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Back to the Basics: Discipleship
Notes from a Bible Study led by Denny John
The dictionary defines paradigm as:
‘A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline.’
In simpler words, it’s a context or an environment that gives meaning.
We’ll look into the whole concept of right and wrong; how we can choose what to believe and know what we believe is right. This involves three levels of interplay.
Culture – It conditions us to tell normal apart from abnormal.
Family – All of us come from varying backgrounds.
Education – Our perspectives vary with our levels of education and exposure.
Personal experience – Siblings growing up in the same house, brought up by the same people are usually widely different in terms of character.
These factors are for us to be self-aware. From where do we derive most of our views and decisions? What defines what we believe and why we do what we do?
Reading the first eleven chapters of Romans, we are presented with the various doctrines that Paul has put before us. In chapter twelve he urges us to put these into practice. It is a call to commitment and a call to change.
Our challenge today is: What if our core beliefs are wrong? If so, where do we find the truth? For us believers we know we can find it in Jesus.
I am the way and the truth and the life. – Jesus
We experience Christ as a community and individually. Truth does not convince, but we choose to believe in it because we want to.
Homosexuality: How do we approach a person living in sin?
Notes from a Bible Study led by John VC
It’s an active choice made by most people; giving in to the hurts of the world. It’s important to realize why these people have made the choice to be homosexual.
Key reasons for homosexuality include:
Talk to them, helping them discover the real issue, and to guide them through it. It’s important to know that different people have differing capacities of God-given grace to handle situations and that we can fall back on our brothers and sisters in Christ for guidance and support.
An important disctincion to make here is to rebuke, but not condemn the person. People who tell you that they are homosexual are likely to be aware of the reason for it, too. The Bible makes NO allowances for homosexuality; it is a sin.
Flee from evil; don’t stand in a position where you’re vulnerable to sin.
Back to the Basics: Discipleship
Notes from a Bible Study led by Denny John
The dictionary defines discipleship as:
A person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; follower
Discipleship for a Christian is very different as compared to others. Why? Because of whom we follow.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:27-28)
Man was made in God’s own image. It’s about a lifestyle, the quality of our lives. We need to reflect the Master in our life. For the disciples, discipleship began when Jesus called them and they followed.
It is indeed very important for us to re-examine our foundations. It’s not about the conversions or strength or the membership but about who we follow and how we do it.
There is no discipleship outside obedience, and obedience to the one who bought us our freedom. In the midst of disobedience we are called to obey. (John 8:32-38)
Jesus’ agenda was – ‘I can do nothing without my Father’s will’.
Joseph; in spite of being sold as a slave to a foreign land by his own brothers was still diligent in obedience.
Daniel and his friends were obedient to the point of being thrown into the burning furnace; God came through for them.
God will always come through for each one of us if we stand up for him.
Ultimately, it is knowing who has called us and how we live a worthwhile life. A life of victory through obedience. Being saved and to stay saved by grace.
(Photo by elifb)
How to Share Your Values Without Being Judgemental
Notes from a Bible Study led by John VC
(Photo by jeff-bauche)
The Rich Young Ruler
Notes from a Bible Study led by John VC
Answering the following will help you understand the portion better:
We see a very polite, respectful and eager young man who leaves Christ and goes away sorrowful. Why? The story makes it clear that he is young, and Luke tells us he is a ruler; possibly a magistrate or a Justice of the Peace.
In the parallel account in Mark, we are told that the young man came running up to Christ and knelt before him, indicating a sense of urgency and respect. He then shows submissiveness and a willingness to be taught when he addresses Jesus as Good Teacher.
The young ruler tells Christ that he has kept all the commandments since he was a child. What else should he do? Jesus does not contradict him. In Mark’s account, it says He looked at him and loved him. Possibly, this man was adept at keeping the letter of the law, but he was coming up short in abiding by the spirit of the law. Perhaps Jesus saw that he was absolutely sincere in his efforts to abide by those commandments. He says:
I’m keeping the commandments and have done well in that regard all my life. Show me where I’m coming up short.
Jesus sees he is sincere in his pursuit and it says he loved him. He loved him enough to tell him what he needed to hear, pointing to the one thing hindering him. The ruler said to Jesus what he thought he kept, Jesus told him what he did not. He probably thought he kept it all and would be commended, that there would be nothing to hinder him. However, Jesus puts his finger on just one thing—“Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.
God specifically refers one of the ten commandments:
You shall have no other gods before me.
If the young man did this, he would show his love for God. It would be greater than his love for his possessions. This would please God. Yet, the young ruler was unwilling to do this. His treasure was here on earth. To him the cost of eternal life was way too high. His worldly riches exerted a stronger tug on his heart than Christ did; the young man walks away sad.
(Photo by talkephotography)
Guard Your Hearts
Notes from a Bible Study led by Suhasini Sabrina
The book of Galatians is one of the doctrinal foundation-stones of the New Testament. The book may be second in importance only to the book of Romans. It is said that Martin Luther lived in Romans and Galatians. The material may seem difficult to understand at times, but we must face the hard cold fact: without an understanding of this book, regardless of the difficulty of its' concepts, one would build his Christian doctrine on shifting sands.
We have been set free from the law by the salvation we have received in Jesus Christ. We have liberty, not that we have the right to do anything we want but that we have the right to do right. Our service and daily walk is motivated by love rather than fear of impending judgment. Verse thirteen tells us that in being called to liberty that we have not received a license to sin but that we are to use this liberty for spiritual things, serving each other motivated out of love.
Paul exposes in the last section of chapter five the arch-enemies of the Christian walk, the works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit.
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
(Photo by pluuuis)
Entertainment is everything today. So important, in fact, that we have television programs and magazines devoted solely to the subject. All of which makes it real difficult to be committed to substance rather than the superficial. This includes reading widely, probing deeply, seeing with discernment, rejecting the false, learning the facts. In short, thinking! What I’m pushing for is more who know what they believe, and why. Folks who can spot phony baloney before it hits the headlines … Folks who don’t wait to be told every move to make, who are challenged within to grow, to study, to learn. Such discernment never comes automatically. Thinking is hard work, but, oh, so rewarding. And so essential for survival…
Let’s stop and think. Seriously. Think about how much we actually think these days! Much less than we ought to. A huge chunk of the information we consume comes through audio-visual media; television and the internet in particular. Something that relies on quick and perky content. There’s hardly any room here for any serious or truthful analysis. Added to that, as the author notes, entertainment has overshadowed all other forms of content that it’s not uncommon for a person to view everything in the world through its lenses. Ultimately what we know, say or do go through almost no filtering because it comes to us in the form of entertainment.
Take any movie for instance, or a TV show or popular song. Knowingly or unknowingly, the philosophy behind them (good or bad) creeps into our understanding of the world and inevitably plays an important factor in the decisions we take. For example, I saw the ‘The Expendables’ the other day. The bad guys are well established in the movie and as it progresses the brutal violence seems so ‘needed’ or ‘fulfilling’! or say the lyrics of a song which glorifies rebellion or hatred towards authority. Or even something seemingly trivial like the TV series ‘Friends’. What message does it convey? I must admit a lot of it’s humor is great but it’s underlying worldview leaves much to think about.
Culture and entertainment are married to each other in an awkward vicious cycle. Culture influences what goes into entertainment, and the message given through entertainment flows back into culture and so on. Being as callous as it can get, entertainment today tries to bridge fantasy and truth in an unhealthy manner. Take the very word ‘reality-show’ which supposedly shows truth but the pretense is that it’s taken as entertainment. Isn’t it mutually contradictory? In effect, it’s not enough for us to take things ‘as is’ assuming that their purpose is solely for entertainment. In a larger scheme of things entertainment is good. We all need it and there is nothing wrong with it. The Bible never teaches us not to be entertained but on the other hand, it should never be an end to itself; the reasons being: 1. It takes us away from the more important things in life 2. The messages it propagates directly influence our lives
Original article: www.insight.org/library/insight-for-today/wanted-thinkers.html
Photo by Wasfi Akab
Dare to be a Daniel
Notes from a talk by John K John
Daniel was taken captive by the Babylon’s along with three of his friends. He was far, far away from home; he even lost his identity – the king changed his name. But not once did he think twice about being unfaithful to the God he served. He was still obedient, praying to God not paying heed to orders from the King. God, in turn, delivered him from the fiery furnace and the lions' den.
As Jeremiah says , God looks after every minute detail. Till date, scientists are puzzled about the migration patterns of Arctic Terns. Arctic Terns travel 19,000 kilometers from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back every year during migration. In its life time, it would travel a distance equal to travelling to the moon and back! But the Bible tells us, in Jeremiah 8:7, God knows every little detail:
Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons, and the dove, the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration.
In our day to day world we face a cultural war. Sun Tzu, in his The Art of War says:
The Art of War is governed by five constant factors:
- Moral Law
- Heaven
- Earth
- The Commander
- Method & Discipline
Moral Law? Here, that means living in harmony. People being in complete accord with their ruler; following him regardless of their lives; not afraid of danger. We being Christians have our Bibles to follow. We have the 10 Commandments to guide us.
During the summer of 1924, the Olympics were hosted by the city of Paris. Liddell was a committed Christian and refused to run on Sunday. He was forced to withdraw from the 100 meters race, his best event, which took place on a Sunday. The schedule had been published several months earlier, and his decision was made well before the Games began. Liddell spent the intervening months training for the 400 meters, an event in which he had no previous experience. The day of 400 meters race came, and as Liddell went to the starting blocks, an American masseur slipped a piece of paper into Liddell’s hand with a quotation from 1 Samuel 2:30:
“Those who honor me I will honor.”
He not only won the race, but broke the existing world record with a time of 47.6 seconds. A few days earlier, Liddell had competed in the 200 metre finals, for which he received the bronze medal behind Americans Jackson Scholz and Charles Paddock, beating Harold Abrahams, who finished in sixth place. (This was the second and last race in which these two runners met). His performance in the 400 metres in Paris remained a world record for four years, and a European record for 12 years
God wants each one of us to honour him in what we do, whatever that may be.
Pray for these important decisions that shape your life:
(Photo by Etrusia UK)
Are You in Touch With Your World?
Does Your Walk End In Church?
Notes from a session led by John VC
A dam has to be built, that will be a boon to the population for years to come. However, the construction of this dam would displace the tribals living in that area for decades. You are a non-christian organisation in charge of deciding whether or not the dam should be built. How would you decide?
You’re part of a school board faced with a decision. Should your school allow kids below the poverty-line to study along with the ‘normal’ well-to-do kids already in your school. How would you respond, being a non-christan?
The US government has hiked visa rates. You are a company that places talent in the US. A christian company. What measures would you take so that you don’t lose money?
You’re the leader of a hardcore rock band. A member of your band recently became a christian. How would you react? Would you be comfortable having him in your band?
As housewives, and people who live in residential complexes, how much of an effort do we make to reach out and connect? Do we know anything about our neighbours? Do we seek out to enrich their lives? Or do we engage more easily in idle talk and harmful gossip than we do in building up lives of people around us? Discuss.
On a personal front, we need to be more conscious of our world today. We should be active in our walk in the midst of society.
Where is your mission field?
(Photo by Cayusa)
