SERIES: Close Encounters with Christ

LESSON 08

TITLE: Grace and Truth

MAIN TEXT: John 8

BIG IDEA: The chapter begins with the Judeans wanting to stone a woman caught in adultery and ends with them wanting to stone Jesus. The actions and teachings of Jesus reveal radical grace and truth which can still make us uncomfortable today.

SERIES: Close Encounters with Christ

LESSON 07

TITLE: That Was ‘In-Tents’

MAIN TEXT: John 7

BIG IDEA: The people in Jerusalem are questioning who Jesus is, where he came from, and what to do with him. They are divided, and the tension is rising. As Jesus often does, he embodies the Festival of Booths within himself. He “tabernacled” among us (John 1:14), and he offers water that will become a raging river within us (alluding to Ezekiel 47).

SERIES: Close Encounters with Christ

LESSON 06

TITLE: Hungry for Something New

MAIN TEXT: John 6

BIG IDEA: The sign of Jesus’ feeding the 5,000 and the miraculous walking on water point us to a new Passover, a new Exodus, where one greater than Moses is giving his people something greater than Mana. The true Living Bread is Jesus. He is the passover lamb. He is the bread from heaven. He is the way through the waters of chaos. He is the source of living water.

SERIES: Close Encounters with Christ

LESSON 05

TITLE: The Desperate and the Disabled

MAIN TEXT: John 4:43—5:16

BIG IDEA: In these two “signs” Jesus heals the son of a desperate father and causes a detached paralytic to walk again. The father, a nobleman who possibly worked for Herod, showed his faith by trusting Jesus’ word and going back home. The disabled man was anything but grateful.

SERIES: Close Encounters with Christ

LESSON 04

TITLE: Do You Know Who You’re Talking To?

MAIN TEXT: John 4:1-42

BIG IDEA: Jesus breaks down the social, political, and religious barriers to have a conversation with a woman in need. He sees her for who she truly is, knows her deepest desires, and lets her in on the secret of his true identity. He teaches her about living water, worship, and the future of God’s kingdom.

Series: Close Encounters with Christ

Lesson 03

Title: "On Losing Control"

Text: John 3

The author intentionally holds Nicodemus and John in contrast. There are two approaches to religion - hold onto control at all costs, or let go of control. The Gospel, the Good News, is that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s favor. All we need to do is trust in the One he sent. God’s love is a given. God came to us when we didn’t deserve it and gave his own life so we could have eternal life with him. God cannot be controlled no matter how hard we try. A God we can control and understand is an idol.

SERIES: Close Encounters with Christ

LESSON 02

TITLE: Of Wine and Whips

MAIN TEXT: John 2

BIG IDEA: Where is God? God shows up in unexpected places in unexpected ways. Where there is fear and shame, Jesus brings celebration, joy, abundance, and blessing. But where there are those who would take advantage of others and turn religion into profit, Jesus brings judgment and allows everyone to regain access to God’s house.

SERIES: Close Encounters with Christ

LESSON 01

TITLE: “WORTH THE HYPE?”

MAIN TEXT: John 1

BIG IDEA: The pre-existent Word of God (Christ) became flesh. These stories are not made up. They have been recorded and preserved for all future generations, so that we might believe. John is inviting us, the readers, on a journey of discovery. Does Jesus really live up to the the hype? Is following him worth it even if it means losing everything? Come and see.