Queen's Road Cell

10. Examine 5:1-4 carefully. Exactly what was Ananias’s sin? (For instance, was it wrong in itself not to sell all his property and give it to the church?)  He misrepresented the extent of his gift. He lied to God  11. What do you think might have motivated him to do this?  He wanted to be thought of as  being as generous as others in the church, even though he wasn't.  He sought credit for more than was due. He was calculating and hypocritical. His actions were not toward God, but towards men. He was transactional. 12. What did God teach the early believers by striking Ananias and Sapphira dead (see 5:1-11)?  He is an awesome and holy God. The church is not a place where worldly standards of purity and outward show apply. God looks on the heart. He knows everything.    13. Is there a lesson here for us? If so, what is it?  In our service and contribution we are to remember that we are serving and giving to God, not so that we look good to p...

 17. The Jews looked at tragedies and concluded that the victims must have deserved it. But what lesson should the people have learned from the sudden deaths (13:1-5)? The people raised a question in conjunction with the idea of judgment in the preceding passage. They linked tragedy directly with personal sin (cf. Jn 9:2). Suffering in this view is proportional to the extent of sin. In response, Jesus raised yet another example of disaster/evil and delinks this from personal sin (the Gk for 'offenders' is 'debtors')  This passage gives insight into the Biblical perspective on moral and natural evil.  Suffering is not directly related to personal sin. Jesus assumes that suffering is what all men deserve. None is innocent. Some will receive judgment in this life, but allwill receive similar judgment in the next. The lesson drawn is that we must 'settle our affairs' (12:58) with God before we are similarly judged. The Bible does not speak of God as permitting evil ...

 1. Why is hypocrisy dangerously foolish (12:1-3)? How is hypocrisy like yeast? (12:1) In the presence of a very large crowd Jesus addressed His disciples first with His teaching.Yeast {leaven) ' speaks of a penetration that is slow, insidious and constant' (Morris). A small amount can contaminate the whole loaf. Gal 2:11-14 gives an example of how hypocrisy can permeate the church   Hypocrisy cannot be sustained. The truth will eventually come to light. The most secret things will be publically proclaimed. 2. What fear can motivate a hypocrite to act as other people want him to act (12:4)?  The fear of being harmed by people who disagree with your views, or the fear of losing some advantage. Jesus calls His disciples 'friends' only here in the Synoptics. 3.What fear should prevent hypocrisy (12:5)? The fear of God, whose power extends beyond temporary death and who has the power to cast into hell for infinite suffering. The right fear of God (cf. 1 Jn 4:18) is a good t...

5. What is the power of godliness (v.5)? Power refers to the present, effective working of God in and through the lives of believers. It encompasses the Holy Spirit's work in purification, unification, revelation and empowerment. We are given new life and the sustaining power to live out that new life in victory against the world, the flesh and the devil. We are fruitful (Gal 2:22-23), authentic p, sensitive to God’s leading, desiring God’s will and word and teaching with moral authority   'Christlikeness' is a good summary of what godliness is. He not only ministered to others with power, but also lived a sinless life. What power that must have taken - to face the full strength of temptations and to overcome them. 6. What does having a form of godliness but denying its power tell you about the kind of religion the depraved ones practice? What is to 'deny' the power of godliness? It may mean that one says that 'such a thing does not exist' or to reject its t...

Mr 2: 1-8, 16-18. After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Mag ] from the east came to Jerusalem 2  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3  When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4  When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5  “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6  “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,      are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler      who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 7  Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child...