February 17-23, 2013

February 17 – 23 2013

Old Testament, Leviticus 15-27

What was the purpose of the day of atonement described in chapter 16? In chapter 18, God rules out a number of sexual relationships, including close relatives, same-sex relationships, and humans with animals.  What was God’s purpose in making these rules? God told the people not to reap to the very edges of their fields or gather the gleanings.  How would this principle apply to the way you manage your finances today? In 20:7, God says, “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God.”  What does it mean for you to be holy? Why didn’t God allow Israelites to offer animals that had a defect? Chapter 23 describes a series of feasts and holy days that Israelites were to observe.  What benefit would there be for people to faithfully observe these? What was the purpose of the year of Jubilee? Did the promises in chapter 26 that God said would result from obedience apply to the nation as a whole or to individuals? Why did God promise such harsh punishments for disobedience?

Psalms 21-23

Jesus quoted the first sentence of Psalm 22 when He was on the cross.  Why did David write it?  What reason did he have for thinking he had been forsaken? Psalm 22:14-18 sounds more like Jesus’ experience on the cross than anything David experienced.  How could David have written this? What does it mean to you to have the Lord as your shepherd?

New Testament, Acts 1-5

What did Jesus say would happen to the disciples when the Holy Spirit came on them?  Why didn’t He want them to leave Jerusalem until they had received what He promised? Was selecting Matthias to replace Judas a worthwhile idea? What miraculous things happened on the day of Pentecost? On the night that Jesus was betrayed, Peter denied Him three times.  On the day of Pentecost Peter stood before a crowd and boldly proclaimed, “God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”  How do you account for this difference? Acts 2:42 summarizes what the first Christians’ fellowship was like.  Which of these elements are important to you: teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer? The man who was healed in chapter 3 had been placed at the temple gate daily.  Peter and John had probably seen him before.  Why was he healed on this particular day? Why did Ananias and Sapphira die?

February 10-16, 3013

February 10 – 16 2013

Old Testament, Leviticus 1-14

Leviticus is not the easiest book of the Bible to read.  It includes rules for offering sacrifices that were required under Old Testament Law and the New Testament teaches us that we are no longer under the Law.  But don’t skip Leviticus.  In it you will learn things about the character of God and his relationship with us. Why would God give specific instructions on how to offer animal sacrifices?  Shouldn’t a pure heart make anything a person offers to God acceptable? Chapter 2 explains how to bring a grain offering.  What is the point of a grain offering when Leviticus later says, “it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life” (Leviticus 17:11)? Why were there different requirements in chapter 4 for offerings for sin for a priest, the whole community, a leader, or a member of the community? What was the penalty (in chapter 6) for cheating your neighbor out of something? Why do you think God told people they could not eat fat or blood? What was the significance of the glory and fire mentioned in Leviticus 9:23-24? What was wrong with what Nadab and Abihu did in chapter 10?  Why do you think they did it? What kinds of animals were people not permitted to eat under the Law? Why were the rules regarding infectious skin diseases so stringent?

Psalms 19-20

How do the heavens declare the glory of God? Psalm 19:14 is a prayer with a specific request from God.  How would asking God to do this in you change your life? Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”  What might you be tempted to trust in that would be like trusting in horses and chariots?

New Testament, John 20-21

When Peter and John got to the tomb, why was Jesus gone, but His burial clothes still there? Why didn’t Thomas believe it when the other disciples told him they had seen Jesus? According to John 20:31, what is the purpose of the book of John? Jesus told his disciples to make a simple change, using what they already had in hand, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”  The results were amazing.  What other Biblical examples can you think of where God gave simple directions that had amazing results?  What do these examples mean to the way you approach prayer and obedience? Why did Jesus tell Peter that if he loved Jesus, he should feed His sheep? In verse 23, Jesus asked Peter, “what is that to you?”  What benefit will you get from obeying the Lord without worrying if others have to do the same thing you are doing?