10. Why Hell

Today we are on a difficult one! It is difficult because the Bible is not open and shut on the question of hell. Like last week today's study will be 20:80 discussion: bible study, and again we get them to fill in answers on the sheets provided.

The full Bible picture seems to indicate some intermediate state between death and our final state in eternity but because of the complexity of seeing something possibly outside of time from inside of time, it is unclear whether that pause between death, final judgement and the second death (for some) is a split second or a long period of time. The possibilities are many and the picture unclear. However what IS clear is that Jesus makes much of not going in the opposite direction to God which can only end in misery. Whether that misery ends in instant death or prolonged eternal agony has been the debate of the centuries. The traditional view is that it is eternal suffering for the individual, but the case is not watertight. An alternative (to the VERY FEW references) to an eternal punishment could be that it is a punishment that waits in eternity (as against in time) that destroys. Clearly Satan in Revelation goes on in punishment but that may be because he is a spirit being - that cannot be destroyed???). That all other disobedient sinners continue in eternal pain is not explicit. With all this in mind, it is perhaps easier that we focus on just one or two aspects of the subject, and that is what I have suggested in the study material.

Aim:   For them to consider: - What is the alternative to going to heaven shown in the Bible who ends up receiving that alternative.

Starters : Try them with the following:

1. What do you know of the concept of hell?

   (Various possibilities!)

2. If there is an existence called hell, why should it exist?

   (Because if people refused the offer of an eternal existence with God there should be an alternative where they end up)

3. Why should we consider the subject?

   (Because if there is any possibility of an alternative end, we ought to face it and ensure we don't end up with it!)

Thinking: Check out the following

  In this part we will consider what the Bible shows us about hell and how people end up with that alternative. Use the sheet and get them to look up the verses and then fill in answers. The answers should be fairly straight forward.

11. Why Marriage

Our intention in this series is to get them to talk and discuss the issues being raised and, wherever possible, come to their own conclusions rather than have views imposed upon them. We will provide a limited amount of Bible Study material to keep them Bible-based in their thinking. With the starter questions below I have provided various possible answers (in brackets).

Aim:   For them to consider: - Marriage alternatives and advantages and disadvantages of all the possibilities & what makes a good marriage

Starters : Try them with the following:   

1. Why do you think people get married?

   (Tradition, expected of them, “romantic” view, security)

2. What do you think is the difference between a couple being married and a couple just living together

   (Living together: easy to split up, therefore the possibility of split always being up front, and the likelihood is therefore greater. Each partner holds onto ownership of particular things, and has eye on claiming it when they part. Problems if children arrive in face of potential split up

  Marriage: they at least hope it will last and commit themselves to each other with joint ownership with the intention of it lasting. Greater security for children)

3. Looking at that from a slightly different view, what, in respect of just living together are

    a) the advantages and (can easily split, don't have to bother with really

                working at a relationship)

    b) the disadvantages (Lack of commitment means you are more likely to

                split up sometime!)

4. What do you think each partner feels when they split up after simply living together?

   (On surface, relief. Obviously it hasn't worked out - quite probably because they couldn't put up with each other's quirks. However, also a sense of failure and perhaps even rejection. Possibly hostility towards each other. If children, acrimony as to who has them)

5. From what has gone before, how is a marriage (that intends to last) harder work?  

   (It takes effort and time to work out a relationship. You need to learn to accept the other person as they are, you need to learn to think about their needs as well as your own, you have to give up “self”.  

6. What are the benefits of a lasting marriage?

   (Sense of fulfilment, sense of security, environment of security for any children, real knowledge of love [which really is only truly known where there is commitment -and commitment doesn't change!])

Bible Check: Check out the following

  In the Bible consider the following verses and questions:

Read Genesis 2:24

1. For there has to be a marriage, what needs to take place first? v.24a

   (leaving parents)

2. What does this mean in practical terms?

   (Leaving the home, starting up on your own, leaving the ideas and attitudes of the parents and start learning to create a new unit comprising the thoughts, attitudes, outlooks etc. of the two of you.

3. What do you think being united means? v.24b

   (coming together to have common goals, hopes, aspirations, working together for these, feeling together, being together.

Read Matthew 19:3-8

4. Male & female.v.4 Apart from obvious physical differences, how do you think men and women differ (no sexist comments, only genuine recognition of differences)

   (let them come up with their own observations)

5. What is God's obvious view about marriage? v.5

  (there shouldn't be divorce)

6. Why did Moses permit divorce? What does that mean?

   (Because of the hardness of their hearts i.e. they were so hard they could not work through to a place of reconciliation.

7. What do you think is necessary, in practical terms, for reconciliation to come about?

   (Willingness to talk, face up to the truths of the situation, to accept error, say sorry, to forgive, to start again)

For Further Thought, if you have time.

In RCC when we do marriage preparation we carry out three exercises:

1. Where have you come from? i.e. how do your backgrounds differ and what effect might that have on your future relationship?

2. How aware of each other are you? i.e. are you aware of each other's characteristics

3. What hopes and aspirations do you both have i.e. what are you both hoping to get out of your marriage, what do you both want to happen in your marriage.

Questions: Looking at each question,

1. Why is this important?

2. How may the two people be coming from entirely different directions?

3. What effect may that have?

12. Why Families

Remember, our intention in this series is to get them to talk and discuss the issues being raised and, wherever possible, come to their own conclusions rather than have views imposed upon them. We will provide a limited amount of Bible Study material. With the starter questions below I have provided various possible answers (in brackets). Warning! The subject matter of this particular study may be particularly sensitive if we should have young people with us whose family has or is about to break up. The young people will certainly have friends who have been through a marriage break-up. We will need to be particularly sensitive not to appear judgmental in any way of families that are non-nuclear

Aim:   For them to consider: - The alternatives to the nuclear family unit and advantages and disadvantages of them & what makes a good family

Starters : Try them with the following:

1. What is:

  a) a nuclear family (husband, wife & children only)

  b) An extended family (several generations living together)

  c) A single parent family (man or woman alone with children)

2. What do you think is the role of:

  a) a mother

  b) a father

   (let them come up with their own ideas)

3. How does a single parent family miss out on the absence of either a mother or father? (Again let them come up with their own ideas)

4. What do you think are the advantages of an extended family?

   (Greater experience and wisdom available to the children from grand parents, ability to care for the grand parents, on the spot baby sitters etc.

5. Sociologists say that one of the main reasons for the existence of a nuclear family is “the primary socialisation of children so that they can truly become members of the society into which they have been born.” What do you think this means and what do you think of it as a comment?

   (It means the family environment with both parents and possibly brothers and sisters, is a place where each child can learn to relate to adults of both sexes and their peers in a safe and secure environment, so that they can gradually mature and develop in natural and good ways)

6. Sociologists say that another of the main reasons for the existence of a nuclear family is “the stabilisation of the adult personalities of the population of the society” What do you think this means and what do you think of it as a comment?

   (It means that the marriage unit and then the family is a basic place where an adult can learn to take responsibility and maturely relate to another adult and growing children, thus bringing a new sense of stability and responsibility in that person)

7. What do you think are the results of a marriage break-up on the partners and the children of the marriage?

   (Sense of failure, rejection or guilt in the parents, maybe also in the children; hurt, anger, bitterness in the parents; split loyalties and anguish in children, shock at changes [possibly moving home], grief and pain, especially at birthdays and Christmas)

Bible Check: Check out the following

  In the Bible consider the following verses and questions:

Read Exodus 20:12

1. What do you think “honour” means in this fifth commandment?

   (Respect, hold in high esteem)

2. What condition was added to this requirement?

   (IF they did that God would bless and establish them as a people

3. What do you think was God's reasoning behind that?

   (Where there is family breakdown, there comes breakdown of society and instability resulting in a crumbling of the society. It's end??)

Read Proverbs 23:22

4. What do you think is behind the temptation, especially today, for you NOT to listen to your father?

   (Modern education means that children often know more than their parents and temptation is to disregard parents. Supplementary question - what is the difference between knowing things and wisdom?)

5. What is behind the temptation to despise your mother in old age?

  (It is easy to forget all she has done for you when she becomes old and incapable)

Read John 19:25-27

6. What was Jesus doing here and how was it an example to us?

   (Making provision for caring for his mother once he was gone)

Read Eph 6:1-4

7. How do Old & New Testaments come together here?

  (Links obedience and honour and reiterates that long life and God's blessing is still dependant on rightly respecting parents)

8. How may Fathers exasperate their children (see this as an opposite to bringing them up in the training and instruction of the Lord)

  (Right training is with God's help and follows God's directions. Failure to do that will lead the child to criticise the way the parent is raising the child. God's training is always right, just and fair. Failure to follow that creates a sense of frustration or exasperation)

Concluding Question: Raising a family well is not easy. What are the apparent requirements, the things YOU would aim for?

13. Why Pray

Remember, our intention in this series is to get them to talk and discuss the issues being raised and, wherever possible, come to their own conclusions rather than have views imposed upon them. We will provide a limited amount of Bible Study material. With the starter questions below I have provided various possible answers (in brackets). With this subject, it is perhaps something that we have taught and encouraged them to do, but now we can encourage them to have a greater understanding of what it is all about!

Aim:   For them to consider: - Why pray and what happens when we do pray

Starters : Try them with the following:

1. How many reasons can you think of why people pray?

   (Desperation, tradition, obedience)

2. What do you think is effect on a person if they pray because they feel they HAVE to?

   (Self-centred or ritualistic praying and sense of guilt when they don't pray)

3. What do you think is the difference between a person who prays because they feel they ought to, and someone who prays out of a loving relationship with Jesus (Ought-to prayers are lists, love-prayers and relaxed and informal chatting with Father)

4. When do you think someone becomes urgent in prayer?

   (When they feel the situation is desperate)

5. What is probably the greatest encouragement to pray (apart from a crisis)?

   (Seeing God answer requests)

6. How may we pray wrongly?

   (Self-centred asking, asking for things contrary to God's will, praying out of fear or duty, etc.)

7. What various things may happen when we pray?

   (See studies below)

Bible Check: Check out the following

  In the Bible consider the following verses and questions. You may want to apportion verses for individuals to look up and all answer the question:

Read Eph 6:18 / Jn 14:13 / Jn 15:7

1. What guidance is given here are to how to pray

   (led by the Spirit, in Jesus' name [his desires] & remaining in him [close to him])

Read Phil 4:6,7

2. What is the fruit of praying like this?

   (peace)

3. What are the components of praying here?

   (Requesting and thinking)

4. Why the second one?

  (It helps keep everything in proportion - God is big!)

Read Luke 18:1

5. Why did Jesus tell this parable?

   (To encourage us not to give up praying)

6. Why do we sometimes want to give up praying?

  (We can't see and hear God. We may not be seeing answers)

Read Jas 4:2 / Isa 59:2 / Jas 4:3 / Mk 11:24 / Mt 5:23 ,24 / Mk 11:25 / 1 Pet 3:7 / Jer 11;13,14

7. What reasons are given in Scripture for us not getting answers to prayer?

   (Not asking [may be obvious, but still true], sin in our lives, unbelief, failure to become reconciled, unforgiveness, bad relationships, worshipping something other than God)

  You would probably do well to finish this one by getting them to do the stuff!

14. Why Fast

Remember, our intention in this series is to get them to talk and discuss the issues being raised and, wherever possible, come to their own conclusions rather than have views imposed upon them. We will provide a limited amount of Bible Study material. With the starter questions below I have provided various possible answers (in brackets). With this subject, it is perhaps something that they may or may not have done.

Aim:   For them to consider: - Why fast and what happens wen we do and how we may fast correctly

Starters : Try them with the following:

1. What actually is fasting?

   (Going without food or drink for a period of time)

2. How many different ways can you think of that you can fast?

   (Go without food for a day, or a number of days, cut out one particular meal, once a week etc.)

3. What do you think is the purpose of fasting?

   (To set aside a time of personal self-discipline in which to seek God)

4. What do you need to know BEFORE you fast?

   (Why you are doing it!!! Does God want it, or are you trying to bend His arm??? What sort of fast do you think He wants, how long does He want you to continue?)

5. When should someone NOT fast?

   (When they don't know that God wants them to, when they are ill or on special medication, when they are being disobedient to God, when they have a wrong motivation to fast)

6. How may we prepare to fast?

   (Get clear on why we are fasting, determine the type of fast [perhaps not cut back on drinks], gradually cut back on certain foods and quantity of food, and tea and coffee if a prolonged fast, ensure we have uninterrupted time and space to seek God

Bible Check: Check out the following

  In the Bible consider the following verses and questions. You may want to apportion verses for individuals to look up and all answer the question:

Read 2 Sam 1:12 / 2 Sam 3:32 -35 / 2 Sam 12:15 -17 / Judges 20:24 -28 / Neh 1:3,4

1. Why did these various people fast?

   (Mourning and seeking the Lord for guidance)

Read Jer 14:10-12 / Isa 58:3-7

2. Why was God not impressed by this fasting?

   (There was idolatry and unrighteousness)

Read Exo 34:28 / 1 Kings 19:4-8 / Matt 4:1,2

3. Who fasted and why and for how long

   (Moses, Elijah, Jesus ; all 40 days, at God's leading)

Read Lk 2:37 / Mt 6:16 / Acts 9:9 / Acts 13:2

4. Who in the New Testament fasted and why?

   (Anna, John's disciples. Paul, apostles))

Read Matt 6:16 -18

5. What guidance does Jesus give about fasting and why?

  (Do it privately without public acclaim. It's for God, not people!)

Concluding :

What things about fasting have stood out to you?

15. Why Church

Remember, our first aim in this series is to get them to talk and discuss the issues being raised and, wherever possible, come to their own conclusions rather than have views imposed upon them. We will provide a limited amount of Bible Study material. With the starter questions below I have provided various possible answers (in brackets).

Aim:   For them to consider: - What is the church

Starters : Try them with the following:

1. What is the church?

  (Obvious answer - it's people, Christians)

2. Yes, but WHY has God made the church?

  (Probably get a variety of answers. Ultimately it is all of the redeemed people of God, so they just ARE the church. But why? Because we needed saving, and so it is all the people who have been saved and are in the process of being saved.)

3. Would they still be the church if they were just individuals who never met together or even contacted each other?

  (Yes!)

4. So why do we make so much of meeting together as Christians and doing things together?

  (We have much in common with other Christians and little in reality with non-Christians)

5. What do we have in common with other Christians?

  (We have been saved by Jesus. We all want to live the sort of life God advocates, seeking to be righteous, honest, seeking to be loving, caring etc. etc., pleasing to God

6. How do non-Christians differ from us?

  (Their goals are completely self centred, and their standards are flexible and moving [in a downward direction!] and they disregard God.)

7. What is Satan's intention towards us?

  (To destroy us, by getting us to disregard God, go our own way, fall to sin and temptation and end up destroying our selves [with his help of course!])

8. What other reason may we suggest for the church existing as a people who actually meet together and interact together?

  (To counter the attacks of Satan)

Bible Check: Check out the following

  In the Bible consider the following verses and questions. You may want to apportion verses for individuals to look up and all answer the question:

Read 1 Pet 5:8 / Jas 1:13-15 / Acts 20:29 ,30 / Jude 4 / 1 Jn 4:1 / Mt 24:11

1. What things do we need protecting against?

  (Satan, sinful desires, those distorting the truth, those seeking to lead you into immorality, false prophets)

Read 1 Pet 5:8 / 2 Cor 11:14 / Rev 12:9 / Rev 12:10 / Jn 8:44

2. How is Satan described and what does he do?

  (Roaring lion devouring, angel of light deceiving, dragon devouring, accuser, murderer and liar,

Read Jas 1:22 / Heb 12:3 / Jas 1:13-15 / Jas 4:11

3. What may happen to us?

  (Be deceived, grow weary, want to give up, have wrong feelings towards others

Read Jas 4:7,8 / 1 Pet 5:9 / Rev 12:11 / Eph 6:17 / Heb 4:12 / Eph 6:18 / Mt 5:44 / Rom 12:21 / Jas 1:5

4. How do we overcome by ourselves

  ( resist Satan, stand firm in your faith, holding to your means of salvation and your testimony, use the Bible, pray as led by the Spirit, pray for your enemies, do good, seek God for wisdom

Read Jas 5:16 / Gal 6:2 / Heb 10:24 / Heb 10:25 / 1 Thess 5:11 / Gal 6:1

5. What are we to do together?

  (Confess our faults & pray for each other, carry each other's burdens, spur one another on, encourage one another, build one another up, restore one another)

6.   What, by way of conclusion after you have considered these verses is one of the main functions of the church?

Read John 14:12 and Acts 1:8

7. What is also the function of the church?

  (To do the works of Jesus and be a witness to him)

16. Why Christmas

This should probably be a light-hearted one in some ways, and we will literally be asking them “Why did God bring Jesus this way” i.e. Why Christmas?

Warning! I'm not providing suggested answers with this one!

The idea is really just to get them to have a completely fresh look at Christmas from the usual run of the mill stuff! No pat answers in this one!

Try them with the following (which can include Bible study as you go on if you want):

1. Small group exercise : jot down on a piece of paper in 2 minutes the key things that come to mind (without looking them up) about the Christmas story. Compare groups' answers.

2. What alternate ways could God have come to his world?

3. Why did he therefore come in human form? (? Heb 1:1-3 / Phil 2:6-8)

4. Why do you think he didn't come instantly as a fully formed man? (Heb 2:14a)

5. Why do you think he didn't come in the form of a woman

6. Why do you think we have all the details of Elizabeth, Zechariah, Mary and Joseph? (Matt 1:18-25 & Luke 1:5-45)

7. Why do you think the incident with the shepherds is included? ( Luke 2:8-20)

8. Why do you think the incident with the wise men is included? (Matt 2:1-12)

17. Why the Unknown

Remember, our first aim in this series is to get them to talk and discuss the issues being raised and, wherever possible, come to their own conclusions rather than have views imposed upon them. We will provide a limited amount of Bible Study material. With the starter questions below I have provided various possible answers (in brackets). This one, at the very end of the year should probably be followed by prayer of thanks for the past year and committing the future into the Lord's hands.

Aim:   For them to consider: - Why aren't we told in detail what is coming?

Starters : Try them with the following:

1. What key things stand out when you think back over this past year? Were they good or bad things?

  (They have obviously got to give their own memories)

2. When you consider the year ahead, do you have good feelings about it or bad? Why?

  (Let them express their feelings.)

3. What has God said to you about your future?

  (Get them each to recount the prophecies that they have had so far)

4. Why do you think God hasn't told you everything about what is going to happen in the future?

  (We would get  proud knowing more than others, we may not like some of the things coming our way and would perhaps try to duck them, God wants us to live by faith relying upon Him on a daily basis)

5. How can our experiences of the past help us as we consider the future?

  (Having received so much of God's blessing in the past should encourage us about the future, where we failed in the past we can learn from those things, learn to do it differently next time)

6. Why do some people fear the future?

  (They are afraid because they feel they are on their own, they do not have a loving heavenly Father looking after them.)

Bible Check: Check out the following

  In the Bible consider the following verses and questions.

Read Prov 16:3

1. What do you think “commit” means here?

  (Give it to God for His approval or correction)

Read Prov 3:5,6

2. What things are we instructed to do here? What do they mean?

  (trust in God, don't rely on own thinking, acknowledge Him - look to God continually for wisdom and direction)

Read Matt 6:25 -34

3. What sort of things does Jesus speak about here that people worry about?

  (Life, where you get your resources from)

    4. What is Jesus' first answer to these worries? v.25c

  (Actually living is more important than worrying about passing things like fashion, enjoying being alive, just appreciating the fact of life, is more important than worrying about the details)   

5. What was his second answer? v.26

  (look at the rest of creation. If God provides for them, He'll provide for you)  

6. What was his third answer? v.27

  (worrying doesn't achieve anything anyway so why bother!)   

7. What was his fourth answer? v.32b

  (Father knows our needs and we can trust Him)

8. What was his fifth answer? v.34

  (each day has enough concerns so just be concerned with today and leave the rest to come in their time)

9. So what was his final advice? v.33 in your own words

  (just get on doing what God gives you to do and leave the rest to Him!)

Pray

  - give thanks for the past and what God HAS said

  - commit the next year into His hands i.e. let go any worries about it!