Bible Quiz questions and answers from the prayer meeting (March 17, 2007)

1.  At which hour did Jesus cry out "Eli, Eli, La-ma sa-bach-tha-ni? 

     Ninth hour

2.  Who owned tomb in which Jesus was kept for 3 days?

     Joseph

3.  Who rolled the stone closing Jesus' tomb? 

     Joseph

4.  Annunciation to St.Mary is celebrated on which day?

     March 25

5.  Who was sitting at the tax office when Jesus called for a greater service?

     Levi/St. Matthew

6.  Who is the ruler of the demons?

     Beelzebub

7.  Which group believed there is no resurrection? 

     Sadducees

8.  How many women are mentioned in the genealogy of Christ?

      5

9.  How many chapters in the book of St. Matthew?

     28

10.  Which chapter did Elsa mention in her speech about the last supper?

         St. Matthew 26:26

GE: March Prayer Meeting Message Summary: by Allen Vargheese and family

The message was based on Acts 3:1-10: Miracle of healing a lame man by Peter & John

 

Summary of the passage: A lame man at the gate of the temple asks Peter & John for alms. In the name of Jesus Christ, Peter gave a hand to the lame man and lifted him and he was healed. He goes along with Peter and John to the temple that we could never enter and praises the lord.

 

The message focuses on the four characteristics of lame man. 

 

1. His problem

 

He was stuck at the gate and was unable to go inside the church.

 

He sees others getting blessing but not for his problem.

 

His foundation was not strong.

 

In our life, we get stuck in life when things dont go as planned. Satan keeps pulling us back.

 

St. Luke 22:31

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Simon was pulled by Satan, so he will us.

 

Example of problems in life: Un-forgiveness, Alcoholics

 

2 Cor 10:4

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;

 

 

 

2. His position

 

He is lying in front of a beautiful gate. He represents an ugly problem in front of Beautiful gate

 

Ex. of such situations in life: A Beautiful home (family) with an ugly problem (Alcohol addiction)

 

He was so close to the temple, but could never enter it. So even though he was so close, he was so far.

 

He could see others getting the blessings, but he could not get a blessing. His position could be the source of disappointment.

 

His position had lot of problems

 

 

3. His progression

 

He was begging at the beginning, but when Peter gave a hand and he was healed.

 

He progressed from a lame man to a cured man

He progressed from a waiting at the gate to entering the temple

He progressed from begging to praise the lord.

 

Lesson: In the name of Jesus, many things change. His problems vanish with the helping hand of Jesus.

 

 

4. His praise

 

When he was cured in the name of Jesus, he went to the temple and thanked God

 

Our foundation must be strengthened in the name of Jesus

 

 

How did people remember the 9th hour ?

1. The chief hours of prayer for the Jews were the third and ninth. Ninth hour corresponds to the evening sacrifices.

 

2. It was the very hour in which Jesus had died on the cross. And hence it has significance for Christians to offer the sacrifice in the temple.

 

 

Thanks,

Allen, Jisa & Rajesh

GE: March Prayer Meeting Message Summary: by Joseph George and family

Summary of Achen's Speech Based from The Acts of Apostles 3:1-10 

Peter and John were going up to the temple. It was the ninth hour or three o'clock in the afternoon, which was the usual time of prayer for the Jews. More importantly for us, it was the hour on which Jesus had died on the cross. "So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And bowing his head, He gave up His Spirit." ( St. John 19:30)

The Lame Man's Problem:

As Peter and John were on their way into the temple they met this man who had been lame from birth. He was " stuck" at the Gate. Our lives are like this, something is always holding us back from our goals and keeping us from moving forward. "And the Lord said, 'Simon, Simon indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat'" ( St. Luke 22:31 ) This shows that Satan is capable of acting on anyone at any time. But God is more powerful than our strongest weapons. "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds" (2 ^nd Corinthians 10:4)

The Lame Man's Position:

The lame man was in front of the Gate called Beautiful, there is an ugly problem in front of a wonderful entrance. Most of the time we live gilded lives, behind our money and status there are many glitches.

When he asked alms of Peter, Peter stopped, and said to him, "Look at us." This man expected to receive something from Peter and John. He did not know what he was going to get, but his faith was quickened by Peter's words. We must always expect something from God in order to receive the same.

Unfortunately there are those who turn off their minds when they get into a church service. They start thinking of all kinds of other things, their minds start wandering to everything except what is going on. The truth from the Gospel readings misses them. This is why Jesus always said to the crowds when he preached, "He who has ears, let him hear," ( St. Matthew 11:15 )

The Lame Man's Progress:

When Peter had the man's attention, he did two things: First, he admitted his deficiency in the material realm: "Silver and gold I do not have" Then he demonstrated his riches in the spiritual realm: "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Seeing the power of God at work, Peter helped up the man.

This man was brought to the temple habitually for a long time, but Jesus never healed him. This indicates that God has his own time for great events.

The Lame Man's Praise:

The man's foundation was established, therefore he jumped up to go with Peter and John to praise the Lord. The people in the temple, seeing the once lame man, were convinced that God was at work. The miracle was done in the name of Jesus. Peter is saying, "This is the Power on whom I am depending" He offers the lame man the authority and power and the resources in the name of Jesus. And all that Jesus was, was working through Peter at that time.

 

-Joseph George Family

GE: March Prayer Meeting Message Summary: by Koshy Samuel and family

Acts chapter 3(1-10)

 

1. Problem- Explains how sometimes success & happiness is right in front of u but u can't just get to it as noted by being stuck at the beautiful gate. Problems created by man makes it hard sometimes to get to the ultimate happiness which is being with God

 

2.Progression- noted as begging at the gate. A man in pain being held by hands & made to stand up

 

3 Praise-Standing up & praising the Lord. Everything that man does in the name of God has a strong foundation & it has everlasting effects in their household & in turn, the whole world

 

Thanks,

Sarah, Saramma George & Koshy Samuel

 

GE: March Prayer Meeting Message Summary: by Mathews Kochummen and family

Thoughts from Prayer Meeting on March 17, 2007 (Sunday) at Waco .

The bible passage is Acts 3:1-10

Here we see, Peter and John going to the temple to pray and there they meet a lame man at the entrance. The man asks for alms but Peter replies he does not have any worldly possessions to give him. Peter then orders the man "In the name of Jesus of Nazareth get up and walk". Peter then takes the man by his right hand and helped him up. The man is instantly cured and walks around and goes into the temple praising GOD.

Four thoughts were discussed.
a. The man's problem
b. The man's position
c. The man's progression
d. The man praising GOD

a. The man's problem.
    A man, crippled since birth, stuck at the  gate to the church.
    He is stuck because he cannot move.
    This is similar to the way we get stuck when we refuse to heed good advice or change our spiritual ways for the better. Satan is always at work. When life is not moving the way we want, we think we have a problem.

b. The man's position
The man is at the 'Beautiful Gate'. But he is unable to walk around and enjoy the beauty of the place since he is is lame. He is so close the temple; but he is unable to go inside.  We also are often in the same position; we only have to ask GOD for his blessings.

c. His progression
The man had an amazing progression on that day...from being a lame person (as he has been since birth) to a man who could jump around with joy praising GOD. 
How did this progression happen to the man ?
Peter was willing to help the man even if it involved getting dirty himself. The man saw the power of GOD on Peter's face (Peter asked him to look at him). Unless we are willing to come to GOD and pray, we will not have a similar progression.

d. His praise
When the man was helped up by Peter, he was instantly cured. He went into the temple and started praising GOD. When people saw him, they recognized him as the beggar who sits usually at the temple gate. Similarly, we should praise GOD for the blessings that we receive everyday. The man's bones became strong; similarly our faith in GOD should be a strong foundation for our family life.

One more point from our own study..
e. Why was the man cured by Peter and not Jesus ?
    Jesus also must have many times gone to the same temple and must have seen this lame man by the gate. But Jesus never cured the man ? Why did it have to wait for Peter to cure him ?
GOD has a plan and time and place for everything...He uses different people in different ways to work  his miracles. 


How did people remember the 9th hour ?
Here is what we think !

9th hour is 3pm. That was the usual time for the afternoon prayer at the Jewish temple.  After Jesus' death, the disciples still continued going to the temple to pray and meet with people and continued the tradition for a long time.
Mark 15 says...at the 6th hour darkness came over the whole land till the 9th hour. At the 9th hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me ?".
So even after generations, people still remembered this 9th hour, since the disciples continued the tradition of the 9th hour prayer.

 

Thanks,

Mathews Kochummen  and family

Bible Quiz questions and answers from the prayer meeting

Bible Quiz: February Prayer Meeting

 

1.  What is the only book in the Holy Bible where God is not mentioned? 

     Esther

2.  Which chapter is known as the song of love? 

     1 Cor. 13

3.  Which chapter in the Gospel has 7 parables in one chapter? 

     St. Mathew 13

4.  Which is the longest chapter in the Holy Bible excluding Psalms? 

     St. Luke 1

5.  Who wrote the most books in the new testament? 

     St. Paul  (14)

6.  The assumption of St. Mary is celebrated on which day? 

     Aug 15

7.  Which book comes after Amos?

     Obadiah

8.  Who was the first king of Israel? 

     Saul

9.  How many people were in Noah's ark? 

     8

10.  How many candles are placed on the altar?

       13

 

11. Which verse did Dayana refer to in her speech on the Body of Christ? 

      St. Mark 14:22