A Spiritual Growth Course

Evangelism

Home Study

What is CBI?

Community Bible Institute is a Christian studies school designed “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12)

To learn more about How CBI works, get a copy of the CBI Handbook at the CBI desk in the church lobby, at the CBI desk in the TaraCenter lobby, or by requesting one by email at .

Home Study courses for CBI may be obtained in a hard copy format or may be requested by and delivered as an email attachment.

Taking Care How You Listen

Luke 8:1–21

Purpose: To know the kind of followers God gives more of himself to.

When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the West rejoiced. For Christians it symbolized evangelistic opportunities in East Europe. At first we heard much of “tremendous openness,” “thousands accepting Christ,” “demand for Bibles.” This was probably true. Then we began hearing about growing materialism and power struggles among some Christian leaders. Journalists began to report that many who came to meetings were mainly eager for Western contacts to worldly opportunities.

Wherever the Gospel is preached results vary, because people have different motives for listening and responding. Jesus knew this about his contemporary audience, and he dealt with it in a graphic way.

1. What were the two most significant factors that influenced your response to the Christian gospel?

2. Read Luke 8:1–21. Luke's description of the women followers in verses 2–3 is unique among the Gospels. What do these verses tell you about the changing nature of Jesus' ministry?

3. The reason for Jesus' telling the first parable is implied in verse 4. What danger in Christian ministry does this reason suggest to you?

4. In Jesus' first parable the seeds sown are the same, but the soils are different. How are they different?

5. Jesus himself interprets this opening parable. What is his main point (vv. 11–15)?

6. As the crowds grow, Jesus increasingly teaches in parables. He gives his reason for this in verses 8b-10. How is the use of parables effective in testing a listener's sincerity?

7. Jesus' second parable of the lighted lamp on a stand reinforces his teaching in the first (vv. 16–18). Consider your habits of listening to God's truth. What helps you to retain it and persevere in it?

8. Luke uses the family episode as a live illustration on listening to God (vv. 19–21). What does Jesus highlight by this illustration?

9. Home is a hard place to put God's Word into practice, as Jesus well knew. Share an experience of putting into practice a specific biblical truth in your family and what happened.

10. Think over 8:15, where Jesus spells out what good soil is. How do you aim to cultivate your good soil?

Training for the Twelve

Luke 9:1–50

Purpose: To learn from Jesus how to train ordinary people to form an extraordinary team of coworkers.

General note: Jesus' instructions can be better understood if one bears in mind that this was a short-term mission in home territory. Their two previous years of training had been intensive. After this it will become even harder! These questions aim to help the group to probe the helpful topic of Jesus as a leader of leaders, a trainer of trainers.

“It has been my experience that superior people are attracted only by challenge. By setting our standards low and making our life soft we have, quite automatically and unconsciously, assured ourselves of mediocre people” (Ambassador MacWhite in The Ugly American, referring to his observations in the diplomatic corps).

Looking at Jesus' diplomatic corps of twelve, we might wonder about his standards. The Gospels tell us little about their backgrounds, but they tell us much about how Jesus trained them. This is useful for us.

1. How do you react to the quote above?

2. Read Luke 9:1–9. For two years Jesus has been teaching, training and testing the Twelve. In what important ways has Jesus prepared them for this first short-term mission without him? first mission only now?

3. Which parts of Jesus' commission and instructions do you think are especially relevant for world mission today? Why?

4. Read Luke 9:10–17. The apostles have just returned from an intense and successful evangelistic mission. Their reluctance to help the crowd is understandable. But Jesus is insistent. What progressive steps do you see him take to involve them in feeding the people?

5. Read Luke 9:18–43a. Peter's “Great Confession” of Jesus' true identity is followed by two hard teachings—the first prediction of his ignominious death (vv. 21–22) and the costs of commitment to him as Lord (vv. 23–27). But what does Jesus say are the long-term benefits of these short-time costs?

6. Luke links Jesus' transfiguration to his final trip to Jerusalem, where death awaits (9:30–32; 9:51ff.). How then is the transfiguration important to Jesus himself and to the disciples?

7. On the plain with the mixed crowd we can sense Jesus' deep feelings. How can he be at once both compassionate and impatient?

8. Share an experience when you felt both God's compassion and impatience.

9. Read Luke 9:43b-50. The Twelve have learned much in the past two years. Yet here we see their continued lack of understanding of Jesus' prediction and their immaturity in two other areas. Based on Jesus' answers to the two latter problems, what do you think is the cause of each problem?

10. What is one blind spot, or area of spiritual immaturity, that you need to work on?

God Has the Last Word

Luke 24:1–53

Purpose: To move us out into the world in obedience to Jesus' resurrection commission.

How can you destroy Christianity? Explain away Jesus' resurrection.

For instance, you could say the overemotional women at the tomb were deluded. Or argue that they went to the wrong tomb. You might insist that the resurrection was spiritual not physical, or that the disciples had hallucinations.

From that first Easter till now the enemies of the Church have tried to get rid of the historical facts (Mt 28:11–15). None has succeeded.

1. Which do you like to celebrate more—Christmas or Easter? Why?

2. Read Luke 24:1–12, sensing the change of emotions from verse to verse. The women are a personal link between the cross and the empty tomb. Suppose you are one of them. How do you feel when the men respond with “Nonsense!”? How do you feel as you watch Peter running to the tomb?

3. Read verses 13–35 for the longest resurrection encounter preserved for us. What kind of people do the two disciples appear to be?

4. What strikes you about the stranger's dialog with them?

5. We can sympathize with the disciples' struggle between despair and hope. In his rebuke Jesus identifies the cause of their despair—reluctance to believe the Scriptures about the Messiah (v. 25). Share an experience of how the Scriptures moved you from despair to new hope.

6. Read Luke 24:36–53 as a seeker inquiring about Jesus' resurrection. Which facts and implications help you to believe his personal reality?

Which puzzle you?

7. For three or so years Jesus has been preparing his disciples to carry on his world mission. He climaxes this mission training by stressing systematic, in-depth Bible understanding (vv. 25–27, 32, 44–47). In what ways can you testify to this importance?

8. Verse 49 is expanded in Acts 1:4–5 and John 14:16. Why are both Bible study and the Holy Spirit necessary for effective evangelism?

9. We have been carefully studying the life and mission of Jesus. What would you say are your three greatest incentives to be his “witness of these things”?

10. What a message we have! The Lord Jesus has come to bring new hope and new joy to the world! How can you (and your church or fellowship group) take Jesus' message of new hope and new joy to your community?

Soul & Body—Saving & Healing

John 4:1–54

Purpose: To equip us to minister effectively to people that God brings into our lives every day.

“I love humanity; it's people I can't stand!” Those well-known words from a member of the “Peanuts” gang still make us chuckle. But our smiles hide the fact that we sometimes feel exactly like that. John says very little about Jesus' contact with the multitudes. But long sections of the Gospel are devoted to conversations Jesus had with individuals. Jesus was open, warm and vitally interested in people.

In John 4 we see Jesus reach out first to a woman, then to his disciples, and finally to a grieving father. Watching Jesus give himself to people with love and compassion will help us care for those God puts in our paths.

1. When have you been able to turn an ordinary conversation into a discussion about Christ?

2. Read John 4:1–26. Why do you think Jesus “had to go through Samaria” on his way to Galilee (v. 4)? (Jews normally went around Samaria to avoid contact with the hated Samaritans.)

3. What is surprising about Jesus' question to the Samaritan woman (vv. 8–9)?

What present-day situations might arouse the same racial, religious and sexual prejudices?

4. How does Jesus' offer of “living water” contrast with what the woman thinks he means (vv. 10–15)?

What does this offer of “living water” mean in your life and experience?

5. Why do you think Jesus brings up the woman's long list of past marriages and her present adulterous relationship (vv. 16–18)?

6. Why does the woman suddenly change the subject and begin talking about the controversy over the proper place of worship (vv. 19–20)?

7. How does Jesus handle her question about this Samaritan-Jewish controversy (vv. 21–24)?

8. What principles can you draw from Jesus' conversation with the woman to help you in discussing the gospel with non-Christians?

9. Read John 4:27–42. From your reading of this passage, do you think the Samaritan woman genuinely believed? What do you see in the passage that supports your position?

10. How is the disciples' confusion about food (vv. 31–33) similar to the woman's confusion about living water?

11. After his encounter with the Samaritan woman, what specific lessons does Jesus apply to his disciples and to us (vv. 34–38)?

12. Read John 4:43–54. How does the royal official's attitude toward Jesus differ from the response Jesus had already anticipated (see v. 44)?

13. What does this “second miraculous sign” Jesus performed (v. 54) reveal about him?

14. What has Jesus taught you in this chapter about meeting the specific needs of those around you?

Jesus, the Light of the World

John 8:12–59

Purpose: To demonstrate how the claims of Jesus divide people according to the response of their hearts.

Jesus never spoke in public without creating controversy. In fact, he was constantly in trouble! Rather than retreating behind the safety of a pulpit, Jesus spoke in settings where people were bold enough to talk back. In this portion of John's story, Jesus makes a series of claims about himself. Each claim is met by a challenge from his enemies. Each challenge is then answered and the answer leads to the next claim. Throughout this interchange, Jesus shows us how to speak the truth in the face of hostility. He also reveals some amazing things about himself.

1. Have you ever tried to talk about Christ with a family member or coworker who was hostile to your message? How did you feel at the time?

How did you try to penetrate that person's spiritual barriers?

2. Read John 8:12–30. Jesus' first claim is: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” What does it mean to walk in darkness (v. 12)?

How has following Jesus brought light into your life?

3. The Pharisees challenge the validity of Jesus' claim (v. 13; see Deut 19:15). How does Jesus answer their challenge (vv. 14–18)?

4. Jesus' reference to his Father leads to his second claim—that he came from God. How does this claim heighten the tension between Jesus and the Jews (vv. 19–30)?

5. It seems as if Jesus is deliberately provoking the Jews by what he says. Why do you think he is being so blunt?

6. Read John 8:31–59. Jesus makes another startling claim in verses 31–32: “If you hold to my teaching … then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Why does holding to Jesus' teaching lead to true knowledge and freedom?

7. Those who had believed interrupted to say that they were already free. What analysis does Jesus give of their “freedom” (vv. 34–36)?

8. Jesus' opponents also claim to have both Abraham and God as their father. According to Jesus, how does their conduct contradict their claim (vv. 39–47)?

9. Why is our conduct the truest test of our beliefs?

10. What is it about Jesus' statements that make his enemies want to stone him (vv. 48–59)?

11. Summarize the various attacks voiced against Jesus in this chapter and explain how Jesus' example will help you face spiritually hostile people.

12. In what ways does your lifestyle validate (or invalidate) your claim to be a follower of Christ?

You Will Be My Witnesses

Acts 1

Purpose: To understand the task of the church of Jesus Christ and his promise to equip us for that task.

I remember telling a friend, “If I were dying, what I would most need would be confidence that all I believed about Jesus were true. I would want you to read Scripture to me, pray with me, and talk to me about Jesus and heaven.” This confidence is not only what I need most when I am dying, but also when I am living.

During the days between his resurrection and ascension, Jesus built the confidence of his disciples. He demonstrated and spoke truth about himself. And then he left them with a clearly defined task and the promise of the power to carry out that task. Thus, Luke was able to write with confidence to Theophilus about Jesus.

1. When has your faith in Jesus Christ been encouraged by the words of others?

2. Read Acts 1:1–11. What did Luke, the author of Acts, report to Theophilus about Jesus' last days upon earth?

What gives credibility to this report?

3. How is your hope and confidence in Jesus affected by what you learn of him in the passage?

4. Put yourself in the shoes of the apostles. How would you feel if you were the first to be given the task described in verse 8?

5. How are we equipped for this task, according to the passage?

6. Imagine that you were there, looking into the sky. How do you think the followers of Jesus were affected by the promise that he would return?

7. How are you affected by that promise today?

8. Read Acts 1:12–26. How did the disciples respond to all that they had seen and heard?

9. Why was it important for them to be together?

10. How are you affected when you pray with other believers in this way—especially as you consider your part in this task (v. 14)?

11. Peter comes forth as the leader of this group. He goes to Scripture immediately when he speaks. How do these words of David affect their confidence as well as give them direction?

12. In summary, how does this passage define your task, equip, motivate and give you confidence to complete the task?

Receiving the Power

Acts 2

Purpose: To begin to understand the power of the Holy Spirit and his equipping us for the task of being witnesses throughout the world.

At my school of nursing, a group of upperclassmen wanted to communicate the message of Jesus to the incoming class of freshmen. They realized that there was only one source to accomplish this task—the power of the Holy Spirit. So they decided to pray for each new student by name weeks before they arrived on campus. As a result, many who did not know Jesus when they arrived graduated as maturing Christians.

1. What do you think it would be like if the Holy Spirit were suddenly withdrawn from the church?

2. Read Acts 2. Imagine that you were there on the Day of Pentecost. What do you think it would have been like for you as one of the crowd looking on?

3. How do the Jews respond to the power of the Spirit which they witness? Why do you think they react this way?

4. Here, we see Peter as a dynamic leader and preacher. It is the power of the Holy Spirit which has changed this man who was once a coward that denied Jesus three times. Scripture, again, is the foundation of Peter's proclamation of truth. What message does the book of Joel have for the bewildered crowd?

5. In our study of Acts we will see Peter's perception of evangelism broaden. In this chapter why do you think there is a difference between the people Luke mentions as being present (vv. 9–11) and Peter's address, “Fellow Jews” (v. 15)?

6. What is there in Peter's sermon that would reassure Theophilus about his faith and help him “know the certainty of the things” that he'd been taught?

7. What does Peter have to offer to those who are responsive to his message (vv. 37–39)?

8. How has your life been affected by the gift of the Holy Spirit?

9. Describe the fellowship of the believers in this young church (vv. 42–47).

10. What were their priorities?

11. How does the life and purpose of your church or Christian fellowship group compare to that of this group?

12. In summary, what are all the ways you see the power of the Holy Spirit demonstrated throughout the chapter?