Blog

Fall 2021

Celebrating God Who among the gods is like you, Lord? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders” (Exodus 15:11). This quarter’s lessons focus on the gift and privilege of worship, the acts of celebrating God for who he is and his work in our lives and in the world. Moses expressed amazement and awe through his worship, and these studies will explore worship that creates in us the same response. People of Praise The quarter begins under the heading “God’s People Offer Praise.” These first four lessons show us several individuals who praised God in different ways and in different circumstances. These lessons provide examples of praise-filled lives. They show us individuals who had serious flaws, or who faced great challenges in life, but who, nevertheless, rendered praise to God. Moses, looking down on the corpses of the Egyptian charioteers, sang with confidence: “Your right hand, […]

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Summer 2021

Confident Hope Often it takes a tragedy or other setback to force us to switch off the autopilot of everyday life. When that happens, the result can be an exposure of the cracks in our beliefs and the asking of the deeper questions of life. That was one result of the tragedy of 9/11, the 20th anniversary of which will be observed in a few months. That event seemed to dash hopes in life’s stability, and it led otherwise unchurched people to pack out worship services over the weeks that followed. Even though church attendance soon began to drop back to “normal” levels, the tenacity of hope made itself felt in, among other things, the form of a $3 million hope sculpture in New York City in 2014. But the question remains: What or who is the proper object of a confident hope? Unit 1—Jesus Teaches About Faith History is […]

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Spring 2021

Prophets Faithful to God’s Covenant They were a combination of preacher, whistleblower, and counselor—they were the prophets of the Old Testament era. They warned people who had turned away from the Lord; and they encouraged the faithful to remain faithful. From time to time, they fortified their calls by foretelling the future intent and plans of the sovereign God. Words of Faithfulness The lessons of Unit 1 highlight the faithfulness of God, who reveals to his people their need to be faithful to Him. Lesson 1 recounts Moses’ foretelling of a prophet whom God would raise up within Israel to speak the Lord’s words to them. Israel’s necessary response would be to obey the prophet. These words anticipate the line of prophets God would send, culminating in the ultimate prophet, Jesus Christ (see Acts 3:17–26). The faithfulness of Israel in response to the Lord’s faithfulness was on display in the […]

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Winter 2020

More than one type of wisdom   by Mark S. Krause Unit 1: The Beginning of a Call Date Title Bible Text December 6 Called to be heir Matthew 1:1-6, 16-17, Hebrews 1:1-5 December 13 Called to be Immanuel Matthew 1:18-25 December 20 Called to worship Matthew 2:1-2, 7-15 December 27 Called to prepare Matthew 3:1-12 Unit 2: Jesus and Calls in His Ministry Date Title Bible Text January 3 Called to proclaim Luke 4:14-22a January 10 Called to follow Luke 5:1-11 January 17 Called in authority Mark 2:1-12 January 24 Called for the world’s belief John 17:14-24 Unit 3: The Call of Women Date Title Bible Text January 31 Called to prophesy Luke 2:36-38 February 7 Called to testify John 4:25-42 February 14 Called to support Luke 8:1-3, Mark 15:40, John 20:10-18 February 21 Called to explain Acts 18:1-3, 18-21, 24-26 February 28 Called to serve Acts 16:11-15, 40

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