Tag: Alden Thompson

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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The New-Covenant Life

• Lesson 13 for the week of June 19 to June 26

Opening Question What would your ideal life look like if you could script it yourself? Introduction The promises of God for a new life begin now and culminate when Christ returns and makes everything new....

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Covenant Faith

• Lesson 12 for the week of June 12 to June 19

Opening Question What is the most valuable gift any human has ever given you? Introduction The quarterly takes on the subject of the cross and our faith in God. The apostle Paul was overwhelmed with...

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New Covenant Sanctuary

• Lesson 11 for the week of June 5 to June 12

Opening Question Think of a place you used to live while growing up. How easy is it to recall the layout, the sounds, smells and experiences you had there? Introduction Just as the old covenant...

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The New Covenant

• Lesson 10 for the week of May 29 to June 5

Opening Question How easy is it to forgive someone you love dearly? Introduction God promises in Jeremiah 31:31 that he would make a new covenant, not like the one made at Sinai. So, what was...

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Covenant Sign

• Lesson 9 for the week of May 22 to May 29

Opening Question How much evidence do you need to prove that someone loves you? Introduction Few practices of most sects of Judaism set them apart from the rest of the world more than the Sabbath....

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