The Big Question:

Will you obey Jesus?

Lesson Review

One of Jesus’ best friends, Lazarus, was sick–deathly sick. Jesus knew about it and he knew about it in time to go heal him. In fact, Jesus has already shown us that long distance healing is no problem for him, so he could have healed Lazarus from right where he was. But he didn’t. He chose to use Lazarus to show the power of God. Lazarus died, and Jesus wept. But then Jesus did something that blows our minds. He didn’t just revive a “mostly dead” man. He raised a four-days-dead-man back to life! He flexed his muscles. He showed the power of God. And he used a dead man to do it. God loves using dead people, because they have nothing to lose. He wants you to die to yourself, to give up on your self, so that he can use you. He wants to raise you from the dead.

“All men die, but not all men truly live.” These are the words of William Wallace, a man who fought and died for what he believed in. Once you die to yourself, once you give up on yourself and all your desires, plans, sins, and weaknesses, God wants to give you life, because the Kingdom of God brings life. Not just any life, but a life full of truth and meaning, purpose and passion. A life truly lived the way your creator meant you to live it. Jesus wants to show his awsome power through you. It wont be easy, and it wont always be fun, but it will be the best. All we have to do is obey Jesus.

Read this: John 11:1-44

Historical Background

In Jewish culture it’s very important for friends and family to console those who lost love ones to death. It’s very similar to the way things happen today where mourning families are cooked for and shopped for as they grieve. The family and mourners were in the stage of mourning called “shivah” when Jesus and his disciples arrived. This was a seven day process that consisted of intense mourning and really nothing else. Lazarus had been dead four days already. That’s well into the decomposing stage for his body and even if they had used spices and other fragrances to offset the stinky aroma, they would be worn off by now too, leaving a really unpleasant aroma.

Devotional

“It’s ALIIIIVE!!!”

These are the famous words of Dr. Frankenstein when he reanimates the dead flesh of a pieced-together human being. This story has captured humans since it was written in 1818, because we are fascinated with the idea of cheating death, or at least figuring out what makes something alive. To this day, with all our technology and science, no one can explain what makes a person live. We know the chemicals, the organs, and everything necessary for something to live, but we don’t have any clue why exactly it “lives.” My theory: God makes things live. God and only God gives life, not only to our flesh, but also to our spirits.  -Logan

God’s Character

God uses dead people. God’s power over death means that we don’t need to fear death anymore, but it also means that he has power over other aspects of our lives as well. The Bible talks about dying to yourself over and over again. Dying to yourself means giving up on you–your wants, your desires, your plans, your sins, your problems, your weakness–and embracing God’s power in your life. God wants to raise you from the dead, but you have to die first. God loves using dead people.

Questions

1. How did God use Lazarus’ death for his glory?
2. Why did Jesus weep when he knew that in a few minutes his friend would be alive?
3. What are some things you might have to give up if you “died to yourself”?
4. What does this miracle tell you about the Kingdom of God?

The Big Question:

Will you give up all to see?

Lesson Review

The blind man in this story took a huge risk and put his future with the Jewish church on the line when he backed up Jesus. He and his parents both knew that there was a considerable risk involved in following Jesus from the Jewish religious leaders. His parents even wussed out and made him take full responsibility for being healed on the Sabbath so that they wouldn’t risk being kicked out of the synagogue.

God’s goal for us in life is not to keep us in the dark fumbling around with our shampoo and soap. He wants us to understand why things are the way they are in this world and he wants us to see how wonderful and loving he is! Jesus Christ is the light of the world. He is truth and understanding and everything he does is perfect! What we have to wrestle with, as followers and prospective followers of Christ, is the idea of risking our reputation, and future, and stuff, and abilities, and pretty much everything to fully follow and see God’s truth through Jesus. I know it’s worth it. Do you?

Questions

1. Have you ever risked anything for your love of Jesus?
2. Can you think of someone in your life that has obviously risked everything to follow Christ?
3. Will you give up all to see?

Do This

Spend some time reflecting on your own life and your personal walk with Christ. Is the love he has for you powerful enough in your life to risk the things that are the most valuable to you? Pray that God would make it so.

Read

For more about Jesus’ ability to bring understanding and light Read Mark 4:21-25

Read this: John 9:1-41

Historical Background

Beggars were very common in Jesus’ day. If someone was born blind that was pretty much their only option as far as making money. Jesus’ choice of healing this man was consistent with his ministry up to this point. He was known for helping the poor and helpless. Jesus had become such a huge force in the community as he was working miracles that some of the Pharisees began using drastic measures to keep the people from following him. Knowing that they were losing power and influence over the people, they threatened to kick anyone who followed Jesus out of the Jewish church. When the man’s parents had him speak for himself it was because of this.

Devotional

I used to shower regularly. Wait…I used to shower in the dark regularly. I’m not weird or anything, I just thought it was cool. When I was a lot younger I was always very fascinated with the idea of functioning in the dark. I was the kid that tried to walk from one end of the house to the other with my eyes closed and I showered in the dark so that I could test my ability to find my shampoo and soap without seeing. I don’t know why, but I was just so fascinated by the idea of doing stuff without seeing. What I learned from all of that was pretty simple, though. It’s always easier to do stuff when you can see. Walking from one end of my house to the other is just easier with my eyes open and I can find my shampoo on the first try when the light’s on in the bathroom. It’s amazing to me how often people (myself included) try to function in spiritual darkness without God’s guidance. I’ve lived long enough and experienced enough of life to know that God’s presence in my life makes things a whole lot easier to understand. It’s like the knowledge I have of him has opened my eyes to what the world is really like.  -Ross

God’s Character

God wants us to see him. It’s funny to think about God wanting something that we must provide because we’re so used to him being able to do anything he wants. I mean, he’s God! Loving God is a little bit different, though. God gave us free will (the ability to make our own decisions) because he loves us and wants us to take ownership of our own decisions. In other words, God doesn’t want us to be a bunch of robots that act programmed and impersonal in everything we do. Part of this freewill God gave us at creation was the choice as to whether or not we’ll love him. God has done everything and more to show us how badly he wants us to love him and see him for who he really is: a God that cares deeply about us and wants the best for us. It’s just up to us whether or not we’ll see all that he has done.

Questions

1. Have you ever tried to do anything with your eyes closed? What was it?
2. What does it mean to be spiritually blind?
3. What kinds of things can you do to recognize and see how much God loves you and cares about you?
4. What does this miracle tell you about the Kingdom of God?

The Big Question:

Can Jesus take you through the storm?

Lesson Review

We discovered that God is bigger than your problems. Our lives can get pretty crazy sometimes. Like the disciples in the boat during the storm, we are helpless to control what’s going on around us. But if we keep looking for Jesus we’ll see that he is there, standing above the stormy water, telling us that he will see us through and beckoning us to step out of the boat with him. Keep your eyes on Jesus.

The Kingdom of God conquers chaos. As citizens of this kingdom, we are not consumed or destroyed by the chaos around us, but we submit to the order of the kingdom. The world around us is driven by reaction to chaos and an attempt to control it, but God’s children are compelled by the loving commands of a king who’s power is over everything, and we see Jesus’ power to use all circumstances for his glory. That doesn’t mean that he will remove all hardship from our lives, but that he can redeem it to bring about something better.

Can Jesus take you through the storm?

Questions

1. What are some ways that Jesus can conquer the chaos of your life?
2. Are you going through a storm right now? How can Jesus use that storm in your life to bring glory to himself?
3. Can Jesus take you through the storm?

Do This

Pray that God will help you to see him in the middle of your chaos, or stormy life. Ask him to show you how you can play a role in him using your storm to bring himself glory.

Read

Romans 5:1-5

Read this: John 6:16 – 21

Historical Background

Devotional

There are times in my life when I feel like I’m a walking reaction.  Not like an allergic one or anything.  I just feel like everything I do is in response to something happening.  This shouldn’t surprise me, though.  As a card-carrying procrastinator (I wait until the last minute to do everything), I’m often in situations that are uncomfortable and high pressure, but they’re usually my own fault.  What do I do in those situations where my world feels upside down and it’s not even my fault?  Who do I deal with an unexpected ‘F’ on a test, an unpaid bill that I can’t afford, a friend hurting my feelings, or even a death in the family?  Times get crazy and rough and extremely overwhelming even for Christians.  Saying we love Jesus doesn’t provide us all with “get out of chaotic situations free” cards, does it?  Part of following the one, true God is recognizing that even though my world can feel like one big thunderstorm on a sea, he still walks across the sea to find me and let me know that he’s in control and will take care of me, no matter what.

- Ross

God’s Character

We all have problems.  Some of them are small and some of them are huge.  It’s one of those things that comes along with being human.  Regardless of who you are, you will have problems at some point in your life.  Matthew 5:45 says that the rain will fall and the sun will shine on both righteous people and unrighteous people.  This means that good stuff and bad stuff will happen to everyone regardless of whether or not they love Jesus.  The difference between the two, however, is that Christians have hope in Christ that he can solve our problems and that God is big enough to handle any kind of chaos that is thrown our way. God is bigger than your problems.

Questions

1. Who had a better view during the miracle: Jesus or his disciples?
2. Are there any really tough problems that you’re dealing with these days? Do you think that God is bigger than those problems?
3. What do you think it means for God to be bigger than your problems?
4. Can you remember a time in your life when God showed you that he was big enough to solve a really hard problem?
5. What does this miracle tell you about the Kingdom of God?

The Big Question:

Will you dare to consume Jesus?

Lesson Review

We discovered that God can sustain you. The reason we know this is that Jesus fed 5,000 people on a hillside one day. This would have cost the equivalent of $23,00! But he did it with nothing but a few loaves of bread and some fish. If he can do that with so little, imagine how he can sustain the rest of your life!

Also, we learned that the Kingdom of God offers sustenance; that is, the citizens of the Kingdom will be sustained, or provided for. Jesus is a loving and caring king that offers us what we need spiritually. He will provide for our needs. The kingdom offers us sustenance. All we have to do is consume Jesus. Which leaves us with one big question.

Will you dare to consume Jesus?

Questions

1. What does it mean to consume Jesus?
2. How will consuming Jesus change the way you live right now?
3. Will you dare to consume Jesus?

Do This

When you answer the question above, “How will consuming Jesus change the way you live?” write down specific things that would change (if you can’t think of any, you’re not thinking hard enough). Now pray that God would give you the strength to follow through with those things and DO IT!

For more about consuming Jesus:

Read

John 6:25-69

Read this: John 6:1 – 15

Historical Background

The Bible says there were 5,000 men there, but there could’ve been more.  We’re not exactly sure.  There could’ve been more women and children.  In the end Jesus still fed a boatload of people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. Another thing to consider is the extreme price that it would’ve cost for the disciples to pay to feed all of the people there. Philip told Jesus that 200 days’ pay wouldn’t even be enough to feed everyone there. 200 days pay in Texas would be close to $23,000!

Having such a large number of people following him around would have drawn the attention of authorities. It sure looks like Jesus is gaining power that could threaten the local government, or the religious establishment. Bottom line: There were a bunch of people there and Jesus was able to feed all of them on five (most-likely small) loaves of bread, and two fish. He even had leftovers.

Devotional

“You are what you eat” or so they say. I must be a Big Mac because I love eating them. But have you ever thought about this human thing called eating? It’s pretty interesting. I think there’s more truth to the statement “you are what you eat” than what there appears to be when you first hear it. Think about it: if we continually eat things that are bad for us, like Big Macs, we will be unhealthy. If we starve ourselves, we will be equally unhealthy, but with the exact opposite physical effect. We have to eat, because if we don’t we die. But we have to eat right, or our lives will be miserable because of health issues.

I think that the same goes for our spirituality. We have to feed it, or our souls will be unhealthy. You can call food “sustenance” because it “sustains” you, it keeps you going. But what sustains you spiritually? What is your soul food?

-Logan

God’s Character

In this miracle, Jesus feeds five thousand men, not including women and children. That’s a ton of people. He feeds them bread and fish, and it’s an amazing thing because everyone’s full even though there was only a little bit of food to start with. That’s the miracle. It’s awesome, but let’s not miss God’s character in this.

Jesus shows us through this miracle that God can sustain you. He cares about our needs, both physically and spiritually, and he has the power to sustain you. We simply have to take in what he gives us, trusting that it will be what we need.

Questions

1. What’s your favorite food? Is it healthy or unhealthy?
2. Imagine that you’re there watching Jesus tear apart the bread and fish and he just never seemed to run out. What do you think that would be like? How would you react?
3. How do we feed ourselves spiritually? Is there an unhealthy way to be fed spiritually?
4. How can we allow God to feed us, to sustain us, spiritually? What things should we “eat”?
5. What does this miracle tell you about the Kingdom of God?

The Big Question:

Is Jesus who he says he is?

Lesson Review

This week, we saw that Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath, which was illegal. Then he told the healed man to pick up his mat and walk, and carrying anything on the Sabbath was definitely not allowed. Both of these things show us that God is the highest authority. Higher than any person or rules made up by people. He proved it to the man by healing him, and God proves it to us by saving us through Jesus and giving us purpose.

But what’s more, it shows us that the Kingdom of God conflicts with other systems. When Jesus broke the rules, he showed us that God’s Kingdom doesn’t always fit in with what our culture wants us to do or act like. In fact, it often is completely, radically different. So that leaves us with one question we have to answer, and the answer we land on will define our lives.

Is Jesus who he says he is?

Questions

1. Why is it that the Kingdom of God conflicts with just about every other system?
2. Can you think of any areas in your life where you don’t let God be the ultimate authority? Think of something you can do to either change that.
3. Do you believe that Jesus is who he says he is?

Do This

Pray and ask God what you need to do to live with him as the ultimate authority in your life. Ask him to call the shots and lead you to where you need to be.

For more about the Kingdom of God conflicting with other systems…

Read

Matthew 19:16-25