Mar 25
23
- Think of the rich young ruler of Luke 18:18-23, the blind beggar of Luke 18:35-43, and Zacchaeus the chief tax collector of Luke 19:1-10. Which of these would the Jews of Jesus’ day expect to have life eternal? Which of these did? Why?
- What does the story of Zacchaeus have to do with Jesus’ remark, “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God… What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:25–27)
- What matters more, that Zacchaeus saw Jesus, or that Jesus fixed his eyes on Zacchaeus? Why?
- When Jesus called Zacchaeus to himself, “he hurried and came down and received [Jesus] joyfully” (Luke 19:6) and committed to give half his goods to the poor. Contrast this with the response of the rich young ruler of Luke 18:35-43.
- What does it mean that the “Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
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Joe.
Mar 25
16
- The Scriptures teach that we are spiritually blind because of sin (see Ephesians 4:17–19). What is it that we are unable to see?
- Christ healed a man of his physical blindness. What spiritual truth does this illustrate?
- How does Christ heal our blindness in regeneration? What does he enable us to see?
- How does this spiritual enlightenment contribute to our sanctification?
- How will this enlightenment culminate in glorification?
- How should those who are spiritually blind or ignorant of the things of God pray? What should they do?
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Joe.
Mar 25
16
- What is the second commandment?
- In your own words, what does it clearly forbid? We’ll consider what it forbids in more detail next Sunday.
- In your own words, what does it require?
- How does this apply to worship under the New Covenant?
- What is the regulative principle of worship? What is the normative principle of worship?
- What are the elements of worship? What are the circumstances of worship?
- Why do you think God has revealed the way he is to be worshipped and warns us not to add or take away from it?
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Joe.
Mar 25
9
- What does this passage have to do with the previous one and the question asked by the rich young ruler?
- What is eternal life?
- Why was it important for Christ to foretell his death and resurrection?
- Why did Christ emphasize that he would suffer, die, and rise in fulfilment of what the prophets said?
- Go back to the story about Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler. Imagine this conversation taking place between Jesus the Messiah and God the Father instead. Which portions could remain the same? Which portions would need to change? How did Jesus inherit life eternal?
- Why does Jesus have the power to give eternal life to those who turned from their sin, forsake the world, and follow him?
- What does it mean to turn from sin, forsake the world, and follow Jesus? Have you? Do you have the hope of life eternal?
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Joe.
Mar 25
9
- Why is the first commandment first?
- Given what you know, give some examples of violations of the first commandment.
- What do the words “before me” mean in the first commandment?
- Have you kept this law perfectly?
- Did Jesus keep this law perfectly?
- What must you do to have your sins forgiven?
- By God’s grace, and with the strength God provides, how will you strive to keep the first commandment moving forward?
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Joe.
Mar 25
2
- The rich young ruler started well with Jesus but did not end well. Discuss his good beginning and his sad ending.
- Why did Jesus begin to address the rich young ruler’s questions with these words, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Luke 18:19)
- Why did Jesus tell the rich young ruler to obtain eternal life through the keeping of the commandments? Is this possible? Why then did Jesus command it?
- Jesus cited five commandments from the second portion of the Ten Commandments. Which commandment did he leave out? Why?
- The rich young ruler claimed to have kept these commandments from his youth. Was this true?
- Why did Jesus command the rich young ruler to sell everything and give to the poor? Is this what everyone must do to follow Jesus? Why then did Jesus require this of this man?
- Though all who follow Jesus are not required to sell all, what attitude must we maintain towards this world and the things of this world?
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Joe.
Mar 25
2
- Why is the first commandment first?
- What is the difference between knowing that God is the only true God and acknowledging God to be the only true God?
- Why does our catechism add that to keep the first commandment, we must also “worship and glorify Him accordingly”? What does this mean?
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Joe.
Feb 25
16
- Why is it most appropriate to ask the question, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?” at this point in the catechism?
- What is meant by “revealed will”? What is God’s “hidden” or “secret will”? Which one are we called to obey? Why are we to obey the one and not the other?
- Where did God first “write” his moral law?
- Where in the Scriptures should we go to find a summary of God’s moral law?
- Why is it important that the Ten Commandments be said to contain a summary of God’s moral law? In other words, why should the Ten Commandments not be strictly equated with the moral law?
- What is the sum of the Ten Commandments? How do these two laws get to the heart of the first four and last six of the Ten Commandments, respectively?
Posted in Study Guides, Posted by
Joe.