Should Christians Protect Themselves or Be Concerned About Their Safety?

 

 

Jn. 7:1   Why was Jesus walking in Galilee?

Does this sound like Jesus was concerned about His own safety?

Has anything similar to this (7:1) ever happened to you?                           If so, what?

 

And if so, what did you do?

 

Jn. 8:59                 What did Jesus do when the Jews picked up stones to throw at Him because of His claiming to be eternal (and, therefore, God)?

What would you have done, and why?

 

Jn. 11:7-10           What question did Jesus’ disciples ask, that prompted Jesus to reply with the following: “Are there not 12 hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of the world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him” (In other words, the time allotted to Jesus to accomplish His earthly ministry is definitely fixed – just like day-time is always exactly 12 hours in the Jewish culture. If He walked in the light of God’s plan and did God’s will, He wouldn’t have anything to worry about, He couldn’t suffer real injury, but if He walked at night, He’d stumble – fail the plan of His Heavenly Father by disobedience in order to follow His own will.)?

 

If you knew that something was God’s will for you to do, even though there was danger involved, would you do it, and why?

 

Jn. 18:3-12           What did Jesus know (vs. 4)?

 

Why wasn’t Jesus concerned about the Roman cohort coming to arrest Him (vs. 11) or that Peter defend Him?

 

[“the cup” refers to the suffering and death on the cross for the world’s sins.].

Since Jesus had to die for the believer’s sins (since it was part of God’s redemptive plan), is it any wonder then that He didn’t want to resist being arrested and crucified at this time, especially since He had also trained 12 disciples to take His place in spreading the gospel and making disciples/new converts?

Would you have done any differently if this was all part of God’s plan for you?                    Why?

 

Jn. 18:8                 What did Jesus say that showed His concern for His disciples’ safety and protection?

 

How would you have responded if you were in a similar situation as Jesus, and why?

 

What did Peter do that displayed his feelings about protecting them (vs. 10)?

 

How would you have responded if you were in a similar situation as Peter, and why?

 

Acts 21:8-14        What did the prophet Agabus tell Paul that the Holy Spirit said regarding Paul (vs. 11)?

 

How did Paul’s companions and local residents respond to this information (vss. 12, 13)?

 

What was Paul’s response to their plea (vs. 13)?

 

And why did he say this (20:22)?

What was the response of Paul’s friends to Paul’s answer (vs. 14)?

 

What would your response have been to this whole situation if you were in Paul’s shoes, and why?

 

Or, if you were in Paul’s friend’s shoes, and why?

 

Acts 16:25-31      What did Paul and Silas do when they had the opportunity to escape from jail?

 

What was one of the fruitful results of them remaining in jail?

 

What would you have done if you were in Paul’s shoes and had the opportunity to escape from jail, and why?

 

Acts 19:26-30      Why did Paul want to go into the assembly of enraged people at Ephesus?

 

Are you concerned about your own safety when the safety of close friends are at stake, and why?

Acts 4:18-21, 29                  How did these apostles respond to the threats from the city authorities (vss. 20, 29)?

 

How would you have responded, and why?

 

Matt. 10:22, 23                    What did Jesus instruct His disciples to do whenever they were to be persecuted in a city?

Does this sound like Jesus was concerned about His disciples’ safety?                   Why?

 

Jn 11:53, 54         For what reason didn’t Jesus want to walk publicly among the Jews any longer?

 

What did Jesus do instead?

 

If Jesus is God and, therefore, all-powerful, why would He ever need to protect Himself through hiding from those seeking to harm Him (clue in Phil. 2:6, 7)?

 

Acts 9:23-25; 2 Cor. 11:32, 33        What did Saul’s disciples do for Saul when they learned of a Jewish plot to do away with Saul (kill him)?

Would you help your spiritual leader escape from a dangerous situation (even at the risk of your own life), and why?

 

Acts 9:28-30        What did the brethren (Christians) do for Paul when they learned that the Hellen­istic Jews were attempting to put Saul to death?

Have you ever helped another Christian escape a potentially harmful or dangerous situation?

If so, how, or what did you do, and why?

 

Acts 14:4-7           What did Paul and Barnabas do when they became aware of the fact that the Jews and Gentiles along with their rulers were attempting to mistreat and stone them for preaching the gospel?

 

 

What would you have done had you been in Paul’s or Barnabas’ shoes, and why?

 

Acts 17:2-5, 10-15              What did the brethren (Christians) at Thessalonica do with Paul and Silas after a mob had come out after them (vs. 10)?

What did Paul and Silas do when they arrived in Berea?

 

What happened with Paul, Silas, and Timothy when the crowds here were agi­tated and stirred up?

 

 

Why do you think that Silas and Timothy stayed behind?

 

What does Paul’s command for Silas and Timothy to come to him show about Paul?

 

Acts 19:29-31      What wouldn’t the disciples/Christians let Paul do?

 

What did the Asiarchs (political or religious officials of the province of Asia) who were friends of Paul do?

 

If you were one of the disciples or Asiarchs, how would you have counseled Paul, and why?

 

Acts 22:22-29      How did Paul express concern for his protection or safety (vss. 25, 27)?

 

Would you have done what Paul did here, if you were in his shoes, and why?

 

Why do you think that Paul tries to save his well-being here, but not in 21:13, just a short time before?

 

Acts 23:12-24      How did Paul express concern for his safety or protection (vs. 17)?

 

 

If you were in Paul’s nephew’s shoes, would you have reported what you had heard to Paul?           Why?

 

If you were in Paul’s shoes, would you have told your nephew to report this in­formation to the commander, and why?

 

Rom. 15:30, 31                    What is the first thing that Paul asks the Christians in Rome to pray for him?

 

Have you ever asked people to pray for your physical well-being from opponents?

Or, have you ever prayed for another Christian’s physical safety from opponents?               Why?