Come and See!

Friday, January 20, 2012

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?

Friday, January 13, 2012

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?

Friday, January 6, 2012

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?