Clarence

Q 4 (Joshua 4) Why did Joshua have men from each tribe stack river boulders for a monument? What was the effect of this on future generations? What is the value of faith monuments in our day? What is the danger? Does your church building have more monuments to the past than indications of God’s present working? Why? God wanted the memorial to remind them of what he had done for them. He is faithful to not only the people present at the time but also to future generations.

Q3. (Joshua 3:13-17) How was Joshua able to announce the miracle of Jordan stopping its flow ahead of the event? What kind of faith did it require to do so? What did this do for his credibility as a leader? God must have told Joshua. So it's like sometimes one knows what one is to do or to say, in a certain situation. So long as we are available to the Lord he will guide us. (Proverbe3:5,6 )

I have not thought about this passage before, in this way. I think I'm at a crossroads in my life at the moment. It's very much like coming to an end of self -that's how it feels. So it's a time where I have to put all my trust in God Jesus my savior. I have been making some dumb decisions in my life lately, which has contributed to the way I feel now. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— Ephesians 2:8 NIV http://bible.com/111/eph.2.8.NIV

Q2. (Joshua 2:2-11) What indicates that Rahab believes in Israel’s God Yahweh? What does she believe about Yahweh? How deep is Rahab's faith? How deep a faith does someone need to have in order to be saved from the destruction of a city? From eternal punishment? Rahab seems to know what has been going on with the people of God. The Cananites have been observing. God chose his people that they might be a witness to other nations. Even though at tines they were disobedient God has used the nation he chose to be a witness to himself. It seems that Rahab has taken apon herself to embrace a belief in Yahweh -the only true God

. Q1 (Joshua 2:1) What were the spies sent to learn? Why do you think they sought to lodge in a prostitute’s house? Do you think God sent them there? The spies were sent for tactical reasons. The invasion of the land was immanent so Joshua problem sent the spies to spot strengths and weaknesses of the land in which he was going invade. So it would be more easy for the men to remain in cognito if they were to stay with a prostitute, where comings an goings were probably the norm. It seems that God had prepared Rahab for the visit (v 9) It seems that God had prepared her heart for the visit. She was able to tell the men all they needed to know. This would have been encouraging news for Joshua.

Q3. (Joshua 1:6-8) What kinds of things might Joshua be tempted to fear if he were to allow himself to dwell on his anxieties? What does it mean to “be strong and very courageous”? What is the distinction between weakness and strength in Joshua’s situation? What is the relationship between fear and faith? Can you be courageous and still be fearful? Fear. Perhaps Joshua might have have feared failure. This was a big undertaking. Joshua was going to put the people at risk by taking them over the Jordan. It would have

Yes

This is the first time I have probably seriously thought through the implications of being the 'bride of Christ'. If I am honest, I fall far short. I am effected by the society in which I live. The church is effected and polluted by society in which it is situated. One great thing about being a believer is that we can start anew every day (Lamentations 3:2). The church is a work in progress (Philippians 1:6).

Q3. (Colossians 3:2-4) To what degree is Christ the center, the focus of your life? If you had to prove to another person that Christ is the center of your life, what evidence would you muster? What evidence would contradict this? What kind of repentance is necessary to reprioritize your life? I find this question hard to answer objectively.

Q2. (John 6:51; 15:1-5) What do Jesus’ teachings on the Living Bread and the True Vine teach us about drawing from his life? What happens to our vital Life when we rely on ourselves, and stop relying on him? Why is it so hard for us humans to learn the lesson of dependence and trust? Jesus life giving illustrations of the bread and the vine is in reference to spiritual life. However, there is a question in my mind regarding this- how much do I depend on God and Jesus for my physical life also? God promises -and there is a theme in the bible that he will provide for my physical needs also (Phillipias 4:19 and John 3:27). There is a sense of life being in vain (all for nothing) when we stop trusting in God for every need (1 John 2:16,17). It is hard to trust in God because mankind has an inbuilt bias of independence from God-a common theme also in the bible, leading to eternal dam nation and trouble

Q1. (John 1:9; 8:12) In what sense is Jesus the True Light? In what sense is he the Light of the World? In what sense are you the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)? Why do you think people resist Jesus’ light, his truth, his view of the Father, our world, and eternal life? How does the world’s so-called “light” differ from Jesus’ light? What can obstruct Jesus’ light in this world? What can obstruct our light? It is declared in scripture that Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:1). All of creation was made through him (John 1:2), therefore the physical light also-the sun and the moon (Genesis 1:3). He is also the light of the world in the sense that he enlightens (John 1:9 New American Standard Bible) lives with the presence of God and truth. Encountering the Light Of The World demands a response and change from the recipient (John 14:15). Jesus told his followers that they were the light of the world, in the sense of enlightening others-by their deeds (Matthew 5:14ff). People resist Jesus light because they do not want to come to the light. They do not need the light, so they think. They do not want to be in submission to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit (John 5:50). The world offers glamour and excitement but is evil and does not count for eternal life. It is of the devil.

Q6. Since Yahweh seems to be formed from “I AM” as God’s own name, what is the significance of Jesus’ “I am” statements? Which of these “I am” statements means the most to you personally? Although all the "I am's" are significant and run as deep as God himself. For the sake of answering the question I have chosen: "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12, cf. 9:5). In John's gospel, chapter one "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcomeit (v4,5). Jesus told his disciples that they also were the light of the world, therefore so are his modern day disciples (Matt 5:14). There is no darkness in all the world that cannot overcome the light (John 1:5). He came to bring light to all mankind (John 1:4).

Q5. (Luke 9:59-62; 6:46) Is Jesus our Lord if we don’t obey him immediately? Is he our Lord if we don’t follow his teachings? What areas of your life do you need to surrender to his Lordship? Yes I agree, with the 'member' from Florida. He is my Lord, because I belong to him, I have been bought at a price (1 Corinthians 6:20). In a one sense, he is not my Lord if I do not obey him. In another sense however, I do not obey without question all the time, because I am a sinner, but he is still my Lord. It is like, in a legal sense, I am married to my wife. However sometimes-although I love her very much, I probably fail her at times and do not treat her as I should. But the fact remains, she is still my wife- I love her and respect her and have never been unfaithful to her. I am still a sinner.

Q4. Why is the title “Lord Jesus” such an exalted one. What does it tell us about Jesus’ divinity? According to the notes, the term adoni was used from the pre-Christian era, by the Jews to pronounce the name of God. This was because they were fearful of misusing the name of God, Yahweh (Deuteronomy 6:11). So when the bible was transliterated from Hebrew into Greek, Kyrous was often used when referring to the name of God himself.

Q3. (John 1:18) How does the title “Only Begotten God” signify Jesus’ divinity? How does the Only Begotten Son differ from you and me as sons and daughters of God? What does “only-begotten” say about Jesus’ status with the Father? About the costliness of the cross? However the verse above is interpreted and the original manuscripts translated, the apostle John seems to indicate that Jesus is uniquely divine. The notes add, "utterly unique" - unique from the Father, he is not just another created human being. John clearly places Jesus right next to God as fully divine (from the notes). What great love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called 'children of God!' (1 John 3:ff).

Q2. (Mark 1:10-11; Ephesians 1:6) If Jesus is the Father’s Beloved, how can the Father send him to die? How does that make sense, given what we know of paren-tal love? What does that say about God’s love for us? This is the epitome of love. There is no greater love than when a man lays down his life for his friend's (John 15:13). The scripture also says that God's love was so great for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). In addition ..."For God so loved the world that he gave his only son... (John 3:16)-in context, God sent the son into the world not to condemn the world but that the world would be saved through him (John 3:17). It does not make sense that that God sent his son to be cursed for us because of our sin when his son did not sin-he knew no sin (Galatians 3:13, 2 Corinthians 5:22).

Q1. In what way does the title Son of God make Jesus equal with the Father? When you deal with the Son, is that the same as dealing with the Father? Do you know Jesus the Son of God? Do you love him? It would appear, as far as man kind's understanding, Jesus is equal with God. The scriptures do not specifically state this, however it is implied (John 5:18). And yes dealing with the father is the same as dealing with Jesus our saviour.

Q6. (Luke 9:35) Since Jesus is God's Chosen One, what does it mean to "listen to him"? In what ways does your life reflect listening to him? In what ways do you need to heed him more explicitly? Peter said to Jesus... "you have the words of eternal life (John 6:68b). I heard on the radio this morning a preacher saying that the devil does his best to make Christian people so busy in the world that they have little time for building their spiritual lives and invest time in knowing God. Sometimes I think I have been sucked into being too busy, perhaps that is an excuse. I know that I need to spend more time praying and studying the bible in order to know God more.

Q5. Where did the title “Branch” come from? How does the imagery differ from the title “Root”? According to the notes, the root and the shoot- branch are metaphors related to a family tree. David and sometimes Jesse (David's father) were designated as the root shoot and branch. The metaphors are referred to in Isaiah (11:1, 53:2a, 11:10) as a prophecy of the Messiah (Jesus). Jeremiah refers, also to a righteous branch, a king who will reign wisely, righteously and rightly, Jesus (Jeremiah 23:5, 33:15).

4. (Matthew 21:9, 15) Why were the chief priests and scribes so angry when little children referred to Jesus as “Son of David”? What does the title “Son of David” signify? Because the chief priests and scribes knew that the Messiah was from the house (lineage) of David. The children were acknowledging Jesus spiritual and family lineage by calling him the Son of David however the officials called him an imposter

Q3. (Matthew 16:13-16) Whom did Peter believe Jesus to be? How did Peter come to believe this? Why does Jesus command his disciples not to tell others that he is the Messiah? (Matthew 16:20). Peter came to believe, after all the input Jesus had in his life and what he had witnessed of Jesus-his conclusion was “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Jesus added, that this knowledge that Peter had was revealed to Peter by God in heaven- and not by instructions that any man could give him (v 17). The notes state that the probable reason why Jesus did not want others to be told that he was the Messiah, was that Jesus did not want the attention that would be heaped upon him. It would also have political implications.

Isiah 53:5,6 is my favourite messianic passage It is my favourite becase this passage was brought to my attention when I first became a Christian, a significant number of years ago now. It speaks of the mesiah's suffering and therefore his great love. He was despised and rejected by man and yet he "took our pain and bore our suffering" (v4). The passage continues, "we all like sheep have go ne astray, each of us has gone astray and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (v6). Therefore the terms attributed to the suffering Messiah are my favourites: 'Lamb', 'punished by God' stricken, 'stricken for our iniquities'.

Q1. What is the meaning of the words “Christ” and “Messiah? How does the Davidic Covenant influence messianic expectation in Jesus’ day? According to the notes, Christ (christos) is Hebrew for "anointed one." In the Greek language the word is translated māshîaḥ -transliterated Messiah. In the last century or two before Jesus came to the world there was an expectation among the Jews, that the Messiah would come, to deliver his people from their captives (the Romans) and set up the Kingdom of God on earth. The Jews were expecting this because of the so called Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:11b-12, 16) the promise of God to King David, that his house would rule forever.

Q4. (1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 2:1) In what sense is Jesus our “one Mediator between God and man”? What happens to this personal relationship with Jesus when we ask a minister or a saint to intercede for us? How is Jesus our Advocate before the Father? In what ways are you an advocate for the powerless in your community? How do you function as a reconciler, a mediator, a peacemaker as you serve Christ? Paul described Jesus as the "one mediator between God and men" (1 Timothy 2:5,6). The word mediator is defined in the notes as, "one who mediates between two parties to remove a disagreement or reach a common goal, mediator, arbitrator". So God and mankind are separated because of the state of sin in mankind, now because of what Christ has done for mankind, he qualifies as the mediator between God and his believers. So now, we are Christs representatives, he is the prince of peace, but "blessed are the peace makers for they will be called the sons of God" (Matt 5:9).

Q3. (Isaiah 53:3) How can Jesus be the Man of Sorrows as well as the one who finds joy in his Father? How can we experience sorrow without it coming to dominate our lives? So when Jesus came to the world he took on full humanity. He did not spare himself from the experience of humanity, sorrow and suffering and the myriad of emotions in humanity. He came into a world that was hostile towards him, however he endured and won (1 Corinthians 15:17). He passed the victory on to his followers.