Study 23 - Luke 9:1-17

1. Verses 1-6. A new development in the work. Picture the twelve itinerating as here described. What lessons would they themselves learn, and what would be the impact on those who saw and heard them?

2. Verses 10-17. What light do these verses throw upon the unselfish love of Jesus, and on His concern for both physical and spiritual needs? Putting yourself in the place of the disciples, what would you have learned from the incident?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 22 - Luke 8:40-56

1. Verses 43-48. Try to enter into the woman's hopes and fears. What made her touch different from that of the rest of the crowd? Have you any experience and testimony similar to hers?

2. What do these two stories teach us of the importance and nature of faith, and the need to continue in faith?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 21 - Luke 8:22-39

1. Verses 22-25. 'Where is your faith?' In what way was their faith defective? What did they learn from the incident?

2. Verses 26-39. Compare the man's condition before and after he met Jesus. What evidence can you find of the reality of the change? What may we learn from this about Jesus' power to save?

3. Verses 35-39. What caused the different reactions to Jesus of the cured man and his fellow-countrymen? Why did Jesus grant the request of those who wanted to be rid of Him, and refuse that of the man He had saved?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 20 - Luke 8:4-21

1. Verses 4-15. What sorts of people do the four kinds of soil represent? What experience have you of the truth of this parable in yourself and in others?

2. Verses 16-21. What do these verses teach of (a) the responsibilities and (b) the priveledges of Jesus' followers?

3. Why did Jesus now adopt the method of teaching by parables (verses 9, 10)? Do verses 4 and 18 provide a clue?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 19 - Luke 7:36-8:3

1. Compare the Pharisee's attitude to Jesus with that of the woman. How did Jesus answer his criticisms of verse 39? How did the parable of verses 41, 42 appply to him?

2. What made the woman act as she did? Have you a similar incentive? How can it be expressed?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 18 - Luke 7:18-35

1. Verses 18-23. What exactly was the doubt in John's mind? Do you find a clue to this perplexity in 3:16,17? What is the significance of Jesus' reply?

2. Verses 24-35. How had the Jews gone wrong in their reaction to John's preaching? What had they failed to see? What does Jesus' estimate of John teach us concerning the greatness of our priveledge?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 17 - Luke 7:1-17

1. Verses 1-10. What are the characteristics of the centurion's approach to Jesus? What can he teach us about a right attitude in prayer?

2. What do we see in these two stories of the character of Jesus (a) of His appreciation of, and love for, people, and (b) of His unique authority?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 16 - Luke 6:37-49

1. Verses 37-42. What sort of attitude towards the fault of others does Jesus prescribe, and why? What positive actions are here enjoined?

2. Verses 43-49. On what does effectiveness and stability in the Christian life depend? What is the remedy for a weak or inconsistent Christian life?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 15 - Luke 6:12-36

1. Verses 20-26. Contrast Jesus' picture of a blessed life with the world's idea of happiness. Why is a Christian happy in such circumstances? What makes the difference?

2. Verses 27-36. A picture of unselfish love. What should be the source and pattern of our love (verses 35, 36)? Think of practical cases in your own situation to which the principles laid down in these verses apply.

3. Verses 12-19. Note the increasing pressures on Jesus (verses 17-19). What two special actions did He take?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 14 - Luke 5:27-6:11

1. These verses record four encounters with the scribes and Pharisees. What were the grounds of their growing opposition to Jesus? And what were the truths and the principles (as His answers reveal) determined the actions of Jesus?

2. 5:36-39. What happens when formal religion encounters the new life which Jesus brings? How do the incidents in today's passage illustrate the truth of these verses?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 13 - Luke 5:12-26

1. Compare the faith of the leper with that of the friends of the paralytic. Of what was the former uncertain? And how did the latter display their faith? What can we learn from these miracles about prayer?

2. Verses 21-24. What claims are implied in Jesus' answer to the scribes' challenge?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 12 - Luke 5:1-11

1. Put yourself in the place of Simon. Trace the development of his attitude to Jesus in the successive phrases of the story. In what ways is he an example to us?

2. Jesus needed fellow-workers. How and where did He find them? What marked out Simon and his colleagues as suitable? What were, for them, the conditions of being used?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 11 - Luke 4:31-44

1. What two factors about Jesus particularly impressed the people in the synagogue? Note also the even more discerning testimony of the demons (verses 34, 41). Why did Jesus silence this?

2. This passage illustrates the busy-ness and urgency of Jesus' mission (see esp. verse 43). Why then did He retire to a lonely place (verse 42)? What may we learn from this example?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 10 - Luke 4:14-30

1. Verses 16-21. Jesus speaks to the people of Nazareth, His own home town. What does His use of Is. 61:1, 2 teach them of His mission? Why is the claim of verse 21 so startling?

2. Verses 22-30. The people were moved but not convinced (verse 22). How did Jesus interpret to them their unspoken thoughts (verse 23), and what did He go on to imply ( verses 25-27)? What made them so angry?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 9 - Luke 3:23-4:13

1. Notice the time of temptation, immediately after the revelation of 3:22, and at the opening of Jesus' ministry. What light does this throw on the devil's challenge, 'if you are the Son of God' (4:3,9)?

2. Consider the special subtlety of each temptation, and the means by which Jesus in each case parried the thrust. What does this teach us for our own defence against temptation?

3. What may we learn from this passage of the nature of temptation? Note, e.g. at what times temptation may come, what sort of circumstances the tempter may use (4:2), etc. How does the passage show that temptation is not sin?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 8 - Luke 3:1-22

1. What, according to the preaching of John, are the cause (verses 7-9, 16, 17), nature (verses 8, 10-14), and outcome (verses 3, 15-17) of repentance?

2. What did Jesus' baptism, and the voice from heaven, mean (a) to Jesus Himself, and (b) to the others present?

3. Consider the fearless honesty of John. Note also its result (verses 19, 20).



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 7 - Luke 2:40-52

1. Verse 49. What was the consequence in His life of Jesus' unique relation to God? In what way does this truth applay to us, as sons and daughters of God?

2. How does the story illustrate the truths of verses 40 and 52?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 6 - Luke 2:21-39

1. What did the appearance of Jesus mean to Someon and to Anna? What, according to verses 30-32, was supposed to be the scope of His work?

2. Verses 34, 35. What was to be the effect of Jesus' coming on different classes of people? What would be the cause of men's falling and rising?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 5 - Luke 2:1-20

1. What may we learn from the circumstances of our Saviour's birth, and the status of His first worshippers?

2. What do the angel's message and the rejoicing of the heavenly host teach us of the importance of the birth of Jesus? How is the shepherds' response to this message an example to us?

3. Verses 1-7. How do these verses illustrate that God controls all human affairs, effecting His own purpose through the free actions of men?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 4 - Luke 1:57-80

1. Trace in the song of Zechariah the successive stages in the unfolding of God's plan of salvation through the Old Testament and up to the coming of the Messiah. How does it reveal the unity of the Old and New Testament?

2. What, according to this song, is the purpose of salvation? Is this your experience?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 3 - Luke 1:39-56

1. What does Mary's song reveal of (a) the character of God (see esp. verses 49, 50) and (b) His way of working among men (verses 51-53)? How were these facts demonstrated in the manner of the Saviour's coming?

2. What features in Mary's character are revealed in this song? What may we learn from her example?



Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 2 - Luke 1:26-38

1. Verses 31-33, 35. How many features of the person and mission of the promised Child can be discerned in the words of the angel? List them.

2. Contrast Mary's reception of the angel's messagewith that of Zechariah (see previous study, question 2) What did Mary's response involve? Are you prepared similarly to ask the Lord to fulfil His word in you?


Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Study 1 - Luke 1:1-25

1. What was the mission assigned to John the Baptist? What was to be the nature of his greatness (verse 15)?

2. What was the cause of Zechariah's punishment (verse 20)? What made him hesitate to believe the angel's message? What similar temptations to unbelief do you face? Why ought Zechariah to have believed, and why ought we to believe?

3. Verses 1-4. What do these verses tell us of (a) the source of Luke's information, (b) the importance which he attached to giving a truthful record, and (c) his purpose in writing the Gospel?


Stibbs, A. (1949). Search the Scriptures: The Study Guide to the Bible. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press.

Ecclesiastes 12

Whats going on

- Solomon is still going on about how everything is meaningless
- talks about that when we die, all that we had before is nothing compared to what is ahead - eternal life or not
- Mans duty is to obey the commandments, fear God
- there will be judgement where all our whole life comes before God


Stuff to take away

- we need to live our lives in the knowledge of eternal life
- need to work out what God is calling us to do and to do it
- we need to be reading the word of God. Other books are good, but not as good as the Bible.

Ecclesiastes 11

Whats going on

- First bit is about God and that He does awesome things because He is God and is beyond our understanding. Also talks about working well all the time, not just when you feel great.

- Second bit talks about God knowing all that we do and that He has given us free choice to choose whether to follow God or the world
- give all your worries / anzieties to the Lord


Stuff to take away

- God is amazing and we need to thank and praise Him for all He does - the author and creator of all things, who was and is and is to come
- Need to give all that we are and do to Him and to serve Him in what we do. I know for me this is at work where I need to spend even a minute just giving the day to Him and asking him to be involved and to make the most of it
- Follow God in all things and to choose to serve him not the world

Ecclesiastes 10

Whats going on

- Talks about the problem of too much wisdom and also of too little and being lazy. common sense is good.
- Also about the words that we use


Stuff to take away

- be careful of the words that we use as they can help or harm
- also be careful of holes, logs, boulders!!

Ecclesiastes 9

What happens:
- Solomon talks about death and about wisdom.

Meaning:
- Death - we don't wknow what will happen tomorrow so we should live for today. Enjoy the short life we have.
- Wisdom - it is better to be wise. If you are wise and rich people will listen to what you say. If you are poor you will never be heard no matter how wise you are. (Africa?)

Stuff for us:
- We need to not worry so much about the future but concentrate on the here and now otherwise we'll miss the now.
- As rich people (compared to the poor in Africa) we have to give a voice to those who are too poor to have their voice heard.

Ecclesiastes 8

What's going on

- there is a time for everything
- Solomon changes his mind in v1 saying that wisdom brings happiness


Stuff to take away

- God has a plan for our lives which he will show us in his time
- We need to obey God even when things are hard.

Ecclesiastes 7

What happens:
- Solomon is on the rant again. He lists whole load of things that it is better to be and do. He also looks at life and we'll never understand everything.

Meaning:
- There is always more to God. All the little things that we do or don't do and that we get right or wrong don't come close to God. If we look to God we will walk in the right line anyway and then we don't have to worry about doing the right thing or not because we will always chose the right way.
- v28 - "I have never met a good woman" - good reason why you shouldn't have more than one wife otherwise women become bad straight off!

Stuff for us:
- Look to God not ourselves. Trust in His strength not our own. Live for Him not for us.
- Don't marry more than one wife or your asking for trouble!

Ecclesiastes 6

What happens:
- Solomon is still moaning about the futility of life. Work is pointless and life is unfair.

Meaning:
- Life without God is pointless. There is nothing in life that is worth doing without God.

Stuff for us:
- Make sure God is at the centre of our lives, otherwise it's all a waste of time.

Ecclesiastes 5

What's going on

- Solomon is talking about what we say and to be in awe of God

- He goes on to talk about money and possessions and how they can't give you happiness - Sol is talking out of his experiences


For us to take away

- we need to stand in awe of God and to give him the glory. God is soverign and we are on earth yet he loves us and we can come before him. idea of reverence and being aware that he is Almighty God

- God takes us at our word!

- We should not be taken in by materialism and the love of money - God will give us all that we need

Ecclesiastes 4

What happens:
- Solomon talks about work, friendship and foolishness.

Meaning:
- The stuff about work means that we should only work to the extent that it helps others. It shouldn't come before our happiness. According to Solomon.
- The stuff about friendship meansthat we shouldn't do things alone if we can help it. We should team up with people, help each other and support each other.
- The stuff about foolishness means that it is better to be poor than stupid.

Stuff for us:
- Work hard, but not the destruction of other things. Work should not rule you.
- Get alongside people. Help them and allow others to help you.
- Don't be foolish and ignore the above warnings, its better to be poor with the above things, than rich with no one to share it with.

Ecclesiastes 3

What happens:
- Solomon sees that there is a time for everything. God has a master plan within which everything happens at the correct time.

Meaning:
- God is control of everything. Those who obey Him will be rewarded, but in God's time scale. Those who do ot obey Him will be punished, but in God's time scale.

Stuff for us:
- We should take comfort and a warning from this:
- Comfort - God is in control of it. He has a plan for us and has prepared the way for us. He knows the decisions we will make and will be watching over us all the time. We need not worry because God has it all in hand.
- Warning - God works on different time scales to us. If we sin we should repent immediately because we don't know what might happen in the future, we may die in the next moment!

Ecclesiastes 2

Whats going on

• Solomon is trying wine, material pleasures to satisfy him. He could have anything he wanted when he wants but finds that there is still nothing.
• Everything he does will be left to whoever comes next

For us to take away

• in network stuff, we pass on the baton to whoevers next to lead -
• we need to give our best now rather than waiting till later
• we need to eat, drink and enjoy our work - this is from God and we need to have God at the centre of all we do and be the reason we do stuff
• if we please God then wisdom, knowledge and joy will come - God given rather than man given.
• by having a relationship with God means that we can have life and life in abundance (John 10:10)

Ecclesiastes 1

Whats going on

• Solomon is a really wise guy who is King in Israel. He is uninspired with life and reckons that there is nothing new and never will be and that's how it is! C'est la vie.
• Although he is a wised up guy he ends by saying that with wisdom there is disappointment and sorrow.
• He doesn't have God at the centre of his life and is living in his own knowledge rather than trusting in God and living in the life that Jesus can give us
• He probably feels that as king he ought to know a lot but actually by having done so, is low in himself. He has become comfortable and is also possibly not hearing from God for the future both for the nation and in his life.

For us to take away

• Don't know everything - you'll be disappointed!!
• We need to ask God to show us new and exciting stuff - lifes a journey where God delights in showing us new things to make us smile
• I love the fact that God continues to suprise me - I think sometimes though I need to recognise when and to say thankyou.

Titus 3

Whats going on?

• Reminder to the Cretans on how to live with one another.
• Also reminds them of where they have been before Jesus and that Jesus died for our sins and that can live in the hope of eternal life. Paul reminds Titus to stay away from those that are still living in the past or worrying out petty things.
• Titus is leaving Crete but Paul has sent others to carry on. Paul seems to want to debrief and disciple/mentor Titus and to be a support
• There is possible snow in Nicopolis - snowball fight anyone!

For us to take away

• We need to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross and not to live as we did before.
• We need to have people who we can be accountable to.
• Its all about grace!
• The Holy Spirit was poured out generously on us to over flowing - now thats good stuff

Titus 2

What happens:
- Paul instructs Titus in various ways that the people should behave.

Meaning:
- Leaders are called to teach only what they know to be correct, to be faithful, always loving and patient. They must be self-controlled and set a good example for all people.
- Slaves must seek to please their masters, like us and God, and they must not steal or cheat them.

Stuff for us:
- There's a lot of stuff here, all of which we should put into practice. Basically we should live in a way that yerns after God and our actions will be the result of our faith.
- We need to give up our old evil ways and live honest and loving lives. If we do this we will show the glory of God in our lives, we won't need to worry about what to say.

Titus 1

Bit more light hearted and easy to follow this time, although I do think we should go back to another hard one next.

What happens:
- Paul is writting to Titus who is in charge of the church in Crete.
- There are instructions for Titus on choosing good leaders and the kind of qualities they should have. There is also a warning against people who teach selfish things.

Meaning:
- v1+2 are interesting - it says we should have more faith and understand the truth better in order to have hope in God. Or to put it another way, if we have more faith and understanding then we will have more hope in God and His promise of eternal life.
- The guidelines for a good leader are pretty obvious.

Stuff for us:
- If we are lacking hope or trust in God we need to strengthen our faith and improve our understanding of God.
- Do we follow all the guidelines for good leaders? It is a good tick-list to see if we are effective leaders.
- v16 is interesting. There is a lot of debate about is it just faith that brings salvation or is it works. Here it clarifies it well and says that people claim to have faith but their actions do not portray this. What this means for us is that if we have faith we will act in a right way as a result of this. The actions verify the faith.

Zechariah 14

It's the end of Zechariah! He certainly goes out in style as well:

What happens:
- There is a long vision of what God will do in the future. It involves a lot of death, destruction, pain and misery for all people. He will attack foreign nations who attack Jerusalem and He will cause great suffering for many people.

Meaning:
- All of this will show that He is the Lord All-Powerful. This could be pointing towards the final end of the Earth as in when Jesus returns and there is the tribulation. It might refer to then. Either way it's pretty horrible and nasty.

Stuff for us:
- God is a hugely powerful God. He doesn't mess around and He isn't just the cuddley friend who helps us out when we're in trouble and comforts us when we fall. He is that God but He wis also the great and terrible God dscribed here. We should love Him fearfully.

Zechariah 13

What happens:
- The Lord talks about establishing a fountain for the washing of sins. He also says that He will remove all idols and false prophets from the area. In regard to the prophets, even their own parents must cast them out.
- There is then a section about God putting his people to the test with the image of a Shepherd and sheep. He is going to kill two thirds of the sheep and strike down the shepherd!

Meaning:
- In the first section the fountain refers to Jesus as the spring of living water. It's a fountain as well which means it is a constant flow of clean water, not a stagnant pool or well that remains still and can dry up. Jesus is the source for the redemption and forgiveness of sinful people.
- The second section is scary. It could mean that God deals with people in such a way that they lose a great deal of there things in order to be put to the test - I guess in a Job kind of way. It could mean that the flock refers to one person and the losing of two thirds of the sheep means that the person will be reduced to almost nothing and then God will purify and restore. Either way it's a pretty scary concept!

Stuff for us:
- Jesus is the fountain of life. We need to daily refresh ourselves in the fountain of Jesus and drink from it everyday.
- Don't be discouraged when hard times hit because it means the Lord is putting us through the refining fire. Yes it is hard and painful but the after effect is that we revere God fully and know Him to be God.

Zechariah 12

For Zec

Jerusalem is going to be a city where others will attack yet the city will remain because God is in control of that place. God then says he will destroy those that have attacked Jerusalem

Talks about God pouring kindness and mercy on the peoples in Jerusalem and there will be a time when they will realise what they have done in the past towards God and mourn - forgiveness??

Don't like what he's going to do to the horses + riders


For us to take away

Love the verse at beginning ' The Lord who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundations of the earth and who forms the spirit of man inside' How awesome is our God. Just blows me away that this is the God we serve who loves us.

whatever we do or say, God is there watching and listening to everything.

Zechariah Chapter 11

For Zec

Not sure about this chapter at all - even when I tried googling around the chapter!

God seems to be going on about shepherds and that half are corrupt and need to be stopped (guessing the ones that have been living with tradition and against Him. The other half , He broke the covenant between Judah and Israel.

Mentions 30 coins which is also what Judas was given to betray Jesus - not sure how this links in though. The shepherd was only worth that amount even though both the good and the bad gave up on the sheep.


For us to take away

God does not abandon us no matter how hard it gets - He disciplines because He loves us.

Zechariah Chapter 10

For Zec
There are false prophets and there is no one to guide the people as to what is from God and what is not. They need a leader who is in tune with the Lord. He wants to transform the people into those that will build the city.

He wants to start again with the people and bless them. So that they will tell others about God - 'The Message' talks about 'keeping the story alive in their children' which I like. Although there will be hard times and valley experiences, still God will strengthen them.

He will rescue the people of Ephraim from Egypt - similar story to that of Moses and the red sea


For us take away

We need to tell others about Jesus and what he has done in our lives and on the cross
We need to discern what God says - and not to be taken in by false teaching.

Zechariah Chapter 9

For Zec

• God is going to bring judgment on Israels enemies so that God is seen in that place as the one who has the authority and power. They think that they are well protected and safe, yet God can break down those barriers and destroy them
• Talks about people are his swords - they are going to be at the frontline
• Prophecy about Jesus coming on a colt into Jerusalem which we know is true from the NT and that he will bring peace not, war to all areas
• Mentions the blood of the agreement - is that a link to Jesus where he will set people free through dying on the cross so that we can live in love and in his forgiveness.
• Tells Zec that God will come and ressue his people and look after them like a shepherd does his sheep - they would be familar with this and know that the shepherd will do anything for his sheep

For us to take away

• Reminder that what we read in the NT - some of it was propheised years before - a connection between the two and that God knew the plan from the begininng of time.
• Love and peace are so much better than hate and war
• God has the authority in our lives and we need to live in the power of him.
• He is our fortress, protector, can destroy the enemy
• We need to live in the knowledge of what Jesus has done for us on the cross whereever we are and whatever we are doing
• Jesus is the Good Shepherd and has good things for us

Zechariah 8

What happens:

• God first talk about the restoration of Jerusalem and Zion. He explains that he will bring peace back to His holy city and things will be joyful. He points out though that this will only happen if the people are honest and peaceful with eachother.
• God then explains that the people must live in peace and be joyful at times of celebration that involve fasting for the Lord. He goes on to say that people from other nations will beg the Jews to be allowed to worship God.

Meaning:

• It's pretty confusing again. It shows how God longs to restore and not to destroy. The heart of God is that f longing to restore, but He can only do this if the people repent and choose Him alone. This is what He means by being truthful and peaceful.
• It is also interesting that God says that the other nations will want to praise Him because they would have been the ones who held the Jews in captivity previously! Quite a turn around of the books.

Stuff for us:

• We need to understand that God longs to restore us and heal us, not shame us and punish us. But He cannot be near sin and if we sin then we force ourselves away from God. If we repent and turn back to Him then He will forgive us and redeem us.
• It's also good to know how God deals with sin. At first He casts the people away because they sin and rebel against Him. They are held captive by others. For us this refers to sin. God then restores the people when they call out to God constantly and from real need. He then makes it so that the nations who were the captors beg the people to be allowed to worship God. For us this could mean that sin no longer rules us, but we rule sin. We have the control through Jesus Christ.
  

Zechariah Chapter 7

Zec

Talking about a day of mourning and fasting to remember the fall of Jerusalem, but they are asking because really they want to get out of it - has become a religious event rather than out of relationship. However God has been saying previously that he wants to restore it - they are living in the past and not seeing what God has been telling them. God's interested in having a relationship but they haven't worked it out yet.

God reminds them of whats its all about- true justice, mercy, compassion, love not oppression, non judgmental against others. They're still not interested and choose to ignore like their ancestors have in the past.

God is upset that they are turning away from Him and hardening their hearts. He therefore sends them away to different nations

what we can take away

reminders of the need to:

• live in relationship with God rather than religion
• we need to show compassion, mercy, justice, non judgmentalism etc where-ever we are / do
• be open to what God wants to say rather than hardening our hearts - accountability, community, good relationships, short accounts all helps
• hear the word of God - test and if needbe action

Zechariah Chapter 6

Vision 8
Zec

The chariots are going out with the power of God to all nations of the earth. Is this a link perhaps to us, spending time with God and then telling others about Him?

The four guys who they are going to get the jewels from are from Babylon (who destroyed Jerusalem which Zec is now rebuilding)

Joshua is the 'branch' who will build the temple and there will be a reminder of what they have done through the rebuilding. He will be the King. Josh gets the crown but is then given back to the exiles as a memorial.

People will come from different parts of the country/ region to help build - not just local people to join in with one vision to rebuild the walls.

For us to take away

not too sure. maybe we need to straining to tell others about God like the horses and be eager! spend time in his presence and then go out.

We need to obey God.

Zechariah Chapter 5

Um... not really too sure on this one. Starts off with scene from Harry Potter!

Zechariah

Sin is not good.
Something about Babylon and that is where the sin is going?? Why Babylon?

For us to take away

Sin is not good and destroys us

Zechariah Chapter 4

For Zechariah

He was reminded that small beginnings are ok - you have to start somewhere and then it grows.
God reminded him that he needed to be included from the start, that simply building by hand won't be enough for all that He wants to do. Only with God's spirit in control.

For us to take away

'Not by might , nor by power, but by my Spirit' - all that we do needs to be with God. We can't do it on our own. Well, we could but it won't be as good!

In what we do, God needs to put the capstone in place in what we do, Jesus needs to be what people see rather than what we do.

Zechariah Chapter 3

Zechariah

Vision (no 4) of what will happen when Jesus comes and will cleanse of our sins
God is going to rescue Jerusalem out of the mess.
Joshua then has to live in accordance with God - provides a reminder of the deal - God resuces the city but Joshua has to do his side of the deal


For us to take away
Provides a reminder that what happened with Jesus was prophesisied in the OT
God says no to Satan and we need to stand in the authority he has given us
Our sins are forgiven - and we need to continue to come before God and ask for forgiveness. Live in the freedom of Christ.


Any ideas on the stone with 7 sides/eyes or the branch as that baffled me? Also why Joshua?

Zechariah Chapter 2

Things to take out of this passage:

• Third Vision: - a guy with a measuring device goes to measure Jerusalem but an angel tells him to stop because Jerusalem will be boundary-less . God will be the protective wall and the heart of the city. This means that Jerusalem means all of us. We are Jerusalem and we are too many to be counted. God is our protection (wall) and lives within us as the source of our life (heart).
• Those who are against Zion are in trouble. God says that Zion (meaning us) is as precious to Him as His own eyes! Wow! That's quite precious! Because of this God will protect them from harm and will destroy anyone who tries to hurt them. It's nice to know that God is looking after us.

Things to put into practice:

• We are God's chosen city and he chooses to dwell within us by His Holy Spirit. We should remember this for both preventing us from sinning because we will grieve the Holy Spirit; and encouraging us to be bold and be strong! ;)
• We are so precious to God. He lovingly made us and cares for us as much as His own eyes. If God can see all then they have to be pretty special eyes! Thank you Lord.
  

Zechariah Chapter 1

Here are my thoughts:

Zechariah

God wanted him to tell others about Him and to be a good King unlike his fathers before
Another building project - sounds familiar
God wants to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem- with compassion, new start with Zechariah

Thoughts for Us to Take Away

We need to choose to follow God - is our decision not one which we inherit