Search the Scriptures Luke 2:40-52: Jesus in the Temple

1. Verse 49. What was the consequence in His life of Jesus' unique relation to God? In what way does this truth apply to us, as sons of God? Cf. Jn. 14:31
2. How does the story illustrate the truths of verses 40 and 52.
   

1. Verse 49. What was the consequence in His life of Jesus' unique relation to God? In what way does this truth apply to us, as sons of God? Cf. Jn. 14:31

Jesus' unique relationship to God has importance consequences in His life. God is His father, and God's favor is with Jesus. therefore Jesus' mission is to "Stay in My Father's house" and "mind His business".
We are adopted sons/daughters of God. therefore we should walk in His steps to mind Heavenly Father's business. As as David had said, there is one thing I am seeking, that is to dwell in Your Temple and look upon Your Face forever.

2. How does the story illustrate the truths of verses 40 and 52.
This only story of Jesus' early childhood is very important in terms of knowing how Jesus felt his own identity and his mission. From the story we know that

• Jesus was full of wisdom even as a twelve-year-old boy.
• God's grace was with Him.
• Jesus knew his identity very clearly, God is His father
• Jesus know his mission very clearly, "I should stay in my Father's house".
• Both God and Man favors Jesus.

Search the Bible Luke 2:21-39 - Dedication of Jesus

1. What did the appearance of Jesus mean to Simeon and to Anna? What, according to verses 30-32, was 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? Cf. 1 Pet. 2:6-8

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

The appearance of Jesus meant to Simeon that God's promise of sending a Saviour had been fulfilled. Simeon was looking forward to Israel's consolation, and assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before his eyes saw the arrival of the Saviour.

Anna was serving God day and night with fasting and prayer, and the appearance of Jesus must have answered her prayer. and as soon as she saw Jesus, Anna began to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jesusalem.

The scope of Jesus' work is to all the people: gentiles and Israel.

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? Cf. 1 Pet. 2:6-8

The effect of Jesus' coming would be the revelation of people's hearts and cause many to rise and fall. the cause of men's falling and rising would be their attitude to Jesus and their reponses to His messages.

Search the Scriptures Luke 2:1-20 - Birth of Jesus

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 shepherd's response to this message an example to us?

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

Jesus was born in the City of David, in a "feeding trough" at an inn. His earthly mother was an ordinary virgin and earthly father a carpenter. although there were a lot of people going back to their hometown in Bethlehem, but only a few shepherds witnessed the born of baby Jesus. HE was surrounded NOT by lofty people but humble ordinary folks.

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 shepherd's response to this message an example to us?

The birth of Jesus is "good news of great joy that will be for all the people", He is "a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord". This event is unique in human history, God now dewells among people. Jesus would eventually bring glory to God in the highest heaven, and give peace on earth to people HE favors. human beings now began a new era of grace and hope.

After the angel told the good news of great joy to those shepherds, they went straight to Bethlehem, and hurried to the birth place of Jesus, and told the words of the angel and what they had seen with their own eyes to people around. We should, just as the shepherds had done,

• Believe the Message
• See Jesus for ourselves
• tell the good news to people around us.
• Glorify and praise God for what HE has done.

Search the Srciptures: Luke 1:57-80 - Significance of the Birth of John the Baptist

1. Trace in the song of Zechariah the successive stage 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 Testaments.

God's plan of salvation began in ancient times:

• HE made a holy covenant with "our father" Abraham.
• HE revealed his plan of salvation through the mouth of "His holy prophets"
• HE dealt with Israel mercifully
• HE raised John the Baptist to "go before the Lord to prepare his ways" and to "give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins".
• and finally HE raised "a horn of salvation in the house of His servant David" to "to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

Salvation through Jesus is the uniting theme of the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament predicated and prepared the coming of Jesus, and the New Testament fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. "The New Testament is hidden in the Old, the and Old is revealed in the New".

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

The purpose of salvation ( that is "redemption of His people" and "salvation from our enemies" - sin, death, sorrow, guilt) is "to server Him without fear in holiness and righteousness in His presence all our days."

my experience of salvation is a gradual process. in my early christian life, I did not know this clearly. most of the time I just wanted the blessings of our Lord. over the years, through reading the bible I realized that my life was purchased with a heavy price, and I am not but own, but belongs to my Master. I am not saying I have no struggles now. but the difference is that Now I know the purpose of my salvation. for this I am grateful to God forever.

Search the Scriptures: Luke 1:39-56 Mary's Song

Search the Scriptures: Luke 1:39-56

1. What does Mary's song reveal of (a) the character of God (see especially verse 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?

In Mary's song, God is perceived as her Savior. HE is mighty, great, holy, and full of mercy. God's way of dealing with people is different from our ways. HE has scattered "the proud", and toppled down "the mighty"; however HE has mercy on "those who fear Him", exalted the "lowly", and satisfied "the hungry". Just as Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount", God favors those who are poor in spirit and who acknowledge their dependence on Him. Our Lord Jesus was not born in a palace, but in a meager manger. God has chosen an unnamed maiden called Mary who betrothed to a carpenter, and Jesus "emptied himself and became a form of man".

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

Mary is very humble, obedient and of great faith. She considered herself a salve of God, yet "She who has believed is blessed". Throughout the song, she was grateful to God for "the Mighty One has done great things for me". She does not mention a word about herself. Being "the mother of my Lord" is a huge honor and responsiblity, yet also caused her heart to be pierced. She knew that many people will gossip her, but her "spirit has rejoiced in God" her saviour

Search the Scriptures: Luke 1:26-38 Gabriel's Visit

Search the Scriptures: Luke 1:26-38

1. Versers 31-33, 35. How many features of the person and mission of the promised Child can be discerned in the Words of the angels? Make a list of them.

• His name will be Jesus
• a son, "his father David"
• conceived by "The Holy Spirit" and the "power of the Most High"
• the holy One
• the Son of the Most High
• the Son of God
• will be Great
• will be given the throne of his father David
• will reign over the House of Jacob forever
• His kindom will have no end.

2. Contrast Mary's reception of the angel's message with that of Zechariah. Cf. verse 45. What did Mary's response involve? Are you prepared similarly to ask the Lord to fulfill His word in you?

Mary's first reaction seemed similar to that of Zechariah on the surface, "How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?", but her reaction is natural because nobody would expect a virgin to have a baby. Her case was much more difficult than that of Zechariah who and whose wife were of old age. But Marry believed and obeyed ("I am the Lord's slave, may it be done to me according to your words"). She is obedient and humble in her reponse.

Sometimes I am often hesitate to want the Lord's word fulfilled in me because of the following thoughts:

• I don't even know God's will
• God's will would put me into an situation I don't want to be in such as being a missionary with limited income etc.

My mind tells me that God's will is good, perfect and pleasing, but I lack the courage and trust to be as obedient as Mary.

May God have mercy on me and grant me the kind of faith Mary had when she heard the news.

Search The Scriptures: Luke 1:1-25

Search The Scriptures: 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)? Cf. verses 76,77.

Jonh the Baptist's mission was to "make ready for the Lord a prepared people" (Luke 1:17): by "turn the hearts of fathers to their children", and "the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous".

John's greatness lies in the promises of God that "He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while in his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15), and He will do his assigned job "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17). This greatness on one hand is because of God's promise ("he will be great in the sight of the Lord"), on the other hand because of his obedience ("he will never drink wine or bear"). This is not to say that drinking wine is a something that Christians should not do. Billy Graham once told a story: After Billy Graham drank his first beer and also the last one while he was in high school, he never touched any wine eversicne. One day he was invited to a guest's house to have a dinner. the guest was also a pious christian, and a wine-lover. the guest said to Billy Graham, "Dr. Graham, I know that you don't drink wine and you don't do it to the glory of God. I do drink wine, but I do it to the Glory of God too." Billy couldn't agree with him more. the lesson here is that whatever we do or not do, we do it or not do it to the glolry of God. As Paul said, food does not make any difference, what is imortant is our "innocent heart".

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?

Zechariah's unbelief caused his punishment ("because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time"). He looked back in the past, they did not have children because Elizabeth could not conceive (verse 7), and now both his wife and he were of old age. Even he saw the angel face to face and heard the very words from the one who "stands in the presence of God, and was sent to ... speak the good news". Zechariah was told that their prayers had been heard, yet Zechariah failed to believe. Often times, we do not believe because of we don't have words from God. but in this case, even God gave Zechariah His words, the circumstances seemed overwhelmed him. Jesus tells us that "it is even more blessed to hear and believe", real Faith is to trust God and take his words for what they are because God says and things will be done. He is faithful and will never fail us.

Currently my church seems facing a "faith crisis", so to speak. our pastor's wife passed away in an fatal accident about three months ago. the congregation experienced great grief and pain, but now it seemed that people are questioning their faith, which can be a good thing if treated properly. however our belief should not based on our experience and our circustances, real faith is based on the fact that God is true and the Bible is true. We as humans are bound to suffer in this world, sooner or later. but we have Jesus our Rock Eternal to rest upon. we are secured through and through because we can trust that HE will keep what we entrusted to him until that day.

• Windows Platform

First of All, you have to make sure what name to address resolution methods your application uses: NETBIOS name resolution or host name resolution.

For host name resolution, the sequences are:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/172218

1. Is the name input the same as the computer itself
2. local hosts file
3. DNS server
4. NETBIOS name resolution

• AIX

http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/aix/products/aixos/whitepapers/tcpip_howto.html, name resolution infor is kept in /etc/resolv.conf

1. DNS server
2. NIS or NIS+
3. /etc/hosts

But you can override the resolving sequence in /etc/netsvc.conf , or still further you can set the NSORDER environment variable to override the host settings in the /etc/netsvc.conf file.

tcpip related daemons are started by script rc.tcpip