Archive for month: February, 2021
Course Spotlight: Why Did Peter Deny Christ?
In some of our online courses, we have a “Student Thoughts” section where we ask a question to see what the students think. In Unit 4 of the Life Ministry and Teachings of Jesus Christ course, we asked the question:
Why did Peter deny Christ (Luke 22:54-62)? What can we do in our own lives to make sure we do not deny Him (Matthew 10:32-33)?
Come take a look at some of the Student Responses below!
“Peter denied Christ three times because he feared. Scriptures tell us to be of courage and have faith. Christ also told us to pray not to be lead into temptation. If we are truly converted and do not deny Christ, He will not deny us to the Father. We must truly be sure we know the truth, love the truth, live the truth, and be willing to die for it if necessary.”
– SJ
“We have often been admonished to overcome self, Satan, and society. This incident with Peter is a good example of these three pulls in our lives. First, Peter was fearful of what society would do to him. The scripture reference of Matthew 10:32-33 is in the context of Jesus’ instructions to His disciples before sending them out. The preceding verses instructed them not to fear those who can kill the body but not the inward man that God has started within us. Peter’s focus on what the governing authorities could do was part of his failure here. Another vital part was that Satan was ‘playing him like a cheap fiddle.’ Jesus predicted Peter’s denial just a little earlier saying, ‘Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.’ (Luke 22:31) However, Satan’s influence over Peter’s actions here was because Peter was trusting in his own strength. This is evidenced by his use of the sword. In order for us to succeed in the job God has given us to do, we need to recognize our enemies. We have three. They are self, Satan, and society”
– TW
“Peter was still carnal, not fully conquered by the power of God, the Holy Spirit. Also, Peter was relying on his strength rather than putting his trust in God to take care of everything. So, for us today, we have to keep the commandments of God as shown in John 14:15. Also in 1 Thessalonians 5:18-22, we are told, ‘give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.’ [ESV] “
– LK
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 2 “Jesus is Born”
Featured Passage: Luke 2
Joseph and Mary, who lived in a town called Nazareth, went on a trip to Bethlehem. Mary was going to have a baby, and as the angel had told her, she was to name Him Jesus. When they arrived in Bethlehem there was no room for them to stay at the inn, so they stayed in a stable instead, which is where Jesus was born. As the news spread announcing this special miracle, a few people began to realize that He was no ordinary boy.
Discuss:
- Why did Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem?
- Who were some of the first people to hear about Jesus’ birth? How did they find out? What did they do after they found out?
- When Jesus’ parents took Him to the temple, who did they meet? What did Simeon do when he saw Jesus?
- Who was Anna?
- Where did Jesus grow up?
Memory Challenge:
Luke 2:11
“For there is born to you this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 3 “Jesus at His Father’s House”
Featured Passage: Luke 2
God picked Mary and Joseph to be the parents of His Son on earth. They were both from the family of King David, and they both obeyed God’s laws. They took care of Jesus as a child, and taught Him as best they could. God guided and directed the family, and as Jesus grew, He started to learn about who He was and what He was on earth to do.
Discuss:
- Why was Jesus and His family in Jerusalem?
- Where did Joseph and Mary find Jesus after looking for Him for three days? What was he doing?
- How old do you need to be to start learning about God?
- Why do you think the teachers in the temple were surprised when Jesus was talking to them and asking them questions?
- When Jesus called the temple “My Father’s house” who was He talking about?
- What does the scripture mean that says that “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men”? What things could you do now to follow the example Jesus set when He was young?
Memory Challenge:
Luke 2:52 (NIV)
“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 4 “Jesus Prepares to Teach”
Featured Passage: Luke 3-4
Jesus grew up in grace and stature with both men and God. Jesus’ step-father Joseph was a carpenter, so Jesus learned to be a carpenter too. He worked as a carpenter until He was about 30 years old. In the meantime, His cousin John was teaching people to repent of their sins and was baptizing many people in the Jordan River. John the Baptist was preparing the people for the Messiah to teach them. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was about to start doing the job His Father sent Him to do.
Discuss:
- Why did John baptize people?
- What happened when Jesus was baptized?
- Why did Jesus go into the wilderness for forty days? What happened when He was there?
- Why did Jesus go to the synagogue? What did He do there?
- What did the Nazarenes try to do to Jesus? How did He escape?
- What were some miracles that Jesus did? What do you think it would have been like to live where Jesus was performing miracles?
- What message was Jesus teaching the people?
Memory Challenge:
Luke 4:43
“But He said to them, ‘I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, because for this purpose I have been sent.’”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 5 “Fishers of Men”
Featured Passage: Luke 5
Jesus grew up in grace and stature with both men and God. Jesus’ step-father Joseph was a carpenter, so Jesus learned to be a carpenter too. He worked as a carpenter until He was about 30 years old. In the meantime, His cousin John was teaching people to repent of their sins and was baptizing many people in the Jordan River. John the Baptist was preparing the people for the Messiah to teach them. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, was about to start doing the job His Father sent Him to do.
Discuss:
- Whose boat did Jesus stand in to preach to the crowd on the shore?
- What did Peter, and Andrew, James and John do for a living? How were they related to each other?
- Had Peter, Andrew, James, and John any success fishing the previous night?
- Why was Peter surprised when Jesus told him to cast out his net? What happened when they lowered their nets? How many fish did they catch?
- What do you think “fishers of men” means?
- What was Peter, Andrew, James, and John’s response when Christ told them to follow Him?
Memory Challenge:
Mark 1:17
“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 15 “The Lost Son”
Featured Passage: Luke 15
The Jewish leaders didn’t like the fact that Jesus spent so much time teaching and eating with sinners. Jesus had told two parables to them about lost things – the parable of the lost sheep, and the parable of the lost coin. He wanted to explain to them how much God loves every person and how happy He is when someone who is sinning decides to repent and start following Him. There was one more parable Jesus wanted to tell the people listening about something, or someone, who got lost.
Discuss:
- Who are the characters Jesus talks about in this parable?
- What does the younger son decide to do? How do you think the father felt when he made this decision?
- What happened to the son?
- What did the son decide to do after he got the job feeding pigs?
- How did the father react when he saw his son coming home? How did the older son react?
- Who does the father in the story represent?
- How do you think God wants us to react when someone decides to repent from their sins to follow God’s way?
Memory Challenge:
Luke 16:32
“It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.”
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 6 “Through a Roof”
Featured Passage: Luke 5
The Jews were looking for a messiah. However, Christ came as a lowly carpenter, a common person in their view, and many people, especially the religious leaders, had a hard time believing Jesus could be the One sent by God. The prophets of old foretold that the Messiah would cause the deaf to hear and the blind to see. People started to hear that Jesus was able to heal those who were sick, so they came from all around to see if He would work a miracle for them. There were so many people who came to see Jesus that one day when some people brought a man who could not walk, they had to get a little creative so the man could get close to Jesus.
Discuss:
- How did people know that Jesus had the power to heal people?
- What kinds of people came to be healed by Jesus?
- What did the paralytic’s friends do when they could not get through the crowd to bring him close to Jesus?
- What did Jesus do when the man who was lowered through the roof?
- Why were the Pharisees upset that Jesus told the paralytic his sins were forgiven?
- What did the man do when he was healed? What do you imagine it would have been like to be there when Jesus healed him?
Memory Challenge:
Luke 5:24
“But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—He said to the man who was paralyzed, “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
Forum Summary: Understanding Ourselves and Others
Author: Juliette McNair | Student, Living Education 2021
Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes, 43 seconds.
Mr. Bob Rodzaj joined the Living Education students and staff from wintry Racine, Wisconsin via Webex. As he spoke, snow was falling, adding to the 2 feet already on the ground. Mr. Rodzaj grew up in Rochester, New York. He was introduced to the Church while he was studying architecture at Virginia Tech. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree, Mr. Rodzaj attended Ambassador College. He was ordained into the ministry over 30 years ago and currently pastors five congregations in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa.
Mr. Rodzaj said, “Many years ago, I remember Dr. Meredith telling us to become students of human nature—why people do what they do, what makes them the way they are… I’d like to talk about that very subject: the need to better understand ourselves and others.”
“You bring with you what makes you—you.”
As a latchkey child, Mr. Rodzaj grew up with both his parents working full time. Outside of school, he was essentially alone. “By the time God called me at age 21, I was a deeply troubled, angry young man with a lot to overcome… But God helped me grow past the past.” Mr. Rodzaj said, “I speak to you at the beginning of your adult lives.” He asked the students how well they understood what they want out of life, why they want it, what’s important to them at the very core of their being—and how their past has shaped them. Mr. Rodzaj explained, “As a pastor, I’ve dealt with people who struggle with the effects of their past—particularly their formative years.” If people could understand themselves and others, they would improve the quality of their relationships and develop the ability to make a real difference in the lives of others now and in the millennium.
“The story of Job is the story of each one of us…”
Job thought he understood himself and God. He did what was right and thought he understood what God expected of him. Yet, Mr. Rodzaj explained, “Job’s relationship with God was based on fear.” Job said, after God allowed Satan to persecute him, “For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me” (Job 3:25). Job was motivated by terror: “He is unique, and who can make Him change… Therefore I am terrified at His presence” (Job 23:13-16). Mr. Rodzaj asked, “Does this describe a trusting relationship? Is this the kind of relationship God wants us to have with Him?” Eventually, Elihu told Job, “For has anyone said to God… ‘Teach me what I do not see…’?” (Job 34:31-32). Job hadn’t asked God for this understanding. Mr. Rodzaj explained that Job hadn’t understood what motivated him and the relationship that God expected of him. But Job came to understand himself and God correctly.
Do we understand our motives?
Mr. Rodzaj gave other examples in the Bible of individuals who needed to better understand themselves. One was the rich young man of Matthew 19:16-22. Mr. Rodzaj compared him to a young person in the Church. “The young man was very diligent, but there was something buried deep in his heart that he couldn’t see. Christ pierced right through to the core of the young man’s desire and ambition.” When Christ told him to go and sell all that he had, “he wasn’t willing to go there. But sooner or later, he would have to if he really wanted to inherit eternal life.” Mr. Rodzaj mentioned other individuals who needed to understand themselves. Adam and Eve didn’t understand their gullibility. Moses struggled with his fierce anger. And even Peter had to reckon with a cowardly side.
God Can Help
“People’s tendencies have an impact on their well-being and the well-being of others. It affects how we function, how we deal with life, and how we deal with others.” Mr. Rodzaj admitted that when he was the students’ age, he hadn’t understood himself. “I wish I had understood these things sooner. It would have made a world of difference—in my life, in my marriage, in my parenting, in my role as a minister and member, as an employee, as a boss, and as a friend.” Understanding yourself helps you to better understand others. But only God can search a Christian’s heart and mind (Jeremiah 17:10). God can help if we take Elihu’s advice and ask Him to “teach me what I do not see” (Job 34:32). Mr. Rodzaj concluded, “My hope and prayer is that you can learn this sooner and enjoy its fruit in your life and in all your relationships.”
This post is part of our new series of student-written content for LivingEd-Charlotte. These summaries cover topics originally presented by our faculty and guest speakers in our weekly Forum and Assembly. For more Assembly-related content check out our Second Thoughts posts.
Children’s Bible Program – Level 1: NT Lesson 7 “Jesus Heals on the Sabbath”
Featured Passage: Luke 6
Jesus obeyed God and kept the Sabbath each week just like the Ten Commandments say we should. However, the Jewish leaders, especially the Pharisees, added many do’s and don’ts to how to keep the Sabbath. These extra rules made it hard for the people to keep the Sabbath properly. Many people followed Jesus to be healed or to listen to Him teach and the Pharisees were jealous. They thought if they could catch Him doing something wrong the people would not follow Him anymore. One day, they thought they had caught Jesus breaking the Sabbath.
Discuss:
- When was the Sabbath created? Who created the Sabbath?
- What was the penalty for breaking the Sabbath (Ex. 31:15)? Breaking the Sabbath is a serious matter in God’s eyes. When the Pharisees accused Christ of breaking the Sabbath, it was very serious.
- What were Jesus and His disciples doing in the fields on the Sabbath? Why did the Pharisees think they were breaking the Sabbath?
- What did Jesus do when He went into the synagogue that made the Pharisees angry? Why do you think the Pharisees were so upset?
- Does God allow acts of mercy and kindness on the Sabbath (Matt. 12:11)? What kinds of things can we do on the Sabbath that might make God happy?
Memory Challenge:
Luke 6:5
“And He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.’”