Review of Session 5: The Disciple and the Family
· Even though Jesus spoke hyperbolically about giving up father, mother, sister, brother and even spouse to follow him, he strongly endorsed the family. He was born in a family, and he was the one who spoke those famous words we hear at every (Christian) wedding: “what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.”
· Yet there are some, including Jesus himself and the apostle Paul, who are called to be single for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.
· Paul endorses marriage, with some qualification, for most believers based in large part on the grounds of sexual intimacy: “it is better to marry than to burn.”
· He goes on to note how marriage symbolizes the union between Christ and his bride: the church. In the marriage union the keys are that the husband love his wife as Christ loves the Church, and that the wife respect her husband as the Church respects Christ.
· In light of that symbolism, divorce is a very serious matter indeed, and should be undertaken only on the basis of adultery or abandonment.
A Thought Question
What do you think of when you hear the word “calling”? Church? Work? Cell Phone? Telemarketers? Avon?
Matt. 4:12-22
1. What exposure do you think Peter, Andrew, James and John had to Jesus before he called them?
2. What was Jesus calling them to do?
3. Was their abrupt leaving unfair to their father and other business associates?
2 Peter 1:1-11
1. What does Peter say is the reason disciples/saints can partake of the divine nature?
2. In verses 5-7 Peter gives us a list of qualities. What do these have to do with our calling?
3. In verse 5 he tells his readers to “make every effort…”. What does he mean by this? Is he advocating salvation by works?
4. What measurement does Peter give us in this passage for us to use in judging the effectiveness of our discipleship?
5. Consider the quality of “brotherly kindness” mentioned in this list. Do you think you can judge your own effectiveness in area totally alone? Or do you need outside help?
6. Peter tells us in verse 10 to make our calling and election sure. What is he telling us to do by giving us this command? How are calling and election related?
7. In our millennium we often think of “calling” as job related. Does anything in this passage speak to our “secular” vocation? Why or why not?
I Thess. 4:1-12
1. In what way does this passage echo the one we read from Peter?
2. What do verses 11-12 tell us about our calling as workers? Do you wish Paul had said more about vocation since we spend so much time occupied with it?
3. Let’s compare this these verses with similar ones in Colossians 3:22-25. Who will judge the quality of our vocational work? What will be the basis of the judgment?
In Summary
Please react to the following comment from Michael Green (Tyndale Commentary on II Peter, Eerdmans:1976; p.73-74):
“Make your calling and election sure” is an appeal that goes to the heart of the paradox of election and free will. The New Testament characteristically makes room for both without attempting to resolve the apparent antinomy. So here; election comes from God alone—but man’s behavior is the proof or disproof of it. Though ‘good works’ ..are possible only through the appropriation of God’s gracious aid, they are absolutely necessary, and fairly and squarely our responsibility.
Posted by John Dishman at January 6, 2005 10:05 PM