week of 9/24

 Unit 25  Session 4

THE DIVIDING PROPHET

MATTHEW 25

Followers of Jesus are to live expectantly, faithfully, and compassionately as they await His return and His coming kingdom.

In His last week on earth before His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus' disciples, sitting privately with Jesus, asked when He was coming back at the end of the age (Matthew 24:3). The disciples understood and believed that Jesus had to go away, but they also knew that He would one day return to restore all things. Jesus answered them with parables - fictional stories used to convey moral and spiritual truth - to explain that no one knows the time or hour, but it was still necessary for them to prepare for His return and work to build His kingdom while they waited.

Points to consider:

✞   Jesus divides the wise and the fools.

     * What are some things that we can do 

        to stay prepared for Jesus' return?

     * How do good works verify genuine 

        faith and make our justification 

        evident to others?

✞   Jesus divides the diligent and the faithless.

     * How are our actions a direct reflection of 

        our understanding of God's character?

     * How can we be diligent in God's work, 

        knowing that our faith should be dis-

        played in our service to the King and 

        His kingdom?

✞   Jesus divides the compassionate and the indifferent.

     * How does the reality that the kingdom is an 

        inheritance challenge the idea of earning 

        salvation through good works?

     * What are examples of serving "the least of these"?

week of 9/17

Unit 25  Session 3

THE DENOUNCING PROPHET

MATTHEW 23

Jesus denounces religion that does not express the heart of God.

As Jesus continued to get closer to crucifixion, He strove for His people to understand that eternal life could only be obtained through faith in Him. For so long the religious leaders taught a works-based righteousness. They taught that you had to do good enough, be good enough, and look a certain way to truly belong in the household of God. But in their teaching and hypocrisy, all they did was lead the people of God astray, and they missed the Messiah because of it. In Matthew 23, Jesus denounced their hypocritical, misleading, and superficial religion to help them see the error of their ways.

Points to consider:

✞   Jesus denounces hypocritical religion.

     * What are some things that we can do 

        to help us avoid hypocritical religion?

     * How do you pursue authentic and 

        genuine faith rather than one based 

        on appearances?

✞   Jesus denounces misleading religion.

     * What are some possible modern-day 

        pharisaical beliefs within the church?

     * How can we guard against leading 

        others astray as well as guard against 

        being led astray by others?

✞   Jesus denounces superficial religion.

     * How do we avoid superficial and 

        shallow religion?

     * How can a belief that righteousness 

        is attained through our effort lead 

        to spiritual pride or lack of under-

        standing the grace of God?

 

week of 9/10

Unit 25  Session 2

THE PROVOCATIVE PROPHET

MATTHEW 22

In His response to the challenges of the religious leaders, Jesus demonstrated His wisdom, authority, and mastery of the Scriptures.

After Jesus entered Jerusalem with the crowds cheering, Jesus had various encounters with the Pharisees and Sadducees throughout that week. Their goal was almost always to discredit Jesus; His goal was to teach about God and His kingdom. Jesus both answered and asked questions that showed that He had a mastery of the Word of God and that He also stood in authority over the Word of God. Jesus' teachings in Matthew 22 showed that He truly was the Messiah and foreshadowed His death and resurrection for the salvation of humanity.

Points to consider:

✞   Jesus affirms the reality of resurrection.

     * What are some practical ways the 

        truth of the resurrection should give 

        believers hope?

     * Why is it important to affirm the 

        truthfulness of all Scripture, not just 

        the Scriptures we agree with?

✞   Jesus clarifies the centrality of love.

     * How can we love God with all our 

        heart, soul, and mind?

     * Why is loving others like ourselves so 

        difficult?

✞   Jesus claims the authority of the Messiah.

     * Why do you believe Jesus is the Messiah? 

week of 9/3

Unit 25  Session 1

THE CELEBRATED PROPHET

MATTHEW 21

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem further revealed that He is the Messiah, the true King of Israel, worthy of people's praise.

From His conception, Jesus' life was a steady drum beat of Old Testament prophecy fulfillment. As He fulfilled prophecy, He also prophesied about His future. Jesus came to save the world from sin and death. The Jews were expecting a conquering king, but what they got in Jesus was a humble servant Who taught His people, healed His people, and raised them from the dead. Though Jesus continued to prove He was the Messiah, the people of God were expecting something different, so they missed what was right in front of them.

Points to consider:

✞   Jesus is the Messiah Who fulfills prophecy.

     * How do you know when Jesus is displaying 

        authority over your life, asking you to do 

        something?

     * Why is it important that Jesus' life and works 

        fulfilled prophecy from Scripture?

✞   Jesus is the King Who receives adoration.

     * Why should friendship with Jesus and 

        obedience to His commands go hand in hand?

     * In what ways is Jesus worthy of our adoration?

✞   Jesus is the Son of David Who brings salvation.

     * How can someone exalt Christ in his or her life?

     * How does the misunderstanding of the crowd 

        shape your belief in the importance of studying 

        God's Word?

week of 8/27

 Unit 24  Session 3

JESUS IS THE TRUTH

2 CORINTHIANS 4 ; EPHESIANS 6 ; JOHN 2

Believers are to have nothing to do with evil powers of the  world and their fruit but are to share the one true gospel with the people of the world.

The world will say truth is one thing and Jesus will say truth is another. Jesus taught that He is the truth (John 14:6) and that His Word is truth (John 17:17). But the world and Satan's forces will try to tempt us toward their false truths. As disciples of Christ, we are to resist these temptations by holding onto the truth of God, living and proclaiming the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Points to consider:

✞   We are to resist the powers of the world.

     * In what areas is Satan currently 

       "attacking" Christians and the church?

     * What are some ways we can use God's 

        armor well on a daily basis?

✞   We are to reject the things of the world.

     * How can Christians keep themselves 

        from falling in love with worldly things?

✞   We are to proclaim Jesus to the world.

     * In what ways does sin affect a person?

     * Why should Christians share the gospel 

        even if many will reject it?

week of 8/20

Unit 24  Session 2

JESUS IS THE LIFE

JOHN 11 

In the raising of Lazarus, Jesus revealed that He has the power over life and death, both physically and spiritually.

The Gospel of John is often considered the most evangelistic Gospel in the New Testament. John explicitly stated the evangelistic nature of his Gospel toward the end of the book, stating how Jesus did many other signs unmentioned in his writing, but that the signs written were to help people believe Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God that they might have life (John 20:30-30). John 11:1-46 records the final, climactic sign that Jesus performs - the raising of Lazarus from the dead.

Points to consider:

✞   The Messiah brings life from death.

     * How can Christians cling to Jesus 

        Christ in the midst of difficult 

        circumstances and situations?

     * What are some reasons Christians 

        should trust Christ to give them 

        eternal life?

✞   The Messiah brings glory from grief.

     * How can Christians display 

        compassion and help others who 

        are struggling with grief?

     * What are some other ways God has 

        made His glory known?

✞   The Messiah brings salvation from rejection.

     * Why might someone reject Jesus as 

        the resurrection and the life?

week of 8/13

Unit 24  Session 1

JESUS IS THE WAY

LUKE 13

Jesus taught that entrance into His kingdom is difficult and only comes through Him.

The Gospel of Luke is a literary masterpiece, beautifully depicting the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The climax of Luke's Gospel is the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, but the heart is the "travel narrative" (Luke 9:51-19:27), where Jesus set His face to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). While journeying from Galilee to Jerusalem, Jesus performed miracles and taught about the kingdom of God and the way of salvation. In Luke 13:22-35, Jesus portrayed Himself as the narrow door of salvation who saves sinners through His sacrificial death and victorious resurrection, which would be accomplished in Jerusalem.

Points to consider:

✞   The Narrow Door

     * Why do people seem to bristle at "exclusivity" - 

        the Biblical claim that Jesus is the only way to 

        salvation? 

✞   The Coming Death

     * What are some ways obedience to God's mission 

        might lead to opposition for Christians?

     * How can Christians take comfort in the truth that 

        God is in control of everything?

✞   The Future Adoration

     * What are some ways people reject God's compassion?

     * How does the gospel and the coming of Christ 

        give us hope?