Commissioned to Teach

Thursday, November 26, 2015
Matthew 28:16-20 KJV 

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. 17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Where did the eleven disciples go? Why? (v.16)
2) What did they do when they saw our resurrected Savior? (v.17)
3) What did Jesus tell His disciples to do? Why? (v.18)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) What are you doing to fulfill the Jesus' great commission?

LIFE LESSONS
5) Because the Holy Spirit indwells every believer, we have all that we need to fulfill the great commision!

A New Commandment

Saturday, April 11, 2015
John 13:31-35 KJV 

31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After our Lord had washed the disciples feet and Judas left the room, what did Jesus say to the rest of the disciples? (v.31-33)
2) What new commandment did Jesus give His disciples? (v.34)
3) How would others know that Jesus' followers were His disciples? (v.35)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
4) Are you one of Christ's disciples? How do others know?

LIFE LESSONS
5) A follower of Christ is not simply one who professes belief in the Lord Jesus, but one who loves others as He does.

The Shepherd's Comfort

Friday, March 6, 2015
Psalm 23 KJV

1 [[A Psalm of David.]] The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou [art] with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) Who is David's shepherd? (v.1a)
2) What does David's shepherd do for him? (v.1b-3)
3) What does David do when he goes through terrifying times and why? (v.4)
4) What else does the shepherd do for David? (v.5)
5) What is the psalmist's hope? (v.6) 

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
6) Who is your earthly shepherd (pastor)?
7) How much is your earthly sheperd (pastor) like the Good Shepherd?

LIFE LESSONS
8) The Lord gives His sheep (followers) earthly shepherds (pastors) who will care for their souls just as He does.
9) A good earthly shepherd must first be a good sheep (follower of the Lord Jesus Christ)!

Minister to the Least

Sunday, February 15, 2015
Matthew 25:31-46 KJV

31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed [thee]? or thirsty, and gave [thee] drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took [thee] in? or naked, and clothed [thee]? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) How will our Lord judge between His people after He returns for us? (v.31-32)
2) Who will He set on His right side and on His left? (v.33)
3) What will the King say to those on His right? Why? (v.34-40)
4) What will the King say to those on His left side? Why? (v.41-46)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
5) Are you a sheep or a goat? How do you know?
6) Where will you spend eternity? Why?

LIFE LESSONS
7) Only those who follow our Lord in deed will live eternally with Him.
8) Those who love the Lord will do as the Spirit of the Lord leads them.

God's Kingdom Has Come Near

Thurday, January 1, 2015
Luke 10:1-11 KJV

1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 2 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly [is] great, but the labourers [are] few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 5 And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace [be] to this house. 6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. 7 And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8 And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10 But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) After calling the first twelve disciples and giving them power and authority on earth, how many other disciples did the Lord appoint and send? (v.1)
2) What twelve things did the Lord tell His disciples to do? (v.2-11)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
3) What instruction(s) has the Lord given you as His disciple?
4) What, if anything, do you expect to receive from those the Lord sends you to minister to?
5) What do you do when your message is not well received in a place where the Lord has sent you?

LIFE LESSONS
6) The Lord sends His disciples to minister the Gospel of peace to the lost, the least, and the broken.
7) The greatest reward that we can receive, as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is our Lord's "well done!"
8) As Christ's followers, the Gospel message will not be well received by everyone the Lord sends us to minister to.

Treasure in Heaven

Monday, August 25, 2014
Mark 10:17-27 

17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? [there is] none good but one, [that is], God. 
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. 
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 
24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God! 
25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 
26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? 
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

OBSERVATION QUESTIONS
1) What did the man want who ran to and kneeled at Jesus' feet? (v.17)
2) How did Jesus initially respond to him? (v.18)
3) What was the Lord's next response to the man's question? (v.19)
4) How did the man respond to Jesus? (v.20)
5) What was Jesus' final response to the man? (v.21)
6) What did the man do in response? (v.22)
7) What did Jesus tell His disciples? (v.23)
8) How did His disciples respond? (v.24a)
9) Why do you think the Lord restate His comment concerning the rich? (v.24b-25)
10) How did the disciples respond after Jesus made his statement about the rich the third time? (v.26)
11) What did Jesus say about God and why do you think He said it? (v.27)

APPLICATION QUESTIONS
12) Has the Lord ever asked you to do anything that you believed was too difficult for you? If so, please explain one such instance.
13) What, if anything, have you cherished more than your relationship with the Lord?
14) Has the Lord ever asked you to forsake (or give up) something that was dear to you? If so, please explain.

PRINCIPLES
15) Our alffections will remain with whatever, or whoever, we value most in life.
16) Our relationship with Christ must be preeminent over every other earthly affection.
17) The Lord does not ask us to do anything that He will not also give us His grace to do.