Category: Lessons

Martyrs and Their Murderers

• Lesson 10 for the week of June 2 to June 9

Relevant Passages: 2 Chronicles 24; Jeremiah 26; Matthew 14; Acts 7; John 21 Martyrs and Murderers solemnly remind us that God does not always protect his children nor preserve them from tragic sin. The number...

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Powerful Pray-ers

• Lesson 9 for the week of May 26 to June 2

Relevant Passages: 2 Kings 20; Exodus 32; Daniel 9; Psalms 51; Acts 12 Is prayer “successful” simply because it yields tangible and measurable results? The reverse of that question is at least as troubling, namely,...

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The Personal Factor

• Lesson 8 for the week of May 19 to May 26

Relevant Passages: Mark 2, 9; John 1, 5 Effective personal witnessing requires giving of oneself over to the needs of another. The New Testament illustrates such effective witnessing in several significant experiences. Healing of the...

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Children Showcased

• Lesson 7 for the week of May 12 to May 19

Relevant Passages: 1 Samuel 2, 8, 17; 2 Kings 2, 5, 22-23 Children are a two-edged sword. Jesus says that we must become like little children (Matt. 18:3), but Paul says that when he became...

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Siblings in Contention

• Lesson 6 for the week of May 5 to May 12

Relevant Passages: Genesis 4, 25, 30; Number 12; Luke 10, 15 The sibling rivalries in Scripture are predominantly same-sex rivalries. The tensions which the narratives reveal can be instructive for those who wish to live...

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Joseph: From Pit to Palace

• Lesson 5 for the week of April 28 to May 5

Relevant Passages: Genesis 30-50 The story of Joseph is one of the longest and most dramatic continuous narratives in Scripture. Key experiences in his life suggest tantalizing topics for discussion and exploration: Parents, children, siblings:...

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Wives as Advisers

• Lesson 4 for the week of April 21 to April 28

Relevant Passages: 1 Samuel 25, Esther 8 Abigail and Esther are two strong-willed women who played prominent roles in steering a daring passageway between dangerous alternatives established by powerful and foolish men. Discussion Questions: How...

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Grace Under Pressure — Noah and Job

• Lesson 3 for the week of April 14 to April 21

Relevant Passages: Genesis 6-9, Job 1-42 Noah and Job present an interesting study in contrasts. Though both demonstrated a certain “grace under pressure,” their circumstances and reactions were quite different. God preserved Noah and his...

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The Betrayers — Peter and Judas

• Lesson 2 for the week of April 7 to April 14

Relevant Passages: Matt. 26:69-75; Matt. 27:1-10 Judas and Peter: According to Matthew’s Gospel, the developing scenes of Jesus’ trial have quite an unexpected effect on two of his disciples. In Matthew 26:69-75, the confident Peter...

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Christ and Satan: Contenders for Control

• Lesson 1 for the week of March 30 to April 7

Relevant Passages: Isaiah 14; Ezekial 28; John 1; Revelations 12 Christ and Satan: Two lives that depict the two great opposing forces contending for control of the universe, love and selfishness. Discussion Questions: On p....

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Prayers of Praise: Revelation

• Lesson 13 for the week of March 24 to March 31

Two related themes run through the book of Revelation. First, Jesus calls the persecuted to resist persecution and temptation; and second, the faithful utter prayers for His coming and the trials to end. The book...

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Prayers for the Church: Paul

• Lesson 12 for the week of March 17 to March 24

Paul’s letters reveal him as a praying pastor. It was common for non-Christian Greek letter-writers to mention they are praying to the gods for the persons to whom they are writing, often speaking of their...

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The High Priestly Prayer: Jesus

• Lesson 11 for the week of March 10 to March 17

Relevant Passages: John 17 This prayer of consecration by a sinless Jesus to his Father can be divided into four sections depending on who Jesus is praying for: Himself, that the Father will glorify him,...

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Prayer: Listening to Jesus

• Lesson 10 for the week of March 3 to March 10

Relevant Passages: John 14-16 In John 14-16 Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure. Soon he will be arrested, put on trial and executed as a criminal. He points out that his followers will experience...

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