Summary: In Luke 5, we learn about the amazing meaning of the word "Gospel," which means the good news about Jesus. In this story, Jesus meets three fishermen named Simon Peter, James, and John. He asks them to follow Him, and they become His very first disciples. A breathtaking moment occurs when Jesus helps Simon Peter catch an incredible number of fish. This miraculous event reveals Jesus' extraordinary powers. Because of this miracle, Simon Peter decides to follow Jesus after repenting his sins. Jesus tells Simon Peter and his friends, James and John, that instead of catching fish, they will now be "fishers of men," which means they will help share God’s love with others. This story shows us how Jesus started His important work of teaching and helping people! (Ava): What did Simon Peter do with all the fish? When the Bible says, "they left everything and followed Jesus" (v. 11), does it refer to all the fish they caught or their occupation as fis...
Question (Jordan): If God knows everything that will happen, why did he make Satan if he knew he would try to lead people away?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Great question Jordan! Yes, God knows everything that will happen in the future. So why did God create Satan if we knew that he would rebel against God, and tempt other to rebel against God? Part of the answer to your question is found in the kind of relationship God wanted to have with his creation, with angels and with human beings. He wanted to have a loving relationship and that involved giving human beings and angels the ability to have free will and to choose to obey or disobey God's will. Unfortunately, Satan chose to disobey God and so do many human beings.
Question (Noah): How old were Mary and Joseph when Jesus was born? Where can we find that information in the Bible?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: The Bible does not give us the age of Mary or Joseph at the time Jesus was born. But historical and cultural context gives us insight into how old they might have been.
Many 1st century Jewish girls got married during their teenage years (between 14-17 years old). Mary the mother of Jesus was probably a teenager when she gave birth to Jesus.
Jewish men also married between the ages of 20-30 years old. Joseph was dead by the time Jesus started his ministry, which indicates that he might have been much older than Mary. But we can't be certain and the Bible does not mention the age of neither Mary or Joseph.
Question (Ava): How can Jesus be God and the Holy Spirit at the same time? Why does he have to be three different things instead of just one?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Great question Ava! Once again, let me say that the doctrine of the Trinity is one of the hardest and most important teachings in the New Testament. According to the Bible, God exists as three distinct persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), each fully and equally God and yet there is not three gods but only one God. This is not easy but difficult to understand.
Here is one helpful way to understand how the doctrine of the Trinity worked together to save sinful humanity. Before the creation of the world, within the Godhead of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they agreed to execute the plan of salvation whereby, God the Father, would elect people to his plan of salvation, God the Son would execute the plan of salvation by dying on the cross, and the God the Holy Spirit would apply the plan of salvation by convicting sinners and by making them born again.
So why does God have to be three different things instead of just one? Let me illustrate. If a family of people were involved in your rescue from a burning building, wouldn't you like to know who was involved so that you can thank them personally and individually? The mother planned the escape route, the father lead the rescue team, and the son sprinted in to save your baby. That's kind of what happened in God's plan of salvation. It was the cooperative work of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, each God, and each playing a different role in the plan of salvation.
Question (Emerson): Why did God create people who would sin and make him upset?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: First God create everything including people for his own glory. God's decision to create anything is always based upon his own glory and honor.
Second, God created people in order to have a loving relationship with people, and in order to have that kind of relationship, he gave them free will, the ability to obey or disobey God.
Third, unfortunately, many people choose to disobey God. When we disobey God, we fall under his righteous judgement! But because God loves us so much, he sent Jesus to died on the cross to take away our sins, so that when we believe in Him, God is no longer upset with us!