June 15, 2002

Introduction

• We are going to base our discussions on the following premises (or principles), two of which are taken from the Word and one of which is taken from the life of one of the foremost figures of the Reformation:
• 2 Timothy 3:14-17 – the importance of the Scriptures in our daily lives.
• "Unless I am convicted of error by the testimony of Scripture or by manifest reasoning I stand convicted by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, and my conscience is taken captive by God's word. I cannot or will not recant anything. For to act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open to us." -- Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms in October 1520

o 1 Peter 3:15 – we have to be ready to give "a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you."

· The responsibility of the leader of the Bible Study will be to prepare for the agreed-upon topic and make sure he has a good grasp of the subject and be ready to answer (in the best (or right) way possible) to the questions raised.

· Your responsibility will be to prepare for the agreed-upon topic and make sure you have a good grasp on the subject and be ready to answer (in the best (or right) way possible) to the questions raised.

· Redundant, isn't it? The point that I'm trying to make here is that this is going be an interactive Bible Study that will look very much like a moderated discussion. However, we are not just going to discuss topics for the sake of discussing them or with the purpose of exercising our vocabulary (although that will be an added advantage) but because they are relevant and we need to have correct positions (or attitudes) regarding these topics.

· Why is that? Because we don't live just within the walls of a church with people that we agree with (in most cases). We live in this world. We are in this world but not of this world. We need to be beacons of light in this world. As Christians, we are not just called to be punctual on Sunday morning for worship. We are called to live all the seven days of the week for the Lord. (Illustration: in the Netherlands, soon after the Reformation came to this country, Protestant churches used to lock their doors during the week when services were not scheduled. Why do you think that was? The message they were trying to send was the same that I mentioned. You, as a Christian, are not just called to live a godly (or some might say "churchly") life on Sunday but throughout the week.)

· And how are we going to be beacons? By answering all questions of our peers with quotes from Proverbs and Psalms. (Maybe.) We have to let our knowledge of the Word permeate all aspects of our life and that includes the way we do our job, the way we deal with conflict, the way we react when we're treated unfairly. Also, (and this is where this Bible Study comes in) we are also beacons of light and truth when we adopt correct, biblical attitudes toward quotidian issues.

· Before we can dive into talking about some of these issues, however, we have to establish some points of doctrine as a foundation of our discussion. Towards this goal, next week we are going to talk about a much-discussed topic and just so that we get the interactivity ball rolling, I'll let you try to guess what this topic will be. Hint: If I asked someone to tell me what it is in Shakespeare's time, when they found out they would think my asking them was an okay pun.

· Some of the questions we'll address:

· In view of God's sovereignty, what is the role of prayer in a Christian's life? (Does prayer actually change things?)

· What does "Ask and ye shall receive" mean? Can I ask for whatever I please? What are the conditions to getting what I prayer for?

· Does God really speak to us, and if so, how does He communicate to us?

· Does it make a difference if I pray five minutes a day or fifty minutes or five hours, and does it make a difference if one person prays, or fifty, or five hundred?

· Think about these questions and see if there are other that you would like discussed.