Scripture & Questions for Sunday (2/19/12)

Scripture
Mark 9:2-10

After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. [3] His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. [4] And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

[5] Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters--one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." [6] (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.)

[7] Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: "This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!"

[8] Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus.

[9] As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. [10] They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what "rising from the dead" meant.

Questions for Reflection
1.    When were you last speechless?
2.    What happened to Jesus on the mountain? (9:3)
3.    What was significant about the people who appeared to Jesus? (9:4)
4.    What caught the “elite three” off guard and became the topic of discussion as they headed down the mountain? (9:10)
5.    Why do you think Jesus chose only three of His disciples to witness His transfiguration?
6.    What encouragement does this passage give you?
7.    What is implied by God’s command that we listen to Jesus?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (2/12/12)

Prayer Concern
Angela Ervin’s mother Rhonda Blackman continues to need our prayers.

Scripture
1 Cor. 9:24-27

    Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. [25] Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. [26] Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. [27] No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Questions for Reflection
1.    What emotions do athletes usually feel on the day of a big event?
2.    How can you be disqualified from a game or race?
3.    Why is it necessary to live with purpose and discipline? (9:25-27)
4.    Why did Paul lead a disciplined life? (9:27)
5.    What should you do to be assured of finishing your life well?
6.    How can neglecting spiritual disciplines (such as prayer, Bible study, and worship) disqualify a Christian from having an influence on unbelievers?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (2/5/12)

Announcements
1.    Men’s Breakfast Saturday morning at 8:00am come and bring a friend!
2.    Our Tuesday after school program resumes this Tuesday February 7^th @ 3:30
3.    Presbyterian Youth Fellowship (PYF) resumes Wednesday February 8^th @ 6:00 if you might be willing to provide dinner please call Jim.

Scripture for Sunday
Mark 1:29-39

    As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. [30] Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. [31] So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

    [32] That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. [33] The whole town gathered at the door, [34] and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

    [35] Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. [36] Simon and his companions went to look for him, [37] and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"

    [38] Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else--to the nearby villages--so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." [39] So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Questions for Reflection
1.    What do you like or dislike about being alone?
2.    What does our society think of loners?
3.    What is most difficult to you about praying?
4.    Where did Jesus go, and why did he go there? (1:35)
5.    What did Jesus consider important? (1:35-39)
6.    What did Simon and his companions do when Jesus went to pray alone? (1:36-37)
7.    Why do you think Jesus had to spend so much time in prayer if He was the Son of God?
8.    How should we follow Christ’s example of praying?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (1/22/12)

Scripture
Mark 1:14-20

    After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. [15] "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

    [16] As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. [17] "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." [18] At once they left their nets and followed him.

    [19] When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. [20] Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Repentance involves two turns. There is a negative turn away from sin and a positive turn toward God. It is a turning to God away from sin, whether sins of thought or action.

Questions for Reflection

1.    How did Jesus want people to respond to the fact that the kingdom of God was near? (1:15)
2.    What did Jesus tell the people they must do besides believe His good news? (1:15)
3.    Whom did Jesus call to be His followers? (1:16, 19)
4.    What does it mean to be “fishers of men”? (1:17)
5.    What does Jesus ask all of us to do?
6.    What can you learn from the disciples’ response to Jesus’ call?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (1/15/12)

Scripture
John 1:35-51

The following day, John was again standing with two of his disciples. [36] As Jesus walked by, John looked at him and then declared, "Look! There is the Lamb of God!" [37] Then John's two disciples turned and followed Jesus.

[38] Jesus looked around and saw them following. "What do you want?" he asked them.

They replied, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

[39] "Come and see," he said. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon when they went with him to the place, and they stayed there the rest of the day.

[40] Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of these men who had heard what John said and then followed Jesus. [41] The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother, Simon, and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means the Christ).

[42] Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, "You are Simon, the son of John—but you will be called Cephas" (which means Peter).

[43] The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Come, be my disciple." [44] Philip was from Bethsaida, Andrew and Peter's hometown.

[45] Philip went off to look for Nathanael and told him, "We have found the very person Moses and the prophets wrote about! His name is Jesus, the son of Joseph from Nazareth."

[46] "Nazareth!" exclaimed Nathanael. "Can anything good come from there?"

"Just come and see for yourself," Philip said.

[47] As they approached, Jesus said, "Here comes an honest man—a true son of Israel."

[48] "How do you know about me?" Nathanael asked.

And Jesus replied, "I could see you under the fig tree before Philip found you."

[49] Nathanael replied, "Teacher, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!"

[50] Jesus asked him, "Do you believe all this just because I told you I had seen you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." [51] Then he said, "The truth is, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down upon the Son of Man."

Questions for Reflection
1.    What gets you excited or enthusiastic?
2.    What did John’s disciples do when John identified Jesus? (1:37)
3.    What did Jesus ask John’s disciples? (1:38)
4.    What did John’s disciples call Jesus? (1:38)
5.    What did John’s disciples ask Jesus? (1:38)
6.    What was the first thing Andrew did after he had followed Jesus? (1:40)
7.    What did Andrew tell his brother about Jesus? (1:41)
8.    What does it mean to follow Jesus?
9.    What hinders us from following Jesus?
10. What must we leave to follow Jesus?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (1/8/12)

Announcements
1.    Men’s Breakfast Saturday @ 8:00am
2.    Elder Training Saturday @ 9:00am to Noon
3.    We will undecorate the church Monday @ 5:30pm

Scripture for Sunday
Mark 1:4-11 (ESV) 

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  [5] And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.  [6] Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.  [7] And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  [8] I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

[9] In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  [10] And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opening and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.  [11] And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

Questions for Reflection
1.    What reasons to be baptized did John give the people? (1:4)
2.    What had to happen before John could baptize a person? (1:5)
3.    How did Jesus’ baptism differ from John’s? (1:8)
4.    How were the three persons of the Trinity present in this event? (1:10-11)
5.    In what ways can we imitate Jesus’ attitude of humility and submission?
6.    This is the beginning of Jesus ministry, what kind of a beginning is offered to us?
7.    How often can we begin again?

Scripture & Questions for Sunday (12/11/12)

Announcements:
1.    Dress rehearsal and lunch for those taking part in the Christmas Play will follow morning worship.
2.    Community Christmas Cantata Sunday December 11^th 6pm at First United Methodist Church
3.    Our Church Family Christmas Breakfast is December 18th at 9:45. Please bring a breakfast dish to share.
4.    The Christmas Play is next Sunday during morning worship.
5.    Also during our morning worship on the 18^th Hilario and Courtney Cantu will reaffirm their wedding vows.

Scripture
Mark 2:1-12

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. [2] So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. [3] Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. [4] Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. [5] When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."

[6] Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, [7] "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

[8] Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? [9] Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? [10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . ." He said to the paralytic, [11] "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." [12] He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Questions for Reflection

1.    What dilemma did the paralytic man and his friends face? (2:2-4)
2.    What do the details of the story tell you about the paralytic man, his friends, and Jesus’ reputation? (2:3-4)
3.    What motivated Jesus to respond to the paralytic man’s plight? (2:5)
4.    What connection is there between a person’s faith and God’s working in his or her life?
5.    What does God require or not require to forgive us of our sins?
6.    How would you compare Jesus’ response in this story to the Pharisees’ attitudes?
7.    What does this story tell you is the difference between true spirituality and counterfeit spirituality?