Topical Study: Ascension Day

For Sunday, May 17th, 2009

1) This year on May 21st we (the Church) celebrate Ascension Day.
* What is Ascension Day? [The Feast Day of the Church that remembers Jesus' ascension as recounted in the New Testament]
* How do you know what day it is on each year? [It's always 40 days after Easter]
* Do you recall the number 40 from the bible for other things? [Israelites wandered 40 years in the desert, Jesus was tempted for 40 days in the wilderness, 40 days of rains of the Flood]
* Why do you think 40 days after Easter? [Note: encourage ideas here, there's no one right answer]
* What is so important about Jesus' ascension?

2) Read: Acts 1:1-9

In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.

* Compare with His crucifixion, Jesus' ascension is a relatively small event, with few witnesses. Why do you think that might be?
* Describe what you think it would be like to witness Jesus' ascension first hand. [Note: Try to encourage describing emotions linked to it like: frightening, confusing or inspiring.]
* Bonus question: Has anyone else in the bible ever been taken up to heaven bodily? [2 people: Enoch in Gen 5:21-24, and Elijah in 2 Kin 2:9-11]

3) Read: Ephesians 4:1-16

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it says:
"When he ascended on high,
he led captives in his train
and gave gifts to men."
(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

* Paul speaks of Jesus descending before he ascended. Why is that important?
* Jesus ascends body and all. What does that tell us about whether Jesus was human or divine?

4) Ascension day provides us an opportunity to reflect on Jesus' presence in our lives today. When he ascended, it became necessary for us to "see Him when He has been taken from us", as Elijah says to Elisha.
* Do you think it was hard for the disciples to "see" Jesus after he had been taken, and continue with the commission they had been given?
* What makes it hard for you to see Jesus in your life?
* How can we help and encourage each other to see Jesus' presence in our lives today?

Topical Study: Compassion

For Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

1) [Note: Feel free to use a dictionary during these questions.]
What is compassion?
What is pity?
What's the difference between the two?

2) Read: Mark 1:35-42

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!"
Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."
Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.

* What did the leper do when meeting Jesus?
* Why did Jesus have compassion on him?

3) Read: 1 Samuel 24:1-17

After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, "David is in the Desert of En Gedi." So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.
He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, "This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.' " Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul, "Why do you listen when men say, 'David is bent on harming you'? This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD's anointed.' See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you.
"Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand."
When David finished saying this, Saul asked, "Is that your voice, David my son?" And he wept aloud. "You are more righteous than I," he said. "You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.

Saul has been pursuing David for some time, trying to kill him.
* Why does David not kill Saul?
* When confronted with David's "compassion" for him, how does Saul react?
* How is David's compassion for Saul different than Jesus' compassion for the leper?

4) Read: Matthew 5:43-48

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

* Why does Jesus instruct us to pray for our enemies?
* How does praying for enemies help us to be compassionate?

5) Compassion is about more than just feeling sorry for someone. It's about putting our own differences aside and taking action. Compassion can take many forms, but it always affects both the recipient and the giver.
* What happens to the person receiving our compassion?
* What happens to us when we have compassion on someone else?
* How is having compassion an act of faithfulness to Jesus?