Notes from FaithFilled Ladies Group 9th March 2021
We have all been a student at some point in our lives. Everyone has a different way of learning, studying and remember. From mind maps to highlighting to taking notes to just listening. I development a great study method that worked for me – Questions! I would read the information in which I needed to study and would write down question about the article and then try answer them. I believe this way of studying encouraged me recognise the limitation of what I knew and instead required me to solve the problem by achieving understanding instead of parrot learning. When we ask questions, our mind subconsciously search for the answer. I used to wake up in the middle of the night with answers to things I asked myself or question people asked me weeks ago.
Thinking is not driven by answers but by questions. Had no questions been asked by those who laid the foundation for a field…the field would never have developed in the first place.
Questioning is an important component by which teachers find out what pupils already know, identify gaps in knowledge and understanding. Questioning also encourages strategic thinking and stimulates students to pursue knowledge on their own and ask their own questions.
For this discussion we chose only 4 questions Jesus asked.
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he ordered his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
WHO IS JESUS TO YOU?
- Jesus asks Peter who do you say I am? When Peter answer with the revelation of who Jesus is to him, Jesus then gives Peter a new name – Simon, Jesus give Peter his identity.
- “On this rock I will build My church” – On this revelation of who Jesus is – Jesus will build the church.
- Jesus gives me my identity and my purpose when we know who HE is!
WHY ARE YOU SO AFRAID?
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” .
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
- The disciples were in the boat with JESUS, yet they were still afraid of drowning – how often are we filled with fear or worry, yet we have seen Jesus work in our lives time and time again?
- Jesus was calm, He was sleeping in the storm. – How often do we panic with the storms of life, emotions everywhere, stress, business, yet Jesus is calm. Maybe it is time for us to “Quite! Be still” even though this was a command for nature.
- Jesus calms this storm is 3 words – have faith that Jesus can calm the storms in your life in just a few words.
- Why are you so afraid? Have you thought about this question. May it is time to really consider what is driving your fear and re-evaluate the storm.
- Jesus is with you in the boat going through the storm, He wont let you drown
DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR YOU?
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When He had finished washing their feet,
He put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them.
13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
HAVE YOU WITNESSED A MIRACLE?
- Have you witnessed a miracle? Have you experience God do incredible thing in you life? Yet still lack faith in certain areas or moan about how bad life is? Maybe it is time to re-evaluate our lives, our proud place, humble ourselves and serve.
- Washing feet was a sign of service, Jesus’ choice to wash the feet was to make a point about being humble and serving one another.
- Jesus had done for them what they had been unwilling to do for Him and for one another
- I love this question Jesus asked – Do you know what I have done for you? Jesus has washed us clean. He suffered, hung on that cross, died for our sins and was Rise back to life so that we could have life! – THANK YOU JESUS! Do we really understand this?
WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO FOR YOU?
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
- In this passage of scripture, it is obvious that Jesus knew what Bartimaeus needed. However I believe Jesus wanted Bartimaeus to really think about what he wanted Jesus to do for him.
- Bartimaeus “began to shout” when he heard it was Jesus! He called out to God! Do we shout and call out to God?
- He jumped to his feet and came to Jesus – are we eager and willing to turn to Jesus, knowing he can give us our every want and need. HE is our source and our live!
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, we thank you for your teachings. Thank you for your patience, love and mercy. Thank you for revealing ourselves to you everyday. Thank you for calming the storms in our lives, Lord God, Thank you sending your Son to die our the cross for our sins, so that we may have live in our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for allowing us to come to you with our wants and needs. Please set our hearts right with You. May we walk deeper in your presence.
We pray in Jesus Name. AMEN