Let's grow together

John Chapter 10 part 1

2006-05-15T13:38:00.000+09:00

Azabujuban Home Group on 05/10/2006 (John 10:1-21)
---Note for the leader---

1. Review of the last week (John 9)
Jesus healed the blind beggar. The beggar believed that Jesus was a Christ. However, Pharisees accused the beggar and refused to believe that Jesus was a Christ.
à Pharisees physically could see but spiritually were blind. Today’s story was told in this context.

(Read today’s story)

2. Where and when that the today’s story was preached?
Place: Jerusalem
Time: After the Feast of Tabernacle (7:2) à September or October
Before the Feast of Dedication (10:22) à December
The Feast of the Tabernacle is the feast, which ran for seven days, was associated with gathering the harvest. It commemorated the provision of God for his people in the wilderness. People stayed in temporary structures made of leaves and branches during the festival.
The Feast of Dedication, which runs for eight days, is commemoration of the cleansing and rededication (Dedication in Hebrew is “Hanukkah”.) of the temple by Judas Maccabeus in December, 165 B.C. after it had been defiled by Antiochus Ephiphanes. It is also called the “the Feast of the Lights”, based on the legend that a special lamp for the temple miraculously lit for eight days not being supplied with additional oil. People lit lamps during the festival and rejoiced.
This is brief history after the Old Testament. Alexander the Great defeated the Persian Empire. After Alexander the Great died, his empire was divided to three kingdoms (Greece, Egypt and Syria) by his generals. First, the Ptolemies of Egypt Kingdom ruled the Israel and it was moderate reign. Later, the Seleucids of Syria Kingdom ruled the Israel. One of the Seleucid kings, Antiochus Ephiphanes, forced Jews to observe the Greek way. He ordered to destroy all copies of Bible and required them to give offerings to Greek god Zeus. In addition, he placed a statute of Zeus and offered a pig which was deemed as a defiled animal in the Old Testament as a sacrifice at the Jewish temple. Oppressed Jews led by Judas Maccabeus (probably means “hammerer”) rebelled to the Seleucids of Syria Kingdom and Jews recovered about 100 years independence until Romans conquered the Israel.

3. In today’s story, what did Jesus tell “I am”? What does it means?
“I am the gate for the sheep” (10:7) means that Jesus is the only way to heaven and life (10:9,10). "I am the good shepherd” (10:11) means that Jesus is our leader.
In John’s gospel, there are seven times that Jesus said “I am”. The other five are as follows.
John 6:35 Then 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.
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

4. What do sheep mean in today’s story?
In today’s story, a shepherd means Jesus and sheep mean us, Christians. In the Old Testament, God is compared to a shepherd and sheep are compared to God’s people.
Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
Ezekiel 34:11 "For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
34:12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
Sheep without a shepherd is described as being miserable in the Bible.
Zechariah 10:2 The idols speak deceit, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

5. What do thieves, robbers and hired hands mean in today’s story?
They mean Pharisees. They were religious leaders of Israel. They did not care for people (10:10, 12, 13).
Mark 12:38 As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces,
12:39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
12:40 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."
Luke 11:46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
They were spiritually blind and what they told was not the way to true life.
Luke 6:39 He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
Luke 11:52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
God denounced bad shepherds, leaders of Israel.
Isaiah 56:10 Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.
56:11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain.
56:12 "Come," each one cries, "let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better."
Ezekiel 34:1 The word of the LORD came to me:
34:2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?
34:3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
34:4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.
34:5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.
34:6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
Therefore, God promised the Israel that he would send a true shepherd to the Israel.
Ezekiel 34:23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.

6. What do you think of relationship between a shepherd and sheep?
Relationship between God and God’s people is compared to relationship between a shepherd and sheep. Relationship between God and God’s people has many characteristics. I discretionally pick up many miscellaneous bible verses that help us to understand the relationship between God and God’s people.
I. A shepherd feeds and rests sheep (10:9, 10).
Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
23:3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Ezekiel 34:14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
34:15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.
34:16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'
6:32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
II. A shepherd call sheep’s name and sheep listen to a shepherd (10:3). A shepherd knows and cares sheep very much (10:14).
Psalm 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
139:2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
139:3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
139:4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
10:30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
10:31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
III. Relationship between a shepherd and sheep is very familiar and close. A shepherd and sheep are a family (10:15). This is determined from the beginning of the world.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
1:5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--
IV. A shepherd never forsakes sheep (10:12, 13).
Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Luke 15:4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
Sometimes we sin and God punishes us. However, that does not mean that God forsakes us. God definitely loves us.
Isaiah 54:6 The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit-- a wife who married young, only to be rejected," says your God.
54:7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
54:8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer.
54:9 "To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.
54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Hosea 11:8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
11:9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man-- the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
V. A shepherd love sheep and sheep follow a shepherd. A shepherd so loves the sheep that he lays down his life for sheep (10:11, 15). In fact, in Jesus’s age, shepherds had risks being killed by wolves, bears and lions. The truth of the Bible is that sheep can live by shepherd’s death. Of course, this means Jesus’ crucifixion.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

7. What does verse 16 mean?
“other sheep that are not of this sheep pen” is gentile Christians. Jesus came to this world mainly to preach gospels to Jews.
Matthew 15:24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
In God’s plan, mission to gentiles was spared for Jesus’s disciples. However, of course, Jesus is a shepherd for all Christians.

8. How do sheep follow a shepherd?
In short, Jesus’s life was “purpose-driven”. Jesus was very loyal to his given purpose, crucifixion (10:18). In short, Christian life is to obey God as Jesus did.
John 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
15:10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
To follow Jesus does not necessarily mean lucky or easy life.
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
1 Peter 2:19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.
2:20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
2:21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
2:22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
2:23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
However, although to follow Jesus is sometimes a hard way, we know that this way is the only way to true life.
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
9:24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Azabujuban Home Group on 05/10/2006 (John 10:1-21)
---Questions for participants---

1. Review of the last week (John 9)

2. Where and when that the today’s verse was preached?

3. In today’s story, what did Jesus tell “I am”? What does it means?

4. What do sheep mean in today’s story?

5. What do thieves, robbers and hired hands mean in today’s story?

6. What do you think of relationship between a shepherd and sheep?

7. What does verse 16 mean?

8. How do sheep follow a shepherd?

Azabujuban Home Group on 05/10/2006 (John 10:1-21)
---Quotations from NIV for participants---

Question 3
John 6:35 Then 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.
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.

Question 4
Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
Ezekiel 34:11 "For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.
34:12 As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.
Zechariah 10:2 The idols speak deceit, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Question 5
Mark 12:38 As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces,
12:39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
12:40 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."
Luke 11:46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
Luke 6:39 He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
Luke 11:52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."
Isaiah 56:10 Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.
56:11 They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain.
56:12 "Come," each one cries, "let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better."
Ezekiel 34:1 The word of the LORD came to me:
34:2 "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock?
34:3 You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock.
34:4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.
34:5 So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.
34:6 My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them.
Ezekiel 34:23 I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd.

Question 6
Psalm 23:2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
23:3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Ezekiel 34:14 I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel.
34:15 I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD.
34:16 I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy. I will shepherd the flock with justice.
Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
6:32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Psalm 139:1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.
139:2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
139:3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
139:4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.
Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
6:8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.
10:30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
10:31 So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Ephesians 1:4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love
1:5 he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--
Deuteronomy 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Luke 15:4 "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?
Isaiah 54:6 The LORD will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit-- a wife who married young, only to be rejected," says your God.
54:7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
54:8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer.
54:9 "To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.
54:10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Hosea 11:8 "How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.
11:9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man-- the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
53:6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,

Question 7
Matthew 15:24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

Question 8
John 15:9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
15:10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
1 Peter 2:19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.
2:20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
2:21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
2:22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth."
2:23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
9:24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John Chapter 9

2006-04-28T17:25:00.000+09:00

Azabujuban Homegroup April 25, 2006
John Chapter 9

Review of the last week’s study: What happened last time?
Jesus was teaching at the Temple court in Jerusalem. The Pharisees didn’t believe what He said and they tried to stone him. Jesus went away.
Jesus heals a man born blind (v1-12)
1. Where, when, with whom, why?
In Jerusalem with His disciples and some Pharisees. This was after the feast of the Tabernacle.
2. Why did the disciples raise the question? (v2)
The Jews believed that anyone who was born with disabilities was due to sins.
3. What was Jesus’ answer and what does the answer tell us? (v3)
Jesus made it very clear that the man was born blind not because it was a disfavor of God, it happened so that the work of God might be done in his life. We can also infer that physical appearance is also not a favor or disfavor of God, even people’s abilities as well.
4. What is Day? What is night? Why is it related to the blind man? (v4-5)
Day: When Jesus was in the world. Night: When Jesus died. The blind man may receive light from Jesus, who is the light of the world.
5. Why did Jesus try something so strange instead of healing the blind man immediately? Why “Pool of Siloam”? (v6-7)
Jesus put mud on the man’s eyes and asked him to wash in the Pool of Siloam. “Siloam” means “sent” and the Pool of Siloam was located downhill at the edge of the City of David (The historical Pool of Siloam appeared in the book of John was recently uncovered, see attached news). For a blind man it might not be easy to get there by himself. However Jesus wanted him to make the effort so that he may receive light.
6. What was his neighbors’ reaction? (v8-9)
Some didn’t believe he was the blind man. Some were amazed.
7. What was the man’s attitude? (v11-12)
The man stated firmly that he was the one who used to be blind and now received sight.

The Pharisees investigate the healing (v13-34)
1. Who are “they”? (v1)
The Pharisees who were investigating the matter.
2. What was the reaction of the Pharisees? (v16-17)
Even the Pharisees were divided in their reactions.
3. Why did the man say Jesus was a “prophet”? (v17)
The blind man didn’t know who Jesus is and from his own experience, he thought Jesus is someone with miraculous power.
4. Why did the Jews sent for the man’s parents? (18-19)
The Jews didn’t believe the man was blind. According to the Jewish law, at least two witnesses were needed to testify something was true. So they sent for the man’s parents.
5. What was the parents’ reply and what does the reply tell us about the parents? (v20-23)
The parents testified that the man was their son and used to be blind, but they didn’t testify Jesus had healed their son’s blindness. They did not appear to be very grateful that their son could now see. It is hard to say that they were loving parents – they left their blind son begging and refused to stand alone with their son when confronting the Pharisees.
6. The Jews said Jesus was a sinner. What sins had Jesus committed? (v24)
Jesus had committed no sin.
7. What was the man’s reply and what was his attitude like? (v27-33)
The man confronted and ridiculed the Pharisees.
8. What kind of life had this man had before he met Jesus? (v34)
He was born blind and was regarded as being punished of sins. He was barred from the Temple to worship and was a beggar living in curses. His parents did not particularly love him and had abandoned him in time of trial. However Jesus loved him and risked His own life (breaking the Sabbath law) to heal his blindness.
9. How would you be a witness for Jesus to testify “I was blind but now I see”?

Spiritual Blindness (v35-41)
1. What did the world do to the man later? (v35)
The world rejected him who the man was no longer blind. After he was thrown out Jesus went to look for him and found him.
2. What was the man’s attitude when Jesus found him? (v35-38)
He accepted Jesus eagerly.
3. Meaning of “judgment”, “blind”, “see”? (v39)
Judgment: who will live and who will die.
Blind: does not accept Jesus.
See: accepts Jesus.
4. Why the Pharisees were always there with Jesus? (v40)
They were trying to investigate Jesus and accuse Him. See? – The Pharisees were working on the Sabbath day as well! They were watching Jesus on the Sabbath day. They never stopped their attempt to accuse Jesus!
5. “claim you can see” – can they really see? Why “your guilt remains”? (v41)

John Chapter 8

2006-04-21T10:40:00.000+09:00

Azabujuban Home Group on 04/12/2006 (John 8:12)
---Note for the leader---

1. Review of the last week (John 7:53-8:12)
Place: Jerusalem, temple court
Time: after the Feast of Tabernacle
à September of October
The feast, which ran for seven days, was associated with gathering the harvest. It commemorated the provision of God for his people in the wilderness. People stayed in temporary structures made of leaves and branches during the festival. They gave thanks for the rain and looked forward to the time when God’s Spirit would be poured out at the coming of the kingdom of God. On the final day and climax of the feast, the Priest walks around the alter seven times, holds the pitcher up as high as possible and then pours the water onto the altar.
à One of three Jewish festivals. The other two are Passover (March or April) and Pentecost (May or June).
Pharisees brought an adulterous woman to Jesus to trap Jesus. However, Jesus said that a person without sin should throw a stone first and everyone escaped from there. In this way, the adulterous woman was saved.
Jesus hated sin, but loved sinners.
Relationship among the following four words

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

(Read today’s verse)
John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

2. Where and when that the today’s verse was preached?
Place: temple, near the place where the offerings were put (v20)
Where was “the place where the offerings were put”? At Jesus’s time, there was hierarchy in the temple as follows.
1. the court of the gentiles
Gentiles can also come in. It was this place where Jesus cleansed the temple (John 2:14-17).
2. the court of the women
Both Israeli men and women can come in. It was at the east of Herod’s temple, the place that today’s verse were preached. There were 13 boxes, shaped like trumpets to receive money. Most famous story that happened at this place is described at Mark 12:41-43. Jesus praised a poor widow who threw only two small copper coins.
3. the court of Israel
Only Israeli men can come in. Men gathered when the service was being carried on, to pray and to observe the offering of the sacrifices. Women could not attend the ceremony at the temple.
4. the court of Priests
Only priests can come in. There was an alter of the burnt offering and a basin.
5. temple building
There were the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. The high priest could come in the Most Holy place only once a year (Hebrews 9:7).
We can guess today’s words were spoken to Jewish men and women because it was told at the court of the women.
By Jesus’s crucifixion, as “At the moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51) indicates, there is no hierarchy between God and us today. Jesus is our high priest and become intermediary between God and us.
Time: after the event of the adulterous woman, after the Feast of Tabernacle
Before the event of the adulterous woman, during the Feast of Tabernacle, there were arguments among people whether Jesus came from God or not. Today’s words were spoken in this context.
Water is one symbol of the feast but there is another symbol of the feast, light. At the end of the first day of the festival with people joyfully singing and dancing through the night, four golden lamps, which were set at the court of the women, were lit. This reminded the people of God’s guidance and presence during the Exodus in desert. God was always with them during the Exodus.
Exodus 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

3. Let’s review “light” described in John so far as we learned.
John 1:4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
1:5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
1:6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
1:7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.
1:8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
John 3:19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
3:20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
3:21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
à Jesus is light but people like darkness.

4. If I say “I am the light.”, do you think of me being sane? If Jesus would say “God is the light.” or “Bible is the light.”, were Pharisees against Jesus?
In John’s gospel, there are seven times that Jesus said “I am”. The other six is as follows.
John 6:35 Then 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.
John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
If I say the same, I am sure that my friends would bring me to a mental hospital.
In a sense, it is natural that Pharisees was against Jesus. If Jesus said “God is the light.” or “Bible is the light.”, they needed not to be against Jesus because they were already written in the Old Testament everywhere.
Isaiah 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

5. Why did Jesus persist in “I am”?
“I am” is a core of Christianity.
”Relationship” is a keyword in Christianity. In the Old Testament, before a high priest sacrifices a lamb, he puts his hand on the lamb’s head (e.g. Leviticus 3:8). This means a relationship between a high priest who is a people’s representative and the lamb and people’s sin is transferred to the lamb. If you accept Jesus, if there is relationship between Jesus and you, you are saved.
Some prefer to concentrate on Jesus’s words such as “Blessed are the poor” and “Love your neighbor” apart from Jesus himself. If so, he can freely choose to accept Jesus’s words based on his policy. However, this does not mean there is relationship between Jesus and him.
“Believe God”, “Believe the truth” is persuasive and comparatively easy to accept for everyone. However, what Jesus said was, in short, “Believe me.” Moses and other guys in the Bible never said “Believe me.” Buddha, Confucius and Muhammad also never said “Believe me.” Generally speaking, you had not better to believe the person who say “believe me.”
Jesus requires us to make a choice whether you realize Jesus as “crazy man” “no relation” or “Christ” “relationship with us”. There is no middle way such as “I respect Jesus as one of wise men, philosophers or good men”, most Japanese people’s stance. A person who says “I am” can not be a wise man, philosopher or good man if he is not a true living God.

6. What are images of light? What are imagines of darkness?
Genesis 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
1:4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
à Light is “order”. Darkness is “chaos”.
Exodus 10:22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.
10:23 No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
à Light is “God’s people”. Darkness is “gentiles”.
Proverb 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
4:19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
à Light is “success”. Darkness is “failure”.
Ecclesiastes 2:13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.
2:14 The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.
à Light is “wisdom”. Darkness is “folly”. But both men finally die.
Ecclesiastes 11:7 Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
11:8 However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.
à Light is “joy”. Darkness is “hardship”.
Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--
9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
à Light is “hope”. Darkness is “distress”.
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.
à Light is “prosperity”. Darkness is “disaster”. Both are under the control of God.
Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13:13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
à Light is “moral”. Darkness is “immoral”.
1 John 2:9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
2:10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.
à Light is “love”. Darkness is “hatred”.
In short, what light implies is “life” and what darkness implies is “death”.

7. Before we follow Jesus, were we free?
Everyone likes freedom. In this sense, “follow” has negative impression because it seems to restrict our freedom. However, Bible doesn’t say so.
Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
7:16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
7:17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
7:19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing.
7:20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
7:21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law;
7:23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
7:25 Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

8. When Jesus tells us “follow me”, does it mean that Jesus orders you and you do alone?
As Exodus indicates, God always be with us and goes before us.
Sometimes we suffer, but Jesus also suffered.
Isaiah 63:9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
John 15:18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
Hebrew 2:18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

9. What is the difference between “have the light” and “benefit from the light”?
A person who receives light becomes the person who reflects light for other people. A person who follows Jesus becomes like Jesus.
Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
5:15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

10. Why does Bible sometimes tell us stories that Jesus cured the blind? Do you think you can see?
In fact, we are blind whether we realize it or not. For example, we don’t know our future. We also don’t know the truth. But God gives us light. In this case, what is important is that we ask Jesus for light.
Mark 10:51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
10:52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Matthew 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

11. When we face hardship and be depressed, we tend to think as if we were walking in darkness. Do Christians walk in darkness?
Christian life does not necessarily means easy life or lucky life. However, Jesus promises us that we never walk in darkness. From God’s view, we are waling in the light although we think we are surrounded by darkness. God is light and God is always with us.
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
9:24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Psalm 73:21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
73:22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
73:23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
73:24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Azabujuban Home Group on 04/12/2006 (John 8:12)
---Citations for participants---

1. Review of the last week (John 7:53-8:12). What is the relationship of the following four words?
Righteous
Live

Sinner
Die

2. Where and when that the today’s verse was preached?

3. Let’s review “light” described in John so far as we learned.

4. If I say, “I am the light.”, do you think of me being sane? If Jesus would say “God is the light.” or “Bible is the light.”, were Pharisees against Jesus?

5. Why did Jesus persist in “I am”?

6. What are images of light? What are imagines of darkness?

7. Before we follow Jesus, were we free?

8. When Jesus tells us “follow me”, does it mean that Jesus orders you and you do alone?

9. What is the difference between “have the light” and “benefit from the light”?

10. Why does Bible sometimes tell us stories that Jesus cured the blind? Do you think you can see?

11. When we face hardship and be depressed, we tend to think as if we were walking in darkness. Do Christians walk in darkness?

Azabujuban Home Group on 04/12/2006 (John 8:12)
---Quotations from NIV for participants---

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Question 1
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Question 2
Exodus 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

Question 3
John 1:4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
1:5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
1:6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
1:7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe.
1:8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
1:9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
John 3:19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
3:20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
3:21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."

Question 4
John 6:35 Then 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.
John 10:7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep.
John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.
Isaiah 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear?
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

Question 6
Genesis 1:3 And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
1:4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
Exodus 10:22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.
10:23 No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
Proverb 4:18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
4:19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Ecclesiastes 2:13 I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness.
2:14 The wise man has eyes in his head, while the fool walks in the darkness; but I came to realize that the same fate overtakes them both.
Ecclesiastes 11:7 Light is sweet, and it pleases the eyes to see the sun.
11:8 However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.
Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--
9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.
Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13:13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.
1 John 2:9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness.
2:10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble.

Question 7
Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
Romans 7:15 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
7:16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
7:17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
7:18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
7:19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing.
7:20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
7:21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law;
7:23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.
7:24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
7:25 Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
11:29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
11:30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Question 8
Isaiah 63:9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
John 15:18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
Hebrew 2:18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Question 9
Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
5:15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Question 10
Mark 10:51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
10:52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Matthew 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Question 11
Luke 9:23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
9:24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.
Psalm 73:21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
73:22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
73:23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
73:24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
73:26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

John Chapter 7-8

2006-04-21T10:33:00.000+09:00

Azabujuban Home Group on 5th April 2006 (John 7:53-8:11)
---Note for the leader---

1. Review of the last week (John 7:1-53)
Place: Jerusalem
Time: The Feast of Tabernacle
à September of October
One of three Jewish festivals that celebrates the completion of harvest and commemorates God’s goodness to the people during the desert wanderings
à The other two are Passover (March or April) and Pentecost (May or June).
There were arguments among people whether Jesus came from God or not.
John 7:37-38 “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

(Read today’s story)
Pharisees brought an adulterous woman to Jesus to trap Jesus. However, Jesus said that a person without sin should throw a stone first and everyone escaped from there. In this way, the adulterous woman was saved.

(Footnote of the today’s story)
NIV says that the earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have this story. Some manuscripts place this story elsewhere in John or in Luke. In the Greek text, the style of writing is similar to Luke (Luke 21:38 is similar to John 7:53.).
However, there are no grounds for considering it unhistorical and it is accepted as part of the New Testament Scripture. This story describes characteristics of Christianity well.

2. When and where of the today’s story
Mount of Olives locates 1km to the east of Jerusalem. It is 800m high and 60 m higher than Mount of Zion (Jerusalem). From the top of Mount of Olives, you can see the temple well.
In the New Testament, Mount of Olives is described as a place for pray. Jesus was arrested by Jews when he prayed at Gethsemane in Mount of Olives (Matthew 26:30, 36). At last, after resurrection, Jesus came back to heaven from Mount of Olives (Act1:10, 12).
Place: Jerusalem, temple court, people surrounded Jesus
Time: after the Feast of Tabernacle last chapter, during his preaching
à Similar to “During TUC’s worship service at the sanctuary, some guys come and interrupt the service.” We can guess all the people there were amazed at what happened there suddenly.

(Teachers of the law and Pharisees)
“teachers of the law” are Jewish scholars who interpret and teach laws of the Old Testament. They apply abstract laws to their daily life and made a lot of concrete regulations.
Meaning of the word “Pharisees” is “separated ones”. They wanted to separate from this world’s dirty habits. They were very diligent to observe laws and thought themselves as guardians of law. The number of the Pharisees in Israel at that time was 6,000. They thought much of tradition being equal to the Old Testament.
According to their view, God’s grace extends only to righteous men who keep laws.

3. How was adultery dealt in the Old Testament?
Exodus 20:14 (The Ten Commandments) “You shall not commit adultery.”
Leviticus 20:10 “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife – with the wife of his neighbor – both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death.”
Deuteronomy 22:22 “If a man is found sleeping with another man’s wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from among you.”
Jewish law required witnesses who saw the adulterous act to accuse. Circumstance evidence was not enough.
“Stone” was the way of Jewish death punishment regulated in the Old Testament elsewhere.

4. Why was that question a trap?
That question was “well” planed. They assumed that they could accuse Jesus, no matter how Jesus replied.
As to stone the woman,
If Jesus said “No”, they could accuse Jesus as violation of Jewish law written in the Old Testament. Pharisees deemed Jesus suspicious because he had cured the sick person 　at Sabbath (See John 5:8,9 and 16).
If Jesus said “Yes”, they could accuse Jesus as rebel to Roman Empire which ruled over Israel at that time. The Romans did not allow the Jews to carry out death sentences (See John 18:31).
The similar trap was described in Matthew 22:15-22.

(Jesus wrote something on the ground with his finger.)
We can not know why and how did Jesus write on the ground exactly. However, in the Old Testament, some parts referred to the God’s finger. The Ten Commandment was written on stone tablets by the finger of God (Exodus 31:18). Daniel 5:5 describes the story that human finger (maybe God’s finger) appeared suddenly and wrote something on the wall that predicted the end of Babylonian Empire.

5. What did Jesus point out to Pharisees by telling “Let the man without sin first throw a stone”?
Jesus pointed out whether their accusation came from right and pure incentive or not. Jesus resorted to their conscience. The sword of judgment is double-edged.
Matthew 7:1-5 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of saw-dust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

6. What do you think of each of these words in today’s story?
“began to go away” because there was no one without sin among them.
“the older ones first” maybe one becomes older, he tends to realize his sinfulness more.
“until only Jesus was left” because the only person without sin is Jesus.

7. Did Jesus hate adultery? Did Jesus hate the woman?
Jesus hated adultery, sin. Therefore, he said “Go now and leave your life of sin”.
Nevertheless, Jesus loved the woman, a sinner. Therefore, he said “Then neither do I condemn you,”.
Jesus hated sin, but loved sinners.

8. God is justice and love. What do you imagine the relationship of the following four words?
First, God is justice. One very simple example of justice is as follows.

Righteous -----> Live
Sinner -----> Die

What is the problem of this chart?
à No one can live.
God is not only justice but also love. God wishes all of us to live. As today’s story indicates, we can live by God’s love as follows.

Righteous
Sinner -------> Live

Is this chart completed?
à God is not only love but also justice. Justice has to be fulfilled. Therefore, to complete this chart, we have to add one more arrow. This is what happened at 2000 years ago. This is the meaning of Jesus’s crucifixion.

9. Why can our sin be forgiven? Why did Jesus not condemned the women in the today’s story?
This is because Jesus was crucified and bore sins of the woman and us. From another point of view, our sin and God’s love for us made Jesus be crucified. This is exactly why Jesus came to this world.
Colossians 2:13-14 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took is away, nailing it to the cross.”
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Azabujuban Home Group on 5th April 2006 (John 7:53-8:11)
---Outline for participants---

1. Review of the last week (John 7:1-53)
John 7:37-38

2. When and where of the today’s story?

3. How was adultery dealt in the Old Testament?
Exodus 20:14, Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22

4. Why was that question a trap?
Matthew 22:15-22

5. What did Jesus point out to Pharisees by telling “Let the man without sin first throw a stone”?
Matthew 7:1-5

6. What do you think of each of these words in today’s story?
“began to go away” “the older ones first” “until only Jesus was left”

7. Did Jesus hate adultery? Did Jesus hate the woman?

8. God is justice and love. What do you imagine the relationship of the following four words?

Righteous Live

Sinner Die

9. Why can our sin be forgiven? Why did Jesus not condemned the women in the today’s story?
Colossians 2:13-14, John 3:16-17

John Chapter 6-7

2006-04-21T10:32:00.000+09:00

To be submitted by Dan and Jonathan

John Chapter 5 Part 2

2006-03-14T09:46:00.000+09:00

Summary of (Hard Core) Home Group 8th March
John 5:16-47 Jesus Defends His Claims

Jesus’ outrageous claims:
• Jesus claims to be equal to God.
• He calls God his father.
• God reveals everything he does to him v20
• He raises things from the dead like God does v21 (eg paralysed man’s limbs are given life).
• God has given him the authority to judge the world v22
• Whoever hears Jesus and Believes God sent him will have eternal life v24
• Those who hear Jesus’ voice will be raised from death v25

Evidence Jesus gives to support his claims:
1. John the Baptist says Jesus is above all, he speaks the word of God and has the Spirit without limit. Whoever believes in Jesus will have eternal life (John3:31-36)
2. Jesus’ miracles prove that he is sent from God and is doing God’s work.
3. God does not speak directly to the Jews in John’s gospel to support Jesus. However God speaks at Jesus’ baptism in other gospels (eg Mark 1:11) and ultimately supports Jesus’ claims by raising him from the dead after his crucifixion.
4. The Scriptures (the Old Testament) contains numerous prophesies written hundreds of years before Jesus was born which Jesus fulfils by his birth and work and death.

Background to Moses & the Law
Moses received the 10 Commandments from God and wrote the first 5 books of the Bible containing all the laws. God said if the Israelites fully obeyed him and kept his laws then they would be his Holy Nation. (Exodus 19 v3-6). Unfortunately there were so many rules it was impossible to keep the Law so Jesus called Moses the Jews’ “Accuser”.

Points to Ponder:
A. The Jews spent lots of time studying the scriptures and the law to find eternal life. The scriptures pointed to Jesus but the Jews “could not see the wood for the trees” and missed the point. Are we guilty of getting stuck on the details and missing out on our relationship with Jesus?

B. Some non-Christians believe that Jesus was a good teacher but was not special or equal to God. How can you respond using the evidence that Jesus gives?

John Chapter 5

2006-02-28T15:22:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – February 22, 2006
Healing the Lame Man, and Sabbath Controversies

A. Review of last week’s meeting

Jesus came to save the world. This was significant to the Samaritans, because up to now they considered themselves to be outside of God’s salvation.
Jesus’ heals the official’s son. But what He is more interested is that we believe in Him.
Faith in God. Involves surrendering ourselves to God and letting Him take charge of our lives. Trusting that God knows best for us – whatever it may be.

B. Healing the Lame Man

Read John 5:1-18

1. Describe what you would see, hear, smell and feel at the pool in Jerusalem if you were physically there?

Many disabled people came to this place. It would be quite smelly, the atmosphere rather sad. There may be lots of shouting and begging. It would be a rather busy area because most beggars congregate where lots of people pass by so they can get more money from begging.

Real life experiences in India, most beggars are in public places like train stations.

2. Have 2 members read aloud the conversations in verses 6-17 between Jesus, the man and the Jews.

3. After Jesus heals that man, does appear to be grateful?

It doesn’t appear to be the case that the beggar is grateful for being healed. In contrast to other times when Jesus performs a miracle, John doesn’t describe that the man was joyful or that he believed as a result of being healed.

4. Compare this to the reaction of the official and his family when Jesus healed his son in the previous chapter.

Verse 53. The official and his household “believed”.

5. In verse 6 Jesus asks the man “Do you want to get well?” This is a penetrating question. Usually the sick are usually begging Jesus to help them, yet in this case, this man does not. In fact, as noted in question 3 above, later after he is healed he doesn’t seem too joyful about being saved. Why?

Believe it or not, a beggar can lose a good living my being cured.

C. Sabbath Controversies

6. Why did the Jews believe that carrying one’s mat on the Sabbath was a sin?

Based on Exodus 20:8-11, it was forbidden to work on a Sunday. However, it is arguable that this man’s act really wasn’t a breach of the law because it originally meant to prohibit the performance of one’s ordinary occupation/work on the Sabbath. Therefore, if the man were a furniture remover would he be guilty? Probably yes, because that is his ordinary work.

Moses gave the law but the Jews amplified this into an elaborate system of regulations to the extreme. This is an example of how the Jews emphasised so much on rules and regulations. This practise of the law came to dominate its spirit. Outward conformity replaced heart commitment. They lost sight of the ultimate purpose of the law.

7. Is there anything unusual about the meeting between the man and the Jews in verse 10 and what they tell him? [Hint: this is related to the previous question]

Yes, the Jews show no interest in the wonder of his recovery or the miracle working powers of Jesus! All they’re interested in is that Jesus broke the law!

D. Question to Consider

8. Being cured has its implications. Could Jesus be asking the question, “Do you want to get well?” to us? Are we responding in the same way this lame man is?

Yes he is asking this question – to all of mankind – he is giving us the choice to be healed, to be saved. We may not be physically crippled but spiritually, we need healing.

But are we ready to be for the implications of salvation, including having to repent of sin and expressing a new loyalty to Christ?

Some people don’t want to be healed. Why, because they are happy exactly where they are. If they rich, powerful, and have everything, or quite simply, they are living in sin and they enjoy it, why would they want to give it up?

The Truth is, God is our creator and without Him in our lives, our lives have no meaning, no purpose. This is so, even if we have the wealth of Bill Gates, the fame of Brad Pitt, the IQ of Albert Einstein, or the power of George Bush!

John Chapter 4

2006-02-21T17:31:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – February 15, 2006
Healing of an Official’s son – A question of FAITH

A. Review of last week’s meeting
Jesus can give us Living Water: [This water is Eternal Life]
Jesus’ meets with a Samaritan woman: [and teaches that we must worship the Father in Spirit and Truth. Worshipping in Spirit means location is not important and Worshipping in truth means that we must be true to God and ourselves]

B. The Living Water ( … continued)

Read John 4:27-42

1. How do the disciples react to the situation when they return (v27)?

They are surprised because in that era, it was unacceptable for a man to talk to a woman in public.

2. Why did the woman leave her water jar when she went back to the town (v28)?

She was in such a rush to announce to everybody that she has met the Messiah she didn’t care for the water jar.

3. In her rush back to the town, how did the people react to her testimony? Why (v28-30)?

They are moved to investigate the situation. Probably because she had a questionable lifestyle and wasn’t trusted, they townsfolk didn’t believe her immediately and wanted to see for themselves.

4. What happened to the other Samaritans as a result of the woman’s testimony? What two reasons do they give for their belief in Jesus (v39-42)?

Many became believers.
They became believers because of (1) the woman’s testimony and (2) because they heard for themselves.

5. [Question to consider]. The rest of the Samaritans later say, “we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world”. Why is it so special to the Samaritans to learn this? Why is it so special for us?

For centuries they were shut out of God’s grace, they were considered second-class citizens in the eyes of the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem. The excluded are now included. They discovered that Jesus’ love is so wide and undiscriminating to include them (as well as the whole world). John 3: 16 states, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shlal not perish but have eternal life”. That is, God’s love is for all of us, including Jews, Samaritans.

Even today, we shouldn’t think that the church is exclusive. Nor is it for perfect people. And, there are no perfect people. Jesus loves all of us and came to save all of us, even prostitutes and deceiving tax collectors. We are all sinners but Jesus came for us. We repent for wrongdoings, follow him, worshipping Him in Spirit and Truth.

The Fighting Temptations. Starring Cuba Gooding Junior, Beyonce. Cuba loses his high-flying job as an advertising executive. But his Aunt leaves him an inheritance of $150,000 on the condition that he make a choir for the local church (in rural America) and take it to the singing contest and win it. He does this, but lack good singers. There are some in the prison, the church doesn’t like to have these murderers and cheats. But the reality is, the church is for sinners, and at the end of the day, we are all sinners, and God loves all of us despite this shortcoming.

C. Healing an Official’s son – a question of FAITH

During his two days in Samaria, Jesus’ words convinced not only the woman at the well but many of the town that he is the Saviour of the world. Back in Galilee the crowd clamours for signs and wonders. Jesus seems reluctant to satisfy them until a distressed parent brings his urgent request.

Read John 4:43-54

6. Galilee is where Jesus grew up. It is his hometown but Jesus said, “a prophet has no honour in his own country” (v44). Then, why did the Galileans welcome Jesus?

They were interested in seeing more miracles. They were welcoming not the Messiah, but only a miracle worker who would amaze them.

If you recall, Jesus’ first miracle was at the wedding banquet at Cana where he turned water into wine. This story must have spread in the region, so people were expecting Jesus to perform more miracles which was why many of them probably came out to see him.

7. Why did the royal official travel from Capernaum to find Jesus? Locate Cana and Capernaum on the map.

His son was gravely sick.

8. Ask two people to read aloud the brief conversation between Jesus and the father. Start with v47 reworded as a direct quotation from the official. What is Jesus hoping to see in this man’s faith?

From Jesus’ perspective, he healed the boy, but to Jesus, He was more concerned about something else. What was that? Healing the boy was easy, but through the miracle of healing the boy, the official and his whole house believed in Jesus (v53).

Our lives on in this world are only temporary. What is more important is our spiritual salvation because the soul is eternal. This is what Jesus wants to heal.

9. [Question to consider]. What is “faith” to you?

The Cambridge Dictionary meaning of faith is: “great trust or confidence in something” eg, “I have faith in this doctor to heal me”. It can also mean “loyalty”, eg “He is faithful to his wife!”

In the context of Christian faith, it is closer to the first definition above. That is, faith is, believing that Jesus is the Saviour of the world and that He will give us eternal life (3:16).

There are other usages of the word, “faith” in the Christian Context. For me, I see “faith” as surrendering yourself to God and completely trusting that God will lead, guide you in the right way always, even when things are difficult, eg the story of Noah. When Noah was building His boat, it was in the middle of the desert, no one had even seen the rain. Everyone ridiculed Noah because of the impossibility of rain in the middle of the desert. But he did this for 120 years. He trusted the God. Noah built a boat in the middle of the desert when he had never even seen the sea.

When we trust in God like this we are worshipping Him. This pleases God. C.S. Lewis said, “The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become – because he made us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be…. It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own”.

John Chapter 3-4

2006-02-13T14:43:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – February 1, 2006
The Living Water and Worshipping in Spirit and Truth

A. Review of last week’s meeting

Jesus is the Temple: [Now, salvation is through Him, not in a building built by men]
Jesus’ meets with Nicodemus and teaches: [“no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born again”]
John the Baptist’s meaningful statement: [“He must become greater; I must become less”]

B. The Living Water

Remember how thirsty you feel on a hot, dry day with no breeze stirring? How eagerly you drink a tall, cold glass of water! But how do you recognise your spiritual thirst and what will satisfy it?

Jesus offers the answer in a remarkable conversation that broke the social customs. In Jesus’ day, a Jew did not speak kindly to a Samaritan nor should a man speak to a woman publicly. Yet in this passage, Jesus does both.

Jews despised the Samaritans, as “half-breeds”, Jews who remained in Israel and intermarried with new settlers when most of the Jews were exiled to Babylon 500 years earlier. The Samaritans insisted that theirs was a pure religion derived from the Law of Moses.

Read John 4:1-26

1. To avoid Samaria, Jews travelling from Judea to Galilee often made a detour through the province of Perea. However, Jesus went straight through. Trace on a map the route Jesus follows on his journey.

2. Why does Jesus leave Judea at this time?

He was becoming too successful. Jesus wanted to stay away from the limelight, because if the Jews knew that he was the Messiah they would make him their earthly king. See also, last week, John 2:23 “many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men”.

At the end of the day, Jesus’ purpose on earth was to die for the sins of mankind so that we may have eternal life (John 3:16).

3. Why is it so surprising that Jesus would talk to this woman?

First, she is Samaritan. John in verse 9 says, “For Jews do not associate with Samaritans”. The reason for this is historical. After the death of King Solomon the Israel was divided and Samaria was taken over by the Assyrians in 722 – 721 BC. They resettled the area with foreigners (2 Kings 12:1-24) that meant loss of racial and religious purity.

The divide was deepened when the Samaritans built their own Temple at Mount Gerizim around 400 BC. And the Jews destroyed this 128 BC. Both actions increased hostility between the two.

Second, she is a woman. There was rule at the time that Jewish men must not talk to a woman on the street, not even to his own wife, let alone someone else’s wife.

4. When Jesus talks of the “Living Water” what does he mean?

Hint: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Starring Harrison Ford and Sean Connery.

The living water refers to the Eternal Life. Jesus here is evangelising to this woman.

5. When Nicodemus was talking to Jesus about being reborn, he misunderstood what Jesus was talking about. Similarly, how does this woman misunderstand Jesus when he talks about the “living water”?

They both couldn’t understand that Jesus was using figurative speech, symbols. They thought He was talking literally. 3:4, Nicodemus thought that one had to physically re-enter the mother’s womb to be born again. Here the woman thought Jesus was talking about real water.

C. Worship in Spirit and Truth

6. What does “God’s worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) mean to you?

Worship in spirit
To fully understand Jesus’ words here we must look to the context. When Jesus said we must worship in spirit this could mean several things. First, the location of where one worships is not important. Jesus said (in verse 23), “… a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem”. Therefore what this means for us is that you don’t need to be at church to worship nor is it done only on Sunday. You could be doing it at home on the weekend, or even on the way to work.

This teaching is also consistent with what Paul said in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, … to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship”. As you may remember we covered this a few weeks ago. The important point about worship (or, being a “living sacrifice”) is that it is a continual thing. That is, to be done anywhere and everyday, not just at church on Sunday.

Second, when we become Christians, God fills us with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit first came to new Christians on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) just as Jesus promised. Now that we are with God in Spirit (unlike the Old Testament times), we should also worship in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we bear the fruits of the Spirit as we worship in spirit.

Worship in truth
This statement also has several layers of meaning.

First, we must again look at the context in which Jesus made this statement. When Jesus told the Samaritan woman to “Go, call your husband and come back” (verse 16), the Samaritan woman replied that she did not have a husband. She was telling the truth to Jesus that she replied that does not have a husband at that that moment, but the fact was that she was living in sin. The Jews believed that a woman should only marry at most three times. Furthermore, living together but not being married was not acceptable during that time. In this context, when Jesus says that we should worship in truth, it could mean that we should face God truthfully. That is, if we are presently living in sin (eg there is somebody we hate), or if we have not fully surrendered our lives to God (eg we can’t let go of materialism), this is not being true to God (or to ourselves). And accordingly, we are not worshipping in truth. Until we put our lives right and address our failures we cannot worship God in Truth. But this doesn’t mean that worship is for perfect people because of course, none of us is perfect. Rather what is important is that we worship with a genuine and humble spirit while addressing the sin.

Second, worshipping in truth also means that we should know what we worship. We shouldn’t worship who we imagine who God is! The God as revealed in the Bible is the true God. The God whom we imagine in our minds (without learning from the Bible) is a god created by our imagination. Again, looking at the context, Jesus said, “you Samaritans worship what you do not know …” (verse 22). Historically, the Samaritans were originally of Jewish descent but became mixed in ethnicity as a result of years of conquest by neighbouring nations. In addition, their faith also became distorted through the influence of foreign religions and idols. As a result, although they believed in God, their knowledge of God was distorted, that is, their faith presented an “untrue” God. Therefore, when Jesus commands us to worship in truth, we must learn who God is from the Bible and not from who we “imagine” God is.

John Chapter 1-3

2006-01-24T17:55:00.000+09:00

HG meeting of Jan 18

1. Review of John 1:1-18 John’s claim
Christ (The promised one) had come: He was God in flesh.
He gives life. He is full of grace.
He is the light. He shows the truth.
Those who believe in Him have the right to become children of God.
To non-Christians: Do you believe?
To Christians: these give the real meaning of salvation, the base of Christian’s theology.

2. John 1:19-34 Christ, the “promised one”:
Who made the promise, and when?
Genesis 3:15, Genesis 21:3, Genesis 28:12-15(1:51), Isaiah 40:3 (1:23), Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:5

3. John 1:35-51 Jesus Calls Disciples
What is the Lamb of God?
How are you going to follow Jesus?
Will you introduce Jesus to your neighbors?

4. John 2:1-11 Jesus Changes Water to Wine
What does this story tell us? Does it relate to life?

HG meeting of Jan 25

5. John 2:12-22 Jesus Clears the Temple
How is the temple related with Jesus’ body?
What is wrong with trading in temple’s courts?

6. John 2:23-25 Jesus knows man
What does it mean “to believe in Jesus”?

7. John 3:1-21 Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
Who was Nicodemus?
Why did he come to Jesus at night?
Can “Be Saved” be this simple?

8. John 3:22-36 John the Baptist and Jesus
How can the new life grow?

John Chapter 1

2006-01-16T17:38:00.000+09:00

Notes for HG meeting on Jan. 11Gospel John

Chapter 1 Verses 1 - 18
Reading the bible is not just to understand what is written – the phrases and the sentences, but to get the message.
To get the message, we must read each section/chapter within the contexts. The context includes:
1. Author: author is part of the message
2. Culture Context: the history (time), people and the geography of that time.
3. Writing Context: the section before and after, the book before and after, the other books written by the same author and/or same time period.

Author – Apostle John:
In the Gospels he and his brother, St. James (the Greater), are identified as sons of Zebedee; Jesus called them Boanerges or Sons of Thunder (Mark 3:17). The two brothers, together with Peter, were the three apostles closest to Jesus; they witnessed the Transfiguration and accompanied Jesus to Gethsemane. John has been thought to have been the disciple "whom Jesus loved." Jesus, in his dying moments, committed Mary to John's care (John 19:26-27).
Despite the persecution that he faced through the many years of his service and witness (that resulted in the martyrdom of nearly all, if not every one of the other apostles - see What Happened To The Apostles?), John managed to live to old age because (apart from caring for Mary who was likely not more than age 50 at the time of The Crucifixion) he had yet more writing to do. While banished to the island of Patmos, after having already written the Gospel of John (of which Mary would have been a very good source of information), he was given to write the Book of Revelation.

Culture Context: when was this book written?
Writing Context:
The bible context
One of the 4 gospels: between the Old Testament and the rests of the New Testament.
Old Testament: Who is God? What was His plan? How should they (we) live?
New Testament: Who is Jesus? What has he done? How should we live?
Because Gospel John, like the other Gospels, it addresses more on the first 2 questions, but even more that way.

Other Books:
John I, II, III: Deal with the problem about the gap between how we should live and how we are living.
Revelation: to be a winner

Translations:
Matthew 16:25
“Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding your self, your true self” MSG
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.” NIV

Mark 8:35 (Luke 17:33,)
“Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live!” Living Bible
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.” NIV

John 12:25
The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” NIV

In the book:
This part: proclaim, and the rest: testimony.

1 – 2: John 10:30 "I and the Father are one."
4: John 14:6: Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.
Life and light:
John8:12: 12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
1 John: 1:5-6: 5This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
1 john 2:9-11: 9Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him[c] to make him stumble. 11But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.
5: John 9:40-41: 40Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?" 41Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.
John 10:31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"
6: Baptist John testified that Jesus was the promised one.
14: Jesus was God in flesh
18: Jesus was God’s image

Purpose Driven Life Day 29-31

2005-11-08T17:46:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – 11/09/2005

Opening
Introduction and partner picking for newcomers

Brief Review of last week
Last week we covered the 2nd half of the 4th week – You were You Were Created to Become Like Christ, days 25-28:
Transformed by Trouble – all things God works for the good of those who love him.
Growing through and defeating Temptation – Do not fight them, avoid them.
It Takes Time – Something to look forward in your life.

5th week (1): You were shaped for serving God
Day 29 – Accepting Your Assignment
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24-15
Q1. What is your understanding about “Serving God”?
“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples build by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything.” Act 17:24-25
“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other” Luke 16:13

Day 30 – Shaped for Serving God
Day 31 – Understanding Your Shape
Q1. What are SHAPE?
Q2. Is there anything you would like to add to SHAPE?

“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:22-23
Jonah
Jeremiah

Q2. According to the Bible, how important are ‘effectiveness’ and ‘success’ in our ministry (Serving God)?

Sharing time
From this week’s reading, do you have a passage from the book or from the bible that you want to share?

Prayer time
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Jeremiah
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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For other uses, see Jeremiah (disambiguation).

"Jeremiah Lamenting the Destruction of Jerusalem" by Rembrandt van Rijn
Jeremiah or Yirmiyáhu (יִרְמְיָהוּ "Raised-up/Appointed of the LORD", Standard Hebrew Yirməyáhu, Tiberian Hebrew Yirməyāhû) (or, perhaps meaning "YHWH throws") was one of the "greater prophets" of the Old Testament, and the son of Hilkiah, a priest of Anathoth.
His writings are collected in the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations. Jeremiah is considered by some modern scholars (as well as some ancient Rabbis) to have written, or redacted much of the Old Testament, as we have it today. His language in "Jeremiah" and "Lamentations" is quite similar to that in Deuteronomy and the "Deuteronomic history" of Joshua, Judges, the Books of Samuel, and the Books of Kings. Jeremiah is also famous as "the broken-hearted prophet" (who wrote or dictated a "broken book", which has been difficult for scholars to put into chronological order), whose heart-rending life, and true prophecies of dire warning went largely-unheeded by the people of Judah. YHWH told Jeremiah, "You will go to them; but for their part, they will not listen to you".
According to the Book of Jeremiah, he was called to the prophetical office when still young; in the thirteenth year of Josiah (628 BC). He left his native place, Anatoth, (where Jeremiah was perhaps a member of the priesthood) and went to reside in Jerusalem; where he assisted Josiah in his work of reformation. (Josiah is one of the most famous "good kings" of the Israelites; one of the Hebrew scribes "found" a copy of the Old Testament Scriptures, and the chief scribe brought this copy to Josiah. Upon hearing it read to him, Josiah "tore his robes" in grief, at the revealed knowledge of the coming wrath of YHWH, because the nation had not been following the Scriptures. Josiah subsequently embarked upon a furious assault upon idolatry in Judah, removing the idolatrous priest-hood, and restoring the worship of YHWH to Judah.) He (Jeremiah) wrote a lamentation upon the death of this pious king, which has not survived.
During the three years of the reign of Jehoahaz, we find no reference to Jeremiah, but in the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the enmity of the people against the prophet was expressed with persecution, and Jeremiah was apparently imprisoned. In his most famous confrontation with Jehoiakim, Jeremiah warned the king that "God would roll him up into a little ball, and would throw him out of Judah"; a prophecy which includes a possible pun on the use of Jeremiah's name, which means "YHWH throws".
He remained in Jerusalem, uttering from time to time his words of warning, but without much effect. He was there when Nebuchadnezzar besieged the city (Jer. 37:4, 5), 589 BC, as Jeremiah had prophesied before-hand. The rumour of the approach of the Egyptians to aid the Jews in this crisis induced the Babylonians to withdraw, and to return to their own land. However, this siege was raised only for a short time. The prophet, in answer to his prayer, received a message from God, stating that "the Babylonians would come again, and take the city, and burn it with fire" (37:7, 8). The princes, in their anger at such a message by Jeremiah, cast him into prison (37:15-38:13). He was still in confinement when the city was taken (588 BC). The Babylonians released him, and showed him great kindness; allowing Jeremiah to choose the place of his residence, according to a Babylonian edict. Jeremiah accordingly went to Mizpah with Gedaliah, who had been made governor of Judea.
Johanan succeeded Gedaliah, who had been assassinated by an Amorite spy, "for working with the Babylonians". Refusing to listen to Jeremiah's counsels, Johanan fled to Egypt, taking Jeremiah and Baruch (Jeremiah's faithful scribe and servant) with him (Jer. 43:6). There, the prophet probably spent the remainder of his life, still seeking in vain to turn the people to the Lord; from whom they had so long revolted (44). He lived into the reign of Evil-merodach, son of Nebuchadnezzar, and may have been about ninety years of age at his death. We have no authentic record of his death; he may have died at Tahpanes, or, according to a tradition, may have gone to Babylon with the army of Nebuchadnezzar.

Purpose Driven Life Day 25-28

2005-11-08T17:17:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – 11/02/2005

Opening
Introduction and partner picking for newcomers

Brief Review of last week
Last week we covered the 1st 3 days of the 4th week – You were You Were Created to Become Like Christ, days 22-24:
Created to Become Like Christ – God’s ultimate goal for our life on earth is character development. (Romans 12:2)
How We Grow – Through Jesus Christ. (Romans 18:25)
Transformed by Truth – Read the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:11)
Christian’s Character - Matthew 5:1-12, Galatians 5:22-23, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 2 Peter 1:5-7

4th week (2): You were created to become like Christ
Day 25 – Transformed by Trouble
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8-28
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good” Genesis 50:20
Q1. What problem in my life has caused the greatest growth in me?

Day 26 –Growing through Temptation
Day 27 –Defeating Temptation

“Happy is the man who doesn’t give in and do wrong when he is tempted, for afterwards he will get as his reward the crown of life that God has promised those who love him.” James 1:12
“Run from anything that gives you the evil thoughts . . . but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right” 2 Timothy 2:22
Q1. How temptation works?
Q2. What are the keys to defeating temptation? Which one helps you most?

Day 28 – It Takes Time
“Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:22
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.” Philippians 1:6
Q. What is an abundant life to you? (John 10:10)

Sharing time
From this week’s reading, do you have a passage from the book or from the bible that you want to share?

Prayer time

Purpose Driven Life Day 22-24

2005-11-08T17:16:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – 10/26/2005

Opening
Introduction and partner picking for newcomers

Brief Review of last week
Last week we covered the 2nd half of the 3rd week – You were formed for God’s family, days 18-21:
Experiencing Life Together – Join and cultivate Community.
Restoring Broken Fellowship – Remove the plank of our own eye first.
Protecting Our Church – protect the unity of our church.

3rd week (2): You were created to become like Christ
Day 22 – Created to Become Like Christ
“As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more.” 2 Corinthians 3-18
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’ will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:6
Q1. What is God’s ultimate goal for our life?
Q2. How is the Christian’s character different from what is suitable to the pattern of this world?

Day 23 – How We Grow
“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Romans 8:18,24-25
Q1. What are some of the changes you have seen in your life since you became a believer?
Q1. Is there an area where I wanted to change but still need God’s help?

Day 24 – Transformed by Truth
“People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God” Matthew 4:4
“All Scripture is God-inspired and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:11
“But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does no wither. Whatever he does prospers.” Psalms 1:2-3
Q1. How frequent do you open the Bible?
Q2. Where do you get help when you do not fully understand or have questions with some of the Bible verses?

Sharing time
From this week’s reading, do you have a passage from the book or from the bible that you want to share?

Passages to memorize –
The beatitudes of Jesus – "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. 10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:1-12
The fruit of the Spirit – 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23
The description of love – “4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
The list of the characteristics of a Christian – “5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.” 2 Peter 1:5-7

Prayer time

Purpose Driven Life Day 18-21 p2

2005-11-08T17:14:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – 10/19/2005

Opening
Introduction and partner picking for newcomers

Brief Review of last week
Last week we covered the first half of the 3rd week – You were formed for God’s family, days 15-17 and a half of day 18:
To be a member of God’s family is the greatest privilege of a Christian.
Love will last forever – that is why learning to love is important.
The church is God’s family on earth – that is the place we belong.
Experiencing life together - fellowship

3rd week (2): You were formed for God’s Family
Day 18 – Experiencing Life Together
“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity” Psalms 133:1
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Q1. What is your understanding about Fellowship?
Q2. What would make it easier for you to be able to share your needs, hurts, fears, and hopes with others?

Fellowship is coming together in the name of Jesus Christ. It is deeper than our casual coffee time after service on Sunday. It involves having a relationship with our fellow members as if they were our brothers and sisters because in actual fact, we are brothers and sisters in God’s family. Various examples of fellowship were discussed, including the mutual acknowledgement that the Azabu Juban Home Group is a good example of fellowship.

In order to build a stronger fellowship group that enables us to share our needs, hurts, fears and hopes we need to all make a commitment to each other. That is, we need to invest time and effort into our brothers’ and sisters’ welfare. Also, we need to do more things together as a group as this cultivates trust.

Also, it was noted that when it comes to fellowship, smaller is better. Once the group gets larger than 10 people, it could start to become less intimate. Once a group becomes less intimate, it makes it harder for members to share needs, hurts and fears (particularly for the more quiet ones).

When we come together in fellowship, Jesus promised us that he is with us in our midst, “where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them”. Matthew 18:20.

Day 19 – Cultivating Community
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:15-16
Q1. What are the characteristics needed to cultivate community (fellowship)?
Q2. Do I have a heart-to-heart relationship with my PDL/spiritual partner?

The Bible teaches us to “speak the truth in love”. That is, speaking the truth is the principle and doing it in love is the guideline. We should always be truthful to our fellow brothers and sisters, however sometimes the truth hurts and what we say can often hurt their feelings or cause resentment. By speaking in love we can avoid these negative consequences.

PDL lists 9 characteristics that give specific guidance about fellowship. (Notice that simply having love for each other covers all these 9 things):
Authenticity – share our true feelings;
Mutuality – encourage each other;
Sympathy – support each other
Mercy – forgive each other;
Honesty – speak the truth in love;
Humility – admit our weaknesses;
Courtesy – respect our differences;
Confidentiality – not gossip; and
Frequency – make the group a priority.

Day 20 – Restoring Broken Fellowship
“Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody” Romans 12:18
“First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:5
Q1. Who do I need to restore a broken relationship with today?

Restoring broken relationships are always difficult to do. But the important point here is that the hardest and most important step is that first step in actually taking the initiative. After that, it could take a long time, but with the Lord’s help and by taking it one step at a time, relationships can be restored.

Day 21 – Protecting Your Church
“Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand” Romans 14:4
“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” Romans 14:19
Q1. What are the things we should preserve? What are the disputable matters?
Q2. Are there any matters endangering the unity of our church?

In many stages of Christianity, persecution from external sources such as the Roman government at the time of the early church 2,000 years ago wasn’t effective in destroying the church. In fact, it only helped to make it stronger and grow. Eventually Christianity went on to be spread all over Europe and eventually the rest of the world.

In comparison, often it is internal sources that cause division in the church. That is, the members of the church itself. It is often a difference of opinions as to what is the right or wrong form of believing that destroys the church from the inside.

We must note that the early church (even with the original 12 apostles) was deeply divided and almost split up, because of these differences of opinion. Some wanted the new gentile believers to be circumcised because it was necessary for salvation, whereas others said it wasn’t necessary because salvation comes through faith alone. We note that a council meeting was held in Jerusalem to which Paul attended where this issue was debated. Although we know from his other Letters in the New Testament that he strongly opposed circumcision, we note that at the Jerusalem meeting, Paul did not speak out. This action is something we can learn from when dealing with division within the church.

The Bible teaches us that we should act in love and not in judgment on each other. In Romans chapter 14, Paul gives us the example of food: “if one man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?” (Romans 14:2-4), and “if your brother is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. … Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Romans 14:16-19

Therefore we should be wary that satan works to destroy the church from the inside, rather than the outside, and so we be prepared to act appropriately when it happens.

Finally, in light of the above, note that we have several different Christian denominations such as Protestant, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist churches and so forth. The important point is the these denominations share the same core orthodox truths of the Bible such as that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and the Son of God, that he died for our sins and rose from the dead three days later. When a section starts believing in something that deviates from these core truths then they are cannot be considered to be truly Christian. Examples of these churches include, the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Therefore, where the issue goes against the core truth of the Bible, then it is a cult and unacceptable. However, where the issue preserves the core truth of the Bible but is really more concerned with formalities, then we should strive to ensure that the differences of opinions on this issue should not cause division in the church.

Sharing time
From this week’s reading, do you have a passage from the book or from the bible that you want to share?

A passage to read – Acts 15:1-21
A passage to memorize – Matthew 7:5

Prayer time

Purpose Driven Life 18-21

2005-11-08T17:13:00.000+09:00

Purpose Driven Life Day 15-17

2005-11-08T17:11:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – 10/12/2005

Opening
Introduction and partner picking for newcomers

Brief Review of last week
Last week we finished the 2nd week, days 8-14:
Worship is to bring pleasure to God.
The Lord is pleased with those who worship him and trust his love. Psalm 147:11
The heart of worship is surrender.
God wants to be our best friend.
Honest is the key to close friendship.
God’s worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4:24

3rd week: You were formed for God’s Family
Day 15 - Formed for God’s Family:
“A slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.” John 8:35
“Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." Matthew 12:50
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:10
Q1. What is God’s family?

Day 16 – What Matters Most
" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22:37-40
“These three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love” 1Corinthians 13:13
Q1. Honestly, are relationships my first priority? How can I ensure that they are?
Q2. What are the barriers that keep us from loving and caring for others?

Day 17 – A Place to Belong
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:35
“You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.” Ephesians 2:19
Q1. Do you feel at home when you are in church?
Q2. What are the barriers that keep us from loving and caring for other believers?

Day 18 – Experiencing Life Together
“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity” Psalms 133:1
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
Q. What is your understanding about Fellowship?

Sharing time
From this week’s reading, do you have a passage from the book or from the bible that you want to share?

A passage to memorize – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8Love never fails.

Prayer time

Purpose Driven Life Day 13

2005-11-08T17:06:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – October 5, 2005
You were planned for God’s pleasure!! (continued)

Brief Review of last week

Day 10 – The heart of worship

Although the word “surrender” carries a negative meaning in most contexts, this is truly the heart of worship. The story of Joshua’s victory in Jericho (Joshua 5:13-6:21) shows how surrender actually leads to victory. By surrendering, we do not stop what we are supposed to do. Instead, we do those things with even more strength and confidence.

Days 11 and 12 – Becoming best friends with God

The difference between a servant and a friend is that a servant does not know his master’s business, but a friend does (John 15:14-15). God wants us to be His friend and demonstrated this by dying for us. The ball in now in our court: how can we become friends with God?

Day 13 – Worship that pleases God

Read Mark 12:30 (Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27) and Deuteronomy 6:6-9.

1. Which is easier for you – public or private worship? What kind of worship makes you feel closer to God?

2. What does “God’s worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) mean to you?

In John 4:24 Jesus meets a Samaritan woman and teaches her what it means to “worship in spirit and truth”.

Worship in spirit
To fully understand Jesus’ words here we must look to the context. When Jesus said we must worship in spirit this could mean several things. First, the location of where one worships is not important. Jesus said (in verse 23), “… a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem”. Therefore what this means for us is that you don’t need to be at church to worship. You could be doing it at home on the weekend, or even on the way to church.

This teaching is also consistent with what Paul said in Romans 12:1, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, … to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship”. As you may remember we covered this a few weeks ago. The important point about worship (or, being a “living sacrifice”) is that it is a continual thing. That is, to be done anywhere and everyday, not just at church on Sunday.

Second, when we become Christians, God fills us with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit first came to new Christians on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) just as Jesus promised. Now that we are with God in Spirit (unlike the Old Testament times), we should also worship in the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Worship in truth
This statement also has many layers of meaning.

First, we must again look at the context in which Jesus made this statement. When Jesus told the Samaritan woman to “Go, call your husband and come back” (verse 16), the Samaritan woman replied that she did not have a husband. She was telling the truth to Jesus that she replied that does not have a husband at that that moment, but on the other hand her response was misleading because she previously had 5 husbands and the person she is with now is not her husband. The fact was that she was living in sin. In this context, when Jesus says that we should worship in truth, it could mean that we should face God truthfully. That is, if we are presently living in sin (eg there is somebody we hate), or if we have not fully surrendered our lives to God (eg we can’t let go of materialism), this is not being true to God (or to ourselves). And accordingly, we are not worshipping in truth.

Second, worshipping in truth also means that we should know what we worship. We shouldn’t worship who we think God is! The God as revealed in the Bible is the true God. The God whom we image in our minds (without learning from the Bible) is a god created by our imagination. Again, looking at the context, Jesus said, “you Samaritans worship what you do not know …” (verse 22). Historically, the Samaritans were originally of Jewish descent but became mixed in enthicity as a result of years of conquest by neighbouring nations. In addition, their faith also became distorted through the influence of foreign religions and idols. As a result, although they believed in God, their knowledge of God was distorted, that is, their faith presented an “untrue” God. Therefore, when Jesus commands us to worship in truth, we must learn who God is from the Bible and not from who we “feel” God is.
Day 14 – When God seems distant

“I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I cannot find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I turn to the south, but I cannot find him. But he knows where I am going. And when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent”. Job 23:8-10

3. Did you ever feel God being distant from you? What did you learn from that experience?

A background into the story of Job’s was discussed.

The story of Job is particularly important when we talk about “worship”. Why? This is because many of us quite easily fall into the trap of thinking that when we worship, we wish to feel good when we do it. That is, we wish to feel God’s presence and the work of the Holy Spirit. This is all well and good, and when we do worship (in spirit and truth), we often will feel these things. However, we must be very clear that worship is not about us. We worship to please God, not ourselves.

When we encounter difficulties in our lives, when things are not going as expected and worst of all, we can’t feel God’s presence during these hard times, there is a risk that we could turn away from Christianity or resent God. The reality is that God is always with us even if we can’t feel that He is. We should learn from Job, who through all this suffering in losing his family, health and wealth, he never failed to continue trusting and worshipping God.

One of our members also shared that he often reads Psalm 139 because it shows how intimately God knows and guides us, even in times when He seems distant.

5. What does this mean: “offer your bodies as a sacrifice”? What would our lives look like if we truly lived in this way?

Being friends with God means that we have an intimate relationship with Him. As Jesus stated, a true friend would die for his friends. This is the extent of our intimacy with God.

Purpose Driven Life Day 14

2005-11-08T16:59:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – 10/5/2005

Opening
Introduction and partner picking for newcomers

Brief Review of last week
Last week we covered:
Day 10 - The heart of worship: Although the world “surrender” carries a negative meaning in most contexts, it is the heart of worship. The story of Jericho (Joshua 5:13 – 6:21) shows how surrender could lead to victory. By surrendering, we do not stop what we are supposed to do. Instead, we do them with more strength.
Day 11 & 12 - Becoming best friends with God: The difference between servant and friend is a servant does not know his master’s business, but a friend does (John 15:14-15). God wants us to be His friend and demonstrated it by dying for us. The ball is in our court: how can we make friend with God?
And started with Day 13 –Worship that pleases God
For Q1, we read Mark 12:30 (Mathew 22:37, Luke 10:27) and Deuteronomy 6:6-9.

For this week we will continue with the questions of Day 13
Day 13 –Worship that pleases God
Q2. Which is easier for you – public or private worship? In which do you usually feel closer to God?
Q3. What does “God’s worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) mean to you?

Day 14 – When God Seems Distant
“I go east, but he is not there. I go west, but I can not find him. I do not see him in the north, for he is hidden. I turn to the south, but I can not find him. But he knows where I am going. And when he has tested me like gold in a fire, he will pronounce me innocent.” Job 23:8-10
Q1. Did you ever feel God seemed distant? What did you learn from such a time?

For Week 2:
Q. Did it surprise you that making friend with God is worshiping God? Why?

Sharing time
From this week’s reading, do you have a passage from the book or from the bible that you want to share?

A song to share – Footprints

Prayer time

This is the summary.

The Summary for Jubon HG on Sept. 28th

Jubon HG on Sept. 28th. @ Mindy`s

Members: Anna(new member), James, Jean & Thomas, Jose, Katie(new member), Kei, Mindy, Ninih, Sylvia, and Atsuo

Dinner: Nikujaga and Meat Sauce by Kei and Mindy (Thank you)

Discussion: Purpose Driven Life Day 10 to Day 14

Day 10- The Heart of Worship
Q. What is keeping people from surrendering your life to God?
A. - Fear, Pride and Confusion… i.g. Having fear of the thought that God may not forgive your sin. / Having unnecessary pride that you’re reluctant to commend full of yourself to God, etc

Day 11- Becoming Best Friends w/ God
God invites us to enjoy friendship and fellowship with all three person on the Trinity: Our Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. (p 86)

The term `Friend` in here is used `Friend` from more of God`s point of view.

Key to the Best friends w/ God: Constant Conversation and continual meditation

Day 12- Developing Your Friendship w/ God
Q1. How is the `friendship` w/ God similar or different to other?
A. It is similar in nature like parental unconditional love to their children but different magnitude. (More intimate, closer and helpful?!)

Q2. ・(Constant Conversation) ・(Continual Meditation)
・Be honest w/ God ・Obey God in Faith
・Value what God Values ・Desire friendship w/ God more than anything
*These are keys to the friendship w/ God. The word `Obey` sounds a bit strong but… it is `Worshipping` to us.

Day 13- Worship that pleases God
`Love God w/ all your heart, soul, mind, and strength`
This verse is repeated in different part of bible. (Deuteronomy 6:6
Mark: 12:30, Mathew 22:37, Luke 10:27)

　　　Q1. What to do with this verse?
A. Never forget this at all time. Teach to others. Repeat it at all time

Q2. Public or Private Worship?
A. Feel the closest in private (empty sanctuary at TUC) yet more joyful w/ others.

*Worship not for your benefit but others and to the glory of God. Do not become self-righteous but humble server to God.

* Reflection: Try to start a discussion at a fixed time.

Purpose Driven Life Day 10-13

2005-11-08T16:54:00.000+09:00

Home Group Meeting – 9/8/2005
Day 10 – Day 12

Opening
Introduction and partner picking for newcomers

Brief Review of last week

Last week we reviewed Days 1 to 7: What on earth am I here for, and went through Days 8 and 9: Worship-You were planned for God’s pleasure. Group members discussed what the phrases “worship”, “offer your bodies as a sacrifice”, “completely dedicate our lives to God”, and “trust God” mean to us, and how we can truly live to what they mean to us.

Day 10 – The heart of worship

“The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become – because he made us. He invested all the different people that you and I were intended to be…It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, tat I first begin to have a real personality of my own” CS Lewis

Q1. If we are to trust God to work in our lives, we must fully surrender ourselves to Him. What barriers are keeping you from surrendering your life to God?

Day 11 – Becoming best friends with God
Day 12 – Developing your friendship with God

Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have make known to you.” - John 15:14-15

Q1. How is a friendship with God similar to any other friendship, and how is it different?

Q2. Rick Warren gives six secrets of friendship with God:
Through constant conversation
Through continual meditation
Be honest with God
Obey God in faith
Value what God values
Desire friendship with God more than anything else
Which one am I still missing?

Day 13 –Worship that pleases God

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. - Mark 12:30 (Mathew 22:37, Luke 10:27)
Q1. This verse was cited from Deuteronomy. Do you know what God asked His children to do with this verse?
Read Deuteronomy 6:6-9
Q2. Which is easier for you – public or private worship? In which do you usually feel closer to God?
Q3. What does “God’s worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) mean to you?

Day 14 – When God Seems Distant

Q1. Did you ever feel God seemed distant? What did you learn from such a time?

Sharing time
From this week’s reading, do you have a passage from the book or from the bible that you want to share?

Prayer time

The following is the summary. I think it was written by Atsuo.

The Summary for Jubon HG on Sept. 28th

Jubon HG on Sept. 28th. @ Mindy`s

Members: Anna(new member), James, Jean & Thomas, Jose, Katie(new member), Kei, Mindy, Ninih, Sylvia, and Atsuo

Dinner: Nikujaga and Meat Sauce by Kei and Mindy (Thank you)

Discussion: Purpose Driven Life Day 10 to Day 14
Day 10- The Heart of Worship
Q.What is keeping people from surrendering your life to God? A. - Fear, Pride and Confusion… i.g. Having fear of the thought that God may not forgive your sin. / Having unnecessary pride that you’re reluctant to commend full of yourself to God, etc

Day 11- Becoming Best Friends w/ God
God invites us to enjoy friendship and fellowship with all three person on the Trinity: Our Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. (p 86)

The term `Friend` in here is used `Friend` from more of God`s point of view.

Key to the Best friends w/ God:
Constant Conversation and continual meditation

Day 12- Developing Your Friendship w/ God
Q1. How is the `friendship` w/ God similar or different to other?
A. It is similar in nature like parental unconditional love to their children but different magnitude. (More intimate, closer and helpful?!)

Q2. ・(Constant Conversation) ・(Continual Meditation)
・Be honest w/ God ・Obey God in Faith
・Value what God Values ・Desire friendship w/ God more than anything
*These are keys to the friendship w/ God. The word `Obey` sounds a bit strong but… it is `Worshipping` to us.

　　Day 13- Worship that pleases God
`Love God w/ all your heart, soul, mind, and strength`
This verse is repeated in different part of bible. (Deuteronomy 6:6
Mark: 12:30, Mathew 22:37, Luke 10:27)

　　　Q1. What to do with this verse?
A. Never forget this at all time. Teach to others. Repeat it at all time

Q2. Public or Private Worship?
A. Feel the closest in private (empty sanctuary at TUC) yet more joyful w/ others.

*Worship not for your benefit but others and to the glory of God. Do not become self-righteous but humble server to God.

* Reflection: Try to start a discussion at a fixed time.

Purpose Driven Life Day 1-9

2005-11-08T16:44:00.000+09:00

This is the summary of our first HG meeting on PDL. This summary was written by James Lee.

Home Group Meeting – 14 September 2005
You were planned for God’s pleasure!!

Opening

1. Brief introductions for newcomers.

2. Your Pledge - pick someone who you can follow the book together. This is your PDL partner. You should encourage each other, make sure you and they keep you up to date, ask questions etc…

Proposed partners are:
Jean and Thomas
Mindy and Kei / Hidemi
Atsuo and Tomoko
Dan and Sylvia
Alan and Jose
James and Ninih

Days 1 to 7: What on earth am I here for?

3. Go over main points from last week

Last week we went through the first 7 days of PDL. In it we learnt about the “meaninglessness” of having earthly goals and that true purpose could only come from our Creator (God). This is because only the Creator truly knows what His creation (us) was made for. The PDL states that after we have Repented and Accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour our purpose is to bring GLORY to GOD.

In the PDL, 5 ways in which we bring glory to God are discussed. We bring glory to God by:
1. Worshipping Him;
2. Loving other Believers;
3. Becoming like Christ;
4. Serving others with our gifts; and
5. Telling others about Him.

This week and next week, we shall discuss the first way we can bring glory to God: Worship.

Day 8: Planned for God’s pleasure

4. When you hear the word “worship”, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
Read Romans Chapter 12:1-2

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will”. Romans 12:1-2.

For some of us, Worship reminds of singing gospel songs, attending and praying at church. In a general sense, it also makes us think of pagan things. For example, while I was backpacking in India, I witnessed a religious animal sacrifices. Such a ceremony could also be described as “worship” in a broader secular sense.

5. What does this mean: “offer your bodies as a sacrifice”? What would our lives look like if we truly lived in this way?

When we are urged to “offer our bodies as a sacrifice”, this means that we are to completely dedicate our lives and everything we do to God. Worship therefore goes beyond just attending church on Sundays, singing gospel songs and praying.

6. When we completely dedicate our lives to God, what does this mean?
Read Corinthians Chapter 10:31

When we completely dedicate our lives to God, this means that we live our lives as if we are living it for God.

God has created all of us and given each one of us gifts (both spiritual ones and non-spiritual ones). We should live our lives in appreciation of the things that God has given us and use our abilities for God. This could be by participating in the church’s operations such as in finance, mission, rice project, hosting a home group, and so forth. Even in our daily work lives we can live for God, such as introducing our colleagues to Jesus and spreading God’s word by being a light in the secular workplace.

Eric Liddell was a missionary as well as an Olympic gold medallist (see movie, “Chariots of Fire”). While he was training for the Olympics the intense training took him away from his missionary work preparations. However, even with the worldly goal of seeking an Olympic gold medal and all the fame that comes with it, he dedicated this goal to God. When he ran, he ran for God. And when he ran, he tried to use his success to spread God’s word even more effectively because of his fame. For example, after each race, he would give an evangelistic talk to the spectators who came to watch the races. Eventually, he went on to win an Olympic gold medal, and shortly thereafter, he went on to work as a missionary in China.

In the area of work/career, I believe God put us in our current jobs (and is continuing to put us in new jobs) for a purpose, His purpose. I also believe that when we dedicate our lives to God, our career aspirations should be consistent with His will, just as in the case of Eric Liddell.

7. What can I start doing in my life now as if I were doing it directly for Jesus?

The personal goals of some group members was briefly discussed.

Day 9 – What makes God smile?

8. Trusting is an act of worship. The PDL gives the example of Noah and how he trusted God.

Describe the story of Noah’s trust in God.

Noah built a boat in the middle of the desert when he had never even seen the sea. He had never even seen rain, but for 120 years he was the object of ridicule because of this. Despite this, Noah trusted in God’s will completely.

9. “Give it all to God: your past regrets, your present problems, your future ambitions, your fears, dreams, weaknesses, habits, hurts, and hang-ups. Put Jesus Christ in the driver’s seat of your life and take your hands off the steering wheel. Don’t be afraid; nothing under His control can ever be out of control.” Page 83

What does it mean to trust in God?
Read Romans 8:28
Read Proverbs 16:9

“And we know in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. Romans 8:28

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps”. Proverbs 16:9

Trusting in God is having faith that God knows the best for our lives.

To worship God, to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, to dedicate our lives completely to God, in order to do these things, we must trust in God. To put it another way, if we don’t trust that God will work for our good (Romans 8:28) then how could we possibly dedicate our lives to God?

Like Noah, even when our direction in life sometimes seems difficult to comprehend we need to trust that God is working for our good.

10. Since God knows what is best, in what areas of my life do I need to trust him most?

The personal experiences and reflections of some group members were briefly discussed.

Prayer time

In addition to personal prayer points, think of today’s lesson and pray about the areas of our lives we could dedicate to God.