Great Grace

There is a connection between great grace and total commitment to serving the needs of others. The statements great grace and “nor was there anyone among them who lacked” are linked. Simply put Acts describes a Christian community with “great grace” as a community that witnesses about Jesus and cares for the needs of all, a community of individuals with a total commitment to meeting the needs of all the people. There was a group of people, besides the twelve apostles, who had followed Jesus, sat at his feet and witnessed his tender interactions with so many hurting people. This group of men and women gathered the food, carried the tent, got the fire wood and tended to the needs of Jesus and the twelve. This was the core of the new church and they carried on doing for the new believers what they had done for Jesus. This is the group the writer of Acts discribes as having "Great Grace" upon them.

A Stone House

Christianity is a stone house, each stone representing a believer, it is a house made of rejected stones. This house, made of Christians, is a special new nation, a royal priesthood with the purpose of proclaiming the amazing power of God to save us all. We are to live as examples, not to show how good we are but rather to demonstrate how powerful God is. A loving Christian example speaks more clearly of God’s ability to change and affect lives than the most eloquent sermon. Our deeds of Christian service will stand in the minds of those we encounter as the definition of God’s fairness at the judgment. By living under His control and by His rules we clearly show how salvation is available to all who seek.

Update

In the last few months life has changed dramatically and I open these pages once again with a renewed sense of purpose. I will again be posting questions relevant to Sabbath School classes in an effort to provide a starting place for those adult sabbath school teachers struggling to find a starting place for their discussions. In addition I will be posting notes, observations and excerpts from a book I am attempting to write about Peter. I did not set out to write a book, I have been engulfed in a crisis of faith and in the life of Peter found an example to use, in a very personal way, on a journey to rebuild my personal faith. The notes, observations and relevant thoughts I am assembling describe my faith story. Comments and encouragement are welcome.

Jesus the Teacher

What did Jesus want to teach us about while he was here?
How did Jesus redefine God to those he spoke to?
Does his description of God affect us today?
How does seeing God as the Father of Jesus affect how we feel about Him?
Matthew 5:1-12
Why did this teaching amaze those who listened with it wisdom?
Does this passage have significant for us today? Why?
Do you see yourself in these words?
What does it mean by blessed?
How does this teaching relate to the Law given by Jesus on the Mount?
Hearing Jesus redefines Life, how does his teaching impact you?
How does his teaching give meaning to Humility, Grace and Forgiveness?
Can you trust his teaching?
Can we be the people Jesus describes in the beatitudes?
How does a student of Christ look in this church, today?

Sabbath School Discussion Questions

Why is it important Jesus choose to be a human?
How can we know Jesus was human?
What signs do we see in the stories of Jesus time that reveal his humanity?
Did Jesus have to suffer the same temptations as us?
Did he have to deal with the same or similar problems as us?
How does knowing he dealt with sin affect our attitude towards him?
How do you think He feels about us?
Do you identify more when people or causes that you have experienced?
What was the purpose of his human incarnation?
We see lots of examples in history of men claiming to be gods, but here is a case of God claiming to be man, why is this significant?
Can we explain how Jesus could be divine and human at the same time?
What is the danger in dwelling on the humanity of Christ?
Is it possible to make him to human and what happens when we do?
Why did Jesus choose not to use his divine power?
Did Jesus’ sinlessness win us salvation or did his sacrifice win salvation?
How does seeing Jesus, with a human experience, in heaven working on your behalf impact your personal relationship with Jesus?

Discussion Questions for Feb 16 Sabbath School Class

Mark 3:1-12

What do you notice about Jesus’ instructions?
Do all of these things apply to us today? How
Why did Jesus send the twelve out?
Why was there a delay between being called to discipleship and becoming apostles for the twelve?
How is the time of a disciple spent?

Luke 10:1-23

How is this similar to the commission of the twelve?
How is it different?
Why were they so happy?
What did Jesus say was the point of being a disciple?
What does discipleship have to do with having your name written in the book of life?

Matthew 5:13-16

What can we learn about being disciples from these verses?
How can you apply this?

Matthew 7:1-5

What can we learn about being disciples from these verses?
How can you apply this?

Matthew 7:15-20

What can we learn about being disciples from these verses?
How can you apply this?

What does being a disciple look like today?
Have you seen these truths reflected in the lives of those around you?
How do we reflect this in our lives?
If the Sermon on the Mount is our marching orders, what is Jesus telling us to do?
What does being a disciple look like today?

A Dogs Life

The lesson impacted me this week greatly. As I prayfully read the story of the canaanite woman begging for the health of her child I came to see a truth. I have always identified myself with the disciples, the followers of Jesus, but truly I am but one of the dogs at his feet. It's amazing what a change in perspective can do. Seeing myself in a different way impacts the way I see Jesus. The effect my newfound perspective has on the way I relate to everyone around me is profound. My prayer for this week will be that I may keep this perspective and continue to live "a dogs life" as I relate to my neighbors.