WINDSOR FULL GOSPEL MISSION CHURCH
GROUP BIBLE DISCUSSION ANSWERS
John 1:19-28 (D)
1.1) Why have the Israel people been waiting for a prophet? (Hebrews 1:1-2)
2) Why have the Israel people been waiting for Elijah? (2 King 2:11)
3) Who else was taken up to heaven directly in the human history? (Genesis 5:21-24)
4) What is the characteristic of Enoch?
2. What does it mean to "make straight the way for the Lord"? (v. 37a)
3. What kinds of hindrance can you think of? (Matthew 13:4-6)
4. What are the characteristics of a path?
5. What causes the hardened soil?
6. What are the characteristics of a rocky ground?
7. Can you give illustrations for the following obstacles of repentance in your heart?
8. What would God say about the above excuses not to repent? (Proverbs 21:2)
9. What kind of heart is the good soil referred in Matthew 13:8? (James 1:21)
10. How can you produce the fruit of repentance? (Luke 3:8)
11. What is the meaning for John the Baptist's Water Baptism?
12. Why didn't Pharisees and other religious leaders receive John's Water Baptism?
13. What is the difference between John's Water Baptism and Jesus' Water Baptism?
1. Are you waiting for Jesus' return just as the Israelites were waiting for the return of Elijah?
2. Do you believe that you will be taken up to heaven in the future at Jesus' return in air, as happened to Elijah and Enoch?
3. What kind of soil (heart) do you have, path like ground, rocky soil, or good soil?
4. What kind of obstacles do you have for your repentance?
Prayer:
Jesus instead of a prophet came to them as the morning star at the spiritually darkest time. God talked directly to people through Jesus.
The Israel people were expecting for his return. Elijah is remembered for his passion and miracle performing power.
1) Removing obstacles in people's hearts that prevent them from hearing the Word of God
2) Repentance
2) (Matthew 13:5) The analogy of rocky places
(2) Intentionally not to hear the Gospel and
(3) To reject the Gospel
1) Spiritual hardening,
(1) People hear the Gospel but still reject Jesus, and their hearts become hardened spiritually.
(2) People's hearts are hardened spiritually through believing other religions, heresies, and superstitions.
2) Intellectual hardening,
(1) People's hearts are hardened intellectually through accepting and believing man-made theories, such as evolution, communism, and etc.
(1) Self-justification: In regarding to the abortion issue, many consider abortion is OK in order to protect mother's right.
(2) Rationalization: People logically defend sins by thinking they are not that wrong because others are doing the same.
(3) Blaming others: Some always believe that responsibility lies with others whenever they do something wrong. They fell into temptation, because God did not prevent it.
(4) Making excuses: People blame the circumstance. I was in a peculiar situation so that I had to commit sin.
Outwardly, they justified that they did not need John's Baptism because they were children of Abraham who had been chosen by God.
The Water Baptism of Jesus is not only for repentance of sin, but also for confession of faith towards Jesus as the Lord.
Life Application:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for my salvation through Jesus Christ. Thank you for the Holy Spirit within me. As I grow in the knowledge of Jesus, help me to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit to help me repent my lack of faith in you and lack of faithfulness in serving you. Help me not to have hope in this world but in Jesus who will return in air in the future to take me up into heaven, where I will be with Him forever. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen!