people to relax and feel a part of the church family. This in turn helps the church to grow in love and unity, which brings blessing from God and helps with the flow of the Spirit among the congregation, so important! People sometimes resist a warm greeting because they've been hurt and haven't known much love in their lives. Sometimes the greeting may be given falsely, and they may sense this.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 12:20) How do you “cure” a church of these kinds of behaviors and sins? How can a “love offensive” begin to change the spirit of a dysfunctional congregation? What is the role of church discipline in a dysfunctional congregation? Good leadership loves and corrects the way Paul did, good leadership doesn't tolerate sinful destructive behavior, but corrects it in love. This love is not soft or compromising but direct and imploring and expecting. Church discipline corrects the problem, gives the answer and the right example.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 12:10) What was the life-changing lesson that Paul learned from God when God denied his prayer? How does our self-sufficiency limit God’s power through our lives? Can we become dependent upon God without having to experience some “thorn in the flesh” ourselves? The life-changing lesson was that God's power is perfected in weakness. When we behave in a self-sufficient way we do things through our own strength instead of through God's power working through us. I'm sure we can become dependent upon God by surrendering and submitting to his Lordship and training of the Spirit, however we all have to go through trials.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 12:7) Why was this “thorn in the flesh” given to Paul? What purpose did God want to achieve through this in Paul’s character? How can something be both used by God and be caused by Satan’s destructive work? How does this verse relate to Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20? The "thorn in the flesh" was given to Paul to stop him from becoming proud. God wanted Paul to be humble and to trust him and rely on him, because God's power works best in weakness. God has all power and all knowledge and can use all things to our good including the devils destructive work. Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20 both testify to this principle.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) How do Paul’s sufferings help authenticate his claim to be an apostle? What do these sufferings tell us about Paul’s commitment? How does this account inspire you – or convict you? How will you be different from having pondered it? Though Paul suffered greatly through many trials he kept the same attitude of the loving, caring, prayerful apostle that he was. His commitment was total, to the death. This account is very inspiring, I believe he suffered all these things as an inspiration to us. I to want to make a total commitment.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 11:7-9) Why do you think Paul refused to require the Corinthians to support him? How did this help his ministry? How did it contribute to them taking him for granted? How can we honor Christian workers, clergy and lay, who give of their time sacrificially to minister for Christ? How will Christ honor them? I think Paul didn't ask them for support because he didn't want them thinking he owed them anything of have them or anyone else making any accusations. It showed that his ministry was genuine and his love was sincere. We can honor these kind of Christian workers by giving then money, food and accommodation, and by praying for them. Christ will honor them by blessing their ministry both materially and spiritually.

Q2. (2 Corinthians 11:1-5) What does it feel like when a congregation loses its pure devotion to Jesus Christ, and instead takes on other motivations for its religious observance? In what ways is this like the church at Ephesus losing its “first love” (Revelation 2:4)? How can this purity of devotion be restored? The congregation will probably lose a lot of it's love and freedom. It would feel a little lifeless and mechanical in it's worship and the people will lose their joy. I think this condition would be similar to the church in Ephesus. This purity of devotion can be restored by repenting and choosing to love God first and to love people.

Q1. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) Why does Paul liken his dealing with his opponents in Corinth with reducing a city wall by siege and then taking its citizens captive? Is Paul talking about a victory by the use of incisive logic or is there a spiritual stronghold here, one that derives its power from Satan’s kingdom? We use spiritual weapons to bring down the strongholds of the Devil. The Devil uses proud arguments to deceive and control people and hold them captive. We use God's mighty weapons to destroy these strongholds, and to bring the people in to obedience to Christ.

Q4. (2 Corinthians 9:12-15) Why should our giving prompt thanksgiving? How is our giving a demonstration of God’s grace? Why is God’s gift of Jesus termed “surpass-ing”? Why is God’s gift of Jesus termed “indescribable”? Our giving glorifies God, so it prompts thanksgiving. When we give joyfully our giving is a demonstration of God's grace. God's gift of Jesus is surpassing because it is more than enough. God's gift of Jesus is indescribable because it is too wonderful for words.