Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1, 12; Matthew 25:14-30

Leading Question: What is God’s plan for employing a wide variety of skills and talents in the work of his kingdom?

Not all of us have the same talents and capabilities. And even when our talents are similar to someone else’s, it is not likely to be developed to the same extent. In that connection, Paul gives wise counsel in connection with his observations about the fruit of the spirit. Here the key words are italicized:

Galatians 5:22-26 (NRSV): “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 ...

Scripture: Mark 8:22-36; John 4:3-34; Acts 8:26-38

Leading Question: Who is the Holy Spirit?

In the early centuries of the Christian era, Christians struggled mightily to understand and define the three members of the Godhead. Its main outlines were established by the Council of Nicaea (325) and Council of Constantinople (381). But to this day, the understanding of the Trinity, especially the role of the Holy Spirit, continues to be the subject of lively debate.

The complexity of the doctrine is such that this quip by the English minister, Robert South (1634-1716), seems to have some merit: “Just as denying this fundamental Christian ...

Scripture: Mark 8:22-36; John 4:3-34; Acts 8:26-38

Leading Question: Why is prayer so mysterious?

In a rather tantalizing quotation, C. S. Lewis comments about the mysteries of holy places:

I say the gods deal very unrightly with us. For they will neither (which would be best of all) go away and leave us to live our own short days to ourselves, nor will they show themselves openly and tell us what they would have us do. For that too would be endurable. But to hint and hover, to draw near us in dreams and oracles, or in a waking vision that vanishes ...

Scripture: Mark 8:22-36; John 4:3-34; Acts 8:26-38

Leading Question: Why doesn’t Jesus fix everything and everyone at once?

Comment: This lesson brings together a wide diversity of people whom Jesus helped. Some got on the right path almost immediately, and never looked back. Others had to wander for a while. Indeed, in one tantalizing story Jesus healed a blind man in two stages. Let’s focus on some lessons we can learn from Jesus in these stories.

Question: Why did Jesus heal the blind man in two step? Why not all at once.

Comment: The story in Mark 8:22-26 is the only recorded miracle ...

Scripture: Mark 5, 16; Acts 26

Leading Question: Is it possible to be consistently “winsome” in our witness, or is it inevitable that believers must sometimes face heavy weather?

In approaching this week’s topic, the official study guide lists three key “witnesses” as examples for us, two of whom we presented last week as “extroverts,” namely, the healed demoniac who went back to his countrymen to tell them what Jesus had done for him (Mark 5) and Paul in his testimony to Agrippa (Acts 26). The third witness or cluster of witnesses, focuses on the women who witnessed Christ’s resurrection (Mark ...

Scripture: Luke 15; 1 Tim. 2:3-4

Leading Question: The call to public witness seems to be a plan crafted for extroverts. What is God’s plan for introverts?

In this new series of lessons, the focus is on joyful witness and winning friends for God.

Question: What examples of introvert witnesses does Scripture offer us?

Can we list some obvious introverts and some obvious extroverts? Does Scripture indicate that God may be as well pleased with the introverts as he is with the extroverts?

Introverts:

Andrew: Bringing people to Jesus

John 1:40-42 Brings Peter

John 6:8-9 Brings boy with the loaves and fish

John 12:20-22 Brings the Greeks who ...

Opening Question

How has knowing the Bible been a blessing in your life?

Introduction

This lesson really picks up on the last part of last week’s study guide. There is no doubt about the Bible’s importance. If anything, it’s talked about in Christian circles too much, and studied too little. How can we live with the Bible as a guide for daily life?

Ways to Keep the Bible Front and Central

This week, the lesson simply explores ways to keep the Bible fresh and relevant. Here are some of the ways it has worked for me:

Read new/different Bible versions. Get a copy of ...

Opening Question

What should I do if I find something in the Bible that is hard to understand or seems to disagree with something else I read there?

Introduction

In a book the size of the Bible, there are bound to be parts that challenge us. This is to be expected, first of all, if it is a book about God whose divine Spirit inspired the writers. Why should we expect anything that originates with an all-powerful, all-knowing, eternal Spirit-being to be limited to simple human terms? More than this, the sheer size of the book and subjects it covers should give ...

Opening Question

If you knew someone was a prophet sent from god, would you want to be their friend?

Introduction

This lesson approaches Bible prophecy deductively from an already-formed theological position in order to defend certain conclusions, rather than a more inductive approach of discovering the positions through deep study of the text. This doesn’t mean the conclusions are wrong, only that the quarterly’s approach will certainly be less attractive to younger people, and maybe thinking people in general. It feels more like propaganda than exciting study of Scripture. Nevertheless, here we go: the lesson tackles the following subjects under the title, ...

Opening Question

Does Archeology provide any support that stories in the Bible actually happened, or does it refute the Judeo-Christian faith?

Introduction

The Biblical text is rooted in time, place, and history. This week’s lesson focuses on where the biblical text is consistent with known history from outside the Hebrew and Greek scriptures. Many of the events in the Bible depend on their historic accuracy for the doctrines/beliefs that follow (such as the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth), while others may depend less on actual historicity. But the Biblical documents are certainly filled with names of actual places and people.

In contrast, archeologists ...