Watchtower Study, “Constantly Follow” Jesus after Baptism, Week 13-19 May 2024, Comments and Responses.

Watchtower Study, “Constantly Follow” Jesus after Baptism, May 13-19, 2024, Comments and Responses.

“If anyone wants to be my follower, let him renounce himself and take up his torture stake day after day and follow me constantly” (LUK. 9:23).

1, 2. How does someone's life improve when they are baptized?

The person enjoys a special relationship with God, and also becomes part of his spiritual family. Which implies having a special relationship with God and receiving spiritual and material blessings from him as well.

3. What serious responsibility do all dedicated and baptized Christians have? (Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5).

The serious responsibility that all dedicated and baptized Christians have is to live up to our dedication, even when we face temptations and tests of faith as Ecclesiastes 5:4, 5 says. We have made a vow, we want to fulfill it and not hesitate to carry it out. cape. 

“CONSTANTLY FOLLOW” JESUS ​​DESPITE PROBLEMS AND TEMPTATIONS

4. In what sense do we disciples of Jesus carry a “torture stake”? (Luke 9:23).

In the sense that in addition to receiving blessings on our path, we will also face difficulties and some very painful ones, something like a bed of roses, but also with thorns.

5. What blessings did Jesus promise to those who make sacrifices for the Kingdom?

Although it is true on our spiritual path we have had to face many difficult situations, such as, for example, the paragraph mentions: Family position or some material sacrifice to put first in the Kingdom. However, in Mark 10:29,30, Jehovah promises us that if we leave our home, brothers, sisters, father, children, or our own field to do his will, we will receive 100 times more than what we left behind. And among the most anticipated blessings of his servants is the eternal life that Jehovah promises us in a new system of things.

6. Why will you have to continue fighting against “the lust of the flesh” after you are baptized?

Because he is still an imperfect person, trying to do God's Perfect will. By being dedicated, we are fighting against our fallen flesh, against our evil desires, against inherited sin as Paul said happened to him in Romans 7:22 and 23.

7. How will being dedicated to Jehovah help us be loyal?

Because we are fighting against our bad desires and ambitions and when we face trials we do not think about what we are going to do, we already know what we must do to be loyal to Jehovah, not giving up our integrity as Job 27:5 says.

8. Why will meditating on our vow of dedication help us resist temptations?

When we meditate on our vow of dedication, it will be easier for us to avoid flirting with someone who is married, since we close the door to this option, not allowing these bad desires to take root in our hearts, and thus we will avoid going through the bad consequences of succumbing. to bad desires. Because we understand the value of this promise, since dedication means making a commitment directly to God.

9. Why will meditating on our vow of dedication help us keep spiritual activities first?

This will help us not fall into the error of accepting a job that distances us from Jehovah, such as a job that does not give us time to preach or attend meetings, or worse yet, a job that involves doing something that God condemns. , something illegal, not only condemned by God, but also by higher authorities. 

10. How will Jehovah help us to consistently follow Jesus after we are baptized?

Maybe at some point we may think that we are alone on this path of dedication, but as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 10:13, it says that he will give us a way out so that we can endure the temptations that come. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO CONSTANTLY FOLLOW JESUS

11. What is one of the best ways to consistently follow Jesus? (See also images).

Developing the habit of doing things that bring us closer to Jehovah, to continue progressing. No matter how much we have progressed, we must continue to progress, there will always be something we can learn, instead of believing that we already know everything, but we must continue walking correctly along that same path, as Philippians 3:16 says. 

We can also expand our ministry, but even if we cannot do so, we want to enjoy what we are doing, serve Jehovah according to our circumstances, be happy, and do the best according to our circumstances and abilities. 

ILLUSTRATION

A young woman who has just been baptized in a pool looks very happy. Featured images: 1. she Goes out to preach. 2. Attend the School for Kingdom Evangelizers. 3. Install electrical wiring in a construction project. After you are baptized, set a goal to do things that will bring you closer to Jehovah. (See paragraph 11).

12, 13. What can you do if you see that you are starting to lose enthusiasm? (1 Corinthians 9:16, 17; see also the box “What to do to keep running the race.”)

If we see that we are beginning to lose enthusiasm, let us not stop looking at Jesus, there were also times when our Lord Jesus Christ became discouraged, Paul also became discouraged, but Paul did not stop seeing Jesus, and that is what we can do, not let our bad feelings make us give up or decide wrong, but quite the opposite, we must be determined to do the right thing even when we do not have the desire to do it. 

ILLUSTRATION

Series of images: 1. An athlete eating a very nutritious dish; In a circle you see a brother reading the Bible. 2. The athlete stretching; In a circle the brother is seen commenting at a meeting. 3. The athlete running; In a circle you see the brother preaching in the cart. An athlete must stay in shape to continue running. Similarly, a Christian must remain spiritually strong to continue serving Jehovah after baptism.

“KEEP EXAMINING YOURSELF”

14. What is good for you to examine from time to time, and why? (2 Corinthians 13:5).

It is good that we examine our lives and our habits from time to time. And one way to do it is by praying every day, reading, studying the Bible, attending meetings and preaching. Because if we do, we can give them life and take advantage of those important activities.

15, 16. What does Robert's experience teach you?

It teaches us that we should not play with sin, we should not think about whether or not we will do it, if we do not cut it off immediately, it will cut us off. So you don't have to play with sin. And speaking in the meeting about rejecting temptations is not the same as being faced with a temptation. We also learn that temptation generally arrives when we least expect it, it does not warn that it is coming, for this reason we must be prepared for when it arrives. 

17. As seen in Robert's experience, what effect does our loyalty have on Jehovah's name?

At the end he says: "I'm glad I didn't tarnish the name of Jehovah." Well, this is individual, because according to Robert's partner, there are other brothers who are in the congregation who lead a double life, they are not all of them, but there are some who lead that double life, this is unfortunate, but it is a reality. So it is up to us individually to choose to tarnish the name of God or to exalt, praise and exalt the name of God with our good conduct, as we might think that we only praise the name of God when we go to the Kingdom Hall, but we are seeing that keeping upright anywhere we are praising his name. 

18. What are you determined to do after you are baptized? (See also the box “Two very useful articles”).

We must be determined to constantly follow Jesus, not stop seeing him, not stop following him and imitating him and learning from him, carrying his yoke, because his burden is gentle and light and refreshing. 

Two very useful articles

If your parents are teaching you the truth, it will help you to read the two articles in the “What Should I Do After I am Baptized?” series in the “Young People Ask” section of jw.org. Part 1 will help you maintain your friendship with Jehovah, and Part 2 will help you maintain integrity in the face of problems and temptations.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

In what sense do Christians carry a “torture stake day after day”?

All Christians carry our torture stake in the sense that when we are baptized we face problems and perhaps painful difficulties. 

What can you do to consistently follow Jesus after you are baptized?

After baptism, it is important to have a good spiritual program, reading the Bible, personal study, prayer, preaching and meetings are very important. We can also set some goals to achieve in our service. 

Why will meditating on your vow of dedication help you be faithful?

When we meditate on our vow of dedication we constantly examine ourselves and if we see that we have slowed down, we renew ourselves again in doing the will of God.