week of 7/5

Unit 23  Session 1

FAITH AND FORGIVENESS

Mark 2:1-12

 

Key Concept:

Jesus has the power to forgive, especially when He sees committed faith.

In his account of the life of Jesus, Mark wasted no time getting to the action. Jesus came on the scene proclaiming that the kingdom of God had come near to God's people through Him, and it was time for people to respond. Jesus immediately began backing up His claim with power, performing miracles. In today's passage, Jesus revealed something deeper about Who He is and what He came to do. Even greater than miraculous healings, Jesus came to do something about humanity's greatest problem - sin.

As you examine Mark 2:1-12:

 

✞   Note that because of the faith demonstrated, Jesus forgave the man who was paralyzed.

✞   Contemplate the significance of Jesus' declaration of forgiveness followed by His miraculous 

    healing of the paralyzed man.

week of 6/28

Unit 22  Session 4

THE LEPER PROCLAIMED

Mark 1:35-45

 

Key Concept:

Jesus' commitment to His mission originated in His compassion for others.

Mark 1 quickly tells us a lot about Jesus' early ministry. Although some of the accounts are not as detailed, Mark's Gospel accurately aligns with the other Gospel accounts. Up to this point in Mark 1, Jesus had been teaching with authority, casting out demons, and miraculously healing the sick, which showed His authority over all things physical and spiritual. After this, Jesus continued His ministry by traveling throughout Galilee, preaching and healing as He went.

As you examine Mark 1:35-45:

 

✞   Note that Jesus' purpose was to preach the Good News.

✞   Recognize that Jesus' compassion on the leper led the man to spread the Good News of Jesus.

week of 6/21

Unit 22  Session 3

THE CROWD AMAZED

Mark 1:21-34

 

Key Concept:

Jesus, as God the Son, has authority over all in the spiritual and physical realms.

Mark the Gospel writer was not one of the twelve apostles, but he based his account on the testimony of the apostle Petr, a close companion of his. Mark succinctly and rapidly reported the story of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. Mark 1 begins with John the Baptist's ministry, Jesus' baptism and temptation, and Jesus' calling the disciples. Jesus was in Capernaum teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath when He encountered a man with an unclean spirit.

As you examine Mark 1:21-34:

 

✞   Recognize that Jesus had authority to drive out unclean spirits.

✞   Emphasize that Jesus' authority over all things included His ability to heal the sick.

week of 6/14

Unit 22  Session 2

THE HOMETOWN REJECTED

Luke 4:16-30

 

Key Concept:

Jesus' identity and the gospel message can lead to rejection.

Luke 4 contains a couple of well-known milestones in Jesus' ministry, such as Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. Then Jesus began His ministry in Galilee. Based upon the parallels from the other Gospel accounts, Jesus had already called His disciples and performed miracles at this time. His reputation and authority were spreading amongst the Jewish people. The people in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth, however, would have their own opinion on this matter.

As you examine Luke 4:16-30:

 

✞   Note that Jesus identified Himself as the Anointed One Whom Isaiah said would preach 

    good news and set the captives free.

✞   Reflect that Jesus' hometown questioned His identity and authority after He preached 

    grace for Gentiles.

week of 6/7

 Unit 22  Session 1

THE OFFICIAL BELIEVED

john 4:46-54

 

Key Concept:

Faith includes believing in Jesus' authority and power.

After Jesus met with the woman at the well in Samaria, she believed Jesus was the Messiah and told the people in her town. Many people in Samaria believed in Jesus as the Messiah. Two days later, Jesus resumed His travels in Galilee. While in Cana, He was stopped by an official who was in great distress because his son was at death's door. Yet his son was in Capernaum, roughly twenty-five miles away. Jesus revealed His authority over sickness in a way that showed His Messiahship.

As you examine John 4:46-54:

 

✞   Reflect that Jesus is compassionate even when people look for signs to believe.

✞   Emphasize that faith is believing without seeing, but seeing leads to deeper faith.

week of 5/31

Unit 21  Session 5

WATER TO LIVING WATER

john 4:7-11, 13-15, 19-23, 25-26

 

Key Concept:

Jesus came to give eternal life to all who believe in and worship Him.

In John 3, Jesus revealed to Nicodemus that belief in Jesus' death to pay for sins was required to enter the kingdom of God. In John 4, Jesus revealed to a non-Jewish woman with a sinful past that religious tribalism had no place in His mission to redeem sinners. Though Jews and Samaritans generally steered clear of one another, Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman who needed the eternal satisfaction only He could bring.

As you examine John 4:7-11, 13-15, 19-23, 25-26:

 

✞   Identify how Jesus crossed societal boundaries to share the gift of eternal life.

✞   Consider Jesus' assertion that true worship involves worshiping in Spirit and truth.

week of 5/24

Unit 21  Session 4

HEAVEN TO EARTH

john 3:25-36

 

Key Concept:

Belief involves acknowledging the supremacy of Jesus.

Jesus began to attract a crowd after His first miracle and driving out the money changers in the temple. Not long after meeting with Nicodemus, Jesus and His disciples went out to preach the message of the kingdom. Jesus and John the Baptist found themselves baptizing in the same vicinity with crowds flocking to each. John the Baptist's disciples questioned Jesus' rise in prominence, and John took that moment to explain that true joy comes from glorifying Jesus, the Son of God.

As you examine John 3:25-36:

 

✞   Note that John understood that he was the messenger, not the Messiah.

✞   Recognize that believers lift up Jesus and humble themselves so that He gets the glory.