Jesus explains that his purpose is to do the the will of him (God) who sent him and to finish God’s work.
BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 6, Day 2: John 4:31-34
3a) John 17:4 says Jesus’ food is to finish God’s work and bring him glory.
b) Good question. I’m unsure. It should be to do the work God has set in front of me. My kids and family bring me inner joy. Helping others. Praying for others. Being useful, purposeful. Doing His work.
4a) They were talking about physical food, not spiritual food, so they were confused by his answer.
b) Give to others. Pray for them. Serve God. Bring others to Christ. Teach others God’s ways.
5a) What I have to do in the moment. Work. Eating. Planning. My daily goals. Tasks.
b) He reminds me that my calling is His calling for me, not others’ calling for me. He wants me to prioritize him and others.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 6, Day 2: John 4:31-34
Great lesson! Jesus lives by doing God’s work. How we all should live!
End Notes BSF Study Questions John’s Gospel: The Truth Lesson 6, Day 2: John 4:31-34
Jesus is saying here that life is more than physical sustenance.
Physical food did not give Jesus strength; instead, it was doing God’s will for his life.
Note Jesus starts and finishes the work of the Lord.
There was peace between Aram and Israel for three years until Jehoshaphat king of Judah went to see the king of Israel, Ahab. Israel and Judah looked to make an alliance to take Ramoth Gilead back, but Jesoshaphat requested to inquire of the Lord first. The only prophet left was Micaiah whom Ahab did not like because he prophesied against him. All of the other prophets said to go to war and Micaiah was urged to agree. However, Micaiah refused, saying he could only say what the Lord had told him.
When Micaiah arrived when summoned for his inquiry unto the Lord, he told them that the Lord would entice them to go to war against Ramoth Gilead, but the war will be a disaster for them and that their leader would die. Zedekiah slapped Micaiah in the face, and he was ordered back to Amon to go to prison with nothing but bread and water till Ahab returns safely.
BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 6, Day 2: 1 Kings 22:1-28
3) Jehoshaphat allied himself with Ahab via marriage. Jesoshaphat would join Ahab in the war after seeking the Lord’s counsel.
4a) Both ignored what Micaiah said and went to war anyway.
b) He only wanted to hear the good prophecies for him, not the bad.
c) Ahab only wants to hear what he wants to hear from Micaiah. He gets angry at God’s messenger rather than himself who disobedyed God to bring this upon him.
5) Unsure here. I think I’m following all of His promptings, but it’s so hard to tell.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 6, Day 2: 1 Kings 22:1-28
It’s fascinating how the two kings are working together when they were enemies before. Power and political advantage are strange things.
End Notes BSF Study Questions People of the Promise: Kingdom Divided Lesson 6, Day 2: 1 Kings 22:1-28
King Ahab asked King Jehoshapat to ally with him against Syria. Ramoth-Gilead was only 40 miles from Jerusalem, the capital of Judah.
Jehoshaphat only picked prophets that told him what he wanted to hear. Knowing this Jehoshapat wanted to hear from a prophet of the Lord.
The two rulers sat at the gate of Samaria, which was a traditional place to make decisions. The unfaithful prophets all said what the king of Israel wanted to hear.
Apparently, Micaiah was already in prison (1 Kings 22:26). The assistants to King Ahab tried to persuade Micaiah to repeat the words of the 400 other prophets, but Micaiah refused. Ahab hated anyone who opposed him. Micaiah mocks the other prophets by repeated what they had said, and then tells the truth when prompted by Ahab.
On the right side of God sits the host of heaven on the left sits fallen angels. A fallen angel would lead Ahab into battle. Ahab would pay with his life for his fallen leadership, while Israel paid for following false gods.
Micaiah was met with violence upon this news and anger. Yet, God’s plans never fail.
Jesus is still on the mountain, preaching. He says that he has come to fulfill the Law of the Prophets, not to abolish it. The Law will remain until God’s plan is accomplished. Those who preach and follow these commands will be called great in heaven; those who break the command will be called least. Only those righteous will enter the kingdom of heaven.
BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 6, Day 2: Matthew 5:17-20
3a) The Old Testament is still relevant, and its laws need to be followed.
b) Jesus echoes my belief. I’ve never disregarded the Old Testament. As long as you keep in mind that Jesus is greater, you’re good.
4a) Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was tempted as we are but remained perfect. Jesus’ example is to stay true to God’s word
b) Jesus’s death and sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate sacrifice to cleanse us from our sins. In the Old Testament times, God’s people sacrificied animals for their cleansing blood. Here, Jesus finished it once and for all.
c) Jesus preached how he fulfilled all of the prophecies in the Old Testament — how his life, death, and resurrection were all God’s work.
5) The Pharisees and the teachers of the law believed they were better than others when they upheld the law. It was not a heart change for them. To be right with God, you must follow His will and ways whole-heartedly, and not just go through the motions.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 6, Day 2: Matthew 5:17-20
Although the Bible does not record Jesus’s every word, we can probably imagine that these 4 verses were repeated a lot. Jesus coming to be the Messiah and fulfill the Law was the crux of what God’s people needed to believe. One of Jesus’s goals was to proving this to the people. One can imagine that the people asked Jesus how he fulfilled the law repeatedly. Great summary here of what Jesus probably repeated a lot.
One of my favorite songs and what God wants from us.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Matthew Lesson 6, Day 2: Matthew 5:17-20
“For assuredly” or “I tell you the truth” are signature phrases of Jesus that no other prophet used. It means “truly” or “amen.”
Jesus came to fulfill the law, not contradict it. He did so perfectly. He completed the law and never contradicted it.
The words and the letters of these words are important (other translations use “jot” and “little”, which are marks in the Hebrew language). Everything God says is important.
The Old Testament shows us we cannot please God without Jesus. We are to obey the commands of the Old Testament, but not in a legalistic mindset like the Pharisees had. Righteousness is only through Christ Galatians 2:21: For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.
The law teaches us God’s heart; Jesus shows us and gives us God’s heart.
The Pharisees took everything to the extreme, even tithing herbs (Matthew 23:23). Paul is a good example of the rigidity of the Pharisees before his conversion. Acts 23:6, 26:5; Philippians 3:5. Philippians 3:6-9: explains the righteousness of Christ versus the Pharisees. Righteousness is from faith in Christ.
Fun Fact: There are 613 stipulations in God’s law.
God remembered Noah, the ark, and the animals, so He caused the water to recede. It stopped raining. The ark came to rest on the 17th day of the 7th month on Mount Ararat. On the first day of the 10th month the tops of the mountains became visible. After 40 days, Noah sent out a raven. Then he sent out a dove. It found nothing. The dove went out again in 7 days and came back wtih an olive leaf. Noah knew the water had receded. He sent the dove out for a third time, and it did not return. Noah was 601 years old when the earth was dry. on the 27th day of the 2nd month the earth was completely dry.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 6, Day 2: Genesis 8:1-14
3) He kept sending out birds for signs of the life. He believed God would be faithful.
4a) God was with Noah the entire time; He did not abandon him or turn his back on him like He did everyone else. God turned His attention to Noah. This is an anthropomorphism (a non-literal picture of God in human terms we can understand).
b) Both were faithful.
5) Personal Question. My answer: Move us so we can start our own businesses. You just keep on trucking, and God’s plan will come to fruition.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 6, Day 2: Genesis 8:1-14
I had forgotten the raven and the fact that the dove was sent out three times. It’s amazing the details you forget and then relearn as you restudy the Bible. Always a good reminder that time with God is never wasted time.
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 6, Day 2: Genesis 8:1-14
Practically speaking, a mountain would be hard to off-load thousands of animals. Historically speaking, it’s a good place for an ark to be preserved.
Time is marked form when the rain began falling (Genesis 7:11-12).
Note that God never told Noah how long he would remain in the ark. This was because Noah did not need to know and maybe for mental reasons. This was a long time to be on a boat.
It is believed the raven did not return to the ark. This may be because ravens eat dead carcasses and so found food.
The dove did not find rest as we do not find rest. It is now a symbol of peace and goodness.
Noah was in the ark for one whole year. It seems all living creatures survived the journey.
Summary of passages: Genesis 4:25-26: Adam and Eve had another son named Seth. Seth had a son named Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.
Psalm 34: David says he will extol the Lord at all times so the afflicted may hear and rejoice. He sought the Lord who answered him and delivered him from all his fears. Those who look to Him are radiant and never in shame. The Lord heard the poor man call and He saved him out of all his troubles.
Blessed are those who take refuge in Him. Fear the Lord and you will lack nothing. Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. Do good; seek peace and pursue it.
The Lord’s ears are attentive to the righteous’ cry. He delivers them from all his troubles. He protects him. He is against those who do evil.
He redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who take refuge in Him.
Questions:
3a) Well, the only possible answer is men began to call on the name of the Lord.
b) Personal Question. My answer: Bring all my troubles to God. Pray. Continually talk about God. Shine His light into society through my actions.
4a) If you seek the Lord, He answers you and delivers you from all your fears. Those who seek Him lack no good thing. The Lord hears those who cry out and He delivers them from all their troubles. His ears are attentive to your cry.
b) Personal Question. My answer: That the Lord hears me and delivers me from ALL my troubles. Knowing I can bring every little thing to Him gives me peace of mind.
Conclusions: Not a fan of this lesson either especially 3b. It’s a stretch. Now I’m assuming we’re only talking about Genesis and NOT Psalm here because it’s a 3b and question 4 discusses Psalm. Could be wrong here though.
Calling on the Lord, to me, is a personal thing. It’s when I’m on my knees, pouring my heart out. It’s not in a grocery store where people think I’m a freak. Yes, showing my family how to call on Him is very important. Influencing society? Not quite sure except to tell others how you rely on Him.
You have to walk that fine line where people don’t think you are a freak.
Just my take again. Could have missed the point completely.
