In what activities should a small group be involved?
(Gen. 1:1-3, 26; Ex. 18:21-25; Matt. 9:37-38; Mark 3:13-15; Acts 13:2-5) Blog Aug. 30-Sep. 05, 2020
Prepared by Richard A. Marin: Present Truth PO Box 700, Fallbrook CA 92088-0700 USA
REVIEW: Believers in Jesus are his witnesses. They tell others about God’s saving love. This brings joy to them, to those who believe their testimony, to God, and to the angels in heaven. Every human being is a purchase of Jesus and someone who God desires to save. Through intercessory prayer and the help of the Holy Spirit we are enabled to win others to Jesus. If we follow the example of New Testament believers, the Bible will be the basis of our testimony and Jesus’ methods will be ours. We will present the truth in love.
Small Groups in Heaven (Gen. 1:1-3, 26; Matt. 3:16-17; John 1:1-4; Rom. 1:20; Eph. 3:10; Col. 1:13-17; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 4:4, 10)
1. What persons are introduced as working together in the creation of this earth and its inhabitants? God, the Father, God, the Holy Spirit, & God the Light of the world (the Son).
2. Where do we find the three persons of the Deity uniting their efforts when Jesus was about thirty years old? At Jesus’ baptism. The Father spoke from heaven, the Son stood on the riverbank & the Holy Spirit descended in visible form as a dove.
3. What evidence does the Bible give that Jesus and the Holy Spirit worked together with the Father in the resurrection of Jesus? John 10:17-18 says Jesus raised himself, Romans 8:11 says the Holy Spirit raised Jesus, & 1 Corinthians 15:15 says that the Father raised up Jesus.
4. What roles do the three persons of the Deity play in the plan of salvation? The Father gave his Son, the Son gave his life, & the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin & gives us faith.
5. How is the small group of the Deity introduced in the book of Revelation? John records greetings from each of them in Revelation 1:4-5, & then each of them makes a recorded statement: the Father in verse 8, the Spirit in verse 11, & Jesus in verses 17-20, then the Spirit appears in the candlesticks, the Father in the seals, & the Son in the trumpets.
6. What other small groups appear in heaven? The four living creatures (beasts) around God’s throne & the twenty-four elders.
Small Groups in the Bible (Gen. 7:7; Ex. 18:21-25; 1 Sam. 14:12-23; Est. 4:16; Mark 3:13-15; Luke 10:1; Acts 12:12; 13:2-5; 1 Cor. 12:12-25)
7. At the time of the universal flood what small group emerged? That of Noah, his wife, his three sons, & their wives.
8. What godly counsel did Moses’ father-in-law give for the organization of Israel’s judges? That able men of truth who feared God & hated covetousness should be chosen to oversee groups of one thousand, & of one hundred, & of fifty, & of ten.
9. What very small group brought a great victory to the army of King Saul? That of Jonathan & his armourbearer.
10. What men of God led despised small groups under God’s supervision? Gideon & David.
11. What royal woman formed a small group for fasting and prayer? Queen Esther.
12. What small groups did Jesus form? Twelve disciples, three innermost disciples, & the seventy.
13. What small group accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey? Barnabas & John Mark.
Small Groups Today (Matt. 9:37-38; 18:20; 28:19-20)
14. Why should a large church divide its members into small groups? So that the individual members have more of a chance to exercise their gifts, to develop a closer union in laboring together, to learn to get along at close proximity with fellow believers, & to take bigger matters to the church leaders.
15. What is the primary mission of the church for which it organized? That of proclaiming the Gospel to the world & instructing believers in the path of righteousness.
16. How small may a small group be? Jesus said: “where two or three are gathered together in my name.”
17. How large may a small group be? Probably thirteen is as large as a small group should be for that was how many Jesus & his disciples were.
18. In what activities should a small group be involved? Prayer, Bible study, personal testimonies, encouragement within the group, outreach to those within & outside of their group, doing good to those in need, & visiting families to read the Bible, pray, & sing with them.
19. What did Jesus tell us to do if our small group gets smaller? To ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into the harvest.
20. What unit of society should always function as a small group? The family.