Sunday School Unit: Jesus' Ministry

We just completed a five week unit on the ministry of Jesus. The unit told how Jesus prepared to spread the gospel and through His example how we can be witnesses.

The first lesson was called He Trained Disciples. The scripture for this lesson was Matthew 10:5-10. Jesus instructed his disciples to: "go to the lost sheep of Israel", preach "The kingdom of heaven is near" and that they would not need to take any money with them. Jesus wants us to spread his gospel today and just like the disciples he will give us an audience, a message and the tools needed to reach them.

He Performed Miracles was the second lesson. This lesson referenced Mark 2:1-12 and John 20:30,31. Jesus has power over human weaknesses, both physical and spiritual and he performed miracles to draw us to him, so we might believe and be saved from our sin.

He Shared Human Hardship was the next lesson. The scriptures referred to in this lesson were: John 11:32-36, Hebrews 2:10 and Hebrews 4:14-16. John 11 told the story of Jesus being moved by the death of His friend Lazarus, an example of Jesus' humanity. Jesus suffered hardships as we do, so we can be confident that we will receive mercy from him.

The fourth lesson was He Tested His Followers. Luke 14:25-33 was the scripture reference. We must be ready to give all we have to Christ, if we do God will give us the victory.


He Served was the last lesson. The scripture referred to was John 13:3, 4, 12-17, Jesus washed the feet of the disciples before the last supper. We need to realize that in the kingdom of heaven those that are great need to serve.

Lesson: Repsonding to the Call

Have you heard the legend that inspired modern marathons? The Greeks defeated the much larger Persian Army on the plain of Marathon in 490 BC. A single runner ran the 26 miles to Athens to give the news. He reached the city and declared "Rejoice, we conquer" and then collapsed and died. Have you ever had good news you couldn't wait to share?.

Paul started out being zealously opposed to the followers of Jesus. He jailed any believers he could find. His actions had an unforeseen consequence - believers fled his persecution and the Gospel spread to new cities. Paul pursued the believers to Damascus with the intent of returning them to Jerusalem and imprisoning them. But God wanted to use Paul's zeal and revealed Himself to Paul on the way.

God called Paul to be his messenger and sent Ananias to pray for him and baptize him. Paul quickly started teaching the Gospel. Paul went on three missionary journeys, (see Acts 13, Acts 15 and Acts 18). He spread the Gospel through much of the Roman Empire.


God has called us to spread his good news to our world. Jesus' last words to the apostles before ascending to heaven was "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth". What can you do to spread the good news of God's grace?

APPLE ORCHARD

Ten Lepers - One Returns to Give Thanks

This week's lesson was on the ten lepers healed in Luke 17:11-19. Jesus told the lepers to go the priests so they could be ceremonially cleansed as written in Leviticus 14:1-8. They were healed on their journey to the priests and only one of the lepers returned to give thanks to Jesus. The others had reasons to go directly to the priests, instead of thanks the one who healed them.

How much does God do for us? Didn't Jesus tell us that God provides us with food in Matthew 6:25-27? Are we not redeemed with the blood of Christ as Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:18-20.

Paul writes we are to be thankful no matter what life brings us in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 because it is God's will for us. So do not be like the other nine, but be like the one that thanked Jesus for his life changing gift.

Lesson: Zacchaeus - An Unpopular Follower

A faraway, repressive government imposes unpopular taxes. These are the conditions that caused the Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution. The American Colonists rioted over these hated the taxes. These riots were so violent that taxes collectors quit.

The Jews of Jesus' day felt the same about the taxes they were forced to pay to Rome. Zacchaeus collected taxes for the hated Roman government. He was successful enough at it that he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy because of it. Yet, Zacchaeus' life changed when Jesus happened to pass through the city of Jericho in Luke 19.

When Jesus asked Zacchaeus to come down from the sycamore tree, the crowd could not believe Jesus would go to this sinner's house. How could Jesus eat with this traitor? Jesus did not see a traitor, but a son of Abraham and a soul that needed salvation. Zacchaeus repented and was saved.

Is there anyone in our lives that we believe should not receive God's grace? Why shouldn't they be given the same opportunity as Zacchaeus? Did not Christ die for us when we were still sinners, (Romans 5:7-9)?

Sunday School Lesson: Woman Anoints Jesus' Feet

Last Sunday's lesson was on the sinful woman that anoints the feet of Jesus recounted in Luke 7:36-50.

The host was indignant that Jesus would even allow this woman to touch him. Jesus knew the hearts of this woman and Simon and preferred the repentant sinner to the "righteous" Pharisee.

What are our hearts like? Are we proud of our background or righteousness, like Simon or do we realize that we are sinners that have received God's grace?

We need to understand we are justified by God's grace and no one is righteous as Paul wrote in Romans 3:22-24.

Teens, Youth, Young People

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