January 8, 2017 – Genesis and John (Gospel and Revelation) – Enmity and Life

Enmity and Life

Genesis 3:11-15 – New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock
    and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
    and you will eat dust
    all the days of your life.
¹⁵ And I will put enmity
    between you and the woman,
    and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
    and you will strike his heel.”

In your opinion, why would Jesus ask “have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from” (verse 11)?

How did the man answer (verse 12)?

How did the woman answer this question “what is this you have done” (verse 13)?

Why is the serpent to be cursed “above all livestock and all wild animals” (verse 14)?

In your opinion, since Genesis 2:7 says that God made the man from the dust, what does the fact that the serpent will “eat dust all the days of your life” mean (verse 14)?

What will God put between the woman and the serpent (verse 15)?

What will God put between the offspring of the serpent and the woman’s offspring (verse 15)?

What will the woman’s offspring do to the serpent (verse 15)?

What will the serpent do to the woman’s offspring (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

John 13:1-11 - New International Version (NIV)

¹ It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

What did Jesus know (verse 1)?

How did Jesus feel about “his own who were in the world” (verse 1)?

Who had prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus (verse 2)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that “the Father had put all things under his power” (verse 3)?

When did Jesus take off His outer clothing and wrap a towel around His waist (verse 4)?

What did Jesus do (verse 5)?

Who ask “Lord, are you going to wash my feet” (verse 6)?

In your opinion, why did Jesus say “but later you will understand” (verse 7)?

How did Peter respond to Jesus (verse 8)?

What did Jesus tell Peter (verse 8)?

In your opinion, why would Peter want his hands and head also washed (verse 9)?

What do people who have had a bath need to wash to be clean (verse 10)?

Why did Jesus say that “not every one was clean” (verse 11)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how is Jesus kneeling to wash the dust off the feet of the disciples in John 13:1-11 not only a service to the disciples but a way to strike the serpent who is condemned to crawl in the dust in Genesis 3:11-15?

Hebrews 2:9-18 - New International Version (NIV)

⁹ But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

¹⁰ In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. ¹¹ Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. ¹² He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;
    in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

¹³ And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

¹⁴ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— ¹⁵ and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. ¹⁶ For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. ¹⁷ For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Why is Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” (verse 9)?

What did Jesus taste for everyone (verse 9)?

What is Jesus to the sons and daughters that God is bringing to glory (verse 10)?

How are “the one who makes people holy” and “those who are made holy” related (verse 11)?

In your opinion, whose name is Jesus declaring to His brothers and sisters (verse 12)?

Who is with Jesus (verse 13)?

Why did Jesus share the humanity of the children (verse 14)?

Who holds the power of death (verse 14)?

What kind of slavery was Jesus freeing people from (verse 15)?

Who is Jesus helping (verse 16)?

Why did Jesus become fully human and a merciful and faithful high priest (verse 17)?

Why is Jesus able to help those who are tempted (verse 18)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does Jesus washing the feet of the disciples in John 13:1-13 show that He understands the way that will “break the power of him who holds the power of death” as Paul puts it in Hebrews 2:9-18?

In your opinion, how is the serpent striking the heel of the offspring of the woman, and the offspring crushing his head in Genesis 3:11-15 beginning to be fulfilled by Jesus, in His death, breaking the “power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil” as Paul explains in Hebrews 2:9-18?

Revelation 20:7-10 – New International Version (NIV)

⁷ When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. ⁹ They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

When will Satan be released from his prison (verse 7)?

Who will Satan go out to deceive (verse 8)?

How many will gather for battle (verse 8)?

Where will they go (verse 9)?

What will happen to them (verse 9)?

Where does the devil end up (verse 10)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does Jesus defeat of Satan, which Paul shows beginning with the breaking of the power of death in Hebrews 2:9-18, find is completion in Revelation 20:7-10?

In your opinion, why does Jesus, who knows in John 13:1-11 that God has “put all things under his power” wait until Satan has gone out to deceive the world and brought world to attack the people of God in Revelation 20:7-10 before He utilizes the full extent of His power?

In your opinion, how is the serpent deceiving Adam and Eve before being punished in Genesis 3:11-15 similar to the events prophesied in Revelation 20:7-10?

In your opinion, what do these passages from Genesis, John, Hebrews and Revelation help us understand about death and its place in the battle between Satan and Jesus?

In your opinion, how do these passages help us to join Jesus in singing praises to the Father and place our trust in Him, especially in a world filled with turmoil and death?                                                                          

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

January 1, 2017 – Genesis and John (Gospel and Revelation) – Belief and Salvation

Belief and Salvation

Genesis 15:1-6 – New International Version (NIV)

¹ After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:

“Do not be afraid, Abram.
    I am your shield,
    your very great reward.”

² But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” ³ And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” ⁵ He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

⁶ Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

What came to Abram (verse 1)?

Who was a shield and very great reward to Abram (verse 1)?

In your opinion, why is Abram concerned about being childless (verse 2)?

Who is Eliezer of Damascus (verses 2 and 3)?

What does the Lord promise Abram (verse 4)?

Why is Abram to look at the stars and count them (verse 5)?

How did Abram respond to the Lord’s promise (verse 6)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

John 16:25-33 - New International Version (NIV)

²⁵ “Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will tell you plainly about my Father. ²⁶ In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. ²⁷ No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. ²⁸ I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.”

²⁹ Then Jesus’ disciples said, “Now you are speaking clearly and without figures of speech. ³⁰ Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”

³¹ “Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. ³² “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

How has Jesus been speaking (verse 25)?

What will the disciples do “in that day” (verse 26)?

Why does the Father love them (verse 27)?

Where is Jesus going (verse 28)?

What did the disciples think about what Jesus was saying (verse 29)?

What did the disciples believe about Jesus (verse 30)?

In your opinion, why does Jesus ask “do you now believe” (verse 31)?

What is coming and “in fact has come” (verse 32)?

Why has Jesus told the disciples these things (verse 33)?

What will the disciples have in the world (verse 33)?

Why should the disciples “take heart” (verse 33)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how is the belief of Abram that caused God to credit “it to him as righteousness” in Genesis 15:1-6 and the belief of the disciples in John 16:25-33 that they believe that Jesus came from God similar?

Romans 4:16-25 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. ¹⁷ As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.

¹⁸ Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. ²⁰ Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, ²¹ being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. ²² This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” ²³ The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, ²⁴ but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. ²⁵ He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

How did the promise come (verse 16)?

In your opinion, who is Paul talking about when he says “those who have the faith of Abraham” (verse 16)?

Who was “I have made you a father of many nations” written about (verses 16 and 17)?

Who gives “life to the dead and calls into being things that were not” (verse 17)?

How did Abraham believe (verse 18)?

In your opinion, why is it important that Abraham faced the fact that “his body was as good as dead” and that “Sarah’s womb was also dead” (verse 19)?

What happened to Abraham’s faith when he faced the real facts of his situation (verse 20)?

What was Abraham “fully persuaded” of (verse 21)?

Who were the words “it was credited to him” written for (verses 23 and24)?

Why was Jesus “delivered over to death” (verse 25)?

Why was Jesus “raised to life” (verse 25)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what does Paul in Romans 4:16-25 help us to understand about what Jesus did to “overcome the world” as He promised in John 16:25-33?

In your opinion, what does Paul saying that Abraham faced the facts of the realities of his situation in Romans 4:16-25 help us to understand about how amazing it was for him to believe the Lord in Genesis 15:1-6?

Revelation 7:9-17 – New International Version (NIV)

⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, ¹² saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

¹³ Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God
    and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
    will shelter them with his presence.
¹⁶ ‘Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
    nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
    ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Who was standing before the throne and before the Lamb (verse 9)?

What belongs to God and to the Lamb (verse 10)?

What did the angels do (verse 11)?

Who is to have praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power and strength (verse 12)?

Who are the ones in the white robes (verses 13 and 14)?

How does God shelter those in the white robes (verse 15)?

Why will they never hunger, thirst or have the sun beat down on them (verses 16 and 17)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does John’s vision of the people in white who “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” in Revelation 7:9-17 help us to follow the example of Abraham that Paul gives in Romans 4:16-25 and be strengthened in our faith and give glory to God?

In your opinion, how is the salvation and the great tribulation that John talks about in Revelation 7:9-17 show the fulfillment of Jesus’ statement from John 16:25-33 that “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”?

In your opinion, how is the promise of God to Abram in Genesis 15:1-6 that he should try to count the stars in the sky to see how many offspring he would have shown to be filled in Revelation 7:9-17 by the people in white with the palm branches?

In your opinion, what do these passages from Genesis, John, Romans and Revelation help us understand about faith and salvation?

In your opinion, how do these passages help us to have peace in a world filled with tribulation?                 

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)

December 25, 2016 – Genesis and John (Gospel and Revelation) – Life, Death and New Life

Life, Death and New Life

Genesis 2:4-7 – New International Version (NIV)

⁴ This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

⁵ Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, ⁶ but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. ⁷ Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Who made the earth and the heavens (verse 4)?

Why had no shrub appeared or plant sprung up (verse 5)?

How was the ground watered (verse 6)?

What did the Lord God form a man from (verse 7)?

When did man become a living being (verse 7)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

John 1:6-14 - New International Version (NIV)

⁶ There was a man sent from God whose name was John. ⁷ He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. ⁸ He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. ¹¹ He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. ¹² Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Who sent John (verse 6)?

Why did John testify concerning the light (verse 7)?

What was John’s relationship to the light (verse 8)?

Who does the true light give light to (verse 9)?

In your opinion, why did the world, though made through Him, not recognize the light (verse 10)?

Who did not receive Him (verse 11)?

What did He give “those who believed in his name” (verse 12)?

In your opinion, what does it mean to be “born of God” (verse 13)?

What did the Word become (verse 14)?

What filled the Son who came from the Father (verse 14)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, what can we learn from comparing the way the first man was formed and given life in Genesis 2:4-7 and the way the Son “became flesh” in John 1:6-14?

Romans 5:12-21 - New International Version (NIV)

¹² Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

¹³ To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.

¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

¹⁸ Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

²⁰ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, ²¹ so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

How did sin enter the world (verse 12)?

How did death enter the world (verse 12)?

In your opinion, what does Paul mean when he says “but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law” (verse 13)?

What reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses (verse 14)?

In your opinion, what is the difference between the gift and the trespass (verse 15)?

What followed one sin (verse 16)?

What did the gift follow (verse 16)?

How is God’s provision of grace described (verse 17)?

How many trespasses resulted in condemnation for all people (verse 18)?

How many righteous acts resulted in justification and life for all people (verse 18)?

In your opinion, what does Paul mean when he says “the law was brought in so that the trespass might increase” (verse 20)?

What happened when sin increased (verse 20)?

How does grace reign (verse 21)?

What does grace bring through Jesus Christ (verse 21)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, how does Paul in Romans 5:12-21 help us understand about the way those who “believed in his name” in John 1:6-14 became children of God by being “born of God”?

In your opinion, what can we learn from the fact that Jesus, who is the one who breathed life into Adam in Genesis 2:4-7 is also the one whose righteous act Paul says in Romans 5:12-21 resulted in “justification and life for all people”?

Revelation 19:11-16 – New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

What is the rider of the white horse called (verse 11)?

How does the rider of the white horse wage war (verse 11)?

What is on the rider’s head (verse 12)?

What is the rider dressed in (verse 13)?

What is the rider’s name (verse 13)?

In your opinion, what does it mean that the rider’s armies are dressed in “fine linen, white and clean” (verse 14)?

Where is the sharp sword (verse 15)?

What winepress does the rider tread (verse 15)?

What is written on His robe and his thigh (verse 15)?

In your opinion, what is the basic message of this passage?

In your opinion, why does Paul show Jesus as the provider of the gift of abundant grace in Romans 5:12-21 but John sees Jesus as the one who strikes down nations and who “treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty” in Revelation 19:11-16?

In your opinion, why does John in John 1:6-14 say that he saw “the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” and then in Revelation 19:11-16 says that he “judges and wages war”?

In your opinion, how do you feel when you think that the one who created a man from dust and breathed life into him in Genesis 2:4-7 is also the one who judges, wages war and strikes down nations in Revelation 19:11-16?

In your opinion, what do these passages from Genesis, John, Romans and Revelation help us understand about life, new life and judgment?

In your opinion, how do these passages strengthen our desire to live in “God’s abundant provision of Grace”?

(sprucewhispers.blogspot.com)