Weekly Guide：Week 98
December 08, 2019
Foreword
We continue to read the gospel of John this week. Everyone needs to know the reason for our existence. Some spend their entire lifetime trying desperately to find the answer. Some try to find it in their relationships, social status. Some do it through the success of their hard works. But, more than often, people get lost in their life and lose hope. Their meaningless endeavor only cause them to give up. Jesus said His life is for the cross, our life is for the glory of the Father, and God’s answer is that His already has the glory and would be even more glorious. We would find the importance of our life when we glorify God because His glory is so precious, and that the inheritance for all believers worth so much more than anything else. The heavenly king would protect and lead, so that we can hear clearly His calling and be adopted. And, when we are filled with His glory, both in heart and in flesh, His peace and joy would surround us and dwell in us.
May you all be renewed in His word each day!
Question
Why did the Jews put Jesus on the cross?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head and slapped Him in the face.
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The Jews shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!!”
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Jesus carried His own cross, went out to the place of the Skull. There they crucified Him.
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Jesus entrusted His mother to the disciple He loved.
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Not one of His bones will be broken.
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Jesus’ disciple Joseph took His body away and laid it in a new tomb.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Pilate wanted to release Jesus but crucified Him instead because the pressure from the Jews. We often face difficult decisions. What is my principle in making decisions? How are my decisions pleasing to God?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
Who witnessed Jesus’ resurrection?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Early in the morning, Mary went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed and thought someone had taken the Lord out of the tomb.
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Mary saw Jesus at the tomb.
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In the evening, Jesus stood among the disciples and showed them His hands and side.
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Thomas did not see Jesus and asked to see the nail marks. Jesus came and let Thomas to touch Him. Thomas said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - After seeing His wounds, Thomas declared Jesus is the Lord and God. Where does my faith come from? Where does my knowledge of God come from?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
Why did Jesus ask Peter three times, “Do you love me?”
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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Jesus appeared again to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee.
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Jesus told them to throw their net on the right side of the boat and will find some fishes.
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When Peter heard Jesus, he wrapped his outer garment around him and jumped into the water.
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Jesus ate fish and bread with the disciples by the fire.
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This was now the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.
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Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me?” and said to him, “Take care of my sheep.”
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Jesus did many other things as well. Even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
Meditation: My Story
- Identity - Jesus let Peter go fish in the water when He first called him. Jesus strengthened Peter’s faith again in the same way after He had risen from death. Why did Jesus do this? How my faith may be strengthened by going back to the original love of Christ?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
How does the fact that God is light take meaning in my life?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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From God is the eternal life, appeared through Jesus Christ to us, and that the apostles have seen and testify to it, so that we may make our joy complete.
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God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him, then we walk in the light, confess our sins, and ask God for forgiveness.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - We may live in the eternal life, so we need to hold fast to the truth and not in pursue of the worldly things as they are temporary. May I stay away from the life that pursues the worldly pleasure and fame?
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Integrity - We fellowship with God. God is light, so we need to walk in the light and sin no more. Reflect on my sins and pray to God right away to confess my sin and ask for forgiveness.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What is the new command from God?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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If anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in them.
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Darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness.
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For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
- No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
- This is what He promised us-eternal life.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - To know God is to keep His commands, to Love God, not the world. How much do I know God? Am I hungry for more knowledge of Him?
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Community - Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. Do I have any opinion toward a brother or sister? Let me ask the Lord for forgiveness.
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Integrity - We need to abstain from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Because they come from the world which passes away. As part of Satan’s plan, what is the greatest temptation to me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Question
What kind of life do children of God live?
Scripture Reading
Meditation: God’s Story
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What great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!
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And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.
Meditation: My Story
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Identity - Now we are children of God, and we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. How am I living out my life as a child of God and be more like Jesus each day?
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Community - We shall love each other, both in actions and in truth, because this is a command God gave us. How may I love my brothers and sisters more?
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Integrity - We shall sin no more, for whoever lives in the Lord does not sin. How may I resist temptations and strive to be righteous?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
Scripture Reading
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
What commitments did the Israelites make to the Lord?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ List of those who sealed the agreement.
+ The rest of the people who separated themselves for the sake of the Law of God, all bond themselves with a curse and an oath, to follow
the Law of God given through Moses and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord.
+ They assumed the responsibility for carrying out the commands to give a third of a shekel each year for the service of the house of God.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Integrity** - After fasting and sealing the agreement, the Israelites bond themselves with curse and oath to marriages, sabbath, offerings. Let me do a reality check of my commitment to my own spiritual growth.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How were the Israelites dispersed in Jerusalem and other cities?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ The leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.
+ The people of Judah and the Benjamites lived in the villages with their fields.
+ The account of the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel.
+ At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the people celebrated joyfully with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres.
+ Judah was pleased with the ministering priests and Levites, contributed the daily portions for the musicians and the gatekeepers. They also set aside the portion for the other Levites, and the Levites set aside the portion for the descendants of Aaron.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Identity** - Who must live in Jerusalem? Those leaders have the burden of protecting the people's safety. What can I learn from that?
+ **Fidelity** - What did the Israelites emphasize on at the dedication of the wall? Do I view importantly the holidays in remembrance of the Lord Jesus Christ, such as the Good Friday and Easter? Why?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Forward
We will complete the reading of the Book of Nehemiah this week and start on the Book of Esther.
Nehemiah dedicated the wall and all people were in great joy. The greatest joy of life is not the fulfillment of material desires as it cannot be forever satisfied in what is gained and will always be lost. Only the joy from sacrificing to God gives us the eternal memory for He enables us to be joyous in the midst of all difficulties and struggles. It is holy and pleasing to God to offer, to let go, and to commit ourselves to Him. The sound of joy in Jerusalem can be heard in faraway lands and our joy can bring those who are lost.
May you all be renewed each day in God's word.
### Question
What purification work did Nehemiah do in Jerusalem?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ No Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God.
+ Eliashib provided Tobiah with a large room in the temple. Nehemiah was greatly displeased and threw all Tobiah's household goods out of the room.
+ Nehemiah saw people in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in all kinds of loads into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Nehemiah warned them against selling food on that day.
+ Nehemiah rebuked those who married foreigners, made them take an oath in God's name and said: "You are not to give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor are you to take their daughters in marriage for your sons or for yourselves."
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Integrity** - Israelites did not take care of the Levites, violated the Sabbath, married foreigners, and so on were offenses committed knowingly. Am I doing some inappropriate things knowingly?
+ **Fidelity** - The people committed offenses when Nehemiah was away from Jerusalem. What responsibility does a leader have toward the people? In correcting the people's behavior, how did Nehemiah's action inspire me?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How did the priests show contempt for the Lord's name?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Malachi rebukes Israel for forgetting God's blessing.
+ The Lord rebukes the priests for showing contempt for His name.
+ They say the Lord's table is defiled and its food is contemptible.
+ If they do not listen, the Lord will send a curse on them, and will curse their blessings.
+ Judah has desecrated the sanctuary the Lord loves by marrying women who worship a foreign god.
+ The Lord testifies that the Israel have been unfaithful to their wives.
+ They have wearied the Lord with their words.
+ The Lord will soon send His messenger, who will prepare the way before Him. But who can endure the day of His coming?
+ The Lord will come to put them on trial.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Community** - God seeks Godly offspring. So be on our guard, and do not be unfaithful to the wife of our youth. Let me pray for my spouse, family, children, so the state of our relationship pleases the Lord and glorifies His holiness.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Question
How was Israel being arrogant against the Lord?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord. But the Israelites ask, how are we to return?
+ Israel are robbing the Lord in tithes and offerings.
+ Israel have spoken arrogantly against the Lord, for they said, it is futile to serve God, what do we gain by carrying out His requirements?
+ A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who feared the Lord and honored His name.
+ Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire.
+ Remember the law of Moses. I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Fidelity** - The Israelites said it is futile to serve the Lord, nothing is gain by carrying out His command. The Lord said this is arrogance. Have I complained in my services? Do I understand the benefit of obeying God's command?
Prayer
Notes and Responses
### Forward
We completed reading the book of Hebrews last week. This week, we are going to read the books of James and the First Peter.
The book of James describes the relationship between faith and conduct as in the book of Hebrews. The Superior Sacrifice in the book of Hebrews is not just an academic discussion because our lives cannot be divided into two parts, worldly and spiritual, or live a life in the weekdays then another in the weekends. When the truth is not reflected in our lives, then the teachings are no longer realized, trainings become self-fulfillment, we no longer live in obedience and our lives can no longer transform. Do not pursue institutionalized religious status and beware of letting faith fall into sallow believe of false teaching. True faith is filled with zeal, is active, and not covered with layers of gowns and curtains. Testify for God's presence with brotherly love, care for the suffering and burdened, reflect Jesus' purity and holiness in faithful marriage, do not love money and be content. Faith should be reflected in all corners of our lives, gospel should be preached through all channels, live like Jesus Christ filled with merciful blessings and truth in our communities, let the world see God's light reflects on us and satisfies the Superior Covenant between God and mankind.
May you all be renewed in God's word each day!
### Question
How does faith grow in trials?
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### Meditation: God's Story
+ Be Joyful when facing trials because testing of faith produces perseverance.
+ When being tested, ask God for wisdom which He gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to us.
+ Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation.
+ Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life.
+ God does not tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
+ Every good and perfect gift is from God who does not change like shifting shadows.
+ God chose us through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits.
### Meditation: My Story
+ **Walking with God** - List out the descriptions of God's character in this passage. How may these descriptions help those who are being tested in suffering? Also list out God's will and promises in this passage. Think back in my own trials, have I ever doubted God because I forgot His will and promises? How does or will this passage help me face my current or next challenge?
+ **Integrity** - Trials come in all shapes and forms. And they come continuously in waves. Summarize from this passage how does a beautiful life born out of perseverance in suffering? How does this hope bring joy? Think about my experiences or through other people's testimonies of God's goodness.
Prayer
Notes and Responses
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Prayer
Notes and Responses