Christ Church Studies

We rarely lament. Christians often shy from public prayer or song that expresses grief, sorrow, or pain. But the Bible is full of examples otherwise, for faithful lament is vital to our discipleship. As we open the book of Lamentations, we learn the first response to pain and suffering ought not be to offer comfort, but instead to simply acknowledge suffering and share in sorrow.

The eternal Son of God wishes to make his followers into friends. But friendships are built on companionship, trust, and loyalty, all qualities that Jesus's followers fail to show when they abandon him in his time of greatest need. Thankfully, Jesus is not content to let his friends go. He dies for his followers and then, when he is resurrected, he restores them to friendship.

In John 18 and 19, Jesus is not the only one on trial. The condemnation of Christ after Gethsemane revealed the hearts and characters of all those present on that day. The Gospel of John is full of such moments: when people attempt to test Jesus, they find themselves on trial instead. What can we learn from this fundamental truth about our savior?

John 17 records an extended prayer of Jesus on the night he faced crucifixion. We are given, in these words, a window into the soul of Jesus and what Jesus deeply desires for the world: to see and share in his glory. In this session, we examine why glory is so desirable, and why Christ's prayer is cause for our joy.

What was so new about Jesus's new commandment in John 13? It wasn't simply the exhortation to love your neighbor--that command had existed since Old Testament times--but rather the form that love should take. Jesus commanded his disciples to love in the same way that he loved them. It's a remarkable ethical vision; how can we possibly follow it?

Christians, from the days of the early church, have celebrated the picture of Jesus as the good shepherd in countless paintings and writings. What makes this picture so timeless and compelling? In this session, we explore what it means for Jesus to be the good shepherd and how it ought to affect the way we relate to him as his followers.

Why do some people continue to follow Jesus and others, even those who seem authentic and enthusiastic in their faith, walk away from him? In this session, we'll discuss why the crowd abandoned Jesus in John 6 and how we, today, can respond faithfully to the life that Jesus offers.

Jesus enters the world as light enters into darkness. Yet people love the darkness. In John 3 and 4, Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman meet with Jesus, and Jesus exposes their internal darkness and urge them to come to terms with the truth about themselves. We learn, through these examples, what it means for Jesus to be "the Light of the world." Exposure can be very uncomfortable. We can try to avoid it. But in the end, it’s the only way to find true life.

The Gospel of John seems entirely unlike the other three New Testament Gospels, and yet it is considered by many the most theologically profound. In this session, we examine what makes John's Gospel unique, beginning with its startling introduction, "In the beginning was the Word ... and the Word became flesh," which has profound implications for God's relationship with us.

Isaiah prophesies of a utopian future when conflict and violence will end, pain and sorrow will vanish, and humans will have peace and purpose. In many ways, this future hearkens back to humanity’s primordial past in the Garden of Eden, except that Isaiah focuses on life in a city. Directly challenging our mundane dreams, Isaiah bids us to hope for much more and live renewed in the knowledge and glory of God.