Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #25 (Week 2 of 3)

Doctrinal Standard #25 

  • Q. How is Christ a priest?
  • A. As a priest, Christ offered Himself up once as a sacrifice for us to satisfy divine justice and to reconcile us to God, and He continually intercedes for us.

Memory Verses

  • “even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Romans 3:21-31
  • Support Passages: Matthew 5:23-24; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:1-11; I Corinthians 6:20, 7:23; II Corinthians 5:11-21; I Peter 1:18-19
  • Bible Story: Acts 9:1-22

Thoughts

  • Christ as our High Priest has perfectly and completely reconciled our relationship with God. He has done this by first paying the price for our sins, imputing His righteousness upon our hearts and interceding on our behalf before our Father in heaven. Christ has reconciled those who were once enemies of God bringing them into a friendship and loving relationship with the Lord most high.
  • “Reconciliation  a change from enmity to friendship.
    (1.) In Col. 1:21, 22, the word there used refers to a change wrought in the personal character of the sinner who ceases to be an enemy to God by wicked works, and yields up to him his full confidence and love. In 2 Cor. 5:20 the apostle beseeches the Corinthians to be “reconciled to God”, i.e., to lay aside their enmity.
    (2.) Rom. 5:10 refers not to any change in our disposition toward God, but to God himself, as the party reconciled. Romans 5:11 teaches the same truth. From God we have received “the reconciliation” (R.V.), i.e., he has conferred on us the token of his friendship. So also 2 Cor. 5:18, 19 speaks of a reconciliation originating with God, and consisting in the removal of his merited wrath. In Eph. 2:16 it is clear that the apostle does not refer to the winning back of the sinner in love and loyalty to God, but to the restoration of God’s forfeited favour. This is effected by his justice being satisfied, so that he can, in consistency with his own nature, be favourable toward sinners. Justice demands the punishment of sinners. The death of Christ satisfies justice, and so reconciles God to us. This reconciliation makes God our friend, and enables him to pardon and save us.” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What does reconciliation mean?
  • Reconciliation implies that during a period of time we were enemies with God. What made us enemies of God?
  • How has God reconciled our relationship with Him?
  • Is there any other way to reconcile our relationship with God?
  • Who initiates the reconciliation, God or man? (Acts 9:1-22).
  • If God is the one who starts the reconciliation process what part do we play?


[1] Easton, M. (1996). Easton’s Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.


OIA Sermon 05/14

This week Joe gave the Mother’s Day sermon on the topic of parenting. I thought I would mix things up a bit this week. The following link will take you to a small group exercise on the topic of parenting. Use as little or as much of it as you would like. Blessings.

http://www.venturechristian.org/documents/SmallGroupQuestions-HouseorHome-Parenting-Week2.pdf

Posted in Study Guides, Posted by Russell. No Comments

OIA for 05/06/12

This week Joe discussed the mystery of Christ in both the Old and New Testaments. This is another week where large amounts of scripture are used, so a majority of your time will be in the application questions.

Observation
1. Are there any cultural or background issues that are important in understanding the listed passages?
2. What key word(s)/phrase(s) really stand(s) out to you in these passages of scripture? Why are/is they/it important?
3. Which scripture passage did you find most intriguing or interesting? Why?

Interpretation
1. Compare at least 3 of the used passages with at least 3 other Bible versions (NIV, ESV, NASB, NKJV, Ect.) What similarities/differences do you observe? Share with your group.
2. Are there any verbs, commands, prepositions, or conjunctions, that seemed to stand out (if any)? What? Why? Share.
3. Read through at least 2-3 commentaries on the listed passage and share what your learned with your group. Here are some free online resources. (http://net.bible.org) (http://www.blueletterbible.org/) (http://biblia.com)

Application
1. Explore each of the following Epochs and discuss how Christ was “prefigured” in each. If he was not prefigured in the event, discuss how the event was in some form pointing to His coming. Also, discuss why it is important to see Christ as being at the core of each of the following events.

1.Burning bush
2.10 Plagues
3.Exodus (1446 B.C.)
4.Red Sea Crossing
5.Law Given on Sinai
6.40 Years of Wilderness Wandering
7.Conquest
8.Time of the Judges
9.Reign of David (1010 B.C.)
10.Reign of Solomon (970 B.C.)
11.The Kingdom Divided – Israel and Judah (931 B.C.)
12.Assyrians Conquer N. Kingdom – Israel/Samaria/Ephraim (722 B.C.)
13.Babylonians Conquered S. Kingdom – Judah (605 B.C.)
14.Fall of Jerusalem (586 B.C.)
15.Captivity


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #25

Doctrinal Standard #25 (Week 1 of 3)

  • Q. How is Christ a priest?
  • A. As a priest, Christ offered Himself up once as a sacrifice for us to satisfy divine justice and to reconcile us to God, and He continually intercedes for us.

Memory Verses

  • “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14, ESV)

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Hebrews 10:11-25 (more context read Hebrews 8-10)
  • Support Passages: Hebrews 5:1-10, 7:1-28, 9:11-15, 12:24
  • Bible Story: Leviticus 16

Thoughts

  • In the Law (first five books of the Old Testament) God had established a priesthood that would perform specific acts of worship before God on behalf of the people. While people were able to worship God, it had to be done through a mediator, a priest. The same is still true today. We no longer depend on another human to bring us to God, we look to Jesus Christ our eternal high priest. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the priesthood of the Old Covenant. The priests and various ceremonies of the Old Testament pre-figured and gave a physical representation of what Christ would do in the spiritual. We no longer depend on the weakness of man to bring us before God but we have the power and perfection of Jesus Christ as our High Priest who continually intercedes on our behalf.
  • Israel was given various feasts or holidays to observe throughout the year. The New Testament explains that these feast along with the rest of Law and Prophets all point to Jesus Christ. I believe that the Lord gave Israel these feasts or holidays as teaching tools to explain spiritual truths in a physical and tangible way.  Hebrews chapter 8-10 explains this beautifully by showing how Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Day of Atonement found in Leviticus 16. I strongly encourage you to first read Leviticus 16 and then Hebrews 8-10.

Discussion Questions

  • What did the priest do in the Temple and Tabernacle?
  • What does it mean to mediate or intercede?
  • Why do you think God established a priesthood?
  •  Do we still need a priest to worship God?
  • Who is our High Priest? (John 14:6)
  • If Jesus Christ is our Priest what does He do for us?

Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #24

Doctrinal Standard #24

  • Q. How is Christ a prophet?
  • A. As a prophet, Christ reveals the will of God to us for our salvation by His word and Spirit.

Memory Verses

  • “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: John 1:1-5, 9-18
  • Support Passages: Deuteronomy 18:18-19; Daniel 9:24; John 14:18-24; Acts 3:11-26
  • Bible Story: Luke 24:13-35

Thoughts

  • The statement that Christ is a prophet has the potential of being easily misunderstood. Wayne Grudem in chapter 29 of his Systematic Theology book provides a great explanation on what it does and does not mean.
  •  “Why did the New Testament epistles avoid calling Jesus a prophet? Apparently because, although Jesus is the prophet whom Moses predicted (Deuteronomy 18:18-19), yet he is also far greater than any of the Old Testament prophets, in two ways:”
  1. “He is the one about whom the prophesies in the Old Testament were made. When Jesus spoke with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, he took them through the entire Old Testament, showing how the prophecies pointed to him: ‘And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27)… The Old Testament prophets looked forward to Christ in what they wrote, and the New Testament apostles looked back to Christ and interpreted his life for the benefit of the church.”
  2. “Jesus was not merely a messenger of revelation from God (like all the other prophets), but was himself the source of revelation from God. Rather than saying as all the Old Testament prophets did,  ‘Thus says the Lord,’ Jesus could begin divinely authoritative teaching with the amazing statement, ‘But I say unto you’ (Matt 5:22). The word of the Lord cam to the Old Testament prophets, but Jesus spoke on his own authority as the eternal Word of God (John 1:1) who perfectly revealed the Father to us (John 14:9; Heb 1:1-2).”
  3. “In the broader sense of prophet, simply meaning one who reveals God to us and speaks to us the words of God, Christ is of course truly and fully a prophet. In fact, he is the one whom all the Old Testaments prophets prefigured in their speech and in their actions” [1]

Discussion Questions

  • What is a prophet?
  • What did prophets do in the Old Testament?
  • How is Jesus Christ a prophet like the prophets in the Old Testament?
  • How is Jesus not like the prophets of the Old Testament?
  • Explain how the Road to Emmaus account (Luke 24 does:13-35) teach us that Jesus is much more than a prophet?
  • What word does John 1:1-5, 9-18 use to refer to Jesus? Why?


[1] Grudem, Wayne (1994). Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA; Zondervan Publishing House.



OIA for sermon on 04/29

This week Joe went into further detail on the topic of Covenant Theology. Continue in your discussions from last week to gain further insight into this topic. It is extremely important that we all have a good understanding of this, as it is the basis for understanding the scriptures appropriately.

Observation
1. Are there any cultural or background issues that are important in understanding the listed passages?
2. What key word(s)/phrase(s) really stand(s) out to you in these passages of scripture? Why are/is they/it important?
3. Which scripture passage did you find most intriguing or interesting? Why?
4. If you had to sum up this large portion of scripture in a few sentences, what would they be?

Interpretation
1. Compare at least 3 of the used passages with at least 3 other Bible versions (NIV, ESV, NASB, NKJV, Ect.) What similarities/differences do you observe? Share with your group.
2. Are there any verbs, commands, prepositions, or conjunctions, that seemed to stand out (if any)? What? Why? Share.
3. Read through at least 2-3 commentaries on the listed passage and share what your learned with your group. Here are some free online resources. (http://net.bible.org) (http://www.blueletterbible.org/) (http://biblia.com)

Application
1. Research and discuss “Covenant Theology” with your group.
2. Share and discuss the 5 main “Epics” that were given in the sermon pertaining to scripture. What are the main themes of each epic, and how does each epic support the next?
3. Why is it important to see the Bible as being broken up into specific “Epics”? Share.
4. What has been the most prominent thing that you have learned through the lecture series so far? Share.
5. Why is it so crucial that one have a proper theology of God and the Bible. (I know this is a no-brainer, but I want you to really think about this.) What are the repercussions of poor theology? Discuss.
6. How is your understanding of Covenant Theology changing the way you view Scripture? God? The Church? Share.


Catechism Insight – Doctrinal Standard WSC #23

Doctrinal Standard #23

  • Q. How is Christ our redeemer?
  • A. As our redeemer, Christ is a prophet, priest, and king in both His humiliation and His exaltation.

Memory Verses

  • “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,  that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you” (Acts 3:19–20, ESV).

Scripture

  • Study Passage: Psalm 110
  • Support Passages: Acts 3:11-26 – Christ the Prophet; Hebrews 5:1-10 – Christ the Priest; Isaiah 9:6-7 – Christ the King; Psalm 2, 45:1-9; Luke 4:18-19; Acts 2:29-36
  • Bible Story: Genesis 14

Thoughts

  • “Redemption means deliverance from some evil by payment of a price. It is more than simple deliverance. Thus prisoners of war might be released on payment of a price which was called a ‘ransom’ (Gk. lytron). The word-group based on lytron was formed specifically to convey this idea of release on payment of ransom. In this circle of ideas Christ’s death may be regarded as ‘a ransom for many’ (Mk. 10:45).[1]
  • As both Psalm 110 and Genesis 14 explains redemption requires action from the redeemer. The action that was required of Jesus Christ was to live a perfect life and suffer a painful and shameful death on the cross as a ransom for all those who have and will believe in Him.
  • The love of God is magnified in the fact that Christ is our redeemer. The love of God is shown in that Christ would humble himself by becoming a man and take upon the sin of His followers when He himself had never known sin.

Discussion Questions

  • What does it mean to redeem something?
  • What is required in redeeming something?
  • How has Christ redeemed people from sin?
  • What does this teach us about God?


[1] Wood, D. R. W., & Marshall, I. H. (1996). New Bible dictionary (3rd ed.) (1003). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

 

 

 


OIA Sermon 04/22/12

This week the sermon was mainly a recap of the sermon series up to this point. No scripture passage served as the main text, therefore the application questions will serve as the primary questions for this week. However, use the OI questions as needed.

Observation
1. Are there any cultural or background issues that are important in understanding the listed passages?
2. What key word(s)/phrase(s) really stand(s) out to you in these passages of scripture? Why are/is they/it important?
3. Which scripture passage did you find most intriguing or interesting? Why?
4. If you had to sum up this large portion of scripture in a few sentences, what would they be?

Interpretation
1. Compare at least 3 of the used passages with at least 3 other Bible versions (NIV, ESV, NASB, NKJV, Ect.) What similarities/differences do you observe? Share with your group.
2. Are there any verbs, commands, prepositions, or conjunctions, that seemed to stand out (if any)? What? Why? Share.
3. Read through at least 2-3 commentaries on the listed passage and share what your learned with your group. Here are some free online resources. (http://net.bible.org) (http://www.blueletterbible.org/) (http://biblia.com)

Application
1. Research and discuss “Covenant Theology” with your group.
2. Share and discuss the 5 main “Epics” that were given in the sermon pertaining to scripture. What are the main themes of each epic, and how does each epic support the next?
3. Why is it important to see the Bible as being broken up into specific “Epics”? Share.
4. What has been the most prominent thing that you have learned through the lecture series so far? Share.
5. Why is it so crucial that one have a proper theology of God and the Bible. (I know this is a no-brainer, but I want you to really think about this.) What are the repercussions of poor theology? Discuss.



"Him we proclaim,
warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone mature in Christ."
(Colossians 1:28, ESV)

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