steve.c

When repeated too often doesn't the Lord's Supper run the risk of becoming mundane and lose its meaning? Why did Jesus command its repepition? Yes, it does run the risk of becoming mundane, if worship loses its proper context and participation. Many church services become a quiet place to sit in pleasant, sometimes historic, surroundings and reflect but not to worship or concentrate on the purpose of the service. This is not the kind of worship Jesus wanted or encouraged. The Lord's Supper focuses on Jesus' atoning sacrifice the giving of His body and the shedding of His blood for the sins of mankind. This is at the centre of our belief and the centre of our salvation. It is why we are Christians. The core of our faith should be something that we are reminded of regularly. We should renew it. The Lord's Supper is also spiritually a meal. It sustains and we should take this sustinenece regularly. It energises and strengthens. It is also a communual act. It brings members of His Church together as Jesus wanted. Jesus' institution of His Supper was an inspiration. Its repetition is essential for its effectiveness.

The basis for our joy is the knowledge that we will receive the goal of our faith, the ultimate reason for turning away from sin and towards God and his Kingdon: eternal life with Him. It is the joy that comes from knowing our faith is soundly based. It comes from knowing Jesus is present within us. Guiding us. Loving us. It is as much an intellectual and spiritual response, than an emotional one. It comes from an entirely different source from the pursuit of happiness: that is the pursuit of happiness in this world, giving priorities to material rather than spiritual matters. This is the joy that comes from being part of the Kingdom of God. It is the fruit of the Spirit and is spiritually produced. It comes from seeking to do Good's will. The source and cause of the joy differentaites it from a worldly emotion.

I have not suffered in the way Paul or Peter did during their lives; no whippings, imprisonment and eventual martyrdom. So any difficulties and suffering is very minor in comparison. Also I did not become a Christian in response to a shattering event but rather by starting to read the Bible and coming to the definite conclusion that it is the Word of God and should be the basis of our belief. Becoming a born again Christian is a much more thorough transformation than I had initially expected. Nearly everyone in my life, family, school and university friends, people at work were unbelievers and adherents of secular materialism, as was I. Turning away from sin results, even if you initially fight against it, turning away from family and friends. Their way of life is simply incompatible with yours. As Jesus says it is a requirement of being a disciple. This I found hard, even though I had made new friends at our Christian Fellowship. Also I determined to live a chaste celebate life. This has not been without temptations. Standing up for my faith and witnessing has also put my faith under fire and exposed me to taunts and insults. There are times I would rather stay in bed than pray or watch television rather than study the Bible but I try to persist. All these events, small as they are, refine and strengthen my faith. I feel I grow closer to Jesus. My faith becomes stronger. He becomes a greater part of my life. My love of Jesus grows deeper. By being tested, we become more resolute. I hope by following Him in all things to the best of my ability I bring glory to Him.

It is just about all God's part. Salvation comes directly from his love towards mankind in making the gift of His Son and His atoning sacrifice and conquest of death. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, which we do not in any way deserve. Through His great sacrifice, we can be forgiven. We need to believe and respond as Jesus has taught us. We accept Him as our Lord and He will protect us. He is our rock. The bargain is very lop-sided. By the way I am surprised that you didn't emphasise Peter's reference to rebirth through God's great mercy. Both Paul and Peter confirm Jesus' injunction that we have to be born again of water and the Spirit to enter the Kingdom of heaven.

The process of conversion, turning towards God, is first belief, that is to have faith, then confession and then repentance. If we believe in Jesus and his mediation, it must follow that we follow His teaching. Otherwise there can be no real conversion, no real belief or faith and no entry into the Kingdom of God. As disciples we must follow Him; that is do as He tell us. We cannot remain in the Kingdom of God unless we do. We do not deserve to be forgiven of our sins, it is by God's grace only. It is His great loving gift to us through His Son's atoning sacrifice. But how can we believe and not put that belief into action? Actions demonstrate our real belief, they prove them to be genuine and heart felt. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says...But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22,25.

As born again Christians we are to live in the Kingdom of God. This is where all our priorities must centre. This determines how we behave and what is important to us. To stay in the Kingdom we must put Jesus at the top of everything we do. We cannot serve two masters: God and money. If a Christian finds that the material world is more appealing than God's Kingdom he is not a true disciple; he is finding the kingdom of Satan more alluring than the Kingdom of God and is not living by the rules of the Kingdom of God. "Sell everything you have and give to the poor; and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." To get our priorities straight we must redirect our lives towards Jesus and obey him implicitly. We do this by prayer, study and worship.

Which part of the meaning of the Lord's Supper is most valuable to you at this point in your spiritual journey when you participate in and mediate on the Lord's Supper? This is not an easy question to answer as each meaning is interrelated. That said, I think it is the part that nourishes and sustains. That of course cannot be done in isolation. Partaking of the Lord's Supper reminds us (as it should) of the circumstances of the Last Supper and the imminenece of Jesus' atoning sacrifice. It concentrates my mind on His teachings. This leads to thoughts of his death and sacrifice on the cross and its consequences for mankind. It also leads to a reflection on how this came about through God's great and loving plan for our salvation. This leads to praise, thanks and worship. But Jesus meant His Supper to be a gift of spiritual food, spiritual noursishment too. The choice of bread and wine, then the staples of food and drink at a meal with family or close friends and colleagues, was not accidental. "Eat this", "Drink this" is clearly to nourish by reminding us of the purpose of His mission on earth and bond us closer together with Him and members of His church. Certainly after partaking of the Lord's Supper I feel uplifted, refreshed and closer to the Lord.

The words that make me think of Jesus' atoning sacrifice during the Lord's Supper are "given", "broken for" and "poud out". These words show that Jesus was referring to a sacrifice He would make on our behalf and that sacrifice was to be made with His body and His blood.

How can an extreme symbolic interpretation cause a person to have too little respect for the Lord's Supper and its elements? Where is the balance? The body and blood of Jesus, the bread and wine, are at the heart of Christian worship. Yes, I think the bread and wine are symbols but the act of worship, the repetition of Jesus' words, "This is my body", "This is my blood", transforms the occasion and therefore the elements of our worship. He is present. Our worship draws us closer to Him. It takes us to the heart of His misinstry. This is achieved with the elements on the table that He taught us to use. This and the occasion on which they are used elevates them from mere food and drink to something that has enduring spiritual value. Accordingly I think, if we downplay the special nature of the elements that we use in the Lord's Supper, we devalue the occasion and the purpose of our worship. This is not simply a meal. Jesus did not intend it to be. It is a celebration of His teaching and His sacrifice for our salvation so we should treat the elements with great respect and not as something everyday.

How does your particular understanding of the bread and the wine help you to grow closer to Christ when partaking of the Lord's Supper? To my mind, I am sure the words Jesus used were meant to be figurative but that He knew that the Lord's Supper would be more than just a commemoration. He knew as the marvellous treacher that He was that He was instituting a ceremony where He, through the Holy Spirit, would definitely be present and that He was giving a focus to the Christian community and His message. He gives His body as a sacrifice, symbolised by the bread. We take it. We are all members of His body. Taking bread together reinfoces that and importance of everyone in the witnessing of His gospel. We drink the wine and, as we do so, we are drawn to consider the enormity of the love of God to spill this blood, the blood of His Son, so precious to Him, so that we can receive the redemption that can only come from Jesus: salvation through Him. Each time we are drawn to contemplate the central Christian message. It is a wonderful experience and it draws us ever closer to Jesus. He knew that which is why He devised such an apparently simple, but compelling, ceremony of remembrance but one where He is definitely with us and hears what we ask for in His name. Through it I am refreshed and envigorated. There is no doubt that the bread and the wine or juice, while being natural food products, are also spiritual food and drink, which sustains us spiritually: a miracle in its way.

What kind of shalom will the Prince of Peace bring about in the New Heaven and New Earth? What do we have to look forward to? The Prince of Peace will bring about the conquest of evil, sin and all factors which blight what is a very marvellous world. There will be no challenge or threat to the peace and harmony in which all of God's creation live together: No cruelty, no illness, no show of strength, lack of concern, no selfishness, no hurt, no disease. It will be a state of bliss which is impossible to conceive. It will not just be this world made better, a Garden of Eden . Everything will be more intense, more enduring, more marvellous. Our ability to love and to know will be so much greater. I cannot imagine it. But judging by God's creation here, Christ's Peace will be stupendous, it will be perfect. We will respond to it in a totally new way experiencing joys and blessings we cannot really conceive of here.

Why did Gideon name the altar "The Lord id Peace"? In what sense did the Lord offer peace to Gideon? Gideon was in fear of his life; he was hiding from his enemies when he was visted by an angel of the Lord. He was not quite sure what to make of the encounter when The Lord then said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die". There was a much greater assurance in this than his death was not imminent. The Lord was on his side. He was his protector, his refuge, his rock. God's protection gives real peace and assurance because you can trust it implicitly. In this sense, He is peace and it was logical, given His message, that Gideon would so name the altar. There is nothing He cannot overcome. He is the only sure protector. The knowledge that he enjoyed God's protection and that God was always as good as His word gave Gideon the real feeling of peace. God offered Gideon His complete protection.

What are synonyms for saved and saviour? What does a "Saviour" do to earn the name? The words that come immediately to mind are: free, protect, rescue, unburden, guide, strengthen, provide refuge, feed and sustain and give life. A true Saviour must give all these things to warrant the name. Jesus does this and more. He loves us and looks over us. His plan for our life is in our best interest. As a disciple He has provided the teaching and guidance for every aspect of our lives. Through His sacrifice He has saved us from sin and death and makes it possible to come to God. The salvation that He offers is complete and enduring. No other saviour could match what He gives us.

What was the responsibility of the next of kin to someone in his family who was in trouble? The next of kin was required to help a kinsman in trouble. He was to restore the kinsman as far as possible to the position he was in before being beset by trouble. If he was enslaved, the kinsman would purchase his freedom. If he was in debt, the kinsman would repay or redeem his debts. If he had been murdered, he would avenge the murder. How did Jesus play the role of Kinsman-Redeemer for us? From the fall, we were all in a state of sin. Jesus, as Kinsman-Redeemer, paid the ransom for our sins. He did this by offering himself, who was without sin, to be the perfect sacrifice for all our sins, once and for all. He rescued us from the certain death that follows a state of sin. His redemption is to have eternal life with Him. He broke the barrier between us and God. What does that say about God's love? To sacrifice His own son for our sins shows the depth of love God has for humankind. He does not want us to be separated from Him by sin. He wants us to be His children, to come to Him through His Son Jesus. What does that say about our worth? It says that each and every one of us is incredibly important to God. Each of us is His child and He does not want us to be apart from Him. He knows us completely. He loves and wants us with Him for always. Our rejection of Him through sin is a great hurt; our repentance and belief in His Son a great joy.

How has God shown His grace to you and your family? I was leading a pointless, materialistic life before I was introduced to God's word and salvation through Jesus Christ. I believed, I repented, I confessed and I was baptized because it was the only sensible response I could make to the Good News. Now I am borne again in Jesus. I thought that in becoming a Christian there were many things that I would be giving up and that I would miss. But I found that there was nothing that I wanted to retain from my old life in sin. Life was cluttered with false ambitions and material things which added up to nothing. In Jesus I found purpose and I found peace. I found salvation now in the present with Jesus dwelling within me, guiding me, demanding obedience from me and loving me, as well as the hope of salvation in the future. There is nothing more I want to be than His disciple. Sadly my family's hearts are set against Christianity; they think it is is all nonsense. They think spiritual talk is foolishness. I pray that they may change there minds but I have found that following Jesus can mean parting with your parents, your brothers and sisters and some of your friends, just as He told us. Why do you think that Peter describes Him as the God of all grace? Grace is the bestowing of a gift that is not warranted or merited. It is not a trade or exchange. What are we taken by ourselves? Not worthy of much: sinful and self-centred. God's gift of His Son was completely undeserved as is His love for us. We do not deserve eternal life with Him. We do not deserve the fruit of the Holy Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control - we do not deserve the mediation of Jesus between us and God. Yet He has given it all to us. What more grace can there be? Yes, He truly is the God of all grace.

How does God's steadfast love in the Old Testament relate His mission of love in John 3:16? I do not find this an easy question to answer. The character of God so far as we can fathom it was evident in the Old Testament. It is unchanging because it is perfect. There is no doubt too that God loved the people of Irael. However exhasperated He may have become, He was forgiving; He wanted the best for them. He wanted their obedience so He could share His love for them. There is the forgiveness for sins. God forgives transgressions in the Old Testament. There is sacfrice for sins but it is a ritual that is repeated. Yet there is something qualitatively different with God's act of immerse love towards humankind when He gives the gift of His own Son. This is not a gift just for the Jews but for all mankind. The gift too is qualitatively different. Jesus shares our humanity. He is the mediator between us and God and the only way to Him. It is His atoning sacrifice which conquers sin and hence death once and for all. Salvation for mankind and an eternity with God, there can be no greater loving gesture than that.

What does faithfulness have to do with trustiworthiness and keeping ones word? By the word "faithfulness" in the context of God's faithfulness I understand the word to imply an absolute consistency, firmness and steadfastness in everything. Consistency in everything means that whatever that person says can be relied on completely. There is no need to second guess it. There is nothing tricky, ambiguous or devious. The word of that person is never in doubt. A Faithful God is a God whose word is truth and who will never let you down. He is always honest and trust in Him is never abused. What does the Faithful God inspire in you? The Faithful God inspires complete obedience and trust in me. What He has said is the absolute truth. I believe His word unconditionally because I know He will never let me down. I can put all my trust in Him knowing that it is not misplaced. I also know that His word must be followed completely; it is all true and it is complete. Nothing needs to be added. It is the perfect foundation on which to build my life. A Faithful God is my inspiration. Why must faithfulness be part of our character as believers? God's standards are absolute standards: He is perfect truth; perfect morality; perfection in everything. Nothing can be added to His character that could improve it. To the extent possible I must aim to reflect the absolutes of God in my life. He is completely reliable. I must be consistent and truthful in everything I do. Others must be able to count on my word. They must know that I will not let them down. What I say is what I believe. What I say that I will do, I will carry out. A Christian should be a model of honesty and intregrity.

Why was God's willingness to forgive essential to Israel's survival in the wilderness? Having been led out of Egypt the people of Israel started to disibey God and ignored His teaching by worshipping false idols of gold. In doing so they had turned against God and rejected His word. Had God not been merciful and forgiving the Israelites would have perished in the wilderness, as they deserved. Instead they were given another chance through God's grace and great mercy. Was Israel contrite after turning away from the Lord in Exodus 34? Yes, the Israelites were contrite. Even before Moses went back up the mountain, the Israelites had stopped wearing gold ornaments which were outward manifestations of their idolatory. When Moses returned from the mountain they were afraid to come near him when they saw the radiance of his countenance. This radiance was a reflection of his personal encounter with God. In is apparent they were ashamed of their behaviour and disobedience. It seemes also that they knew that they did not deserve God's forgiveness. What is so amazing about God's forgiveness? "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." This beautiful passage says it all. How wretched we are; how ungrateful! We turn away from God's radiance and His love for us. We disobey and justify His wrath and vengance for our self-centred sinful ways. Yet He is there, our loving Father, wanting to show His great love for us, forgiving our many transgressions. We do not deserve His compassion and mercy, yet He gives it to us in forgiving and embracing us. Yes, God's forgiveness is truly amazing.

Feminist metaphors for God I think the feminist argument detracts from my belief in God and His charcacteristics. In fact it is a menace. God is Spirit, so He is neither masculine or feminine. He has characteristics which are usually associated with the masculine in human vocabulary: power, authority, Lord of Hosts, Protector and, of course, Father. A monarch, whether male or female, also has such masculine characteristics. The present Queen of England is a Sovereign Lord. She is also Commander in Chief of the Bristish forces and Head of the Government; all traditionally masculine positions. Just in case you think this is a modern delevolment for which feminists can take credit, her illustrious predecessor, Queen Elizabeth 1 made this clear at her speech before her army at Tilbury in 1588. "I know I have the body of a week and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king and a king of England too." God also has maternal traits as well and I do not deny them. Whether some people have objections to a patriarchal society, I have a relationship with God which requires obedience, absolute obedience, and I think for this reason the masculine attributes such as King, Lord and Father are important. What is undeniable is that Jesus' teachings were liberating for women from the start and that His love of children and His admonition to anyone who led them astray shows what He felt of the cruelies which can occur in patriarchal socities. We do not need to reword the New Testament with politically correct "feminist" notions to understand what Jesus teaches.

In what sense was God husband of Israel? Traditionally the husband is the head of the household and the wife has a duty of obedience to her husband. This is a similar relationship between God and Israel. The analogy can be taken further. A husband loves his wife and must be faithful to her. She of course must be faithful also to him. He must not look to any other as this is potentially adulterous. He must provide for the welfare of his wife and of his family. All this applies to God's relationship with Israel. What is the New Testament extension of this metaphor? The extension is the church, being the body of those who believe in Jesus, being the bride of Christ. Somehow the analogy of a bride rather than a wife is more personal. There is an intensity in the love as if it is new found. The response also is not so much dutiful as passionately loving. What causes God jeolousy? God is jeolous when we turn away from Him and worship other gods. These are not the idols of the ancient world but the idols of the modern world. When we worship material things and set them up as the objects of our life, rejecting the love God has for us and His concerns for a real interests, He is justifiably angry but obviously not jeolous in the sense of being envious. The anger is at our sinfulness and folly being attracted by the temporal and denying absolute perfection.

In what sense are Jesus and the Father one? Jesus is God as much as the Father is God; their characteristics are the same, except that Jesus is God in flesh. Jesus was in no doubt about this and neither was John and Paul. " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling amongst us.' [John 1:2] "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.These are the Scriptures that testify about me." [John 5:35] "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity was in bodily form." [Colossians 2:9] In what way was Jesus distinct from the Father? We know Jesus through His earthy ministry. He was both fully God and fully man. His incarnation distinquishes Him as one of the three persons of God. The power of Jesus is that we can relate to His humanity. Through this, we have a more direct relationship with God. During His life on earth He related to it as well and throughout there is a filial obedience to His Father's will. "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." [Matthew 26:39] In the person of the Son, Jesus is the mediator between us and the Father. This was God's marvellous gift. Through Jesus' humanity we can know God better. We have a living example on which to model our lives; the example of one who was tempted and suffered like any other human being but was also God and so could atone for our sins and give us eternal life. Is Jesus God in the sense that the Father is God? Yes, Jesus tells us that this is so. "'I tell you the truth.' Jesus answered, 'before Abraham was born, I am'." [John 6:58]. His life, teaching and actions are a reflection of who He is: God in flesh.

How was the intimate way that Jesus taught His disciples about God as "Abba" and "Father" different from the Jew's understanding of God the Father? Although I think that it would be unfair to characterise the Jew's God as lacking personal concerns for the individual and giving individual guidance, the Jew's God is a more distant, monarchical figure: powerful, Lord of Hosts, the ultimate ruler of Isreal. As a Rock He appears more as the protector of a nation, rather than of an individual. People feared His presence because it usually meant death. Jesus' teaching of God differs markedly in this. God now has a real paternal relationship with his Son. In relation to paternal gifts or paternal discipline, God is characterised as a human father. There is a warmth in the relationship; instead of the more distant figure of the God of the Old Testament of which we stand in awe. For example, at His baptism, God shows genuine parental pride: "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." [Matthew 3:17] How does that influence your relationship with Him? I hope the greater intimacy that Jesus displays towards God does not mean that I reverence God less. He is still an all-powerful, ever-present and all-knowing God whose magnifence, perfection and holiness is beyond human comprehension. But I am also a child of God. "Yet to those who receive him, to those who believe his name, he gave us the right to become children of God." [John 1:9] This gives me a more intimate prayer relationship with God. He understands my weaknesses. He is there to encourage as well as discipline. Through Jesus I feel His love and His generosity; His guidance every step of the way on His path for my life. There is a warmth in the love that flows from God which does not appear to be such a prominent characteristic of the God of the Isrealites.

What does the concept "Father" teach us about God? In the passages quoted in the lesson the first aspect of God as Father is God the Creator, the God that made us and moulded us. He is also without time, He is the Everlasting Father. As Father of His people, the Isrealites, He is in authority over them. God, our Father, is also our protector. He is our Saviour, the Rock, our Redeemer and the guide to a sure path for our lives. The two aspects which underlie our understanding of Father in the Old Testament. How should that affect our behaviour? A father is the head of a family and the person to whom respect should be given. Ultimately the father's authority prevails and he is to be obeyed. He is also the protector of the family and it is his responsibility to see that his family comes to no harm. As one of God's people, a member of His household and His child, I must respect His authority over everything. It is for me to obey and respect. But I also know that He will protect and guide me and like a father He will look after my best interests.

Without water that is warm enough to flow there is no life; instead of our living world, it would be lifeless, arid or frozen like the Moon or Mars. In spiritual terms too without the abundant free flowing water that comes from God, the Spring of Living Water, there can be no spiritual life. Water refreshes, it is pure, it cleans, it shapes, it penetrates and it is an essential to growth. God's love for us directs this endless spring of spiritual water to us. It may seem that when we pursue materialistic objectives or believe in man made notions of religion and spirituality that the results are the same; temporaily they may seem so. But they are false and lead no where. Jesus told us how it was. "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:13-14. In obedience to Lord Jesus, in our prayers and studies, knowing Him better and better as our spiritual life matures, we are sustained fully. We have everything we could want. Turn away to the allure of the world and its idolatory, to the siren calls of false religions and cults, and what you receive is not sustaining: worse there is no life giving qualities in it at all; it is sin and death the opposite of God's living water. The power of the Holy Spirit and the love of God allows us to live grow in Christ. What does it mean to us and what are the implications? Believe and follow the Lord. The waters that spring from Him give us all we require in this world and it gives us eternal life.

Why do we sometimes resist calling on God to be our Helper? Why do we try to do it ourselves first? When we fail to call on God as our Helper first we show our pride in ourselves and our lack of sincere believe and faith in our Lord and a disobedience to His teaching. It shows a lack of trust and also a lack of gratitude. We cannot resist to take credit for gifts which are fom God. We claim that they come from our own abilities. We are ungrateful and are deluded from where our source of help really comes. It shows that we are not putting our Lord first in everything we do. It is a failure in our discipleship. "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciple" John 8:31. We must deny ourselves and follow Him then we will want for nothing God is a Generous Host. What is required of us if God is to be a Helper and Shepherd to us? The answer to this is given in some of the passages you quote: We must follow the teaching of Jesus completely. We must not sin and we must give up everything to be a disciple of Jesus. It is not there for us to pick and choose. "Nothing is withheld from those who are blameless." Psalm 84:11. "Pay attention to His commands and keep His decrees..." Exodus 15:26. In short we must put Jesus first in our lives, in every waking moment, then we will receive God's blessings in abundance; yes, to overflowing. He will help and shepherd us always. We can trust Him because He is always faithful. "Then He said to them: if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up is cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23