3rd Quarter 2021 – Good Word

Leading Question: How do we keep alive the Advent Hope after waiting for some 2000 years? This last week’s lesson on the quarter explores ways of keeping alive the hope of Jesus’ return. If you are...

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The Restless Prophet

Lesson 12 for the week of September 11 to September 18

Leading Question: What happens when a restless prophet is much less merciful than the God who sent him? Comment: The official study guide does a wonderful job of stating the paradoxes of the book of Jonah:...

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Longing for More

Lesson 11 for the week of September 4 to September 11

Leading Question: How far is it possible to stretch a biblical symbol? Comment: The title for this week’s lesson is a tantalizing one, for it suggests that ultimately, the biblical idea of “rest” should stay...

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Sabbath Rest

Lesson 10 for the week of August 28 to September 4

Leading Question: Is the Sabbath a test or a gift? Our leading question takes us into territory not suggested by the official study guide. But it is a crucial opportunity for us at a time when...

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Rhythms of Rest

Lesson 9 for the week of August 21 to August 28

Leading Question: How important are “rhythm” and “rhythmic habits” to our religious experience? This week and next week our lessons focus on the Sabbath. And for this first lesson we will think about the Sabbath as...

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Free to Rest

Lesson 8 for the week of August 14 to August 21

Relevant Verses: Mark 2:1-12; 1 Kings 18-19 Leading Question: How should we differ in addressing the needs of those who are physically paralyzed and those who a mentally paralyzed? This week’s lesson focuses on two radically...

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Rest, Relationships, and Healing

Lesson 7 for the week of August 7 to August 14

Relevant Verses: Gen. 42-50; Matt. 18:23-35; 5:43-44; Luke 6:28; 23:34; Acts 5:31 Leading Question: When Joseph was sold into slavery in Egypt, was it his fault, his father’s fault, or the fault of his brothers? After...

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Finding Rest in Family Ties

Lesson 6 for the week of July 31 to August 7

Leading Question: If we keep score of the family relations in the book of Genesis in order to determine which side wins, the dysfunctional family or the supportive family. What is the result? It would seem...

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Come to Me …

Lesson 5 for the week of July 24 to July 31

Relevant Verses: Matthew 11:28-30 Leading Question: Jesus said, “Come to me . . . and I will give you rest.” Is it possible to find rest without coming to Jesus? Jesus’ well-known rest invitation comes at...

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The Cost of Rest

Lesson 4 for the week of July 17 to July 24

Relevant Verses: 2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51 Leading Question: How much time should one take to ponder the seamy side of Scripture? The title for this lesson could just as easily be “The Cost of Sin,”...

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Roots of Restlessness

Lesson 3 for the week of July 10 to July 17

Relevant Verses: Matt. 34-39; Luke 12:13-21; Phil. 2:5-8; Luke 22:14-30 Leading Question: Jesus clearly calls us to rest in him; but is it possible to look at “restlessness” in a positive light? While we can all...

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Restless and Rebellious

Lesson 2 for the week of July 3 to July 10

Relevant Verses: 1 Cor. 10:1-11; Numbers 11-14 Leading Question: “Can a believer question God without being sinfully rebellious?” In an authoritarian culture, any questioning of “authority” is already condemned as an act of rebellion. Josef...

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Living in a 24/7 Society

Lesson 1 for the week of June 26 to July 3

Relevant Verses: Gen. 2:1-3; Jer. 45:1-5; Mark 6:30-32; Gen. 4:1-12 Leading Question: If life in Bible times was much more pastoral and leisurely than our fast-paced modern world, how can an ancient world like that...

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Tag: 3rd Quarter 2021