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December 19, 2008
Welcome to the Journey Through John Blog!
This is what to do:
Chapter 9
1) What was the basis of the Pharisees’ accusation to the blind man in verse 34: To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.”?
2) What were the Pharisees missing in their worldview?
3) In your opinion, who was more blind, the man or the Pharisees? Discuss the differences between physical blindness, emotional blindness, and spiritual blindness.
4) In your opinion was Jesus using the blind man's perdicament as an object lesson to illustrate true blindness?
5) Have you ever been figuratively blind? Has anyone ever been blind to you?
6) Discuss a time in your life, when
you or someone else refused to "see" a point of view.
Chapter 8
1) Jesus did not condemn or judge, and we as Christians are called to imitate Christ. As a part of the Christian community, we are called to be exemplary in our behavior but also to call attention to the evil in society. How do you do this and still maintain the loving spirit that is required of a true Christian?
2) In verse 47, Jesus states, “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” How would you feel if someone said this to you? Could this be the reason that non-believers, agnostics, and atheists do not believe in Jesus Christ? Explain your views agreeing or disagreeing.
3) According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the definition of “Pharisee” is:
[A] member of a Jewish sect that flourished during the 1st century b.c. and 1st century a.d. and that differed from the Sadducees chiefly in its strict observance of religious ceremonies and practices, adherence to oral laws and traditions, and belief in an afterlife and the coming of a Messiah. But because of their behavior in biblicaltimes, a second meaning grew and in it’s present form is: “a sanctimonious, self-righteous, or hypocritical person.”
2) In verse 47, Jesus states, “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” How would you feel if someone said this to you? Could this be the reason that non-believers, agnostics, and atheists do not believe in Jesus Christ? Explain your views agreeing or disagreeing.
3) According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the definition of “Pharisee” is:
[A] member of a Jewish sect that flourished during the 1st century b.c. and 1st century a.d. and that differed from the Sadducees chiefly in its strict observance of religious ceremonies and practices, adherence to oral laws and traditions, and belief in an afterlife and the coming of a Messiah. But because of their behavior in biblicaltimes, a second meaning grew and in it’s present form is: “a sanctimonious, self-righteous, or hypocritical person.”
They may be defined further as people who hold positions of authority and are ready to condemn others while esteeming themselves and hiding their own sins. Have you ever intentionally or unintentionally found yourself acting like a Pharisee?
Chapter 7
1) In verse 9, Jesus told his brothers that He would not be going to the Feast of Tabernacles because His time had not yet come. Then in verse 10, He apparently changes His mind and goes. Does this seem incongruous to you about the nature of Jesus? Did Jesus change His mind or did He purposely tell His brohters something different than what He was truly going to do? How can you account for this apparent inconsistency?
2) What do you see as the main communication breakdown between Jesus and the Pharisees? What was a secondary cause of communication breakdown?
3) What is the difference between a concrete thinker and an abstract thinker? Which one are you? Give examples of how Jesus accommodated each type of thinker.
4) What did Jesus mean in verse 36 when He states, "You will look for me, but you will not find me" and "Where I am, you cannot come?"
5) Galilee was considered an undesirable region. Why did people say "a prophet does not come out of Galilee?"
6) If people from Galilee truly were undesirable, and if the Pharisees truly were the religious elite, why then, were the Pharisees so inteimidated by this Galilean and so adamant that he should be killed?
7) Every city seems to have an area that is its "Galilee." It is usually a poverty stricken area with a high crime rate and undesirable housing and schools. Do you either openly or secretly have prejudices about people who live in those areas?
Discuss a time when you witnessed this type of prejudice in your own life.
2) What do you see as the main communication breakdown between Jesus and the Pharisees? What was a secondary cause of communication breakdown?
3) What is the difference between a concrete thinker and an abstract thinker? Which one are you? Give examples of how Jesus accommodated each type of thinker.
4) What did Jesus mean in verse 36 when He states, "You will look for me, but you will not find me" and "Where I am, you cannot come?"
5) Galilee was considered an undesirable region. Why did people say "a prophet does not come out of Galilee?"
6) If people from Galilee truly were undesirable, and if the Pharisees truly were the religious elite, why then, were the Pharisees so inteimidated by this Galilean and so adamant that he should be killed?
7) Every city seems to have an area that is its "Galilee." It is usually a poverty stricken area with a high crime rate and undesirable housing and schools. Do you either openly or secretly have prejudices about people who live in those areas?
Discuss a time when you witnessed this type of prejudice in your own life.
Chapter 6
1) According to the text, what does it mean to believe? Does this fit with your definition of what it means to believe? If so, how? If not, how?
2) What is the difference between head knowledge, heart knowledge, and gut knowledge?
3) What is the significance of Jesus walking on water?
4) Why was the teaching about eating the flesh and drinking the blood such a hard teaching? How do you feel reading Jesus' description about the drinking and eating of His body?
5) Why did many of Jesus' disciples desert him at this point? Who do you identify more with, the disciples who left or the disciples who remained? If you were a disciple, would you have left at this point in His teaching?
2) What is the difference between head knowledge, heart knowledge, and gut knowledge?
3) What is the significance of Jesus walking on water?
4) Why was the teaching about eating the flesh and drinking the blood such a hard teaching? How do you feel reading Jesus' description about the drinking and eating of His body?
5) Why did many of Jesus' disciples desert him at this point? Who do you identify more with, the disciples who left or the disciples who remained? If you were a disciple, would you have left at this point in His teaching?
Chapter 5
1) Is it more important to follow the rules no matter what, or can you bend them in the name of love? Give an example illustrating your opinion.
2) Discuss a time when:
a. you thought the rules were out of sync because the spirit of love was not there.
b. you though the rules were instituted to point up the power of those who made them, rather than for the protection of those for whom the rules were made.
3) What do you think about the crippled man's response, "Sir, there is no one to help me" and Jesus' answer to him: "Do you want to get well?" What might Jesus be implying?
4) In a society, such as ours, where the survival of the fittest is the attitude du jour, why do you think Jesus used a crippled man to display his power?
2) Discuss a time when:
a. you thought the rules were out of sync because the spirit of love was not there.
b. you though the rules were instituted to point up the power of those who made them, rather than for the protection of those for whom the rules were made.
3) What do you think about the crippled man's response, "Sir, there is no one to help me" and Jesus' answer to him: "Do you want to get well?" What might Jesus be implying?
4) In a society, such as ours, where the survival of the fittest is the attitude du jour, why do you think Jesus used a crippled man to display his power?
Chapter 4
1) Why were the disciples surprised when they saw Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman? Was it because she was a Samaritan? Was it because she was a woman? Was it because she was divorced? Why did the Disciples not say anything directly to Jesus?
2) There are at least two character qualities that Jesus demonstrates by speaking to this woman.
a. What characteristics do you think Jesus demonstrates by speaking to this particular woman?
b. What does it tell you about Jesus' nature regarding her sin?
c. How do you react to people whose sins are obvious?
d. Does seeing how Jesus treats this woman change your mind about how to treat people whose sins are obvius? How?
4) What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth? How do you worship?
2) There are at least two character qualities that Jesus demonstrates by speaking to this woman.
a. What characteristics do you think Jesus demonstrates by speaking to this particular woman?
b. What does it tell you about Jesus' nature regarding her sin?
c. How do you react to people whose sins are obvious?
d. Does seeing how Jesus treats this woman change your mind about how to treat people whose sins are obvius? How?
4) What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth? How do you worship?
Chapter 3
1) Do you think Nicodemus was a secret follower of Jesus? Why did he go to talk to Jesus at night?
2) Would you consider yourself a secret believer? Do you believe in God but keep it to yourself? If so, why?
3) Have you ever wanted to know more about God, but were discouraged by someone to ask openly? Discuss a time when you were inhibited from asking about God.
4) Have you ever felt embarrassed by seeing or hearing someone pray or talk about their faith in God.
5) Read Isaiah 29:13-14, Mark 8:38, and Revelation 3:16, and discuss the impact of those verses on secret discipleship and evangelism.
8) What does it mean to you to be born of the Spirit?
2) Would you consider yourself a secret believer? Do you believe in God but keep it to yourself? If so, why?
3) Have you ever wanted to know more about God, but were discouraged by someone to ask openly? Discuss a time when you were inhibited from asking about God.
4) Have you ever felt embarrassed by seeing or hearing someone pray or talk about their faith in God.
5) Read Isaiah 29:13-14, Mark 8:38, and Revelation 3:16, and discuss the impact of those verses on secret discipleship and evangelism.
8) What does it mean to you to be born of the Spirit?
Chapter 2
(1) Many times Jesus used ordinary, everyday objects to display the power that God had given to him. Discuss what is so significant about Jesus' changing water to wine. Is it a trick? A favor for his mother? A favor for the wedding host? Is there a deeper meaning?
(2) Why did Jesus say, "It's not my time," and then do it anyway?
(3) There are many schools of thought within Christianity on the subject of alcohol. Some teach that the drinking of alcoholic beverages...
(4) Jesus becomes angry when He sees what is being done in His Father's house.
(a) What do yu think about Jesus' reactions and resultant behavior? What exactly is He so upset about?
(b) Is it okay for a Christian to show anger in this manner? How do you think it would be thought of today, if you used a whip and turned tables over in a display of anger?
(2) Why did Jesus say, "It's not my time," and then do it anyway?
(3) There are many schools of thought within Christianity on the subject of alcohol. Some teach that the drinking of alcoholic beverages...
(4) Jesus becomes angry when He sees what is being done in His Father's house.
(a) What do yu think about Jesus' reactions and resultant behavior? What exactly is He so upset about?
(b) Is it okay for a Christian to show anger in this manner? How do you think it would be thought of today, if you used a whip and turned tables over in a display of anger?
(c) What do you think people thought of Jesus at the time?
(d) Usually we are taught not to display our anger in this seemingly volatile way, yet we are told to follow and emulate Jesus; how does this present a paradoxical problem?
5) Do you think the selling that is done in churches today (gift shops, book stores, etc) constitutes making a market out of the House of God? Why or why not? What about raising money through raffles, bingo, or bake sales?
6) What is your feeling about pastors, priests, televangelists or preachers speaking about how to be blessed financially?
7) What does Scripture say about money?
Chapter 1
1) Return to the text and insert “Jesus Christ” everywhere it says “the Word.”
2) Return to the text and insert “God’s active and personal involvement everywhere it says “the Word.”
3) After going back into the text, notice how substituting the phrase changes the meaning of the context of the passage. Choose a few of the phrases that made an impression on you and then discuss how it changes the meaning for each substituted phrase. How does this change your understanding of God? How does this change your understanding of Jesus?
4) There is controversy in Christianity about the proper
time for baptism to occur. Neither Jesus nor His disciples laid down any rules about how baptism was to be done, nor did they provide much interpretation of its spiritual significance. As a result, many different beliefs and practices have developed within Christianity over the centuries. In certain Christian religions, babies are routinely baptized citing Acts 16:15 and Acts 16:33 as the basis for their reasoning. In other Christian religions the belief is held that a person should be “of age” and choose to be baptized for themselves.
In John 1:25-26, John the Baptist is baptizing people. Do you think there are adults only in the Jordan River or do you think people are bringing their children with them? Discuss your opinion. What is your belief about baptism? Do you think it makes a difference as to when a person is baptized? Or how a person is baptized? If you have been baptized, discuss the event.
2) Return to the text and insert “God’s active and personal involvement everywhere it says “the Word.”
3) After going back into the text, notice how substituting the phrase changes the meaning of the context of the passage. Choose a few of the phrases that made an impression on you and then discuss how it changes the meaning for each substituted phrase. How does this change your understanding of God? How does this change your understanding of Jesus?
4) There is controversy in Christianity about the proper
time for baptism to occur. Neither Jesus nor His disciples laid down any rules about how baptism was to be done, nor did they provide much interpretation of its spiritual significance. As a result, many different beliefs and practices have developed within Christianity over the centuries. In certain Christian religions, babies are routinely baptized citing Acts 16:15 and Acts 16:33 as the basis for their reasoning. In other Christian religions the belief is held that a person should be “of age” and choose to be baptized for themselves.
In John 1:25-26, John the Baptist is baptizing people. Do you think there are adults only in the Jordan River or do you think people are bringing their children with them? Discuss your opinion. What is your belief about baptism? Do you think it makes a difference as to when a person is baptized? Or how a person is baptized? If you have been baptized, discuss the event.
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