JOHN THE BAPTIST- week 1
LUKE 1: 5-25, 26-44, 57-80
THE PROPHECY OF JOHN’S BIRTH, MISSION, COMMISSION.
Verses 14 & and last statement within verse 17, “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”-
What is the correlation between these two verses?
What statement would Christ later make to support or dispute this correlation?
Verse 16- Does this further expatiate on the connection between verse 14 and the last statement in verse 17, or does this refer to a different group of people from those identified above?
Verse 15
Is greatness in the “sight of the Lord” any different from greatness in sight or from the perspective of man?
How does this better help you understand God’s purpose for you?
The last sentence in verse 15- “never to drink wine or any fermented drink”; what, from this verse, do you see as a connection between alcohol and the Holy Spirit?
What other Bible verse supports your understanding?
How does this relate to your understanding of the tenet of Celestial that forbids the drinking of alcohol?
Verse 17
What is your understanding of this verse- was John a re-incarnation of Elijah or was he simply sent in the “spiritual empowerment” of Elijah?
MATTHEW 11: 13-14- how does this support or distort your view?
Is there re-incarnation? Is it possible to come back and finish one’s unfinished business in the world?
If there is re-incarnation, what, then, are the conditions? Support your answers with biblical references.
JOHN 1: 1-23 & MATTHEW 17: 1-11- How does this clarify or confuse your understanding of the relationship between Elijah, John and Christ?
Verses 26-45, 57-80
What similarities do you see between the prophecies about John and those of Christ?
Verses 39-42- What is the significance of this incident?
JOHN THE BAPTIST- week 2
THE PERSONALITY & MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
MATTHEW 3: 1-17
Verses 1-3 & Luke 3: 4-6, John 1: 6-9
How is John’s ministry defined by this verse?
What is the significance of John “preparing a Way for the Lord in the Desert”? (revisit Luke 1:80 as well).
MATTHEW 11: 12-13- What is your understanding of this verse in defining John’s Ministry?
Verse 4 & Matthew 11:7-10
What does this tell us about the style and personality of John?
Is there a connection between food and spirituality from this verse?
What does this tell us about the nature of God as we look at 1 CORINTHIANS 1: 26-31 and MATTHEW 11:11.
Verse 6, 11, 16-17
How does this explain the moniker, “John the Baptist”?
What is the significance of baptism?
What do these verses tell us about the “process” of baptism?
Verses 7 & 9 & LUKE 3: 7-14
How do these verses support or promote the earlier prophecy from the angel, Gabriel, about the mission of John and its similarity to Christ’s?
What is revealed here about the personality of the Pharisees and how can we relate this to modern day Christians? Also read MATTHEW 11: 16-18
Verses 8 & 10
Explain your understanding of these verses and support it with biblical references.
Verses 11-15 & JOHN 3: 22-31, LUKE 3: 15-17, JOHN 1: 29-34
What is immediately prominent about John’s personality from these Readings? Look further into JOHN 3:30-31 especially in considering this question.
What from this, will you deduce to be the greatest personality requirement of service to God?
JOHN THE BAPTIST- week 3
THE DEATH OF JOHN!
LUKE 3: 18-20 & MATTHEW 14: 1-4
What other personality is revealed here in John that is demonstrative of God’s expectation of his servants?
MATTHEW 11: 1-3
How do these verses encourage our faith as Christians and what is expected of us through adversity?
MATTHEW 14: 6-8
Comment on this verse in relation to Man & Woman; look back to GENESIS 3:6. What can we learn from this?
MATTHEW 14: 3-12
Jehovah Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays because John the Baptist was killed on Herod’s birthday. Consider and Comment.
MATTHEW 14: 9-12
In reading about the violent demise of John the Baptist, relate the experience to the letter of Paul in HEBREWS 11: 32-40; especially the contrasts of verses 33 and 39.
How can we utilize the life and death of John, and the reading in Hebrews to invigorate or temper our expectations of God’s promise for us today?
Considering the prophecies concerning John the Baptist, from Gabriel to Zechariah’s prophesy upon John’s birth (ISAIAH 40:3, MALACHI 3:1, LUKE 1: 26-44, 57-80) and his eventual death, was John’s life “pre-destined”?
If there is pre-destiny, what choice do we have or what role do we play in the outcome?
Comment on the importance of spiritual Christening of babies and the importance of prophecies concerning those babies within the Celestial Church- are names essential, or as Shakespeare puts it, “What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…”
Summary of John the Baptist.
Questions and final comments.
OPEN FORUM & QUIZ- WEEK 4
Please prepare for a short quiz on the above lessons, and thereafter we shall have an open forum for general questions or discussions.
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