week of 3/19

 Unit 19  Session 3

THE SAVIOR IS BAPTIZED

MARK 1

John the Baptist was the herald who prepared the way for the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah.

In his Gospel, Mark first introduced Jesus to the world through the eyes of John the Baptist. The pacing of Mark's Gospel is fast - it's the shortest of all the Gospel accounts and the oft-used term "immediately" demonstrates that Mark was intent on progressing the stories quickly so that his readers could focus their attention on Jesus's work on the cross. Therefore, it is worth noting that Mark slowed down to consider how John paved the way for Jesus- both through his declaration of Jesus's identity and by baptizing Him in the Jordan River. 

Points to consider:

✞   The herald prepares for the Son.

     * How should the steady use of Old 

        Testament prophecy in the story 

        of Jesus's birth encourage us?

     * How would John's practice of 

        baptism help people understand 

        Jesus's message?

✞   The herald points to the Son.

     * What does baptism do?

✞   The herald baptizes the Son.   

     * Why did Jesus get baptized even 

        though He had nothing to repent 

        of or confess?

     * How can growing in our under-

        standing of the triune God help us 

        worship Him more? 

week of 3/12

Unit 19  Session 2

THE SAVIOR IS PRESENTED

LUKE 2

Even from childhood, Jesus fulfilled all of the law, showing that He is the Messiah, the righteous One who came to bring salvation to the world.

The Gospel writers spent almost no time covering the details of Jesus's life following His birth up until the time He began His public ministry around the age of 30. Their main focus was the three years of Jesus's ministry in and around Jerusalem proclaiming the kingdom of God and, uniquely, His death, burial, and resurrection. Mark started his gospel with Jesus's ministry and spent roughly half of the total time of his writing describing the final weeks of Jesus's life. In Luke's gospel, however, we are given one of the few glimpses into Jesus's early years to reveal His perfect character. 

Points to consider:

✞   The Messiah will fulfill the law entirely.

     * What benefits might we discover in 

        dwelling upon Jesus's humanity? 

✞   The Messiah will bring salvation globally.

     * What are some ways we should respond 

        to the good news of salvation?

     * What do we learn about God when we 

        see Him keep His promises?

✞   The Messiah will obey the Father completely.   

     * What character traits are demonstrated by 

        Jesus's listening to and asking questions in 

        the temple?

     * How should we reconcile our obedience to 

        God and our expected obedience to human

        authorities? 

week of 3/5

 Unit 19  Session 1

THE SAVIOR IS BORN

John 1

Jesus is the Word, the Son of God Who came into the world to bring salvation.

At the start of the New Testament, the situation was bleak for God's people. Even after God's people returned to their land, they were still under the power of the Medo-Persians - after them, the Greeks, and after them, the Romans. The prophets were silent. The kingdom was broken. The future was dark. Greek and Roman culture had enveloped the whole area, and the elitist Pharisees and Sadducees had come into power to try to lead the Jews, but their only real hope was the coming of the Messiah. But when would that be? Into this, Jesus was born. Everything changed when Jesus showed up.  

Points to consider:

✞   The Word of God in Creation

     * What makes it hard for you to 

        think about the Son of God 

        existing as God when God 

        created the world? 

✞   The Word of God in Redemption

     * Why might it be difficult to share 

        the truth of Jesus Christ?

     * How does this passage say people 

        are saved from sin and darkness?

✞   The Word of God in Glory    

     * What attributes of God are revealed 

        through Jesus' incarnation for our 

        salvation, for which we should praise 

        and imitate Him?

     * Why might we find it difficult to speak 

        and act in grace and truth?

week of 2/26

 Unit 18  Session 5

A BURDENED PEOPLE

MALACHI ; JAMES 2

All humans are guilty because of sin, but those who feel the shame of their sin and repent will receive the Lord's compassion.

Ezra and Nehemiah both led groups of exiled Jews back to Jerusalem, recognizing God's hand in putting them under Persian rulers who didn't mind their return to their homeland and worship of their God. But just because God's hand was leading didn't mean the people had turned back to the Lord completely. Just like Moses dealt with the sins of the Israelites who had accompanied him out slavery in Egypt, so Ezra and Nehemiah dealt with sin even in the midst of rebuilding the temple and the walls. Had they fallen so far away from God that they didn't even feel their guilt?  

Points to consider:

✞   The sins of the wicked incur their guilt.

     * How does God use guilt and shame to 

        draw us back to Himself? 

✞   The boasting of the wicked reveals 

     their shamelessness.

     * What are some examples of harsh 

        words we might be guilty of speaking 

        against the Lord?

✞   The fear of the Lord among the righteous 

     prompts His compassion.    

     * What are some ways we should speak to 

        one another as those who fear the Lord?

     * Seeing how spiritual disciplines helped 

        the Israelites in this volume to act with 

        righteousness, how can these disciplines 

        help us to fear and serve the Lord?

week of 2/19

Unit 18  Session 4

A CONFESSING COMMUNITY

NEHEMIAH 9 - 10

We are to confess our sin so that we might be restored with God.

In Nehemiah 8, we saw that God's people had begun to weep as they heard the words of the law, pbviously realizing the gravity of their sins. But Ezra interrupted their time of consideration of sin because it was actually a time of festivity: time to celebrate God! And because God's Word is supreme, they obeyed. But when the festival was over and the booths had been put away, the tug of conviction was still strong. The people still needed to repent of their sin, and they did through a prayer recounting the mighty and gracious works of the Lord in contrast to the sinful works of His people, both past and present. 

Points to consider:

✞   Confession begins with a proper view of God.

     * Who has God shown Himself to be thus far 

        in our study of the storyline of the Bible?

     * Looking back at your own life, in the good 

        and the bad, what are some reasons you 

        can say, "God is faithful"? 

✞   Confession acknowledges the reality of sin.

     * How should we view sin in light of the 

        character and actions of God?

✞   Confession humbly seeks pardon and restoration.    

     * How do humbling circumstances serve the 

        purpose of bringing God's people to confession 

        of sin?

week of 2/12

Unit 18  Session 3

A PROCLAIMING PRIEST

eZRA 7 - 10 ; NEHEMIAH 8

When God's people hear the Word of the Lord, they find joy and seek to obey God's commands.

With Nehemiah's arrival in Jerusalem, the former cupbearer turned governor of the region began to rebuild their city and their identity (Neh. 5:14). As with most big projects, they had their share of troubles, both inside and out. Enemies threatened, and opportunists took advantage, but through it all, Nehemiah's one-sentence prayers sustained him and his people as they slowly but surely rebuilt the wall (5:19 ; 6:9). Then came the even larger challenge: Who would this people be? Would they be those who despised their God and their people or would they be the people the Lord had called them to be in His Word?

Points to consider:

✞   God's people gather to hear the Word of the Lord.

     * What are some ways we submit to the authority 

        of God's Word?

✞   God's people display the joy of the Lord.

     * Why should conviction of sin result in our joy?

     * How can we live so that our joy as believers in 

        Christ can be seen by others for the glory of God?

✞   God's people unite to obey the commands of the Lord.    

     * What are some reasons we might fail to recognize 

        the privilege we have to read and hear God's Word?

week of 2/5

Unit 18  Session 2

AN INTERCEDING CUPBEARER

NEHEMIAH 1 - 7

God empowers His people to fulfill the mission He gives them.

The books of Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all contain stories of God's people in exile. After generations neglected God and His instructions, the Lord did exactly what He said He would do, replace the blessings of His covenant with curses through exile in Babylon. But after the Persian Empire took control, the possibility of going home became a reality. Yet the heroes of the exile found themselves in a state of flux: Could they be forgiven of their sin? Was God still with them? In each of these books, God's answer is clear: yes. The Lord's covenant was as faithful as ever because God's faithful love endures forever. 

Points to consider:

✞   Success in the Lord's mission is based on 

     His lasting promises.

     * How might this doctrine change the 

        way you view prayer?

     * What parallels do you see between 

        Nehemiah's situation and Esther's 

        situation?

✞   Success in the Lord's mission is based on 

     His abundant provision.

     * How has God miraculously opened the 

        door to a conversation or situation in 

        your own life?

✞   Success in the Lord's mission is based on

     His unstoppable power.     

     * What are some tasks God may call us 

        to for which we might feel incapable?

     * What are some Scriptures that might 

        help us when we find ourselves facing 

        opposition?