Praying the Psalms: Introduction to the Psalms with Psalm 1 (Randy)

The Psalms were Jesus’s prayer book.  He prayed constantly to the Father, and very often quoted the Psalms when doing so.  Today, we tend to be more perfunctory in our prayers, or focus on physical health and well being over spiritual health and well being.  With the Psalms as our guide, we can learn to pray more honestly and meaningfully to God.  In this introductory lesson, we examine Psalm 1 as the “main entrance to the mansion” of the Psalms.

Listen to Praying the Psalms: Introduction to the Psalms
Lesson Plan

Farewell Discourse: Summary Lesson (Randy)

Some people have said that if you want to understand the heart of Christianity, you only need to read the book of Romans and the gospel of John.  And if you are truly pressed for time, you only need to read the Farewell Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus as found in John 13-17.  These are Jesus’s final words to his disciples and one of his last prayers to his Father in heaven.

 This past fall, we explored the Farewell Discourse and Prayer of Jesus as he prepared his disciples for his impending death.  Knowing what was to come, Jesus brought this ragtag group of disciples together for one final meal – the Last Supper – and shared his message one more time.  Would the disciples listen? Would they get it?  Would they carry the message forward?  Now we know that Jesus knew the answer all along.

Listen to Farewell Discourse Summary
Lesson Plan

Farewell Discourse: Prayer for Future Believers (Randy)

Jesus prays for future believers at the very end of his final prayer.  In these final moments, he asks God to help us live in unity and love so we may come to know his glory – the glory of God dwelling in our hearts and the glory of God in heaven – and so that the next generation of believers will come to know Christ.

Listen to Prayer for Future Believers
Lesson Plan

Farewell Discourse: Prayers for the Disciples (Randy)

In his final hours, Jesus prayed for both himself and his disciples.  In that prayer, he revealed his true purpose on earth – to sacrifice his life as the ultimate act of love so we may know God have eternal life – and asked God to protect us from the evil one so that we may be one with God and one with each other.  By being one with God and having a personal relationship with him, we receive eternal life and experience a full measure of joy. 

Listen to Farewell Discourse: Prayers for the Disciples
Lesson Plan

Farewell Discourse: True Joy (Randy)

Knowing a lot about Jesus and the work he did inspires Christians and non-Christians alike.  It took the resurrection to fully convince even Jesus’s closest followers that he wasn’t just a prophet, but rather the Son of God.  That ultimate revelation left them with a joy that could never be taken away.  We can share in that true joy when we put our faith on the ultimate victory Christ had over death on the cross.

Listen to Farewell Discourse: True Joy
Lesson Plan

Farewell Discourse: Why Christ Must Go (Chris)

This week, the theme of holiness inside of our Christian community and outside in the world takes clearer shape.  The lesson explores the relationship between Christ and the Holy Spirit and helps to explain how both together provide the means by which our belief and witness lead to "strong faith."

Listen to the Farewell Discourse of Jesus: Why Christ Must Go
Lesson Plan
Handout

Farewell Discourse of Jesus: The World's Hatred (Chris)

Jesus warned his disciples that believers face pressure from the world to conform to it rather than to God.  Avoiding these pitfalls comes through internal attitude (faith) and external action (witness).

Listen to Farewell Discourse of Jesus: The World's Hatred
Lesson Plan
Handout