Category: Lessons

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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Witnesses of Christ as the Messiah

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

Relevant Verses: John 1; 3 Theme: Witnesses of the Messiah Leading Question: How comfortable are you with being a permanent bystander or witness for someone else? There came a man sent from God, whose name...

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The Backstory: The Prologue

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

Relevant Verses: John 1:1-18 Theme: The Power of the Word Leading Question: What image does “the Word was God” convey for you? The prologue is the most profound statement about Jesus’ identity in the New...

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Signs of Divinity

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

Relevant Verses: John 6:1–15, 26–36; 11 Theme: Signs of Divinity Leading Question: What persuades you about Jesus as a divine being? Nowhere in the New Testament is Jesus presented as more thoroughly human and more...

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Signs that Point the Way

• Lesson 1 for the week of September 28 to October 5

Relevant Verses: John 2:1–11; 4:46–54; 5:1– 5:1–47 Theme: Follow the Signs Leading Question: When was the last time you felt a subtle nudge to do something? There are signs everywhere, from the traffic signs that...

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The Risen Lord

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

Opening Question If Jesus rose from the dead as the Gospel of Mark says, what impact does that have on us today? Introduction The good news of the resurrection is recounted briefly in Mark, but...

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Tried and Crucified

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

Opening Question Is the cross an appropriate symbol for Christianity? Introduction Passion literature requires suffering, but not necessarily death. Jesus both suffers, and then dies in the Gospel account of Mark. The scenes are difficult...

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