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Thursday, November 29, 2007

Fruit of the Spirit Study 2 - Joy, Luke 24:33-53

The Holy Spirit brings joy to every Christian. He fills our hearts with praise and thankfulness to God. Yet as you look back over the past few weeks, how joyful have you been? How can you experience this refreshing fruit of the Spirit more fully?

After Jesus' crucifixion, two of his disciples were walking to Emmaus. Suddenly a stranger joined them and began explaining the Scriptures about the Messiah. They did not recognize the stranger until they began to eat with him. Then their eyes were opened, they realized it was Jesus, and he vanished from their sight! They were so excited that they rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the others. This passage helps us recapture the joy of the early disciples.
  1. What do you think of when you hear the word joy?

    When thinking of the word Joy emotions such as happiness, excitement and satisfaction seem to be generated.

  2. Read Luke 24:33-53. Try to picture those first few moments when the two find the eleven and the others (vv. 33-35). Now describe what you see!

    Two people came bursting into the room and were saying amazing things. They had been with Jesus! This must have caused uproar and bewilderment and disbelief.

  3. Suddenly, something happens to interrupt the story (vv. 36-39). How does the climate in the room change?

    Christ enters! The disciples must have been terrified. They knew this person but He was dead wasn't He? But another emotion starts to bubble up in them - Joy.

    What does this reveal about the disciples' true state of belief regarding Jesus' resurrection?

    Christ had told the disciples many times what would happen, how He must suffer and later to rise from the dead. The disciples did not understand let alone believe.

  4. Why did Jesus show them his hands and feet, and ask them to touch him (w. 39-40)?

    Jesus was very patient with them, He wanted their Joy to be grounded in reality. When it is grounded in reality and who Jesus is it becomes unshakable.

  5. For a moment, think of your wildest dream, the one thing in life you would rather see happen than anything else. Describe how you would feel if your dream were to come true.

    How does this help you understand what it meant for the disciples to be too joyful and amazed to believe (v. 41)?

    Could it really be true the one we love we saw dead is standing in the room with us now. Some times getting our wildest dream happen boggles the mind; we can't take it in.

  6. In what ways would their faith in him have been increased by seeing Jesus eat (vv. 41-43)?

    They looked at the empty plate with fish bones left on it. Ghosts don't eat do they?! Step by step Jesus was patiently building faith in His friends. Faith that would cause them to be able to speak out for him.


  7. Why were these activities—showing them his hands and feet and eating before them—necessary before he could open their minds to understand the Scriptures (v. 45)?

    Sometimes we humans are so locked in the physical, in the here and now, that Jesus knowing this had to use these things to get their attention and show he was real.

  8. The disciples, along with almost all other Jews, expected that the Messiah would be a political conqueror who would stamp out Rome's rule and restore Israel to her former glory. How does Jesus change their vision and understanding at this point in the narrative (vv. 46-47)?

    Christ's ever increasing Kingdom comes not by overthrow but changing individuals. Changing because they have believed the good news about Him.

  9. What The Father has promised (v. 49) is the Holy Spirit who would be sent to the disciples in the near future. In light of what Jesus has just been saying (w. 46-48), why is the Spirit's presence so important?

    Having The Holy Spirit enables us to experience God and His Joy which is grounded on who Jesus is.

  10. In verses 52-53 the disciples have changed from wondering and disbelieving for joy to having "great joy." How does Jesus' resurrection and the promise of the Holy Spirit help you to define joy?

    As was said earlier, this joy is based on reality and experience of Him.

  11. How can telling others about Jesus (v. 48) help us to experience this joy as fully as possible?

    Jesus is our friend and we want to introduce Him to others so they can know Him too. This brings us Joy as others are loving Him also.

  12. Spend time now praising God for who he is and what he has done for us.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Talk by Terry Brewer - The Book of Colossians

An overview of the book of Colossians:

  • Probably written by Paul from Rome in his first imprisonment there AD 61, 62
  • Some Christians blending other religions/philosophies/manmade ideas with Good News of King Jesus which leads to watering down of Gospel = licence or legalism
  • Church started by Epaphras Col 1v7, 4v12, led to Lord by Paul who had not met church
  • 1 v 4, 5 Faith, Love, Hope these three set tone for Colossians
  • These three lead to changed lives (1v6) same today – Trust/faith in King Jesus- looking up; Love for God’s people – looking out; Hope for wonderful future.- looking onward.
  • To counteract arguments Paul elevates Jesus to rightful position
  • God’s outstanding kindness, awesome love, gave us his Son
  • Paul writes to a holy people (1v2) God-given title to us
  • Good News going out all over world then and now – more people come to Christ in last 50 years than in previous centuries put together, more people dying for faith than ever before.
  • Sometimes wonder if talk about what we beieve and why rather than who King Jesus is .

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Gal 5:22 STUDY ON FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT - LOVE

The word love is often abused these days. It is used in the context of close, cozy feelings; of ecstatic, exuberant sexual passion; and of conditional commitments ("I'll love you if you live up to my expectations"). From the Christian point of view, what is this thing called love? How do we get it and how can we give it away to others who need it? The word love (or some form of it) is mentioned sixteen times in 1 John 4:7-16.


  1. Why does the search for love dominate so many songs, novels and the lives of so many people?
    TheOxford Dictionary defines love as: A strong feeling of deep affection for somebody or something.

    However 1 Corinthians 13: 5-7 defines love as: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. We read that God is love in the Bible; this means that God defines love. And when we say that God defines love, we don't mean that He defines it like Oxford might define something -- we mean that God is the very definition of love itself. There is no such thing as love without God. As hard as we might try, we cannot define love outside of knowing God. This essentially means that our human definition of love is false.

    Everyone needs love and wants to be loved, hence the dominance of the topic. Love and lust are 2 totally different words that people use interchangeably.

  2. Read 1 John 4:1-16. John says that true love comes from God. What, therefore, has to happen before we can even begin to love one another (w. 7-8)? Explain.For us to truly love one another, we have to know God first of all because God is love. John 3: 16 – 17.
    To know God, we have to acknowledge that we have sinned, repent from them and turn to Christ as Lord and master. This means to have a close personal relationship with him by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 2:37b – 38, John 3: 5, Romans 5:19, 1 John 1: 8 – 10

  3. How do Christ's incarnation and death show us God's love (vv. 9-10)?
    I do not think that any of us would die for our own children, talk-less of dying for another person. But great is the love of God! That he sent his son to die in our place. What a great unconditional love! Romans 5:8, 6: 23.

  4. How does God's love motivate you to love others?
    God’s love is unconditional and unpretentious love. It is from the heart. He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship. By loving others this way, we would draw more souls to the kingdom and heaven will rejoice. Mark 12: 30-31
  5. Since we cannot see God with our eyes, how can we perceive his presence among us (v. 12)?
    Gen 1: 27 say that man is created in the image and likeness of God. Thus God’s presence is in man.1 Cor 3:16 says that our body is the temple of God. By loving others and ourselves, we can perceive God’s presence.
  6. How have you seen God's love demonstrated through other Christians?
    Yes. Missionaries that left the comfort of their homes preached the gospel in many places and changed many barbaric cultures.
  7. Verse 16 says we can "know and rely on the love God has for us." How does such assurance come about (vv. 13-15)?
    God is love. The assurance of God’s love is demonstrated firstly on the cross. Jesus died in our place. John 3: 16, Matthew 1: 21b

    Secondly, if we have faith in Him, all things are possible with God. Heb 11:11
  8. What do you think John means when he says, "God is love" (v. 16)?
    It means that God loves us unconditionally. He saved us, loves us, cares for us, forgives us without rubbing the sin in, wants the best for us, heals us etc. Isaiah 55:7, 9- 10

  9. Because God is love, what do we know about those whose lives are full of love (v. 16)? Explain.
    They are God’s children, their way will please the Lord and they will inherit eternal life.
  10. No one has ever seen wind, energy or electrons. We see only the effects of what they do. Likewise, no one has ever seen the love of God. As you look again at this whole passage, in what ways can you see the effects of God's love?
    It transforms lives, families, nations, churches, workplaces, etc.
  11. Think of someone you find it especially hard to feel warm toward, someone you are thrown together with regularly. Why is it difficult for you to love that person?
    Reasons are they may be nasty towards us and keep re-offending us.
    But like God, we must keep forgiving.
  12. Recognizing that love is not based on feelings, what are some practical ways you can show the fruit of love to that person?
    Caring, sharing, helping, praying, etc.
  13. Decide one specific action you will take in this coming week, and then pray that God's Spirit will begin to manifest this fruit in your life.