Sunday, November 29, 2009

Bible Study Weekend - John 6:16-59

Jesus Walks on the Water

16When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19When they had rowed three or three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, "It is I; don't be afraid." 21Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.
22The next day the crowd that had stayed on the opposite shore of the lake realized that only one boat had been there, and that Jesus had not entered it with his disciples, but that they had gone away alone. 23Then some boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the people had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus.

Jesus the Bread of Life

25When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?"
26Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval."

28Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?"

29Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

30So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "

32Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."

35Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

41At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

43"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.


Questions:

1. It was dark, a strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough (vs.17-18) yet Jesus came to them walking on the water. What does this say about Jesus' presence in our lives through difficult circumstances?


2. Jesus advises, "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you" (vs.27). What does He mean by 'food that endures to eternal life'?

3. Jesus makes the following statements:

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (vs.35)

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him"(vs.54-56)

What does it mean to eat His flesh and drink His blood?

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Bible Study Weekend - John 6:1-15




Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

1Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. 3Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4The Jewish Passover Feast was near.
5When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" 6He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

8Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, 9"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

10Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. 11Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." 13So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world." 15Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.


1. What response do you think Jesus was looking for by asking Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" (vs.5-6)

2. Jesus not only fed the multitude but gave them 'as much as they wanted' (vs 11) to eat. What does this say of His heart for His sheep?

3. After the five thousand were fed, there were twelve baskets of leftovers. What is the significance of this miracle? How does it challenge your faith in the midst of your current circumstance?

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Talk Tuesday-The Battlefield...Is It the Mind? Part II

Have you ever struggled with persistent, negative thoughts that weary you?

Have you ever heard, "you're a failure", "you'll never amount to anything", "no one will love you", "you are so wicked that your sins will follow you all the days of your life", "not even God can forgive you", "what's the point of even trying, it won't make a difference anyways", "you'll always be alone"?

They can begin as fleeting thoughts, passing through your mind amidst a myriad of situations. Yet they are often like the tiny snowball that becomes bigger and bigger as it rolls downhill. Before you know, it becomes an impassable mound of snow obscuring your vision ahead, so that the only way you can look is backwards.

There is a reality that we need to remember as Christians. It is that although we do have an Enemy we have a SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, who is greater! Jesus warns us,

"The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." John 10:10

There is power in the WORD of God.

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

Each time we experience a negative thought, we need to claim who we are in CHRIST. "For ashe thinks in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV). We need to apply the WORD OF TRUTH against the words of lies in our mind.

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them 'because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.' " 1 John 4:4

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1

"But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John1:7

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

How has the Word of God set your mind free in the midst of the storms of fear, doubt, shame and guilt? What do you do when you the battle in your mind begins to rage on? Please share with us by clicking on the comments link below. It is a blessing to us all as we engage in meaningful dialogue.

Stay tuned for the final part on this series. We will be discussing Spiritual Warfare.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12

Friday, November 13, 2009

Bible Study Weekend - John 5:31-47



Testimonies About Jesus

31"If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid. 32There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.
33"You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.

36"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

41"I do not accept praise from men, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?

45"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"

Questions

1. What are the testimonies that validate Jesus' claim to be the Messiah?

2. Jesus says, "I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him"(vs 43). This was written over two thousand years ago. How is this applicable to today's 'a la carte spirituality'?

3. How does accepting the praise of man prevent us from obtaining the praise that comes from God?

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Talk Tuesday-The Battlefield...Is It the Mind? Part I


For every war there is a battlefield. The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes the battlefield as:

1 : a place where a battle is fought 2 : an area of conflict

For the christian the battlefield is the mind. It is in the realm of the mind that we reason, make decisions and act on them. It is in the realm of the mind where our motives and feelings reside.

Proverbs 23:7 warns us that the power of our thought influences who we are.
"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7 (NKJV)

God created man in His image and likeness, to be in relationship with Him. He laid out a series of guidelines for us which are for our protection, benefit and eternal future. God desires that we experience abundant life through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. We MUST surrender our hearts and minds to Christ Jesus, allowing Him to become Lord over our very lives. We have an enemy, called Satan. The Bible states that:

"The great dragon was hurled down- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray." Revelations 12:9 (NIV)

From the beginning of time, the Enemy of our souls has sought to lead us stray through the persuasion of our minds. Observe the discourse between God, Adam and Eve, and the serpent in the Garden of Eden.


"And the Lord God commanded the man, 'You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.'" Genesis 2:16-17


"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?" Genesis 3:1


"The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' " Genesis 3:2-3


"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4-5


God instructs Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He warns them of the consequence of such action, 'you will surely die' (Genesis 2:17). God desires to protect them from death. The serpent desires them to suffer death. The serpent persuades Eve that God has deceived them. Two roads were presented to her, yet she reasoned within her mind to choose the one.

Why would Eve take the word of a serpent she just met over the words of God with whom she was familiar? How did the serpent beguile Eve? Why did the serpent deceive Eve? What was the consequence of Eve's decision and who did it affect?

Click on the comments link to post your thoughts. We want to hear from you! This is a vast topic and we will be discussing it over the next few weeks. If you are new, we heartily welcome you to our BGO family. Happy Commenting!!!



Sunday, November 1, 2009