Brandon Martel

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Life Group Study

Put on the New Self

Week of  April 24^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

This study will look at the subject of anger, how it impacts our relationship with those around us, how it impacts our relationship with the Lord and how the bible tells us to deal with our anger. There is no doubt that we live in angry times. The difficulty for the follower of Jesus is not to let the anger of the world be the major influence in our lives. Anger, fear, intolerance are tools of Satan to distract our mind and heart from the promises of God.

Ephesians 4:17-5: 2 (NIV) ¹⁷ So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. ¹⁸ They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.

²⁰ That, however, is not the way of life you learned ²¹ when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. ²² You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

 ²⁵ Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. ²⁶ “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold. ²⁸ Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 5: ¹ Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1. Who is the apostle Paul writing this passage to?

2. What kind of life style do you think Paul is describing in Ephesians 4:17-19?
   1. What is the motivation behind this life style?

3. What is the point of transition between living according to the old nature and when we put on the new nature?
   1. What happens at the point of transition? (Ephesians 1:13,14)

4. As we read Ephesians 4:22-24, we see contrasting life styles with verse 23 providing the connecting link. Try to answer the questions below and then read Galatians 5:19-26. Do these verses support your answers? Explain.
   1. What do you think is the underlying characteristic of the former way of life?
   2. What is the underlying characteristic of the new life in verse 24?
   3. What does it mean to “be made new in the attitude of our minds”?
5. What we see as a little thing, God may see differently. This passage points out the importance of getting the little things right. There could be consequences for not doing so.

Read this passage from Numbers 20: ⁶ Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them. ⁷ The Lord said to Moses, ⁸ “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”

⁹ So Moses took the staff from the Lord’s presence, just as he commanded him. ¹⁰ He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” ¹¹ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

¹² But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

1. What difference(s) can you find between what the Lord told Moses to do and what he did?
2. What do verses 10 and 11 tell us about Moses’ frame of mind as he was addressing the assembly?
   1. Do you read anything in the first part of the chapter that would support your answer?
3. As you read the Lord’s words to Moses in verse 12, what did Moses do that did not honour the Lord in the sight of the Israelites?
4. What was the consequence of Moses actions?
5. Discuss how the events that are impacting our lives can cause us to take our eyes off the Lord and put the focus on what we are going through.

6. We all have triggers that make us happy, frustrated, angry, etc.
   1. Do you get angry easily? Possible answers are:
      1. Yes. Why?
      2. No. Why?

• It depends. On what?

1. What situations make you angry?
2. What happens to our thinking, our speaking, our actions when we become angry?
3. Read Ephesians 4:26:
   1. How can we sin in our anger?
   2. What steps can we take to not sin when we are angry?
4. Consider the discussion we just had about Moses:
   1. What was his sin?
   2. How does this relate to Ephesians 4:26?

7. Read Ephesians 4:32-5:2:
   1. Is there a key phrase in these verses that when acted upon will result in us living in a way that encompasses all parts of the passage?
      1. What is the phrase?
      2. How does it encompass all parts of the passage?

For Reflection: You are encouraged to pray Psalm 139:23,24 in your quiet time and consider the following three points. First, am I giving God the glory for what he is doing or am I taking the credit? Second, is there someone I need to forgive. Third, am I walking “in the way of love”?  My prayer for you is that God would be glorified in your life.

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Life Group Study

Resurrection Sunday

Week of  April 17^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

The resurrection of Christ our Saviour is central to the Christian faith. Because of Jesus resurrection those who believe in him have the promise of 1 Thessalonians 4:¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ Therefore encourage one another with these words.

If you are able to, pull up a YouTube video of “Open My Eyes Lord”. Goober Sir or the Maranatha Singers have a couple of great versions. Listen to the words and make this your prayer as we read God’s Word.

Matthew 27: ⁶² The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. ⁶³ “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ ⁶⁴ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” ⁶⁵ “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

1. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted to maintain the religious status quo. For personal gain, they were prepared to sacrifice the life of an innocent man. After inciting the mob to have Jesus crucified, they wanted to ensure his disciples would be discredited. Matthew 27:62-66 recounts some of the steps they took.
   1. What does verse 63 suggest about the closeness with which the religious leaders were following what Jesus was doing and saying?
   2. The first deception referred to in verse 64 was Jesus’ claim he was the Messiah. What was the second deception they wanted to guard against?
      1. What steps did they take to ensure this second deception did not happen?

2. Read Matthew 27:63 and compare it to Luke 24:8.
   1. What is different about the message these verses convey? Consider the context in which they are written?
   2. Do you think a different purpose was served in each situation? Explain.

3. Consider Luke 24:16 and Luke 24:31:
   1. What do these verses tell us about the power of God in our lives?
   2. What took place between these two verses?

• Why would the Lord keep who he was hidden from them for a period of time?

1. What principle might Luke 24:31 suggest in the way we pray?

4. We can read the Bible as an interesting story or we can read it as the living Word of God.
   1. Explain how each approach would impact your life?
   2. What do we learn from Luke 24:25?

• Discuss the steps a person might take so they do not face the same admonition?

5. Why was it important for Israel to regularly celebrate the feasts God established in the Old Testament?
   1. Why is it important that we annually remember Christ’s death and resurrection?

6. From this study, is there one thing you learned or perhaps were reminded of, that you can apply to your life?

Luke: 24 (NIV) ¹On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” ⁸ Then they remembered his words.

⁹ When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹ But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. ¹² Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

On the Road to Emmaus

¹³ Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles^[a] from Jerusalem. ¹⁴ They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. ¹⁵ As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; ¹⁶ but they were kept from recognizing him.

¹⁷ He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. ¹⁸ One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

¹⁹ “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. ²⁰ The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; ²¹ but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. ²² In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning ²³ but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. ²⁴ Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

²⁵ He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

²⁸ As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. ²⁹ But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

³⁰ When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. ³¹ Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. ³² They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

³³ They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together ³⁴ and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” ³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

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Life Group Study

Palm Sunday

Week of  April 10^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

Possibly too often we are careless with our words and say things that reflect the thought patterns of the world and not those of a follower of Jesus. The hand of God is working in our lives and we may not recognize it as such. How often have you said or heard, ” it just happened that…”, and chalked it up to coincidence. But was it coincidence?

.

Luke 19:28-44 (NIV)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰ “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴ They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

1. As we read Luke 19:28-34:
   1. What questions do you think were going through the disciples’ minds as they were following Jesus’ instruction?
   2. How would you have felt if you were the disciple that found the colt and just started to untie it without talking to the colt’s owner?
   3. What is remarkable about verses 32 to 34?
   4. What do you think the disciples’ discussion would have been about as they led the colt away?
   5. What lessons are there for us in these verses?

Luke 19:³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁸ “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

2. What was the mood of the people in Luke 19:35-38?
   1. What was the symbolism of spreading their cloaks on the road?
   2. What was the symbolism of riding on a colt? (some research required)

3. Compare this prophecy of Zechariah 9: ⁹ Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (about 520 BC) to the passage from Luke 19:
   1. Consider the above passages from Zechariah and Luke 19:
      1. What confidence does this give you in the prophesies of scripture? Why? What other examples can you support your answer with?
      2. Why is this confidence important?

4.  Luke 19:³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

1. What is the meaning behind Jesus’ response to the Pharisees?
2. Is there a principle here that can apply to us? Explain.

5. Luke 19: ⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

How often do we feel we should reach out to someone, take a stand on an issue, perhaps get involved in an area of ministry and choose not to do so? I will do it later, I still have time,  may be our justification for not actively pursuing what we feel prompted to do. There may be consequences that we don’t foresee when we put off acting.

1. Why did Jesus weep over the city?
2. What would have brought Jerusalem peace?
3. Why was it hidden from their eyes?
4. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD as a result of the Jews rebelling against Roman authority.
   1. How does the rebellion of the Jews and the resulting destruction of Jerusalem relate to Luke 19:44?
   2. Does Romans 13:1-2 suggest how things might have turned out differently for the Jews? Explain.

For Reflection:

Perhaps all too often we ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit because we feel it doesn’t matter. We may have an agenda and will get around to what God wants in our time frame. This is really just rebellion against God. There may be only one window of opportunity for us and that is the one God provides. To ignore that may result in unexpected consequences.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In order for this to happen, we need to live the admonition of Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship”. Are you trying to do your own thing or are you allowing the Spirit of God to work in you and through you?

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Life Group Study

The Season of Suffering

Week of  April 3^rd,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

Most, if not all of us have experienced suffering at some point in our lives. We do not choose to suffer, but do so as a result of accidents, illness, someone else’s actions or maybe as a result of poor choices we have made. Jesus, on the other hand, chose to suffer and die that our sins might be forgiven and our relationship with the Father restored. Those who accept the Father’s offer of salvation are able to do so because of Jesus’ love for us and his willingness to be the sacrificial lamb. In this study, we will explore some of the ways that Jesus suffered in order that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

John 6:⁶⁷ “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.   ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” ⁷⁰ Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” ⁷¹ (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

1. We try to make sense out of what is happening and make judgments based on our understanding what we see and hear.
   1. What truths do we learn from John 6:67-71?
   2. Do you think Peter was speaking for the Twelve in verse 68?
      1. What did he not recognize?
   3. Does it seem strange to you that Jesus would have chosen Judas? Explain.
      1. What can we learn from this?

2. Consider John 13: ²¹ After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
   1. What do you think Jesus was troubled by? One part of the answer might be obvious and the other part less so. Can you think of a couple of reasons he would be troubled in spirit?

In the following verses, we will look at Peter’s denial of Jesus and what we can learn from that.

3. John 13: ³³ “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. ³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

³⁶ Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” ³⁷ Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” ³⁸ Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

1. What did Jesus do in the verses prior to this passage that demonstrated his love for his disciples?
   1. What kind of love did Jesus demonstrate?
   2. In practical terms, what is the lesson for us?
2. What does Peter’s statement, “I will lay down my life for you”, tell us about:
   1. His commitment to Jesus?
   2. His confidence in his ability?
3. What emotion do you think Jesus was feeling when he spoke the words of verse 38?

4. Read Matthew 26:69-75.
   1. What prophesy was fulfilled?
   2. What was Peter’s reaction when the cock crowed? Why?

5. 1 Peter 4:11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
   1. What principle is Peter teaching in these verses?
   2. Contrast Peter’s words in 1 Peter 4:11 to his statement in John 13:37. Considering Peter’s experience in Matthew 26:69-75, what has he learned between the time when he made the statement in John 13:37 and the time he penned 1 Peter?
      1. Is there a principle in these verses that we can apply to our life?

When we speak about the suffering of Jesus, we tend to think in terms of the scourging and crucifixion he endured.

6. In Matthew 26, we read, ³⁷ He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. ³⁸ Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

³⁹ Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

⁴⁰ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

1. Why do you think Jesus took Peter and the sons of Zebedee with him?
   1. Who were the sons of Zebedee?
2. What does verse 39 tell us about the way Jesus was feeling? Why?
3. Considering what Jesus was experiencing, what do you think he was feeling when he asked the question, “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?”?
4. Discuss the meaning and practical application of Jesus’ admonition in verse 41.

7. In Matthew 26, we also read, “⁶⁷ Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him ⁶⁸ and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
   1. What do you think Jesus felt at this time?
   2. What character traits did Jesus portray in this situation?
   3. What did he stay focused on?

For Reflection:

As we continue in the season of Lent, we read of the suffering Christ who was betrayed, denied, mocked, scourged and crucified. Perhaps the most painful moment was when he called out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (Matt 27:6). Taking on the sins of the world resulted in Jesus being separated from the Father. In our humanity, I don’t know if we can fully appreciate the pain this caused. What I can say with confidence is, I am a child of God because Jesus was willing to endure such pain and suffering. Do you have the same confidence? If you don’t, come before the Lord, acknowledge you are a sinner (that you have been doing things your way), ask God to forgive you and make a commitment to put Jesus first in your life. You will never make a more important or life-changing decision.

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Life Group Study

Doubt

Week of March 27^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

This week’s message focuses on the subject of doubt. We live in a world full of doubt as well as a world that requires us to exercise faith every day. Thomas would not believe Jesus had risen from the dead unless he saw and touched Jesus. There is no faith required where we can confirm the existence or truth of something with our own senses. In faith we act, even when we have doubts. We doubt because we don’t see, or understand what is happening. In faith, we believe God is working in a situation according to his plan and timing, not ours. In faith, we believe that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

1. How would you define “doubt”?
   1. When you doubt, does doubt lead to action or inaction? Give an example.
   2. Can doubt have a positive or negative impact on your life? Explain.
   3. Can faith and doubt co-exist in a believers life? Why or why not?
      1. What can we do when faced with doubt?

John 20:24-29 (NIV) Jesus Appears to Thomas ²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

2. In John 20:24-29 we read the story of Thomas. He wasn’t too different from most of us when faced with something he didn’t understand. He doubted the story until he could verify what he was told. There was no faith required.
   1. Why do you think Thomas doubted what he was told?
   2. What do you think the group (disciples) dynamics would have been like with everyone except Thomas excited about having seen Jesus?
   3. Verses 26 to 29 are a great example of the graciousness of our God:
      1. What did Jesus do for Thomas?
      2. Why is verse 28 important?
   4. Read verse 29 and then read 2 Corinthians 5:7.
      1. How do these verses support one another?
      2. What does it mean to you to ‘live by faith’?

James 1: ² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. ⁸ Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

3. What word or phrase would suggest the certainty of trials in our life?
   1. What is the purpose of the trials we experience?
   2. Discuss the character of a person who is ‘mature and complete’.

4. James 1:5 and 6:
   1. What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?
   2. What wisdom do you think you might pray for?
   3. What does doubt cause us to do?

5. Explain what is meant by James 1:7 and 8 in the context of this passage?

Luke 1(NIV): ¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. ¹² When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. ¹³ But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

6. The above verses from Luke 1, are the story of prayer, an answer to prayer, doubt and a consequence of doubt.
   1. What was the prayer?
      1. What was the answer to prayer?
      2. What was the source of doubt?

• What was the consequence to Zechariah?

1. How did this impact the fulfillment of the promise?
2. What is the lesson for us in these verses?

For Reflection:

In your quiet time this week, consider areas in your life where you may be experiencing doubt. As you consider today’s study, what have you learned that could have a positive impact on your life? If you are able to, listen to the hymn, “Take it to the Lord in Prayer”, and just quietly worship the Lord and allow Him to speak to your heart.

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All Nations Church

Life Group Study

True Fasting

Week of March 20^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

When we talk about fasting, we often think in terms of abstaining from food or a favourite activity for a period of time. Isaiah 58 is the account of God speaking through the prophet Isaiah to convict and instruct his people. In this study we will learn what God considers true fasting and how we can apply these principles to our life.

Isaiah 58 (NIV)

True Fasting

58 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
² For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
³ ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please  and exploit all your workers.
⁴ Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today  and expect your voice to be heard on high.

⁵ Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,  only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed  and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?

⁶ “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
⁷ Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸ Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness^[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹ Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
¹⁰ and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.
¹¹ The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
¹² Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.

¹³ “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
¹⁴ then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

1. Isaiah 58:1-5:
   1. What is the overall tone of these verses?
   2. In verse 1, how is Isaiah to confront God’s people?
      1. What is he to confront them about?
   3. In verse 2, what does the phrase “they seem eager” tell us about the people.
      1. What does the phrase, “as if they were a nation that does what is right…” tell us about the nation?
   4. In the first half of verse 3, the people are asking a question.
      1. What is the question?
         1. What are they not experiencing?
      2. What is God’s response?

• Consider two phrases is this verse, “why have we humbled ourselves”, and “you do as you please”.
  1. What do these phrases tell us about the way the people were living?

1. What is the admonition from verse 4?
2. What does verse 5 tell us about the habits and attitude of the people the Lord is addressing?
3. In summary, why were the people fasting?
4. How well does this verse reflect the teaching of James 4:1-3?

2. Isaiah 58:6-14:
   1. Consider the opening words of verses 6 and 7, “is not this” and “is it not”. What do these phrases tell us about what follows in those verses?
   2. This passage is filled with a number of conditional statements. These statements have an outcome based on an action.
      1. Identify the conditional statements identifying the action and outcome.
      2. Identify those which have a positive outcome.

• Identify those which have a negative outcome.

3. Acts 13: ²While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
   1. What activity accompanied fasting in these verses?
   2. What was taking place in their spiritual life? Why?
      1. How would this bring about the result God desires for us in Romans 12:2?

4. What have you learned in this study that can have an impact on your life?

For Reflection:

Are you setting aside time to spend with the Lord each day? Our lives are filled with activity. We often feel we are wasting time or not being productive if we are not engaged in doing something at all times. In Psalm 46:10, the LORD says, “Be still and know that I am God”. Would you make a commitment to set aside a period of time to fast, worship, pray and be still that you might experience a new level of closeness with the Lord our God? True transformation to become all that we are called to be can only happen through a close personal relationship with God our Saviour.

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All Nations Church

Life Group Study

Little Things with Great Love

Week of March 13^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

Many of us tend to be creatures of habit. We develop a routine we are comfortable with and that becomes the pattern for our life. Perhaps we ‘go with the flow’ rather than taking a more disciplined approach to life. Lent is the time for us to shake things up a bit, to examine our life-style, commitments and our relationship to the Lord. The title of this week’s message reminded me that our lives are built on a lot of little things that influence the big things we do in life. We will examine some scripture from the point of view of how a little thing can influence our spiritual growth.

• Proverbs 18:21(NIV) The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
  1. What does ‘the power of life and death’ mean to you?
  2. What is the fruit of each?

• Compare Proverbs 18:21 to Proverbs 12:18. ¹⁸ The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
  but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
  1. How is the message from these two verses similar?

• Words carelessly spoken can permanently harm relationships, reputations, and cause great division. Once spoken, they can not be retracted or removed from the memory of the hearer. Consider James 3: ⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
  1. What is the analogy in these verses?
  2. How do you think words not spoken in love “corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire”?

• James gives us direction when faced with a situation where we feel it necessary to make a response. James 1:¹⁹ My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,²⁰ because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.
  1. In the simplest terms, what is this verse telling us to do?
  2. What gets in the way of us following James direction to the believers?
  3. What can we do to help us not ‘react’ to a situation?

• In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, in chapter 4 he wrote: ²⁹ Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.³⁰ And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
  1. How is verse 32 the natural outcome of following the directions given in verse 29?
• Does what I say and how I say it really matter? What does my speech reflect about me? As we look at Matthew 12, we will find the answers to these questions. Matthew 12:³³ “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. ³⁴ You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”
  1. Consider verse 34b, “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” What insight might this give us into the condition of our heart if we find ourselves speaking words that are:
     1. Loving?
     2. Encouraging?

• Critical?

1. Condemning?

1. Look at the above verses and circle all of the positive statements. What is the positive message in these statements?
2. In the same passage, underline all of the negative statements.
3. What is the promise and the warning in verses 36 and 37?

• Most if not all change takes place in our life by starting out with the little things that build on one another to make us a different person than who we once were. Consider Romans 12 ¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
  1. Where do these verses tell us change starts?
  2. Why is it necessary to experience the transformation of verse 2 before we can live according to verse 1?
  3. Have a discussion on the things we can do to bring about this change?

• As we wrap this study up, I would like us to once again reflect on the verse, “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of”. Considering all we have discussed in this study, discuss how a change of heart, a transformed heart, will impact our relationship to the Lord, our speech, our attitudes, our actions. Is this transformation an ongoing process? Explain.

For Reflection:

We may do many good deeds and feel good about ourselves, but are our deeds an indication of the condition of our heart? Matthew 12:34 would suggest they are not, that indeed what we say is a true reflection of what is in our heart. Let us take time this week to reflect on what we say and how we say it. Does my speech reflect the Spirit of God dwelling in me? I would encourage us to pray the prayer of Psalm 139: 23 Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

We have the promise of Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

Let us seek the Lord and he will reveal himself to us.

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All Nations Church

Life Group Study

Jesus Said – Matthew 7:7-29

Week of March 6^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

This is the final study in the seven week series of “Jesus Said”. The study will have a focus on Matthew 7:7,8. These verses can not be taken in isolation but must be considered in light of the teaching of scripture. Everything we will become on earth and our heavenly reward depends on our relationship with the Father through the saving power of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. I would remind us of Ephesians 2: 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. We will explore some of the bible verses that teach us how we can have a rewarding relationship with the Father.

1. The first verses we will explore are John 15:5-8: ⁵“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
   1. A single word can speak volumes to us as we read a passage of scripture. Consider the word “if”:
      1. How often is it used?
      2. What does the use of that word tell us about the message that follows?
   2. These verses contain a promise and a warning.
      1. What is the promise?
      2. What is the warning?
   3. What is bearing much fruit conditional upon?
      1. What does the phrase, “if you remain in me and I in you”, mean to you?
   4. As we consider verse 7, what is receiving what we ask for conditional upon?
   5. Summarize the points discussed.

2. 1 John 5: ¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴ This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
   1. Who is this written to?
      1. Why is this important as we consider the topic of answered prayer?
   2. What is an important principle of prayer in these verses?
   3. What is the confidence we have?
   4. In summary, what is a condition of answered prayer outlined in these verses?

We have looked at two important principles when we ask the Lord for something. Summarize these so they are fresh in your mind and we will go on to look at Matthew 7:7-8.

3. Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV) ⁷“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
   1. Consider the verbs, “ask”, “seek” and “knock”.
      1. These verbs, as they are used, are in the present continuous tense. What does this suggest to you?
   2. Do you see a progression as you move from asking to seeking to knocking?
      1. What kind of action does each of these verbs suggest to you?

4. Consider James 4:2b-3: You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
   1. What two principles do these verses suggest to you?

5. Matthew 6:6 (NIV) 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
   1. Who is speaking these words?
   2. Who do we pray to?

6. John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you”. This verse is rich in meaning. Examine the verse considering the following questions:
   1. Who is speaking?
   2. Who is he speaking to?
   3. What is our purpose?
   4. What is the expected outcome?
   5. How do I bear fruit?

7. There is a principle of prayer in question 5 and another in questions 6. What is the connection between these two principles?

8. Matthew 7:21,” Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
   1. Summarize what you have learned from the verses studied today that will help guide you in doing the will of the Father?
   2. What is the reward of those who do the will of the Father?

Personal Reflection:

Depending on the version of the Bible you are reading, you will find pray, prayer, praying, etc., mentioned 400 to 500⁺ times. Jesus set the example for us as he would draw off into a quiet place and pray to the Father in the midst of busy and stressful times. Prayer is our connection to the Father and is key to our spiritual growth.  On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate my prayer life? We are constantly challenged by the word of God to put off old ways and live the transformed life. Commit to spending time with the Lord in prayer every day. You will be amazed at what

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All Nations Church

Life Group Study

Jesus Said – Matthew 6:19 – 34

 Generosity and Principle of Tithing

Week of February 27^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

Setting priorities is a concept we are all familiar with. We all set priorities, whether consciously or unconsciously. We prioritize how we spend our time and where we spend our money. Every time we choose to do something, we are making that activity a priority. The question is, am I setting priorities that are centred on me and what I want, or am I setting priorities based on my understanding of what God desires for my life. When we are in a right relationship with our Lord, our priorities are correctly set, and I believe the whole issue on worry in the following verses becomes a non-issue. Trust is the antithesis of worry. We cannot trust God to provide and worry about him providing at the same time.

In this study, we are encouraged to think about our motives, our priorities and where we place our trust.

Matthew 6:¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy^[a] your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy^[b], your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Do Not Worry

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:22 The Greek for ‘healthy’ here implies ‘generous’.

Matthew 6:23 The Greek for ‘unhealthy’ here implies ‘stingy’.

1. In life and in financial planning, we are encouraged to define our priorities, set goals, and make a plan to achieve those goals. Matthew 6:19-21 encourages us to set priorities that are eternal in nature.
   1. What is the difference in priorities between a life style that stores up treasures on earth versus a life style that stores up treasures in heaven?
      1. Where is our priority to be?
      2. Does this suggest it is wrong to save money and plan for the future? What would a guiding principle be from these verses?

• Where does family rate in our priorities? Consider this question in light of your commitment to family vs work vs hobbies vs other commitments you may have taken on.

2. Consider Deut.8:17,18  “You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”
   1. Why is it important to remember the truth of this verse?
   2. The consequence of pride in one’s accomplishments can be read in Daniel 4 concerning Nebuchadnezzar  He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal; he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like the ox; and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he acknowledged that the Most High God is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and sets over them anyone he wishes.
      1. From this example, what could be the result of not giving God the credit for what he is doing through you?

3. As the church, we who are followers of Jesus, are called to support those whom God has called to serve him as Pastors and Evangelists. We use the talents God has given us to earn a living in ways that honour him, and out of appreciation for the Lord’s blessing in our lives we become a blessing to those God has called to preach the good news of eternal life through our Lord and Saviour. 1 Corinthians 9:13-14 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
   1. How does Ephesians 4:16, “From him (Christ) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.”, support the teaching from 1 Corinthians 9?

4. In Matthew 6:24, explain what is meant by, “you cannot serve two masters”? Consider the following questions:
   1. Do I find it easier to trust God in some areas of my life than in others?
      1. In what areas is it most difficult to trust God?
      2. Do my actions line up with what I say my priorities are? Are my priorities ones that honour the Lord with my time, talent and resources?

5. Matthew 6:25-34 will be considered together. Let us explore the concept of worry versus concern.
   1. Explain the difference between being worried about something and being concerned about something.
   2. Can you find examples in scripture where God was worried?
   3. Can you find an examples of a time when God was concerned?
      1. What was the circumstance and what was God concerned about?
         1. What did he do about it?
      2. Does this suggest it is okay to be concerned about something? Why?
   4. What does worry cause us to do?
   5. What does concern cause us to do?

6. Read verse 33. The word ‘seek’ is the present imperative tense. It is a command to fulfil a continuing obligation.
   1. What does it mean to seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness?
   2. What changes in us when we seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness? Consider this in light of our priorities.

For Reflection: If I made a list of activities I am involved in and the places my money goes, would these line up with what I say my priorities in life are? Do these priorities line up with God’s priority for my life? If not, what do I have to change to live a life that honours God in all areas.