Category: Lessons

Tiny Sins, Huge Results

• Lesson 13 for the week of June 23 to June 30

In Scripture, instantaneous judgments to seemingly minor infractions can be interpreted as confirming eternal consequences. In some cases, however, the intended effect may be more local, demonstrating to an endangered community, for example, that God...

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Women in Scripture

• Lesson 12 for the week of June 16 to June 23

Relevant Passages: Jude 4-5; Ruth; Esther; Luke 1, 7 Women in the Bible have become increasingly visible in recent decades, in part because of the influence of secular feminists. The biblical passages most often used...

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Giants of Faith

• Lesson 11 for the week of June 9 to June 16

Relevant Passages: Hebrews 11 According to the Apostle Paul, faith is one of the gifts of the Spirit. If it is a gift, then no human effort can make it happen. Such an understanding should...

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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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