http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/ en-us ℗ & © Walla Walla University Theology. 1995 Exploring the SDA Bible Study Guide Walla Walla University Theology Office Good Word is an invitation. An invitation to explore biblical and theological topics presented in regularly published Bible Study guides. The Bible awaits our continued study and investigation; Good Word provides one way to approach it. Good Word is an invitation. An invitation to explore biblical and theological topics presented in regularly published Bible Study guides. The Bible awaits our continued study and investigation; Good Word provides one way to approach it. WWU Good Word goodword@wallawalla.edu http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/images/podcast.jpg http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/ goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=38&lid=58 The challenge of his Sayings. Why are some of Jesus' sayings so "hard"? Are they hard to accept? Hard to understand? Hard to follow? Hard to believe? Study and Discussion Questions What is it about Jesus' sayings that lead people to write books about the "hard sayings" of Jesus? Shouldn't the incarnate God make things simple and plain? The Hard Teachings: Divorce. Matthew 19:3-12: No divorce at all? No divorce except for adultery? In Jesus' day a woman had no security at all. Only a man could initiate a divorce and a trivial offense was often the only cause. When Jesus spoke of a heavy hand, did that help restore a woman's rights? Forgiveness, Matthew 18:21-22. Forgiving seventy times seven? How can unlimited forgiveness be possible? Was Jesus' practicing what he preached when he prayed for his enemies on the cross? What then are we to make of some of the violent prayers in the Psalms (e.g. Ps. 69) or by the prophets (e.g. Jeremiah 18:19-23)? Money: Luke 18:18-25, rich young ruler;Luke 19:1-9, Zacchaeus.; Luke 21:1-4. If one looks at all of Jesus' stories on money, they are a sobering, but mixed lot. The rich young ruler was asked to give everything; the desperately poor widow was commended for giving her two mites, all that she had; yet Zacchaeus was commended for only giving half of his goods. Perfection. Matthew 5:48 in comparison with Luke 6:36. In Matthew's Sermon on the Mount, Jesus admonishes his listeners to be perfect like their heavenly Father; in the parallel Sermon on the Plain in Luke, he admonishes them to be merciful like their heavenly Father? Which message is harder to accept and apply? Why? Family. Matthew 10:34-39. Was Jesus' really serious about loving him more than we are to love our own family? Are their counterbalancing stories elsewhere in the Gospels that might temper this radical call? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-05-10.mp3 Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 PDT 13:54 jesus', hard, luke, divorce, matthew, jesus, sayings, heavenly, family, money, accept, forgiveness no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=38&lid=57 The Wonder of His Works. Did the people believe on Jesus because of his miracles? Is that still true today when he is not among us? Study and Discussion Questions Matthew 4:23-25 suggests that one of the reasons for Jesus' fame was his many miracles of healing. Was that a crucial factor? Was that part of the reason that so many turned away when they discovered that following Jesus entailed a significant personal commitment? Matthew 9:35-37 suggests that Jesus' compassion was connected directly to his healing ministry. But over against that healing ministry was Jesus' teaching and proclamation of the good news. How did these two branches of ministry mesh together in his overall ministry? Comment: Just as Jesus worked in two kinds of ministry, one teaching, the other healing, so the church today seeks to balance its humanitarian outreach to heal the body, and a Gospel outreach focused on saving souls. Do you think the church has the balance about right, or are we failing to be faithful to Jesus' example and teaching? In Matthew 11:2-5, John asks about Jesus' ministry. Again, the emphasis is on healing, something which was not prominent in John's forerunner ministry or in the "judgment" scene in Matthew 25. How do we relate Jesus' miraculous ministry with our more ordinary callings? Comment: John's Gospel in particular makes a point of saying that Jesus' miracles were "signs" to help people believe. Yet it is also John's Gospel that records Jesus' commendation of those "who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (John 20:29). Does God really desire that we be impervious to extraordinary signs and miracles? Two C. S. Lewis quotes highlight the challenge of knowing when to expect miracles and when to expect more "normal" interaction with the divine. The second one consists of several paragraphs addressing the question of answered prayer: He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles. Do not be deceived, Wormwood. Our cause is never more in danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do our Enemy's will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of Him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys. - C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, p. 39 Prayer is not a machine. It is not magic. It is not advice offered to God. Our act, when we pray, must not, any more than all our other acts, be separated from the continuous act of God Himself, in which alone all finite causes operate. It would be even worse to think of those who get what they pray for as a sort of court favorites, people who have influence with the throne. The refused prayer of Christ in Gethsemane is answer enough to that. And I dare not leave out the hard saying which I once heard from an experienced Christian: "I have seen many striking answers to prayer and more than one that I thought miraculous. But they usually come at the beginning: before conversion, or soon after it. As the Christian life proceeds, they tend to be rarer. The refusals, too, are not only more frequent; they become more unmistakable, more emphatic." Does God then forsake just those who serve Him best? Well, He who served Him best of all said, near His tortured death, "Why hast thou forsaken me?" When God becomes man, that Man, of all others, is least comforted by God, at His greatest need. There is a mystery here which, even if I had the power, I might not have the courage to explore. Meanwhile, little people like you and me, if our prayers are sometimes granted, be-[10-11] yond all hope and probability, had better not draw hasty conclusions to our own advantage. If we were stronger, we might be less tenderly treated. If we were braver, we might be sent, wi http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-05-03.mp3 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT 14:01 ministry, jesus', god, healing, miracles, matthew, one, prayer, people, john's, gospel, teaching no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=38&lid=56 The Wisdom of His Teachings. Scripture says that the people were "astounded" at Jesus' teaching, because he didn't teach like their scribes but as one having authority. What made Jesus' teaching so different? Study and Discussion Questions: At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew declares that the people were astounded. Mark doesn't have the sermon, but he makes the same statement about the effect of Jesus' teaching in the synagogue: He taught with authority, not like their scribes. How did Jesus bring about that striking effect? Comment: A simple comparison with the rabbinical style of teaching of that era reveals an astonishing contrast in styles between Jesus and his rabbinical contemporaries. Jesus simply told stories and practiced what he preached. In the Jewish traditional writings that have come down to us, the rabbis seemed to feel that they were at their best when they were teaching in the name of some greater rabbi. Here is one sample dialogue from Midrash Rabbah (a comment on Genesis 15:17): "In this matter we come back to the controversy of R. Hinena b. Papa and R. Judan, R. Idi, and R. Hana b. R. Hanina. R. Hinena b. Papa said.... R. Judan, R. Idi, and R. Hama b. R. Hanina said on the authority of a certain sage in Rabbis' name...." How does the Sermon on the Mount compare with the OT and with the wisdom of world religions? Is this brand new truth, or old truth presented with fresh paint? Comment: We should not overlook the six comparisons Jesus' makes in Matthew 5. ("You have heard, but I say...."). In some ways his teaching contrasted sharply with the Old Testament. Yet Jesus claimed to be the God of the Old Testament too. So there must be a consistency and a harmony between the two. What did Jesus teach us about God that was so remarkable? Did Jesus strike joy to the heart of sinners or terror to the hearts of sinners? Or both? In the Sermon on the mount, the Lord's prayer tells us that if we can't forgive others, God cannot forgive us. How does Jesus help us get away from that distinct impression that we have to forgive first? Does he tell any stories that will help? What about the paralytic in Mark 2: Your sins are forgiven you! Or the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5? How does Jesus' teaching on humility fly in the face of our natural tendencies? Did James and John understand that when they asked for the top positions in the kingdom (Matt. 20:25-28)? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-04-26.mp3 Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT 13:50 jesus, teaching, jesus', sermon, authority, mount, forgive, old, comment, god, name, effect no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=38&lid=55 The Reality of His Humanity. Was Jesus really a human being like you and me? Study and Discussion Questions: After claiming that Jesus is divine, how can we possibly also make the claim that he was a human being like us? What human traits of Jesus do the Gospels record that indicate that he shared at least some of the infirmities of the human race? Comment: Psalm 127 is an Old Testament harbinger of the incarnation: "Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city the guard keeps watch in vain" (Ps. 127:1-2). Can one tidily distinguish what the work of the human is in these instances and what would be evidently divine? Humans build the house and guard the city. Yet Scripture says that it is the Lord who does it. What does the first chapter of Matthew tell us through a remarkable genealogy, the story of a virgin birth, and the claim that Jesus would be "God with Us"? Comment: Matthew's genealogy includes four notable women: Tamar, who committed incest with her father-in-law (Gen 38), Rahab, the prostitute from Jericho (Josh 2, 6), Ruth the Moabitess, and Bathsheba, with whom David committed adultery (2 Sam. 11) Remarkably, Matthew doesn't even mention Bathsheba by name or call her David's wife; she is listed simply as the "wife of Uriah." What does all that suggest about Jesus' humanity? Philippians 2:5-11 tells us that Jesus emptied himself of his divinity. How can we illustrate that remarkable claim? Comment: Ellen White suggests that when Jesus calmed the winds on the Sea of Galilee, he did so with the same power that is available to any human being: "But He rested not in the possession of almighty power. It was not as the "Master of earth and sea and sky" that He reposed in quiet. That power He had laid down, and He says, "I can of Mine own self do nothing." John 5:30. He trusted in the Father's might. It was in faith--faith in God's love and care--that Jesus rested, and the power of that word which stilled the storm was the power of God. (DA 336) C. S. Lewis suggests something similar when he refers to "an old opinion" of his "that we ought all of us to be ashamed of not performing miracles and that we do not feel this shame enough. We regard our own state as normal and theurgy as exceptional, whereas we ought perhaps to regard the worker of miracles, however rare, as the true Christian norm and ourselves as spiritual cripples." - "Petitionary Prayer: A Problem Without an Answer," in Christian Reflections, 150. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that we have a high priest just like us. Are there any ways in which Jesus was not like us? And how are these verses important for Christian living? Comment: Perhaps the most notable way in which Jesus was not like us was that he never suffered the remorse of broken promises, the agony of slipping and falling again and again, making promise after promise, only to see them broken "like ropes of sand." Those vivid words from Steps to Christ paint the picture with painful clarity: "Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You cannot control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God cannot accept you; but you need not despair." (SC 47) That's precisely why the Bible is full of stories of great sinners, great forgiven sinners, like David and Peter. People like us. Our temptations were not at all like Jesus' temptations. We have never been tempted to turn stones to bread. But for Jesus that was a powerful temptation, one that he had to face every waking moment. Does that mean that Jesus have advantages over us? Of course, but those advantages are powerfully overshadowed by the enormous weight of the te http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-04-19.mp3 Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT 14:09 jesus, human, ", power, comment, temptations, god, own, lord, broken, says, christian no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=38&lid=54 The Mystery of His Deity. Why is it important to believe that Jesus was and is divine, that he has always been there and always will be? Study and Discussion Questions: In John 1, the Gospel writer forcefully indicates that Jesus was and is God. Why is that important both for Christian experience and for our understanding about God? In John 8:58 Jesus uses those inflammatory words, "Before Abraham was, I am." What did he mean by that and why were the Jewish leaders so horrified? Comment: Commentators are clear that when Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, 'I am,'" he was claiming that he and Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament, were one and the same God. That's why the Jewish leaders wanted to stone him. The original narrative describing the revelation of God's name is found in Exod. 3:13-15. Isaiah 9:6 seems to point to the deity of the messiah, yet no one really wanted to believe that Jesus was divine, at least not before the resurrection. Indeed, the point doesn't seem to come clear until the Gospel of John. For Jews living in the first century, was it possible to conceive of the Messiah as being anything other than "human"? Jesus' claim may have seemed outrageous to the Jews of his day. Is it more believable today? Thomas's exclamation in John 20:28, "My Lord and my God," is the clearest affirmation of the deity of Christ. Why has that been so hard for the church to accept? The Arian heretics in the early Christian centuries didn't want to believe it; early Adventists did not want to believe it. What are the gains and losses in making such a striking claim about the man Jesus? A personal testimony. The author of the Study Guide this quarter (Alden Thompson) admits rather sheepishly that he did not fully grasp the concept of the divinity of Christ until he was a second-year seminary student at Andrews University. A fourth-generation Adventist and a product of Adventist schools, Thompson did not discover the truth about Jesus as God Incarnate until he was twenty-three. Here is a column from the NPUC Gleaner that tells how the discovery was made and the joyous results for Christian experience: "I Was 23 When I Saw the Light" By Alden Thompson (Cf. Gleaner, 18 September 1995) It happened in my second year of Seminary at Andrews University. I was 23, a fourth generation Adventist with a theology degree from Walla Walla College. All my formal education had been in Adventist schools. Why hadn't I seen the light? I don't know why. But here's the story of the what and the how. It started with a question that was dogging my Christian experience: If God loves me, why do I need a mediator? Sharpening the issue was that troubling line in The Great Controversy that we "are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a mediator" (p. 425). Tackling the question in a seminar, I discovered a two-part answer in John 14-17, the first part a thunderclap, the second a gentle rain. I remember sharing the thunderclap with my friend Jon Dybdahl as we walked home from campus one day. "Guess what I discovered!" I exclaimed. "Jesus is God!" It was no surprise to him. He already had realized the truth of Jesus' words, "If you've seen me, you've seen the Father" (John 14:9). But with me, that message had just struck home. Though words like "Son of God" and "divine" were in my vocabulary, I hadn't "known" that Jesus is God. My excitement was heightened by the second part of the answer - the gentle rain - Jesus' promise in John 16:26-27 that we would pray in His name but that He would not pray the Father for us. And why not? Because the Father Himself loves us. In short, seeing the Father through Jesus transforms the threat - standing in God's presence without a medi http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-04-12.mp3 Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT 13:47 god, , jesus, john, one, light, right, truth, part, -, short, words no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=38&lid=53 Who Was Jesus? Why did everyone get it wrong about Jesus? Everyone: the disciples, the people, the religious leaders. No one was able to sense what kind of Messiah he had come to be. Maybe there is a broader application to C. S. Lewis' comments about the nature of our ideas about God: "My idea of God is not a divine idea. It has to be shattered time after time. He shatters it Himself. He is the great iconoclast. Could we not almost say that this shattering is one of the marks of His presence? The Incarnation is the supreme example; it leaves all previous ideas of the Messiah in ruins." - A Grief Observed, 4:15 Study and Discussion Questions: When Jesus asked his disciples who he was (Matthew 16:13-20), why did they come up with so many different alternative names: John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, one of the prophets? Why the lack of clarity and why the secrecy about Jesus? Where in the OT does one find a clear passage defining the true role of the Messiah? Comment: In his hometown synagogue when Jesus described his mission (Luke 4:16-30), he quoted the "messianic" passage in Isaiah 61:1-4, but stopped short of the lines that suggested a conquering king. In short, Jesus modeled his mission on Isaiah 53, but no one wanted to believe him, at least not before the resurrection. In 1 Corinthians Paul contrasts human wisdom with divine foolishness (1:25). How are we to sort that out since human wisdom is what we all start with and must somehow recognize the power of divine foolishness. Does the Spirit grant us "sanctified reason" as a means of recognizing the "reasonableness" of the divine foolishness? In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul stresses the importance of human witnesses to the resurrected Lord. Why are fellow humans so important in our live of faith? Comment: Hebrews 10:23-25 suggests that a key means of keeping the "confession of our hope" alive is to "meet together." This may related to the same kind of phenomenon described by C. S. Lewis: "The society of unbelievers makes Faith harder even when they are people whose opinions, on any other subject, are known to be worthless" - "Religion: Reality or Substitute?" Christian Reflections (Eerdmans, 1967), 42. For Further Study: Foundational Questions for the Beginning of the quarter: Two topics offer rich possibilities for a closer study of Jesus' life and ministry: 1) OT passages that are applied to Jesus in the NT and later; 2) The role suffering and disappointment as the necessary forerunner of resurrection and victory. OT Passages applied to Jesus. When Jesus spoke with the disciples on the road to Emmaus and afterward in the upper room (Luke 24:13-49), he referred to the things that had been written about him in the law, prophets, and psalms, referring to all three sections of the Hebrew Bible. The following outline organizes the "prophecies" under four headings: those that clearly suggested some kind of deliverer; those that Jesus himself used, most significantly, Isaiah 53; later applications (midrash) of OT passages that don't actually predict the coming one, but provide words or phrases which believers applied to Jesus' life and ministry (Matthew and John were particularly fond of midrash); passages applied to Jesus' ministry in later Christian centuries, most notably Daniel 9. Four Categories of "Messianic" Prophecies Perceived by the Old Testament person (general in nature) Law of Moses: Shiloh: Gen. 49:9-10 Star out of Jacob: Numbers 24:17-19 Prophet like Moses: Deut. 18:15 Prophets Child: Isaiah 9:2-7 Branch: Isaiah 11:1-9; Jer. 23:5ff; 33:14 Anointed One: Isaiah 61:1-4 Writings Son of Man: Daniel 7:13-14 Anointed one, Son of David: Psalms 2, 45, 72, 89, 110 (Royal Psalms) Presented http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-04-05.mp3 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PDT 14:04 jesus, god, one, disappointment, day, truth, isa, testament, messiah, present, people, isaiah no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=52 Key Texts: Matthew 14:14; Luke 7:36-50 Key Ideas: This week is the summary lesson for the whole quarter. In it we are invited to trace the effects of discipleship, the ways in which discipleship is done, the concerns and methodologies that are used. 1. Matthew 14:14 is a moving text that points to the compassion Jesus had when he saw the multitudes. It was that compassion that brought about the feeding of the 5,000. Something similar took place in Matthew 15 when he fed the 4,000. What can be said, then, of disciples and compassion. How might that play out in living? What does the absence of compassion suggest? What role does/should compassion play in the lives of modern disciples? 2. There is, in Luke 7, the story of the woman who came and anointed Jesus feet with expensive ointment. What do you make of that story? What might such extravagance have to say about being a follower of Jesus? What do you make of Jesus' response to those criticizing the happening? Is there such a thing as extravagance in serving God? 3. Luke 18:9-14 has the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector. What do you make of the one who went home justified? 4. What might we make of Jesus many run-ins with the religious establishment of his day? What cautions might we draw from those interchanges even today? Who do you think the modern counterparts of the establishment are now? 5. What shall we make of Jesus and the marginalized people of his day? How is it that he so fearlessly ignored the status quo? What were the costs with his contravening the status quo of his day? What might be some of the costs for doing the same today? 6. Discipleship is something that is played out in community, the Church. What shall we say about the church as an entity of value today? What can be said about the nature of the church, a human/divine entity? What should our expectations about the existence of a perfect church be? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-03-29.mp3 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PDT 14:03 , compassion, jesus, church, day, discipleship, luke, matthew, modern, status, quo, no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=51 Key Texts: Matthew 28:31-46; Mark 16:14-20; Luke 24:36-53; John 3:14-19 Key Ideas: The lesson this week focuses on the links between the mission Jesus gave his disciples (The Great Commission) and the Gospel. 1. It would be well to read the commission as it is given in the three gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. What differences do you find. Are any of them significant? 2. The Great Commission of Jesus is very expansive, sending believers to every place, every country, city, town, village, clan and home. What connection do you see between the command to make disciples and that of baptizing? What is the difference between baptizing people and turning them into disciples? How do you think evangelistic strategies would change if the focus was on making disciples instead of baptizing? 3. It has been noted that the church of the Western world has been fascinated with Jesus' command to go to all the world. Some have referred to the western church as the "Go to" church. We go and do things, provide things, then return home. Have you ever wondered what effect this might have on those whom we go to do things for? Might we be perceived as paternalistic rather than being family? 4. The placement of baptism in the middle of the Great Commission creates a link between it and the plan of Salvation. What is the relationship between the gospel and the Great Commission? Have you ever thought that Jesus may have given TWO commissions, the first being "Come, and follow me..." Subsequent to this, "I will make you fishers of men." What might this say about priorities? 5. In the scripture passages for this week, there is the intimation that salvation is by grace through faith, but in the judgment, it is our deeds/works that seem to be of most significance. Is this so? How could such a thing be? 6. Jesus spoke of the disciples being "witnesses" of what they had seen. What implications do you see here for those who want to "witness" without a personal experience or commitment to the gospel? 7. Discuss the gospel. How would you describe it? What are its conditions? What are its parameters? How would you describe the bare essentials of the gospel? What is the least that is necessary in order for a person to be saved? 8. If our deeds figure significantly in the judgment, given the words found in Matthew 28, how should we relate to the poor and the destitute? What if they might just take the help we give them and go and spend it uselessly? What do you think the causes of poverty are? How do you think you contribute to the poverty in your community? How do you think it is best to help those who are poor? how could your church make a real difference to the poor near where you live? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-03-22.mp3 Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PDT 14:06 , gospel, disciples, commission, church, jesus, think, poor, given, baptizing, , things no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=50 Key Texts: Matthew 14:22-33; Matthew 16:1-12; Mark 4:36-41; Mark 6:51, 52; Luke 8:25; Luke 24:37 Key Ideas: We encounter a number of stories that are well-known. First, there is the story of the disciples at sea and Jesus coming to them, and Peter walking on water. There is also the story of Jesus calming the storm. Finally, there is the interchange over signs and the leaven of the Pharisees. From these stories, we there are numerous lessons we can learn about discipleship. 1. In the calming of the storm story found in Mark 4, the disciples asked Jesus a tough question, "Master, do you not care if we perish?" Does this question show up in the lives of disciples today? How shall we deal with it and its implications? 2. After the storm was stilled, the disciples were afraid of Jesus and his power. Is there reason to be afraid. how might the power of Jesus be reason for joy? 3. What lessons might we learn from Peter walking on the water? 4. In Matthew 16, we have the incident where the religious leaders came to Jesus asking for a sign. Jesus answer leads us to ponder the fact that signs are not so good. Should we ask for signs? What relationship do signs have to faith? What are some things you fear in matters of discipleship? 5. In many of the stories, we find the disciples being fearful. Why do you think they were so often afraid in the presence of Jesus? Is fear associated with discipleship today? If so, is it beneficial, or is it a sign of lack of faith? What shall we make of the assertion in I John 4:18 that perfect love cases out fear? a. Consider the suggestion that fear is something that can be of great value in ministry/discipleship. It can remind us of our limitations as humans, that we are not the primary agents of God's work. Secondly, if we press through the fear, it is often the case that the Holy Spirit shows up to do the real business of the kingdom. 6. Matthew 16 contains the interchange between Jesus and his disciples over the "leaven of the Pharisees." What do you think that was? Is there a modern counter-part that we should be aware of? 7. Clearly, Jesus intention was to ready his disciples for purposes of witness. Do you think people "do" witnessing, or is it more correct to say they "are" witnesses? How might we refine our witness? 8. How shall we relate to people hostile to Christian witness? What internal resources do you think are necessary for us to love our enemies and those of the faith? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-03-15.mp3 Sun, 09 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST 14:04 , jesus, disciples, discipleship, signs, think, matthew, witness, storm, story, stories, faith no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=49 Key Texts: Matthew 26:56; Luke 9:51-56; John 6:1-15; John 12:1-6; John 18:1-11; John 21:15-19 Key Ideas: This week, we will look at the human side of the disciples. Time and again, their humanness burst out. Sometimes it was a bid for political power; sometimes it was anger; other times it was rashness. All these easily compromise discipleship. 1. In John 6, there is the account of Jesus feeding of the five thousand. That event was such a spectacular success, that there was a spontaneous movement to crown Jesus king, in direct rebellion to the civil authorities. Jesus sensed the movement, and avoided it. Here is occasion to think about political power and its relationship to Christ's kingdom. Consider the following: a. Why do you think Jesus avoided being crowned king? b. What is the value and role of political power? c. What does power do to people? Specifically, what does political power do to them? d. What happens to religion when it is merged with political power? What happens to political power when it is merged with religion? e. Is it possible for power to emerge within church structures? If so, what should be done about it? f. How are politics and religion different? g. Do you see any way for there to be co-operation between religion and politics without doing damage to both? 2. In John 12, there is the story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet with very expensive perfume (it says she spent a year's wages on the perfume). The response of Judas was blunt - the exercise had been a waste. It would have been better for the money to have been given to the poor, but put in the community money bag (which Judas controlled) first. Here is evidence that a disciple suffered from the vice of greed. How does greed damage discipleship? What can we do to minimize greed? 3. At the end of Luke 9, there is the story of the disciples being rebuffed by the Samaritans followed by their inquiry about calling fire down on the village. Here they battled hurt and anger. What ill effects can these two things have on discipleship? How do you think they could have avoided such a reaction to personal injury? 4. In John 18 can be found the stories of Peter's three denials of Jesus. These are moving episodes, first because his denials seem to have been driven by the desire for self-preservation. Peter did not want to be exposed. He also did not want to be publicly mocked. Here humanness got the better of the disciple. It is well worth noting that his reaction later was one of heart-felt repentance. What an example for the rest of us! a. Some suggest that Peter was a victim to his penchant for rashness. What do you think about this? Is rashness worse than inactivity? 5. A final division of the lesson has do to with the disciples abandonment of Jesus at the point of crucifixion. It seems incredible they did such a thing. But such is the frailty of the human. How do you think you would avoid doing similarly? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-03-08.mp3 Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:00:00 PST 14:06 , john, power, political, jesus, think, , religion, greed, discipleship, disciples, rashness no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=48 Key Verses: Matthew 8:14, 15; Matthew 10:34-37; Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 5:17-26 Key Ideas: Discipleship is something that is active, not passive. 1. The first story in this lesson is the one of Jesus healing Simon Peter's mother-in-law. She was sick in bed with a high fever. Jesus healed her. Upon her recovery, she set about to care for those in her household. Here is a case where someone who had received a blessing from Jesus, set about right away to act in kind. In a larger sense, this story is a paradigm of all those who have been saved from sin. A certain gratitude should pervade their living. 2. Another story is that of the paralytic, the one who was lowered through the roof of the house because the crowd was too big to allow them in the front door. After his healing, it says he left glorifying God. Again, a reaction to the goodness he had received from Christ. 3. In Mark 8:35-37, there is the famous passage in which Jesus asks what a person would be willing to give in exchange for their soul? And what it would profit a person to gain the whole world but lose their soul. Here is cause to ponder what kind of life a person should live, especially those who have received favor from God. 4. What do you think it means to "lose your life for the sake of the gospel?" Have you ever done that? What are some of the costs of being a disciples of Jesus? 5. One of the actions enjoined upon us by Jesus is that of making other disciples. Not only are we to become disciples ourselves, but we are to participate in the making of other disciples. The great passage on this is at the end of Matthew 28. Notice the elements involved here - teaching, going, baptizing. Do not neglect to notice Jesus promise of empowering his followers. 6. It is the doing of Jesus's work that puts disciples in contrast to the world. Jesus said he came to bring not peace, but the sword; he came to divide brother from brother, children from parents. What divisions driven by the gospel have you seen? How do you think you can avoid such divisions? 7. What actions can you take to improve your discipleship? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-03-01.mp3 Sun, 24 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST 14:04 , jesus, disciples, matthew, one, received, person, story, world, life, notice, making no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=47 Key Texts: Matthew 17:1-13; Matthew 18:1-4; Mark 27-30; John 6:43-58 Key Issues: This week, we are asked to contemplate discipleship as an experience rather than just belief in a set of ideas. We encounter some passages of Scripture that are out of the ordinary. One episode deals with the transfiguration of Jesus, that mysterious happening where he changed appearances dramatically so that he looked supernatural. There is also the passage dealing with eating his body and drinking his blood. These seem to be strange words. And there is also the famous "deny himself" speech found in Mark 8. 1. In Matthew 17, we may read of that occasion where Jesus took Peter, James, and John up onto a mountain. There he underwent a transfiguration so that his appearance changed dramatically. His face shone like the sun; his clothes became pure white. Then Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with him. What do you think the significance of this experience was for Jesus? What was its significance for the disciples? (Notice that Moses died before going to heaven; Elijah was translated without seeing death. What might the significance of this be?) 2. In John 6, there is the long passage recording Jesus words about his being the bread of life. Then Jesus spoke of his flesh and blood, how this must be eaten by his disciples if they are to be saved. What do you make of these passages? What do you think Jesus was trying to teach? how would these words affect disciples? 3. In Matthew 18, there is the lovely little episode of Jesus musing about who is greatest in his kingdom. He answered the question by taking a child and placing him among the disciples, then saying that unless we become like little children, we will not enter the kingdom. This was done in the face of his disciples arguing as to who would be greatest. What do you make of this lesson? Do you think the point Jesus was making had to do with humility, or with belief and trust? 4. What do you think it means to bear the cross of Jesus? How would a person bear that cross now? 5. How can we experience discipleship instead of merely talking about it? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-02-23.mp3 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST 14:05 , jesus, disciples, think, matthew, words, significance, john, experience, greatest, face, episode no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=46 Key Texts: Matthew 5-7; Matthew 10:1, Matthew 5-11; Mark 3:1-19; Luke 6:12-16. Key Ideas: A disciple, by definition, is a learner/follower of Jesus who works constantly to understand and become more like Jesus, and who invites others to do the same. People are not born disciples. They develop into disciples. This week, we look at the matter of preparation. What is involved in becoming a disciple? 1. Ephesians 4 states that the goal of discipleship is to reach maturity, fully developed emulation of Jesus. Notice the various elements delineated there that make for this growth. What are you and your church doing to assist people in that growth process? What might you and they do? 2. Over and again in the stories of the Gospels, we see Jesus teaching his disciples and then helping them to get some experience on their own. Consider the effects of teaching. What did teaching do for the disciples? How well would such a system work today, in terms of developing more able disciples? 3. One of the obvious elements in becoming a disciple has to do with teaching, putting ones-self under the tutelage of the Master. One premier example of Jesus teaching is the sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters 5-7, where he taught some of the principles of His kingdom to those who followed. Spend some time studying those chapters and write for yourself a list of some of the more challenging things Jesus taught. How could you apply such teachings to your life? 4. Doing ministry is almost always accompanied by a sense of trepidation or fear. Why is that? What did Jesus do for his disciples before sending them out that would help us if we took heed of it (Matthew 10:1). Is it not true that God's callings are also His enablings? When do we get what we need in order to do ministry? Before we go, or as we go? 5. The disciples ran into opposition in almost every place they went. Should we expect anything different? Why is there often opposition. Do you think the nature of Christ's kingdom has anything to do with the opposition being stirred up? 6. What do you think about the practice Jesus followed of sending his disciples out two-by-two? How do you think it would affect ministry if we still did that today? 7. There are numerous examples of Jesus and his disciples being alone, away from the crowds. What role did those times play in preparing the disciples for their work? 8. What resources did Jesus give his disciples in order to enable them to do their work? How come we are so concerned with money and buildings and other such visible things? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-02-16.mp3 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST 14:08 , disciples, jesus, teaching, matthew, think, disciple, opposition, ministry, work, key, chapters no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=45 Key texts: Matthew 15:21-28; Luke 7:1-11; Luke 17:11-16; John 1:3; Acts 10:1-28; I Corinthians 9:22. Key Issues: There is an interesting progression in the Gospels and in Acts that leads away from Jerusalem and the jews, to the places like Athens and Rome and the gentiles. Everyone knows that this progression was problematic to many of those in Israel who were heavily invested in the status quo that did not allow for salvation for non-Jews. The progression in this matter can be very informative. 1. How do you think the Jews came to be so exclusivistic? Do you think it was deliberate, or inadvertent? How do you think they dealt with the words of John the Baptist when he said, "Now is the axe laid to the root of this tree."? 2. Perhaps you have noticed how many churches/denominations there are that declare themselves to be the"True Church." They can't all be right. Do you think there is danger that groups today could fall into the same circumstance as the Jews of long ago. Why do so many people and organizations feel it so necessary to declare themselves exclusively the true church? 3. It seems very clear from the Gospels that Jesus did not follow the status quo rules of his day when dealing with women and gentiles. He routinely talked with and ministered to women, and he was known to go out of Israel into gentile territories like Phoenicia. What might we learn from such actions? 4. The story of the Centurion found in Luke 7 is quite interesting. His expression of faith was noteworthy enough that Jesus used this foreigner as an example of a person of great faith. How do you think this man came to be a man of faith? 5. In Acts 10, there is the well-known experience of Peter being send to Cornelius. This went very much against Peter's grain, but he went and learned a great lesson. Do you think the lesson can be extended to include all those who are perceived to be outside the pale of salvation? 6. The church at Antioch as recorded in Acts 11:19-30 is a fascinating one. Word came to Jerusalem that there was a thriving church in Antioch, so they sent Barnabas over to check things out. To the surprise of everyone in Jerusalem, word came back that there were many gentiles who had come believers. What does this say about God's ability to work outside the strictures we place on Him? What does it say to those who want to limit God to working in "approved" venues only? Would you have gladly stayed in the new place to work as did Barnabas? 7. Notice the progression that begins with Jews only. There is movement to be more open because Jesus cared for and ministered to non-Jews. Then, there are deliberate forays out to gentile territory. Finally, gentiles are converted, and become active and able disciples of Jesus, bringing many to faith. 8. How do you think the Jews ministered to the early gentile converts in such as way as to nurture and disciple them? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-02-09.mp3 Sun, 03 Feb 2008 00:00:00 PST 14:09 , jews, think, progression, jesus, acts, gentiles, faith, church, , jerusalem, no goodword@wallawalla.edu (Good Word) A Good Word Broadcast http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/show_lesson.php?qid=37&lid=44 Key Texts: Mark 5:25-34; Luke 1:26-38; Luke 8:1-3; Luke 10:38-42; John 4:4-30. Key Issue: This week the lesson looks at the various women who became followers of Jesus. There are quite a few who are mentioned. And there are doubtless many more who are never mentioned. Right from the start, they can been seen involved in Jesus life and ministry. And to the very end they were also present. A careful review of the role these women played would indicate their place and effect was significant. Of course, what we read about those women will have an effect on how we perceive women today. It is unfortunate that issues today are such that the place of women in Christ's ministry is now diminished. 1. Let us review the record of some of the major instances in Jesus life here where women played a prominent role: a. Mary Jesus' mother should come first. Is it not a wondrous thing that God chose a young woman to raise His son? Notice Mary's response to the enormous and very unexpected request the angel made to her. Luke 1:38, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." What kind of person do you envision this young Mary being? How is it that she accepted this responsibility so readily? b. Luke 8:1-3 mentions a number of women who followed Jesus on his second Galilean tour. This is of considerable interest because most teachers in those days did not allow women to become followers/disciples. c. The story in Luke 10:38-42 is long been of interest to Christians, the story of Mary and Martha. Women who have an affinity to working like Martha regularly feel put out by Jesus words to her. They also point out that had things been left up to Mary, the dinner would never have been prepared. So, apparently, there is something to be said on both sides. Rather than seek to advantage one over the other, how can we all find a way to achieve a better balance between meditation/devotional activities, and getting the work done? d. It is particularly interesting that the women who followed Jesus seem to have been able to get into places, and witness things (like the crucifixion) without having to fear the authorities. Do you think there is a dynamic that sometimes accompanies womanhood that might allow for ministry in ways that are not open to males? How might this affect the prospect of ministry, particularly under authoritarian regimes? (This is not to suggest an inequality here, but, perhaps, a difference in role that should be exploited). e. The woman at the well is a very interesting episode in Jesus' ministry. The nameless woman is usually vilified as one who had loose morals. But, when she spoke in her village, people listened to her with great effect. Might it be she was a beautiful, vivacious, attractive, magnetic sort of person (after all, the men lined up to marry her!) who would not be tamed by the men or by social strictures, one for whom marriage did not work because she would not fit the expected, subservient profile? She proved to be a very effective witness. f. In view of Galatians 3:28, what might you do to open more doors of ministry to women? Do you think things should be equal for men and women in ministry? Do you think there might be different spheres of ministry for men and women, the lines of which should not be crossed? http://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/departments/theology/goodword/audio/2008-02-02.mp3 Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:00:00 PST 14:07 , women, ministry, jesus, luke, men, mary, effect, role, woman, things, one no no