Disciple III: Remember Who You Are - Questions for Group Meetings Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Session 7 Session 8 Session 9 Session 10 Session 11 Session 12 Session 13 Session 14 Session 15 Session 16 Session 17 Session 18 Session 19 Session 20 Session 21 Session 22 Session 23 Session 24 Session 25 Session 26 Session 27 Session 28 Session 29 Session 30 Session 31 Session 32   Session 1 What was remembered? Why is remembering necessary? In what sense does remembering lead to redemption? Why do the portrayals change? How do these themes point to covenant relationship between God and the people? What does God require? What teachings found here would you pass on to the next generation and say, "Do  not forget"? What does the writer intend to communicate? What does the text say? What do I say to this text? What does God say to me? What clues to handline suffering do you see in these people? In what sense is repentance the bridge between the two?   Session 2 How did the prophets and the exiles answer the question, "Why did this happen to us"? What was the message in the Babylonian triumph? What hope did the prophets offer? What can we do to remind ourselves of our religious identity What can we do to cultivate a sense of religious identity in the next generation? What is troubling about that understanding? What is comforting about it? What challenge does Elijah speak to the people? What did this miraculour event mean to those who were present? What does it mean to us? What is God saying to us in this story? What response does obedient community make to "Our Human Condition"?   Session 3 What clues to Amos’s time and prophecy do we get from knowing where writing appeared and how it was used in eighth-century Israel and Judah? What does this evidence of writing tell us about eighth-century understanding of kings and prophets? How does the reason for judgment of Judah and Israel differ from that for foreign nations? What evidence is here that human actions have far-reaching consequences? Where does the true image fall short in treatment of people and worship of God? What does this passage say about God? What does this passage say about women and men? What does this passage tell us about the relationship between God and human beings? If we look at “Our Human Condition” through the Scripture, what do we see?   Session 4 What is conveyed in the terms knowledge and knowing? How do the prophets understand this “Word of God” they speak? How is covenant relationship restored and redeemed? How do you think the people rationalized their idolatry, their mixing of baal worship and worship of God? How does the passage represent Israel? How does Hosea interpret God’s actions in the past in relation to Israel’s future? How is knowledge of God emphasized? What are the consequences of infidelity? How is redemption introduced? How do you react to these pictures of love and discipline? What do you think Hosea was saying for God? What did the words likely mean to their first hearers? What does this passage say to our faith community today? If we took this passage seriously, how would we change as a community? How is this description of obedient community a response to “Our Human Condition”?   Session 5 What does Micah’s message tell us about the nature and will of God? What future did Micah envision for God’s people? Why? What is the promise of restoration made here? What significance would Bethlehem have had for Micah’s first listeners/readers? What covenant would it have brought to mind? What added significance does the mention of Bethlehem have for Christian readers? What do you think Micah was trying to say for God? What are the particulars of his complaint? What kind of judgment does Micah announce? What is the heart of his message about God’s standards? What meaning does this passage have for Christians today? What would we have to do differently if we took this chapter seriously? If we look at “Our Human Condition” through this Scripture, what do we see?   Session 6 What does the holiness of God have to do with human behavior? What are the people tempted to trust instead of trusting God? How does this text convey the holiness of God? What does it say about human beings? What does it suggest about worship? What specific wrongdoing is mentioned? In whom or what did the leaders and people of Judah place their trust? What was the result? What interferes with our ability to trust God completely? How can we get past that interference? How does a Christian reading of the verse expand its meaning? What does this passage tell us about God’s original intention for Israel? What does it tell us about human responses to God? What does this passage tell us about God’s relationship with human beings? What do those warnings have to do with us? In what ways do we need to change?   Session 7 What is sinful about pride? How do these prophets understand the “day of the Lord”? What does it mean to say that God is jealous and avenging? What does this text say about power? What does the entire book of Nahum say about God’s goodness? How is excessive pride manifest today? What form does pride take in our lives? What is the difference between a healthy sense of pride and pride that is sinful? What can reassure us that God is ultimately in control?   Session 8 Why does Jeremiah feel such intensity about his role? What does he mean by repentance? What was the predominant understanding about the Temple in Jeremiah’s time? Why did Jeremiah reject that? What did Jeremiah see as the true basis of Judah’s claim to the land? What room does he leave for repentance, a change in course? How is Jeremiah’s speech rooted in the heart of Torah? What is the point of the reference to Shiloh? What treasured institutions in our church or society might be in jeopardy as Shiloh and Jerusalem were? What frustrations does Jeremiah express? What does his example suggest about our worries and disappointments? What does it suggest about our prayer life? What does this passage tell us about human beings? What does it tell us about God? What does it tell us about the relationship between God and human beings? How does the book of Jeremiah challenge our false confidence?   Session 9 What are some of the key historical events leading up to the time of Jeremiah? What are some examples of our eagerness to believe leaders who tell us what we want to believe? How can we distinguish true from false prophets? What are the warning signs we should be taking seriously? What would this passage (Jeremiah 30–31) have meant for its original listeners/readers? What does it mean for us? What does Jeremiah intend to say? What (perhaps mixed) feelings would this passage have stirred in the original readers? What does it say about God’s abilities and God’s purposes? What does it say about human responsibilities? In what ways is our situation as contemporary Christians similar to that of the exiles in Babylon? How does Jeremiah’s understanding of judgment and hope connect “Our Human Condition” and the mark?   Session 10 What reason does Ezekiel give for God’s refusal to destroy Israel? What is the basis for hope in the long run? What was “the image of jealousy” in Ezekiel 8:3, 5? Why was it objectionable? What basic covenant requirements are violated by the use of wall art and idols? What rationale do the elders have for such behavior? Who or what does Tammuz represent? The flagrant idolatry of worshiping the sun in Ezekiel 8:16 is clear enough, but what further abomination incites God to anger? What is God’s response (8:18–9:11)? What provision does God make for the innocent? How is God’s departure from the Temple a calamity? How is it a blessing? What answer is given in 11:14-21 to Ezekiel’s question in 11:13? How should we understand God’s responsibility for the death of Ezekiel’s wife? How does the Scripture say God used the death of Ezekiel’s wife for some larger purpose? What is the point of Ezekiel’s not being allowed to mourn in usual ways? What does this passage tell us about God? What does it tell us about human beings? What does it tell us about the relationship between God and human beings?   Session 11 What had Jerusalem’s inhabitants done that Ezekiel believed defiled the city and Temple? What was the prophet convinced had to happen before Jerusalem would be restored? What does this passage say about the influence of our past on our future? What does it say about our part in claiming the salvation God offers? How does that make you feel? Why do we sometimes object to God’s graciousness? How can baptism into Christ’s church play a part? What else is needed? Why do we cling to our “heart of stone”? How can we let go? What does this passage say about human beings? What does it say about human responsibility? about God? about the relationship between God and human beings?   Session 12 How do the servant songs change the way we regard suffering? How do they change the way we understand righteousness? How do contemporary persons try to manipulate God—or even construct our own gods—to serve our own purposes? What would Isaiah of Babylon have to say about that? How is the servant described? What is the servant’s mission? How does the servant accomplish his work? How is the servant treated? What do these passages suggest about God and suffering?   Session 13 What does the prophet say about worship? What does righteousness require? Which of those sins do you observe around us today? Why do people of each generation seem prone to make the same mistakes? What two categories of people had previously been excluded from the religious community? Why? What promises are made to them now?  What are the criteria for acceptance by God? What are the implications for the contemporary church? How does the prophet distinguish false and true worship? What seems to be the central idea? What does the text say about the scope of holy compassion? What does “refrain from trampling the sabbath” mean? If we took this passage seriously, what changes would we have to make in our lives as individuals? What changes would we have to make as a community of believers? What are the glimpses of grace that keep you going?   Session 14 How are the messages of Haggai and Zechariah similar? How are they different? What excuse did the people have for not rebuilding the Temple? What excuses do we give for declining to get involved in the Lord’s work? What did Haggai say to motivate the people? What would motivate us to risk boldly for God? How is the prophet’s counsel reassuring? How is it troubling? What does this passage tell us about God? What does it tell us about women and men? about young and old? What does this passage tell us about the relationship between God and human beings? How is God stirring up your spirits for action?   Session 15 What did the New Testament writers see in the prophecies of Obadiah, Joel, Malachi, and Zechariah to help them explain their beliefs about Jesus? How have expectations about the coming of the kingdom of God changed in the last chapters? What lessons can be drawn from Zechariah 9–14 for today? What differences in feelings were you aware of as the different information came to you through your senses? What new understandings did you gain from this Scripture?   Session 16 What is a prophet’s primary obligation, and how did Jonah violate it? What was new about this eighth-century doctrine about God? What was the function of the miracles of the big fish and the bush? What clues do you get to Jonah’s self-understanding? How is Israel’s mission understood? How does it address the relationship between God’s justice and God’s mercy? How are life and death portrayed, and what is the nature of God’s salvation? In what ways would this psalm speak to survivors of the Exile or to anyone living in a state of crisis? What does this passage tell us about God? What does this passage tell us about human beings? What does this passage tell us about the relationship between God and human beings? What light do these passages throw on the question of the relationship between God’s mercy and God’s justice? What are other reasons we may balk at offering the message of forgiveness to persons or groups?   Session 17 What should we remember as we read Acts as a source of information about Paul? What can we know about Paul from Acts? How did the fact that Paul’s first language was Greek influence who Paul was and what he did? What is included, not included, and emphasized about Jesus? How does Paul use Scripture to explain Jesus? What choice does he leave with people? How do the sermons differ in tone and content? Why? What insights did you get into the people and the passage? What did you feel in the role of each person? In what sense do you share with Paul the belief that the most important thing you were given with your call is the message?   Session 18 How did Paul draw on the letter-writing forms and use of persuasive language of his day? What is distinctive about Paul’s letter-writing style? What is included in the content? How is the content of the element similar or different from passage to passage? What was Paul’s purpose for the content he includes? What were the convictions out of which Paul wrote? On what does Paul base his authority? How did Paul use his skills with language and his knowledge of persuasion to get the attention of his readers? What made Paul a good communicator through his letters?   How are both information and feelings combined in this thanksgiving passage?   Session 19 What new understandings did Paul bring to the “day of the Lord” because of his belief in Jesus as Messiah? What Jewish expectations provide background for Paul’s discussion of the return of Christ? How did Paul bring the congregation into being? What guidance did he give to mold them into a community? How did he encourage and nurture them? How did Paul see his relationship to the congregation? What guidance here is appropriate for congregations today? What do the passages say about holiness of life? What strength is provided for the struggle by the indwelling of Christ’s Spirit, self-control, and fear of the Lord? When do you think about what happens after death and about the return of Christ? What feelings are related to these events? What does the Scripture say to your thoughts and feelings about death and the return of Christ? What have you heard the church and your congregation say about this Scripture? How do Scripture and the church’s teaching on the Scripture speak to your own understandings of death and the return of Christ? How do you resolve any differences you see between your thinking and what the church teaches? How does the faith response in the mark of obedient community change the human condition?   Session 20 What was the response of the early Christians when Christ did not return as they had expected? How do we live in the meantime? What differences do you see? What explanations have you heard for 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12? What can you be sure of from Scripture? What do you make of the difference? How do you understand Christ’s return? What troubles you about it, and what gives you confidence about it? When and how has the urgency of bringing people to Christ been stressed in your church? What is the relationship between your understanding of the gospel of hope and your understanding of Christ’s return? What does the writer intend to communicate? What does the passage say?  What do we say to this passage? What does God say to us through this passage? What claim does this passage make on us? What gives work value? How does viewing work in terms of the time God gives us bring a sense of urgency to any work?   Session 21 How is Christ both completely human and completely divine at the same time? What is the meaning in Christ’s self-emptying? What characterizes the attitudes of joy and rejoicing that run throughout Philippians? What is the relationship between enduring suffering and the practice of rejoicing in all things? What would it mean to give up self completely? to give all that one is completely to Christ? What is the relationship between naming Christ Lord and giving up self?   Session 22 Why do we base our belief in life after death on the resurrection of Jesus Christ? What did you hear about the present body and the future body? What clues do you get about Paul’s thinking and about how Paul views Scripture? What power does the cross have to bring unity in this situation? What new meanings emerge by reading 1 Corinthians 13 in its context? How can the message of Christ’s death and resurrection transform divided community?   Session 23 What does Paul teach about sin and death as causes of suffering? What is the relationship between our suffering and our being conformed to the image of Christ? What does Paul say that shows us the real Paul? How does his humanness come through? Where do we see his courage and humility, his weakness and strength? Where do we see Paul struggling to overcome himself? What connections might be made to Romans 12:1-2? What enables one to live for others? What does the passage say? What do you think Paul intended to say for God to those to whom it was written? What does this text have to say to the church in our day? If we took this passage seriously, what change would we make in our lives? How would taking seriously the fact that we bear the gospel in weakness enable us to confront and handle differences in a congregation?   Session 24 In his dealing with Scripture, why did Paul have to keep both Jews and Gentiles in mind? What five perspectives does Paul bring to reading Scripture? How are the meanings similar and how are they different? What light do the surrounding verses throw on each use? How was Paul reading Scripture? What is sin, and how does it affect us? How are we to understand the idea that all are guilty and under judgment of God? How does the idea that God’s righteousness is shown both in condemning sin and in offering pardon expand your understanding of God’s righteousness? What does the passage say about God? What does the passage say about human beings? What does the passage say about the relationship between God and human beings? How does the mark of obedient community change the experience of the human condition for the community and for the individual? How would taking seriously the fact that we bear the gospel in weakness enable us to confront and handle differences in a congregation?   Session 25 How does Paul describe the human condition and God’s answer to it? What is God doing and intending to do for the salvation of the world? How does God act to accomplish his purpose? What does the text actually say? What did the passage [Romans 11:13-36] likely mean to its first hearers? What did Paul want to say for God? What meaning does this passage have for us today? If we took this passage seriously, how would we change the way we live?   Session 26 How do we make our lives living sacrifices? What are the purpose and characteristics of the new mind? What does the text say? What did Paul intend to communicate? What situations may lie behind the text? What do we say to the text? What does God say to us? What claims does this passage make on us? In what sense is the mark of obedient community an invitation that transforms “Our Human Condition”?   Session 27 What new insights did you gain into Paul and how he viewed his ministry? What does it mean to you to find Paul using language about mothers and children? What lies behind Paul’s concern over circumcision and obedience to the law of Moses? What is the purpose of the Law? According to Paul, how are people brought into right relationship with God? How did the situation in Galatians threaten the unity of the church? What have you learned about how the fruit of love is produced and grows in your life? What does this passage say about God? What does the passage say about human beings? What does the passage say about the relationship between God and human beings? How is the Holy Spirit nurturing in our faith community what the human condition says we long for?   Session 28 What is your understanding of Jesus Christ as supreme authority in the church and in the universe? How do you understand the idea that God’s redemption is for all creation? What is the basis for Colossians’ teaching of the lordship of Christ? What philosophies or fads may tempt today’s Christians to combine their faith in Jesus with other beliefs? How does belief in Christ as Lord address human anxieties and fears? What is the content of that mystery? In what way is this condition a description of choices I make, books and entertainment I choose, and ways of thinking that guide my life?   Session 29 What made Ephesus attractive as a base for missionary activity and outreach? What conditions in the Roman Empire aided Paul in spreading the gospel? How does the church fit into God’s plan? Where does unity exist? What is its purpose? Where do unity and diversity exist together? How is unity accomplished? What does the passage say? What does the passage intend to communicate? What attitudes or situations might the writer have been addressing? What does the Scripture say to us today? What do we say to the Scripture? What claims does God make on us through this text?   Session 30 What is the relationship among the gospel, our calling, and our passion for ministry? How do Christians live distinctively in a secular setting? What sound teachings are being reinforced? How do these teachings fight false teaching? What false teachings in our day do these passages fight? What sense do you get from 1 Timothy of the Lordship of Christ and of God as the God of all people? What meaning or application can be drawn from the instruction for today, and how would it be stated? What does the writer intend to say? What does the passage intend to communicate? What factors or situations may have given rise to this passage? What questions do we ask of this passage? What do we say to this text? What does God say to us? What claims does this passage make on us?   Session 31 What advice do you hear that is particularly important? To whom are you indebted for the heritage? What guidance for being faithful did you hear? If the Pastoral Letters were written a generation after Paul, what clues do they give us about the situations they were addressing? What does the passage actually say? What do you think the writer wanted to communicate to his hearers? What seems to be the purpose of the passage? What meaning can we find in the passage? What changes would we make in our lives if we took the passage seriously? What answers does the gospel provide to the questions in “Our Human Condition”?   Session 32 What assurance is offered by the mark of obedient community?