The Call of Jesus, SS Disscussion Questions

Luke 5:1-11

Did Jesus have a relationship with the four?
Why did Jesus choose these men?
Why did Jesus use Peter’s boat?
Why did he instruct them to try and fish again?
What does Peters answer tell us about Peter?
Why did Jesus fill their boats with fish?
What was their response when Jesus asks them to follow him?
How did they know it was the right thing to do?

Luke 5:27-29

How were tax collectors viewed in Jewish society?
Why did Jesus call Matthew?
What was Jesus demonstrating by reaching out to Matthew?
How do you think the other disciple reacted?
How do you think the call of Matthew impacted Jesus’ ministry?


Do you think the disciples knew Jesus before he called them to follow him?
Did Jesus know them?
While they clearly didn’t understand his mission what did they see in him that emboldened them to follow him?
What advantage do we have today?
Does Jesus want us to be his disciples? How is he calling us?
Would you be willing to trust him completely and follow him?

The Speeding Festiva

As I sat waiting at one of the seeming hundred stop lights on the way to work the other day something caught my attention in the car next to me. I was patiently waiting next to a Ford Festiva, a fine little car roughly the size and shape of a skate, when I noticed on the dash a top of the line, super deluxe radar detector. Now that is the definition of optimism right there. Even if the pedals could propel the car to speeds greater than the speed limit any officer would be so shocked the thought of actually writing a ticket would flee his mind. Yep, very optimistic indeed.

Sabbath School Discussion Questions - January 5

We embark upon a new quarterly this sabbath and I'm always a little torn between sad to move on a tired of the old topic. I must admit I'm looking forward to studying about discipleship this quarter as it complements an in-depth study I've been doing in my personal bible study. I'm looking forward to a conversation this morning with my Sabbath School class about what it means to be a disciple.

What is a disciple?
How do you become a disciple?
Why do would someone want to become a disciple?
In the story of Jesus calling the four fishermen, whose idea was it for the fishermen to follow Jesus?
What did Jesus ask them to do?
What did they have to give up?
Put yourself in their shoe's, picture walking away from you family, home, and business to follow Jesus, how did they feel?
Why did they do it?
Can you be a disciple if you are not asked to follow the master?
Do you feel Jesus calling you to sit at his feet?
Can we be disciples today?
How?
Is it possible to be a disciple of TV, or books, or a preacher or education or religion?
What or who are we disciples of?

What has collected my thoughts this week has been the power of Jesus' call, the invitation to follow, we cannot be disciples unless we are called, we cannot be lead unless we follow. We are all disciples of something and someone and our actions, our time, reveals the object of our devotions.

Poltical Commentary

Watching the political commentary spinning into hyper speed for an election that seems an eternity in the future I can't help but wonder: have we really thought about this? It seems we are so anxious to change, or we have been told we are desperate to change that we are rushing headlong into change, well, for the sake of change. I guess the thought of 10 months of political ads and non-stop candidate coverage is just giving me a headache. I tell my kids complaining about something without offering a solution is just whining so....I guess this is just whining because I have no solution. I saw a recent interview with Katy Curic where she dismisses Internet blogs as "guys in their pajamas impolitely spewing their opinions". So, with deference to Katy, in my opinion I need to get some pajamas.

A Changed World

I am troubled and saddened this week as I read and watch the accounts of the assassination of Bhutto. Not that I have a personal interest in the politics of Pakistan, but it is always sad to see someone give their life in pursuit of a cause and the pain of her family and supporters is something we all can identify with.

I wonder if anyone else sees the comparison to Archduke Franz Ferdinand in this sad tale. The politics of a small country being manipulated to advance the goals of powerful allies on each side. Often times, major historical events, earth changing forces are set in motion by seemingly insignificant actions.

The location and importance of Pakistan may seem relatively insignificant to us here in the US but maybe this is the seemingly insignificant event that will trigger a changed world. It is tempting to inject our own interpretations into events. It is impossible to know the path this action will lead our world down, however I think we can safely say, our path has been altered. I hope.

Sabbath School Discussion Questions - December 29

Where did Jesus come from?
What was his family like?
What was it like to live in extreme poverty in Judea?
Was Jesus accepted among the people of Israel?

Luke 4:28-30, John 8:58-59

Why did the people try to stone him and throw him of a cliff?
How do you think Jesus felt? Why?
What were the people rejecting?
Can we fathom Jesus’ feelings, can we understand his pain at being rejected by his friends and neighbors?
How did Jesus deal with the rejection?
What other trials did Christ suffer in his time on this earth?
How did he deal with them?
Do we have access to the same strength?

Matthew 27:45

Paul exalts in sharing a small measure of Christ’s suffering and often we hear that Jesus suffered more than anyone ever will, but people, even today are tortured for their beliefs. Lots of people were crucified under the rule of the Romans so what makes Jesus’ suffering extraordinary? What makes his suffering greater than anything we will ever face?
Did he have a choice, could he have chosen not to endure the trial?
When did he decide to be sacrificed for sin?


This quarter we have studied trial and Jesus exhibited all of the qualities set forth as guidelines for endurance: Praise, meekness, patience, seeing the big picture, and dying like the seed. How do we apply these lessons today because we will face trial tomorrow?
Is this how we want to live?
What are we facing?
How will we get through?
How can we make this practice a way of life?

Seeing Jesus

Reading the stories of Jesus recorded in the bible I can’t help but be drawn to the idea that seeing Jesus was the most important thing any of the people of that time could do. They wanted to see him, they had heard about the power and his message and they needed to see him. Some wanted to be healed, some wanted discuss theology, some just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Zacheus climbed a tree, Peter walked on water, people walked for miles and some even tore the roof off a house. They did anything they had to do too see him.

How do we see Jesus today? He ascended to heaven in front of many witnesses and abides even now with his father so how can we encounter him, see him today? We see Jesus every day when we associate with friends who walk closely with him. We see him everyday if we invite him into our lives because he reveals himself, changing our lives. Every time we prayerfully open the bible we see him revealed by the Holy Spirit. He is revealed in the intricacies of nature and the kindness of a Christian. Sweet music lifted in praise opens our eye the character of the creator.

Imagine the joy of a blind man healed, opening his eyes and his first sight is the face of his savior. Think of the peace that fell on Zacheus when his eyes met the Lords loving gaze. Put yourself in the shoes of the demoniacs, lives completely changed from the first moment they laid eyes on the man in the boat.

Everybody who saw Jesus was changed, some where healed, all had the opportunity to be forgiven, and many gave up all to follow him. There is something else all the people who saw him shared. They told someone else what they had seen. He had such a dramatic effect on their lives that they couldn’t help but relate the story to someone else. Can’t you see the man from the pool, his few possessions grasped tightly in his hands, running through the streets shouting I’ve been healed! The sinner, depressed and hopeless, after spending a day listening to the savior assure them of salvation, of peace, of forgiveness, going to their friends and sharing the amazing joy that filled their hearts. Even the Pharisees in their unbelief could speak of little else, seeing Jesus was all they could talk about.
We talk about sharing the gospel, growing the church and witnessing to the world but first we have to see him. The definition of witness is someone who sees, with their own eyes, firsthand, an event. In order to be a witness we must have seen him. Invite him into you heart, open you bible and let him reveal himself to you. When you see him, you will know it because you will be compelled to tell someone else about the incredible, amazing man you just met, the man who is going to save the world.