SEARCH 196 – “GROWING GOD’S WAY. . .”

Key Verse

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
— John 15:4

Jesus’ Presence With Us and In Us

John 15:1-9; Ephesians 3:14-21
  1. What is it necessary for us to do in order to have the definite knowledge of Jesus’ presence in our lives? See John 14:23, Acts 3:19, and Revelation 3:20.
  2. Once Christ’s presence is in our lives, we must ensure that He will continue to abide with us. John 8:31 indicates that we must continue in His Word. What do you think the word continue means in this context?
  3. Name some of the promised blessings Jesus’ presence brings to those who continue to love, obey, and follow Him.
    John 14:27
    John 15:11
    Acts 1:81
    John 5:14-15
  4. Paul and John describe our relationship with Jesus in 1 Corinthians 1:9 and 1 John 1:3 as being one of fellowship. How would you describe Christian fellowship?
  5. At times when we cannot actually feel the presence of the Lord, what confidence can we receive from God’s Word that He is, indeed, still with us? See 2 Corinthians 5:7 and Hebrews 13:5.
  6. There is a definite contrast between the circumstances shown in Matthew 18:20 and 2 Timothy 4:14-17, and yet Christ was present in both instances. Describe what is taking place in each case, and what we can learn about Christ’s presence from these Scriptures.
  7. God has promised to be with us in every situation. Look up the following Scriptures and explain how each verse shows us God will be there: Psalm 46:1; Isaiah 43:2; Mark 13:11; Hebrews 4:15-16.
  8. What effect did the presence of the Spirit of the Lord have on those of the Early Church in the Book of Acts (Acts 13:33; 5:12)? What effect did the Spirit have on the lives of the listeners?
  9. In order for the Gospel to be spread, the disciples had to move into other parts of the world. What initiated these moves?
  10. When we have the reality of Christ’s presence with us now, what is our hope for the future? See John 14:3, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, and 1 John 3:2

THEME THOUGHTS

Christian maturity comes as a result of taking a realistic, practical, and God-directed approach to both the opportunities and the problems of life. That is why the admonitions found in the Bible are of proven value. They apply to the everyday experiences we face. How to gain Christian maturity is the thrust of the lessons to be studied during this quarter. The basic point to remember in considering the precepts of this unit is that submitting to Christ as our Lord and Savior comes first. With this thought in mind, we begin the unit by focusing on the reality of Jesus’ presence with us and in us. The second lesson deals with the subject of Christian growth, establishing that God’s Word outlines certain ways and means of spiritual development, and that spiritual growth is necessary. With these two lessons as the foundation for the quarter, we move into a consideration of specific areas such as decision-making, resisting the devil, avoiding physical and spiritual pollution, self-discipline, and how to deal with personal problems. Our quarter concludes with a lesson on looking at the outcome, in which we will be encouraged to see the importance of measuring our daily actions by whether these actions will draw us closer to God or move us farther away. Our goal this quarter is to reach the point where we can say with Paul, “. . . in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

Resources