The Plagues

• Lesson 4 for the week of July 19 to July 26

Key Verses: Exodus 7-10 Key Questions
 Theological Insights
 “The present narrative is a sophisticated and symmetric literary structure with a patterns of three groups each comprising three plagues. The climactic tenth plague possesses a character...

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Rough Start

• Lesson 3 for the week of July 12 to July 19

Key Verses: Exodus 5-6 Key Questions
 Theological Insights
 “Perhaps nowhere is Pharaoh’s hardness of heart demonstrated more clearly than in the first words he utters in the Exodus narrative: ‘Who is the Lord?’ In time,...

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The Burning Bush

• Lesson 2 for the week of July 5 to July 12

Key Verses: Exodus 3-4 Key Questions
 Theological Insights
 “Moses also experiences a challenge to his way of approaching and knowing the world. His encounter at the burning bush calls into question not only the reliability...

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Oppression: The Background and the Birth of Moses

• Lesson 1 for the week of June 28 to July 5

Key Verses: Exodus 1-2 Key Questions
 Theological Insights
 “The book of Exodus moves from slavery to worship, from Israel’s bondage to Pharaoh to its bonding to Yahweh. More particularly, the book moves from the enforced...

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Exodus Introduction

• Introduction

The book of Exodus is very dear to me. When I think about the book of Exodus I think of at least three things. The first, Exodus reminds me of my past. It was in...

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Epilogue: Knowing Jesus and His Word

• Lesson 13 for the week of December 21 to December 28

Relevant Verses: John 21 Theme: Knowing Jesus Leading Question: What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Question: Can you think of any events in your life that seemed bad at the time...

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The Hour of Glory: The Cross and Resurrection

• Lesson 12 for the week of December 14 to December 21

Relevant Verses: John 18:33–19:5; 19:17–27; 20:1–18 Theme: The Crucified and the Risen Jesus In his book Night, Elie Wiesel describes a scene from the concentration camp in Auschwitz: The CrossThis brief commentary focuses on those...

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The Father, the Son, and the Spirit

• Lesson 11 for the week of December 7 to December 14

Relevant Verses: John 14:10, 24; 16:7–11; 17:1–26 Theme: Inseparable Companionship Leading Question: What is your preferred way of thinking about the Trinity? John’s Gospel has been a significant source for the Christian doctrine of the...

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The Way, the Truth, and the Life

• Lesson 10 for the week of November 30 to December 7

Relevant Verses: John 14:1–6 Theme: Jesus, the Only Way Leading Question: How do we know the way to God? In postmodern times, one of the most important discussions in Christianity is whether salvation, or soteriology...

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The Source of Life

• Lesson 9 for the week of November 23 to November 30

Relevant Verses: John 1:4, 12, 13; 6:61-68; 10:10; 14:6 Theme: Life in Abundance Leading Question: What metaphor do you like to use to describe life? The Gospel of John begins with God as the life-giver:...

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Fulfilling Old Testament Prophecies

• Lesson 8 for the week of November 16 to November 23

Relevant Verses: John 5:17, 20, 36–40, 46, 47; 8:12–30 Theme: The Father’s Testimony Leading Question: Have you ever waited for something important to happen and it felt like a life time? Healing on Sabbath (John...

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Blessed Are Those Who Believe

• Lesson 7 for the week of November 9 to November 16

Relevant Verses: John 8:54–58; 12:1–8; 19:4–22; 20:19– 31 Theme: Signs Faith versus Blessed Faith Leading Question: What do you need to believe? The tension between signs faith and belief without having seen is a curious...

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More Testimonies About Jesus

• Lesson 6 for the week of November 2 to November 9

Relevant Verses: John 1:32–36; 3:25–36; 5:36–38; 6:51–71; 7:37–53 Theme: The Scandal of Jesus Leading Question: Have you ever felt offended by something Jesus asked you to do? The miracle of the loaves and fish is...

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The Testimony of the Samaritans

• Lesson 5 for the week of October 26 to November 2

Relevant Verses: John 4 Theme: The Witness of the Samaritan Woman Leading Question: Does a personal relationship with Jesus always feel good and comfortable? There could be no character more opposite to Nicodemus than the...

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