Do You Follow King Jesus!

Discipleship Questions for Sunday

December 2, 2007

 

Scripture Readings:

 

First Reading: Isaiah 2”1-5

Psalm: 122

Second Reading: Romans 13:8-14

Gospel: Matthew 24:37-44

 

Isaiah 2:1-5
1The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD's house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it. 3Many people shall come and say, " Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. 5O house of Jacob, come and let us walk In the light of the LORD. -- NKJV 

 

Psa. 122:1

          I rejoiced with those who said to me,

                   “Let us go to the house of the LORD.”

2        Our feet are standing

                   in your gates, O Jerusalem.

 

Psa. 122:3

          Jerusalem is built like a city

                   that is closely compacted together.

4        That is where the tribes go up,

                   the tribes of the LORD,

          to praise the name of the LORD

                   according to the statute given to Israel.

5        There the thrones for judgment stand,

                   the thrones of the house of David.

 

Psa. 122:6

          Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

                   “May those who love you be secure.

7        May there be peace within your walls

                   and security within your citadels.”

8        For the sake of my brothers and friends,

                   I will say, “Peace be within you.”

9        For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,

                   I will seek your prosperity. 

 

Romans 13:8-14
8Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 10Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. -- NKJV

 

Matthew 24:37-44 
37But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. 43But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. -- NKJV

 

 

Discipleship Questions:

 

  1. On this First Sunday of Advent God wants to tell us a story and remind us about who we are, where we’re going, and what it’s going to take to get there.  Please read the Isaiah passage and tell us where God wants us to go.
  2. Please read the Psalm passage and tell us what is the cry of the Christian pilgrims heart as he travels towards God?
  3. Read the Roman’s passage and answer this question – “How are we to get there?”
  4. Read the following and discuss: that love is the way.  No other way will bring you to me.  No other way is possible.  Love, my love, will steer you right into my arms.

 

In love I sent my Son to you – to become one of you.  To die for you.  I found  you in love and so you must find me in the same way – in love. 

 

·        When you hate,

·        when you ignore,

·        when you disdain,

·        when you bully,

·        when you demean,

·         when you abuse,

·        when you fear,

·        when you worry,

·        when you make provision for the flesh you are walking away from me.

 

Don’t walk away – walk towards me – walk with me in love!

  1. When our Lord does come the Romans passage tells that He will come unexpectedly!  Will we be ready?  What will distract us from being ready.  How can we not be caught unprepared?
  2. Please read the following and discuss: “This time now I want to tell you a story – This weekend I had the privilege of spending some time with our women on retreat.  I saw a lot of love flowing between these wonderful women but one think struck me and that was something Sarah continually did.  She did it while sitting and listening to our Conference speaker.  She did it while sitting at breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Sarah, do you know what I’m talking about?

 

Yes, she continually caressed her pregnant belly.  She caressed her child   – yet still unborn!

 

What I sensed was going on here was an expression of her love.  Were that child to begin to be born Sarah would not only be ready but ecstatic with expectation!

 

This baby is not going to surprise her!  Trust me!  It can’t come too early for her – Why?  Because she’s excited – tantalizingly excited - about its Advent!  She can’t wait, Eric can’t wait and quite frankly I’m having trouble waiting: 

 

·        Is it a boy or a girl! 

·        What’s his or her personality;

·        What’s his or her name! 

·        What sort of person is this little one? 

·        What will he or she become? 

·        What joys, what delights, what fun little things is he or she going to say?

 

Anticipation grows with each and every stroke of her tummy.  Her fingers reach for those little hands.  She feels a movement – is it his head, her foot, her bottom, his knee?  Can they feel her caress? 

 

She delights in touching him or her through her skin but soon it will be hand to hand, lip to cheek!  And she will look into the eyes of this yet unborn child!

 

Ah!  Anticipation – delightful expectation!

 

This is what our Lord wants of us as we think about His Coming! 

 

What will it be like when He comes?  Will He find you and me ready for Him or will we have fallen into the forgetfulness of daily existence – going about eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage?”