Let's Examine the Scriptures Every Day 2021
Monday, August 23, 2021
He is going ahead of you on the way to Galilee; there they will see it (Matt. 28: 7).
Most of Jesus' disciples were Galileans. Therefore, a good place to gather a large group of people would be a mountain in Galilee, and not a private home in Jerusalem. Furthermore, Jesus had already met the 11 apostles in a house in Jerusalem after resurrecting. If his intention had been to give the mandate to preach and make disciples only to the apostles, he could have done so in Jerusalem instead of asking them, the women, and other disciples to join him in Galilee (Luke 24:33, 36). Jesus did not give the command to make disciples only to the eleven faithful apostles. How do we know? The last thing Jesus said to his followers was this: “I will be with you every day until the conclusion of the system” (Matt. 28:19, 20). Today, disciple-making is in full swing, as the following surprising fact shows. Every year, nearly 300,000 new disciples of Jesus are baptized as Jehovah's Witnesses. w20.01 2 par. 1; 3 paras. 5, 6
Why might it be difficult for us to reach the heart of the student?
Jehovah wants people to serve him out of love. So our goal is to help students understand that Jehovah cares for them personally and loves them very much. We want them to see Jehovah as “Father of orphans and protector of widows” (Ps. 68: 5). When students come to appreciate God's love for them, they may be moved and their love for him deepened. However, there are students who find it difficult to view Jehovah as a loving Father, as their own father never showed them affection. --2 Tim. 3: 1, 3. So let's highlight the beautiful qualities of God in Bible classes. Let's help students understand that our loving God wants them to have eternal life and that He is willing to help them achieve it. What else can we do?
What publications should we use to give Bible courses, and why are these specifically?
Let's use the books What does the Bible teach us? and Continue in the love of God. These publications have been specially prepared to help us reach the hearts of students. For example, Chapter 1 of the book Teaches Us answers these questions: Do God care about us, or is He a cruel God? How does God feel to see us suffer? And can you be a friend of Jehovah? The book Go On will help the student understand that following the principles of the Bible enables them to have a better life and a closer friendship with Jehovah. Although we have already taught other Bible courses with these publications, we must prepare well for each class with the specific needs of each student in mind.
But imagine that the student is interested in a topic that is discussed in a publication that is not part of the teaching kit. In this case, we may tell you to read the publication on your own and continue teaching you with one of the books already mentioned.
When should we start praying with the student, and how can we raise the topic of prayer?
Let's start each class with prayer. As a general rule, when is it best to start praying at the beginning and end of Bible classes? As soon as possible, usually in the weeks after the Bible course has been established. We must help the student to realize that we can only understand the Word of God with the help of the holy spirit. Some Bible teachers raise the subject of prayer by reading James 1: 5, which says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him constantly ask God for it." Then they ask the student: "How can we ask God for wisdom?" It is probable that he himself will answer that by prayer.
How would we use Psalm 139: 2-4 to help the student improve the quality of his prayers?
Let us teach the student to pray. Let us assure you that Jehovah wants to hear your sincere prayers. Let's explain that we can open our hearts to him to tell him how we feel and talk about things that we might not talk to anyone else. After all, Jehovah already knows our innermost thoughts. --Read Psalm 139: 2-4. We can also encourage the student to ask God for help in changing their minds and overcoming improper habits. For example, suppose someone who has been studying the Bible for some time likes a certain holiday that has pagan origin. You know it's wrong, but the truth is that you love some of its features. Let us encourage him to tell Jehovah exactly what he is feeling and to beg him to help him to love only what he loves. --Ps. 97:10.
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