TABLE OF CONTENTS - Helwys

Roots in Tradition and Family

Lesson 1Tradition ........................................................................3Luke 2:21-40

Lesson 2Looking for Love in All the Right Places ............................8Luke 2:41-52

Lesson 3May I Introduce You to a Friend? ....................................13Luke 3:15-22

Lesson 4Home Is Where the Heart Is............................................18Luke 4:14-30

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prepare Before the SessionRead the session for today in the Study Guide. Then read the options in this Teaching

Guide, placing checkmarks beside the activities you plan to include. After you have decidedwhich options to use, gather the appropriate materials.

WHAT’S IN YOUR TEACHING GUIDE

This Teaching Guide has three purposes:➤ to give the teacher tools for focusing on the content of the session in the Study Guide.➤ to give the teacher additional Bible background information.➤ to give the teacher variety and choice in preparation.

The Teaching Guide includes two major components: Teacher Helps and Teacher Options.

Teacher Helps

Teacher Options

Find Relevance helps you zero in on why eachsession is important for theadults you teach.Seek Understandingpresents helpful BibleBackground information and insights thatwill help you better understand the Scripture.

Teaching Outlineprovides you with an outlineof the main themes in theStudy Guide. My Teaching Plan is aconvenient place for you tomake notes for teaching thesession.

Offer Illustrations presents material that will help you painta picture of the session. This section often presents items fromchurch history, current events, or interesting anecdotes thathelp introduce the session.Discussion provides teaching activities that will help learnersdiscuss the Scripture text.Questions presents multiple collections of questions forvarious kinds of adults.Involve Learners helps learners become actively involvedwith the Scripture text for a particular session.Closure gives you a means for wrapping up the session.

You Can Choose!There is more material in each session than you can use, so choose the options from each sectionto tailor the session to the needs of your group.

Find RelevanceWhy do adults care about thissession? Nearly everything

can be a learning experience solong as you are open to the

lessons life has to offer. That “God worksin mysterious ways” is not merely atruism, but also an affirmation of how wehave always experienced God.

In our Scripture passage for this lesson,Mary and Joseph come to the Temple tofulfill certain obligations of their faith—inother words, they are practicing what theypreach. But what happens during theirstay is far more than they ever expected.Incidentally, this particular text containsa truth that bears repeating: God certainlydoes move and work mysteriously in ourlives, but those who “have eyes to see andears to hear” are blessed with the powerof discernment. However, clarity in visionand acute hearing come only from thehard work of practicing the very senses wehope to cultivate. And, since we’re on thesubject, church is a great place to practice.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? At one point in his

ministry, Jesus warned hisfollowers about practicing their

piety before others. His reference in thiscase was to “hypocrites,” people whoflaunt their religion as a means of gainingpopular support. Jesus’ own parents, onthe other hand, were people of deeppersonal piety and sincerity who practicedtheir religion as a spiritual discipline. Inthis lesson’s Scripture, Mary and Josephalong with Simeon and Anna are lifted upas examples of those who practice “appro-priate” piety.

Yet, this session is not about practicingour piety; rather, it is about what happenswhen we do! Simeon, a faithful followerwaiting on the consolation of Israel;Anna, a woman so faithful that she isdescribed as “never” leaving the Temple;and Jesus’ parents all reap the benefits ofwhat they have sown throughout theirlives. Because they have faithfully adheredto their religious convictions, they get toenjoy the privilege of taking a glimpse atGod’s action in the world. Without ques-tion, these four will see the Messiah. Infact, they will know of his presence longbefore anyone else. After all, such is thegain of well-practiced spiritual disciplines,the ability to see and hear God whenothers either cannot or will not.

1Lesson Teaching Guide

TRADITION

Luke 2:21-40

ResourcesWilliam Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Philadelphia: TheWestminster Press, 1975).

Charles R. Erdman, The Gospel of Luke (Philadelphia: TheWestminster Press, 1949).

S. MacLean Gilmour, “Luke,” The Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 8(New York: Abingdon Press, 1952).

Peter Scholtes, words and music, “They’ll Know We AreChristians by Our Love” (F. E. L. Publications, copyright©1966) from The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration (WacoTX: Word Music, 1986).

My Teaching Plan

Introduction: Anna, Simeon, Mary, andJoseph all practice their faith diligently,and in doing so, catch a glimpse of thedivine work of God.

I. Jesus’ Faithful Parents (Lk 2:21-24)A. The Rites of the Eighth DayB. The Rite of Purification

II. Simeon the Devout: A Faithful Man(Lk 2:24-35)A. Simeon’s LifeB. Moved by the SpiritC. Singing God’s PraisesD. The Prophecy of the Child

III. Anna the Prophetess: A Woman ofCommitment (Lk 2:36)A. The Life of AnnaB. The Prophecy of the Child

IV. Mary and Joseph: Parents ofDevotionA. “All That the Law Required”B. Fulfillment of Prophecy Set in

Motion

Conclusion: The enduring devotion offour individuals leads each to a newunderstanding of Jesus as he begins hisjourney toward fulfilling the prophecy.

4 Lesson 1

Offer IllustrationsHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ Name GameNames are as unique as people are. Infact, sometimes they actually can be veryrevealing. Sometimes, for instance, aperson’s name might give a clue as towhere that individual is from, or indicatesomething about their background orheritage. Then again, a name also couldbe one that has been passed on from onegeneration to the next, or perhaps anamesake of a beloved relative. Of course,there are plenty of people who are namedafter friends or celebrities, or for thatmatter, after a character from a book orfilm. Still others bear the names of certainvirtues; also in this category would bethose named after biblical heroes.

In short, people are given names for avariety of reasons; some are attached withmore memories or sentiments thanothers, but each is unique just the same.Keeping this in mind, ask your volunteersto share any information they can regard-ing the origins of their own names. Manyof your participants probably will knowthe actual meanings behind their names,whereas others might have stories to tell.Regardless, be open to all comments.

QUESTIONS

• What names might you be hesitant togive to a child? Explain.

• If you were to change your name, whatname would you choose?

• Are names today perceived as any lesssignificant than they were during biblicaltimes? Why or why not?

❍ God’s Message BoardThe Scriptures speak of God’s messagecoming to us in a variety of forms: a dove,a flood, a rainbow, the wind, a cloud, afire, and a “still, small voice.” God uses anumber of avenues to spread the gospel:nature, prophets, angels, and of course,Jesus. For example, as we learned duringthe season of Advent, an angel deliveredGod’s message to Mary. And similarly, asky full of angels announced God’smessage to the shepherds. Finally, turningto our text for this lesson, we discoverthat God also used the lives of two devoutchurch-goers to pass on some words ofwisdom to Mary and Joseph. In the mean-time, rest assured that for those with “earsto hear and eyes to see,” God is still in thebusiness of sending messages.

QUESTIONS

• How has God gotten messages to you inthe past?

• What has surprised you about God’sapproach to message delivery?

Teaching Guide 5

DiscussionHow do I lead learners to dialogue about the session?

❍ Practice Makes PerfectAll the characters from this lesson’sScripture faithfully practice their spiritual-ity. Their methods may be quite different,but the results are much the samenonetheless. As reward for their efforts,God’s greatest work is revealed to each ofthem even as it unfolds from the verybeginning. With these things in mind,divide your adults into two smaller groupsand assign each one of the following ques-tions: • Group 1—What are the spiritual disciplines?• Group 2—Why are the spiritual disciplines

difficult to maintain?Encourage both teams to offer as many

possible answers as they can, which theywill be allowed to present before the largergroup. Conclude by challenging yourlearners to devote themselves to a specificspiritual discipline for 30 days.

QUESTIONS

• What can we gain from practicing thespiritual disciplines?

• Conversely, what can we lose by practic-ing the spiritual disciplines?

❍ Seeing God at WorkAsk the members of your group to reflecton times when they have recognized Godat work in the lives of others around them.Encourage them to consider only the expe-riences they have witnessed personally.Once they have had enough time to brain-storm, invite volunteers to share theirthoughts.

QUESTIONS

• Do you usually expect to see signs ofGod’s work in the world?

• How did God become evident to you ineach of the encounters you identified?

• In what ways can we sense God’s pres-ence in the contemporary world?

• What measures can we take to ensurethat we develop “eyes to see and ears tohear”?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ Why did Mary and Joseph make it a

priority to follow their traditions?➤ What characteristics of Simeon and

Anna are most significant to you?➤ How does a sense of God’s presence

affect your response to God’s message?

Questions for All Adults➤ How have you learned from the spiri-

tual lives of others?➤ What would Mary and Joseph have

missed out on had they decided to stayhome?

➤ With whom could you share the goodnews about Jesus?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ What spiritual disciplines have you

found most valuable to your faithdevelopment?

➤ What are some memories that youtreasure?

➤ What traditions did your parentsfollow that you also have maintained?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ What does Jesus offer us today?➤ How have you experienced God

throughout your own spiritual practice?➤ When have you experienced God’s

presence at church?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ How can we keep the joy of Christmas

alive throughout the entire year?➤ How did you go about naming your

children?➤ How do you plan on passing down the

memories you treasure to your children?

6 Lesson 1

Involve LearnersHow can I lead learners to explore the session together?

❍ Family ScrapbookThe shepherds shared with Mary andJoseph their story of the angels’ announc-ing Jesus’ birth. Likewise, Anna andSimeon shared their own affirmationsfrom God that Jesus was indeed the long-awaited Messiah. And, of course, Marytreasured all of these memories andpondered them in her heart.

Scrapbooks, in a sense, immortalize ourmemories of such events as outings withfriends, our college days, family vacations,weddings, births, and so on. Opening upa scrapbook is just like discovering atreasure chest full of memories. Duringthis unit, we will be putting together ascrapbook of memories. Ask your groupto reflect on this session and determinewhat “snapshot” they think would bestcommunicate the themes of ourScripture. Allow a few minutes beforegiving your participants an opportunityto respond.

After everyone who wishes to do so hashad a chance to comment, secure a largepiece of butcher paper to a focal wall,explaining to your group that they willuse the paper to map out the “snapshot”they think is most suitable. Be sure topoint out that the snapshot might beproduced in a number of forms, rangingfrom a drawing to a word description.(Note: For each of the next four sessions,you will repeat this exercise to provideyour learners the opportunity to createvisual reminders of what they are study-ing. At the end of the unit, you will havefour “snapshots” displayed in yourmeeting area to represent your group’sprogression throughout the sessions.)

❍ Outward Signs of an Inward ChangeCircumcision was an outward sign thatimplied a male Jew’s connection to agreater community of faith, namely to the

covenant of Abraham. In the NewTestament, Paul suggests that suchoutward signs are futile to effect authenticinward changes:

For a person is not a Jew who is oneoutwardly, nor is true circumcisionsomething external and physical.Rather, a person is a Jew who is oneinwardly, and real circumcision is amatter of the heart—it is spiritual andnot literal. Such a person receivespraise not from others but from God.(Rom 2:28-29)

QUESTIONS

• What are some outward signs that hintat an individual’s personal convictions?

• What outward signs tend to make youaware of inward changes in someone’slife?

• What are some outward signs that typifythe Christian lifestyle?

ClosureHow do I lead learners to respond?

❍ By Our LoveGod has a messagefor each of us, andin turn, we are

called to react. At least inpart, our response toGod’s message is anoutward sign of an inward change. Askyour group to explain how they thinkothers are able to tell that they areChristians. The answer is quite simplereally: they’ll know we are Christians byour love. Distribute the Resource Kit pagefor this session, and sing together“They’ll Know We Are Christians by OurLove.” Then again, if you’d like to take adifferent angle to your closing, you mightopt to enlist three volunteers to take turnsreading each verse as a final prayer.

Teaching Guide 7

2Find Relevance

Why do adults care about thissession? Rigid adherence to

daily routines can cause us tomiss some of life’s most precious

moments. As many a day ends, wewonder, “Where did the time go?” Thegood news, though, is that just as the rutscaused by a wagon on a dirt road allowthe vehicle to follow the same path almosteffortlessly, so have our routines—our“ruts,” so to speak—become comfortablefor us. The bad news, however, is thatroutines can be too comfortable. Howoften do we mindlessly run through ourdays completely unaware of the ruts weare creating, ruts that can potentiallygrow so deep that any attempt to take adifferent route will prove painfully difficult?

In our story this lesson, Mary andJoseph find their own “rut” interrupted.As they start out for home, their routinevisit to Jerusalem for the Festival ofPassover is abruptly altered when theyrealize that their child is missing. Even ina routine-oriented world, children seethings from a different perspective thanadults. Stepping out of his family routine,Jesus moved beyond the ruts of dailyliving to talk with the Temple teachers.This lesson’s Scripture helps us examineour own lives to see what ruts we mayhave created, especially as they relate tohow we experience Jesus.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? When examining this

story from Jesus’ childhood,it’s hard not to wonder, “Why in

the world didn’t Mary and Joseph checkthe Temple first? What were they think-ing?” Had they forgotten the visits of theangel and the shepherds and the wisemen? Had they forgotten their son’s trueidentity? And what about the affirmingwords of Simeon and Anna? Had thosebeen forgotten as well? Maybe it hadsomething to do with the love they heldfor him. Or perhaps it was simply theirinability to let him grow up just yet. Thenagain, maybe it was out of abject fear.Regardless, Mary and Joseph could notbring themselves to see Jesus as the Sonof God—at least, not yet.

On the surface, this story may recountMary and Joseph’s search for Jesus, but itis about how he is being perceived—evenby his earthly parents. They know his trueidentity, but don’t appear quite ready forhim to claim it. Their seemly inept searchactually illustrates the search in our ownlives. Too often we form the words on ourlips—“Where is God?”—but forget that wehave not taken the time to look in themost obvious places.

Lesson Teaching Guide

LOOKING FOR LOVE

IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES

Luke 2:41-52

Teaching Guide 9



MacLean Gilmour, “Luke,” The Interpreter’s Bible, vol. 8(New York: Abingdon Press, 1952).

Madeleine L’Engle, The Glorious Impossible (New York:Simon and Schuster, 1990).

John H. Westerhoff, III, Bringing Up Children in the ChristianFaith (Minneapolis: Winston Press, Inc., 1980).

My Teaching Plan

Introduction: Upon Jesus’ first visit tothe Temple as an infant, Simeon andAnna offer words of affirmation, point-ing to Jesus as the Messiah for all.

I. Jesus visits the Temple at age 12.A. The Festival of Passover is coming

to a close.B. Jesus stays in Jerusalem.C. Mary and Joseph head toward

Nazareth.

II. Mary and Joseph search for Jesus.A. They check with relatives and

friends.B. They check in the city of

Jerusalem.C. They check in the Temple.

III. Mary and Joseph find Jesus in theTemple.

A. Jesus is engaged in conversationwith the teachers.

B. Those who hear Jesus are amazed.C. Even Mary and Joseph are aston-

ished.

IV. Jesus goes home to Nazareth.

Conclusion: Jesus increases in wisdomas well as in divine and human favor.

Offer IllustrationsHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ A Lesson in SharingAs children, we learn that it is good toshare. In the following quote, JohnWesterhoff says that the sharing of ourfaith with our children is of the utmostimportance:

If I have learned anything over theyears, it is this: We need to make thereligious aspects of our lives a prior-ity; we need to make our growth infaith our first commitment in termsof time and energy. Only then can wedeal with our own anxiety, admit thatwe will never be the perfect parent,and acknowledge that our childrenare in God’s hands. Then we can relax,and instead of trying to live for ourchildren, we can live for ourselves andshare ourselves with them. Only whenwe turn to our own faith and life dowe have anything to share with ourchildren. (71)

QUESTIONS

• What is your initial reaction to theseremarks?

• How does sharing our faith influence thelives of children?

• How can we share our faith with children?

❍ Remembering Our ChildhoodOur story this lesson about Jesus visitingthe Temple at age 12 is the only eventrecorded in the Bible from our Savior’schildhood. This single episode representsthe way Jesus would go on to lead the restof his life. Although the events of our ownchildhood may not be as defining as thisone was for Jesus, we all have specialmemories of those times in our lives thatforeshadowed what was to come. Ask eachyour group members if they can recall onespecial memory or event from their child-hood, especially one that might have been

significant in shaping their future.Provide an opportunity for everyone toshare their ideas before moving on to thequestions provided.

QUESTIONS

• When did you realize that this particularmemory was special?

• What was the first big decision you madeon your own? Were you comfortable withyour final choice? Explain.

❍ Teach Your ChildrenAs you well know, children do not comewith instruction manuals. Many parentslearn parenting skills completely on theirown, while others are lucky enough tohave the aid of their own parents or otherparents in the community. These days,there are thousands of self-help booksavailable on parenting, and theapproaches they suggest are widelydiverse, ranging from those that recom-mend very little interaction in a child’s lifeto those that demand excessive control.With so many different opinions runningrampant, how are we ever to discern whatis truly best for the child?

QUESTIONS

• What parenting approach did yourparents use?

• What approach did you use or are youusing with your children?

❍ Ten Basic Lessons of LifeIn his wildly popular book, Everything INeeded to Know I Learned in Kindergarten,Robert Fulghum creatively outlines thebasic lessons of life. Post a large piece ofbutcher paper on a focal wall in yourmeeting area and write boldly across thetop “Ten Basic Lessons of Life.” Ask yourlearners to brainstorm their own list of“lessons” while you take notes. Aftercompiling a substantial list, have thegroup narrow the lessons to ten.

10 Lesson 2

QUESTIONS

• Which of these lessons are you alreadyteaching your children?

• How many of these did you learn as achild?

• How similar are these “basic lessons” tothe Ten Commandments?


❍ My Father’s House In our story this lesson, Jesus speaks ofthe Temple as “my Father’s house.” Inviteyour participants to compare this versewith the following passage from theGospel of John:

Do not let your hearts be troubled.Believe in God, believe also in me. Inmy Father’s house there are manydwelling places. If it were not so,would I have told you that I go toprepare a place for you? ( Jn 14:1-2)

Pay special attention to the sentences,“Why were you searching for me?” and“Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Isn’tit interesting that typically when we aremost desperately seeking Jesus, it isbecause our hearts are troubled? TheGospel of John speaks of a troubled heartas one that is unsettled. Christ’s responseto those with troubled hearts is this: “Inmy Father’s house there are manydwelling places.”

QUESTIONS

• When your heart is troubled, where doyou look for Jesus?

• What might Jesus have meant by saying,“In my Father’s house there are manydwelling places”?

• What resources does your churchprovide for people with troubled hearts?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ What were the priests’ and scribes’ reac-

tions to the young Jesus?➤ Why do think Mary and Joseph did not

understand Jesus’ response to them afterthey found him in the Temple?

➤ What do you think it means to “increasein divine and human favor”?

Questions for All Adults➤ What are some of your annual traditions?➤ What steps do you usually take to find

something you have lost? ➤ Even as Christians, how might we “lose”

Jesus?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ Children often help us view life from a

new perspective. When has a child taughtyou a valuable lesson?

➤ What is one of the most important lessonsyour parents have ever taught you?

➤ When was the first time an adult talked toyou as if you were an adult and not achild? How did it make you feel to receivesuch respect?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ With modern technology at our disposal,

it is easier than ever to communicate withone another. What do you find lacking inthese new modes of communication?What do you appreciate about them?

➤ Where do you envision the church in 20years?

➤ As a child, did you ever get lost or thinkyou were lost? If so, how did your parentsrespond?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ What was the hardest parenting lesson for

you to learn?➤ What lessons have your children taught

you?➤ What memories of your children are you

storing up as treasures for the years afterthey leave home?

Teaching Guide 11

12 Lesson 2


❍ Let’s Hear from the Kids! A week prior to your meeting, arrange tohave four or five children visit your class-room during the session, asking theirteachers to have each one draw a pictureof God to share with the adult class.When the children arrive, make sure theyfeel welcomed and comfortable (cookiesalways help!). Introduce each child byname and explain that the members ofyour group would like to see the picturesthey have drawn. After each child has hadan opportunity to share, be sure to thankall of them for coming. Once the childrenhave left the room, ask your learners whatinsights they gained from the children’spictures and conversation.

❍ The Search for JesusThe weekend after Thanksgiving, myfamily begins decorating for Advent andChristmas. In fact, we even have a specialtradition: when setting out the nativityset, we hide the figure of the baby Jesus.Then, on Christmas Eve the hunt begins!We check dresser drawers. We look in thecedar chest. We check out the closets. Andall the while we are searching, the familymember who hid the figure signals therest of us to let us know when we aregetting close. But, once the figurine isfound, we place the baby Jesus back intothe manger where he belongs.

QUESTIONS

• Where does your search for Jesus begin?

• When you hear the name of “Jesus,” whatis the first image that comes to yourmind?

• When you feel abandoned, where do youfirst start looking for God?

❍ Family ScrapbookIn our story this lesson, we are told thatMary “treasured all these things in herheart.” Throughout this unit, we havebeen putting together a scrapbook oftreasured memories. Reflecting on thethemes of this session, what “snapshot”brings to mind the message that this storyseeks to reveal? Have each of your partici-pants use newsprint to immortalize the“snapshot” they have conjured in theirmind’s eye. As they work, remind them totake into account those events or revela-tions from the Scripture text that areespecially important to remember.Meanwhile, encourage creativity, notingthat a “snapshot” could be anything froma drawing to a word description.


❍ Why Here? Jesus responded tohis parents byasking, “Why were

you searching for me? Did you not knowthat I must be in my Father’s house?”Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could posta sign on every church that reads, “Jesuscan be found here”? What if individualsrecognized their spiritual ailments andmade it a practice to go to church forhealing? On the other hand, what if thechurch had no walls or boundaries and allthe individuals within the church allowedthemselves to be “dwelling places” forGod?

Give everyone a copy of the Resource Kitpage for this session and read the hymn“How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place” as aclosing, or have your group sing ittogether. As another alternative, youmight also ask someone to sing the hymnas a solo.

3Find Relevance

Why do adults care about thissession? In education, the

premise of the “self-fulfillingprophecy” theory is that if you

expect a child to do poorly in school, theyprobably will. Fortunately, the theory alsoholds true in reverse. Expectations have away of ruling our lives. Children who arecaught doing something wrong expect tobe punished. Young adults who workhard academically expect to be admitted tocollege, and then later they expect to grad-uate and get a job. And of course, as weshare experiences with other people, weexpect a level of friendship.

Even in our spiritual lives we havecertain expectations. Some believe thatour spiritual lives should always be“mountaintop” experiences. Then again,taking the opposite extreme, othersbelieve in trudging through the valley.The questions we will explore this lessoninvolve our expectations of Jesus, for justas our expectations can determine how welive daily, so can our expectations of Jesusdetermine how we live spirituality.

Seeking UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? As you know, John the

Baptist was a forerunner forJesus. His message was meant to

inspire followers to prepare their heartsfor the Word of God. The message ofhope that John proclaimed brought arenewed sense of purpose to people whodesperately needed it.

To get a mental picture surroundingthis lesson’s study, imagine the cooperativeeffort of a relay race. John carries thebaton for the first leg of the race and thenpasses it on to Jesus. Likewise, where thewords of the Great Commission areconcerned, Jesus then passes the baton tothe church. And now, we are the onescalled to preach the message of repen-tance, to share the gospel, and to inspirefollowers to prepare their hearts andlives—because after all, Christ is comingto finish the race. And when he comes, hewants to see that indeed the crooked hasbeen made straight and the rough madesmooth, that the lame can walk and theblind can see again. He wants the prisonerto have been set free, and above all else, hewants to see all of us gathered together atGod’s table. Now, those are some “greatexpectations”!


MAY I INTRODUCE YOU

TO A FRIEND? Luke 3:15-22

14 Lesson 3

Resources“Baptism,” Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia2000 © <encarta.msn. com> 1997-2000 MicrosoftCorporation. All rights reserved.

William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke (Philadelphia: TheWestminster Press, 1975).

Martha Barr, “On Holy Ground,” The Other Side (Nov-Dec1998).



Jamie Owens, words and music, “May I Introduce You toa Friend?” from Come Together, by Jimmy and Carol Owens(Lexicon Music Inc., 1972).

My Teaching Plan

Introduction: God’s mission for Johnthe Baptist was to prepare the way forthe Lord. The message John preachedwas one of sin and judgment, of repen-tance and pardon.

I. John the Messiah? (3:15)A. John preached about a baptism of

repentance.B. He baptized with water.

II. John’s Introduction of Jesus (16-18)A. Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit

and fire.B. Jesus divides the good from the

bad.

III. John’s Imprisonment for RebukingHerod Antipas (19-20)

IV. Jesus’ Baptism (21-22)A. As Jesus prayed, the heavens were

opened.B. The Holy Spirit descended on him

like a dove.

Conclusion: A voice from heaven said,“You are my Son, the Beloved; with youI am well pleased.”

Offer IllustrationHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ Great Expectations With each day holding its own fair shareof uncertainty, our lives are full of expec-tations. Offer your group an opportunityto list and then discuss their primaryexpectations for their lives. Some exam-ples might include: to maintain goodhealth, to go to college, to get married, toget a job, to have children, and blessing ofblessings, to retire. Once everyone has hadenough time to work, call on your learnersto share at least one of their replies, asyou list them together on the board.When your list is complete and you’reready to move on, ask questions like thefollowing.

QUESTIONS

• What expectations do we have of ourfriends?

• What expectations do we have of ourchurch?

• What are our expectations for thefuture?

❍ Take Me to the WaterBring a basin from home to your meetingarea. After filling the basin, allow eachlearner to take a turn dipping their handinto the water. Afterwards, say somethinglike the following: “Each of our baptismswas unique. Some of us were baptized aschildren and others as adults. Some werebaptized in a river, creek, lake, or pond.Others were baptized in the church. And,of course, there also are some of us whohave not yet been baptized.” To encouragediscussion surrounding your participants’various baptism experiences, pose thefollowing questions.

QUESTIONS

• What do you remember about yourbaptism? Or, if you were an infant, whatwere you told about your baptism?

• Where were you baptized?

• Who was present at your baptism? Didyou receive anything to mark the ceremony?

❍ When the Word Comes to UsA number of New Testament stories speakof personal encounters with God “on theroad.” For instance, Paul was “on theroad” to Damascus (Acts 9:3), just as thetwo Mary’s were greeted by the risen Jesuswhile “on the road” (Mt 28:8-9). And ofcourse, two other disciples met Jesus “onthe road” to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-35). Inthese stories, some realized immediatelythat the road had become holy ground.Others were not aware until much later.

Our familiar ground, our commonground, is indeed holy ground. So let’s puton our shoes and get back on the road.Holy ground is out there waiting for us aswe continue along the way (Barr, 18).

QUESTIONS

• How do we prepare to meet Jesus on theroads we travel?

• Do we find “holy ground” or does “holyground” find us?

Teaching Guide 15


❍ A Jordan River Runs through ItImagine the Jordan River and the role itplayed in the lives of God’s people. Itprovided not only water vital to the land,but also a wealth of memories thatmarked the past. When Abraham and Lotparted ways, Abraham took the land westof the river whereas Lot claimed the landto the east. The Israelites crossed over theJordan with the Ark of the Covenant, andthe river also helped to mark the land ofpromise. We can easily see that, in a sense,the Jordan River flowed through the verylives of the Hebrew people.

As a matter of fact, it was in that verysame river that John baptized numerousconverts. His choice of location remindedpeople not only of the wilderness wander-ings and the manna from heaven duringthe time of Moses, but later, of crossingthe river with the Ark of the Covenant, asymbol of God’s presence among thetribes ( Josh 3:4). With this general historyin mind, discuss the importance of waterin the lives of God’s people.

QUESTIONS

• How do the characteristics of water—living, flowing, and cleansing—relate tobaptism?

• How does the story of Joshua 3 relate tobaptism?

• What is the significance of water to ourfaith today?

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ What were the people’s expectations of

John?➤ What were John’s expectations of the

Messiah?➤ What was the difference between John’s

baptism and Jesus’ baptism?

Questions for All Adults➤ How would you go about introducing

one of your best friends? ➤ When you know someone has done

something wrong, just how wrong doesit need to be in order for you toconfront them?

➤ What are your expectations of theMessiah?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ What things would you consider to be

“fruits worthy of repentance”?➤ What expectations in your life remain

unfulfilled? And on the flip side, whatgifts have you received that completelytook you by surprise?

➤ When you are confronted with wrong-doing, how do you respond?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ If someone told you to “bear fruits

worthy of repentance,” how would yourespond?

➤ How do you explain Jesus’ balancebetween love and judgment?

➤ God expressed favor in Jesus’ actions.How do you seek your parents’ favor?How do you seek God’s?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ Our Scripture says that Jesus will sepa-

rate the grain from the chaff. How canyou explain this concept to children?

➤ What images about baptism do yourchildren share with you?

➤ How might a child describe repentance?

16 Lesson 3


❍ IntroductionsObtain as many pictures of Jesus as you canpossibly get your hands on, and post themon a focal wall. Ask each of your learners tochoose the picture that best portrays theirpersonal image of Jesus. Invite volunteersto share the reasons for their choices beforeasking which of the reasons they use whenintroducing Jesus to someone else.

QUESTIONS

• What do you think is the most importantdetail to include when introducing Jesusto someone?

• Depending on whom you are talking to,how might your introduction change?

❍ Good and EvilMichelangelo’s fresco, Last Judgment,pictures Christ the Judge. In this master-piece, the artist has painted trumpetingangels holding the Book of Good Deedsand the Book of Evil Deeds. Scattered aboutare symbols of both the Passion of Christand of martyrdom. Also in the mural areJohn the Baptist and Peter, along with adepiction of the resurrection of the deadand the condemned being taken to theInferno.

QUESTIONS

• What images come to mind when youthink of the Judgment?

• Our text for this lesson suggests that thevery presence of Christ separates goodfrom evil. In your opinion, what must onedo to avoid Christ’s winnowing fork?

❍ Family ScrapbookIn this lesson’s account, those baptized byJohn were reminded of stories hundreds ofyears old, stories of the Jordan River and ofthe wilderness. Scrapbooks provide us withtangible memories of outings with friends,college, family vacations, weddings, and

births, among others. While studying thisunit, we have been putting together a scrap-book of memories. Reflecting on thissession, what “snapshot” would remind youof the story’s central message? Allow severalmoments for volunteers to respond beforecomposing the overall picture on a largepiece of butcher paper using either words orimages.


❍ Meet JesusJohn’s introduction of Jesus was just thebeginning of something wonderful! In fact,Jesus’ ministry has influenced the world fortwo thousand years, and his mere presencein our lives drives us to want to share himwith others. Close your session in prayer byreciting the lyrics to the following song.Perhaps if you have one available, youmight even want to play the actual record-ing as your group sings along.

“May I Introduce You to a Friend?”

He’s been waiting patiently to meet you.A friend on whom you can depend,His love can comfort and complete you.

How long have you been searchingGroping aimlessly for somethingTo fill the emptiness insideSomeone in whom you can confide?Where is He? He’s waiting for you. He’swaiting.

When you’re troubled filled with fearSimply reach out and He’ll guide youWhen all others seem to just disappearHe will still be there right beside you.

How long have you been searching Groping aimlessly for somethingTo fill the emptiness insideSomeone in whom you can confide?Where is He? He’s waiting for you. He’swaiting! Meet Jesus. (Owens, 63-7)

Teaching Guide 17

Find RelevanceWhy do adults care about thissession? When Jesus’ friends

and family heard that he, a localcarpenter’s son, had proclaimed

himself as God’s Anointed One, they weremore than just a little bit upset. In theireyes, Jesus’ actions that day amounted tosheer and utter blasphemy. Appalled, theyasked, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” Yet, asmodern readers, most of us have heardthis story so many times that we havenearly immunized ourselves to its effect.After all, we are not a people who believewe are captive, blind, or oppressed. In fact,as far as we’re concerned, things are prettygood for us.

The people of Jesus’ day, however, livedin such anticipation that they simplycould not wait for the Messiah to comeand reign down justice from God. Thetruth of the matter for Christians today,though, is that we can wait. In fact, we canwait a good while. Granted, Jesus was outand out rejected as Messiah by the peopleof his hometown, but perhaps our storyisn’t so different. Lost in the competingvoices for our time, talent, and money,often we just ignore the fact that Jesus isMessiah. And sadly, it’s rejection just thesame.

Seek UnderstandingWhat do these Scripturesmean? This lesson’s Scripture

passage proclaims to Luke’saudience—and therefore, to us as

well—that the Messiah is here and activein the world. In fact, this principle iscentral to Luke’s theology of Jesus’ iden-tity. These particular verses briefly explainthe mission of Jesus, whose focus was tobring the reality of God’s reign on earthto the people. And this was good news,indicating that the oppressed and down-trodden would eventually know justice.Besides, even though leaders and kings inthe ancient world were to be arbiters ofjustice, typically only a small percentageof the people benefited from their efforts.Jesus, on the other hand, announced thatjustice, even for the lowest of society,would mark God’s Kingdom.

The crowd could hardly believe theirears. Not only had Jesus proclaimedhimself as God’s messenger, but in theprocess, he also had indicted thosepresumed righteous. Not only did thepeople reject this “hometown boy,” butthey also threatened to kill him. So, likemany of the prophets before him, Jesuswas rejected by the very people he hadcome to save.


HOME IS WHERE

THE HEART ISLuke 4:14-30

4

Teaching Guide 19


Roland de Vaux, “The World of Jesus,” Everyday Life in BibleTimes (Washington DC: National Geographic Society,1967).

Rev. Joseph M. Gettys, Ph.D., How to Study Luke(Richmond: John Knox Press, 1947).


E. R. Goodenough, Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period,vol. 8 (New York: Pantheon Books, 1953) 40-1.

Etty Hillesum, An Interrupted Life: The Diaries of EttyHillesum, 1941-1943 (New York: Washington Square Press,1981), quoted by The Inviting Word, vol. 3 (Cleveland:United Church Press, 1981).

Jim Morris, “Never Too Late,” Guideposts (May 2000).

United Methodist’s Women’s Caucus, from AnnualMeeting held in Burlingame, California (13-15 Feb 1976),quoting Word Among Us, Learner’s Guide for Adults(Cleveland OH: United Church Press, 1994).

My Teaching Plan

Introduction: Jesus is the Son of Godand the Son of Man (3:23-38).

I. Jesus: Filled with the Power of theSpirit

II. Jesus’ TeachingA. Teaching in Galilee

1. Description of Galilee2. Description of the Synagogue

B. Teaching in Nazareth1. Explanation of Synagogue

Worship Practices2. Jesus Called upon to Read from

the Prophets3. Chooses Isaiah As His Text4. Announcement That through

Him Scripture Has BeenFulfilled

5. Jesus’ Favorable Words aboutthe Gentiles

6. Gathered Crowd Tries ThrowingJesus off Cliff

7. Jesus Passes through Crowd,Moves on to Capernaum

Conclusion: Following his mission andpurpose, Jesus’ ministry still continueseven today.

Offer IllustrationHow can I help learners think about the issues?

❍ Dreaming BigJim Morris had always wanted to pitch inthe major league, and he finally got hisbreak in 1983 as a first-round draft pick ofthe Milwaukee Brewers. After spendingseveral years pitching in the minors, in1989 a popped shoulder ligament endedMorris’s career. With his pitching dreamsbehind him, Jim began teaching highschool and coaching the school baseballteam. The former pitcher definitely hadhis work cut out for him. Notorious fortheir pitiful record, the team had won onlythree games in three years. After a particu-larly rough workout in 1998, Jim told theteam that he knew how tough it was, butnevertheless encouraged them not to giveup. He urged, “You need to set goals andstick to them. It’s fine to dream, evenbetter to dream big. You’ve got to workand pray hard to achieve as much as youcan while you can.” One of the playersresponded, “What about you, Coach? Whatabout your dreams?” Backed in a corner ofhis own making, Jim finally challenged histeam, “If you guys get to the playoffs thisyear, I’ll try out for a major-league team.But you’ve got to understand that myplaying days are over.”

No team from that school had ever madethe playoffs, so Jim never imagined that hemight actually find himself trying out forthe major league again. He was wrong!Not only did the team rise to the challenge,but Jim actually came through on hispromise, too, a mature 35-year-old amongthe other “youngsters” trying out. Afterseveral pitches, a crowd gathered behindthe plate. But it was no wonder; hispitches were clocking in at 98 miles anhour! But naturally, Jim’s heart falteredupon hearing the scout mutter, “If onlyyou were 10 years younger.”

When he arrived back home, however,the team scout had left a message askinghim to return in two days. Once again, Jimpitched consistently and the team was

ready for him to sign. After careful consider-ation, Jim found himself in St. Petersburgtwo days later getting into shape. Hefinished the season in the minors, but theday he was packing to go home, he wascalled up for the majors! Jim became theoldest major-league rookie in threedecades—not to mention, one of the mostimpressive.

In retrospect, Jim couldn’t help remember-ing his talk with the high school team aboutdreaming big. He had thought his wordswould be enough. Strangely, though, he hadnever imagined the importance of showingthem by example (Morris, 3-6). In what waysis Jesus’ life our example for “dreaming big”?

❍ TemptationsWe really can identify with Jesus’ experiencein the wilderness because, after all, wrestlingwith temptation is something we do on aregular basis. Etty Hillesum, a Dutch Jewliving in Holland throughout the early1900s, kept a journal of her strugglesduring the Nazi occupation. The followingexcerpt provides a glimpse into her innerstruggle with temptation:

My battles are fought out inside, withmy own demons; it is not in my natureto tilt against the savage, cold-bloodedfanatics who clamour for our destruc-tion. I am not afraid of them either, Idon’t know why; I am so calm it is some-times as if I were standing on theparapets of the palace of history lookingdown over far-distant lands. This bit ofhistory we are experiencing right now issomething I know I can stand upto…But sometimes I feel as if a layer ofashes were being sprinkled over myheart…These are brief moments; theneverything falls back into place, my headis clear again and I can once more bearand stand up to this piece of historywhich is ours. For once you have begunto walk with God, you need only keepon walking with God and all of lifebecomes one long stroll—such amarvelous feeling. (52)

20 Lesson 4

QUESTIONS

• What is it like to be tempted? Does thephrase “a layer of ashes were being sprin-kled over my heart” come to mind?

• How is your walk with God like a “longstroll”?

DiscussionHow do I lead learners to dialogueabout the session?

❍ Family Tree Genealogy, or thetracing of one’sroots, recently has

become a popular pastimefor many adults.Discovering ancestors you did not knowyou had and discovering where they arefrom can prove to be singularly exciting,even if you don’t have royalty tucked awayin your lineage. Some adults even havegone to such lengthy measures to discerntheir roots as trudging through old grave-yards or leafing through a family Biblehanded down from one generation to thenext. Then again, plenty of others havediscovered the various Internet sitesdevoted to the study of genealogy.

Most of us at the very least are intriguedby our heritage. Many desire to know “fromwhence they came.” And usually, ourfavorite part of this process is hearingfamily stories that have survived through-out the years. With this in mind, distributecopies of the “Family Tree” supplementfrom the Resource Kit, asking each learnerto write their family name at the base of thetree. When they have finished this step, askthem to continue filling in the remainingspaces on the diagram as best they can.After they have had ample time to work,allow each of your participants to presenttheir family tree to the larger group. As afollow-up exercise, you might encourageeveryone to do the necessary researchduring the upcoming week that will helpthem fill in any gaps left on their resourcesheet.

QuestionsQuestions about Scripture➤ What were the differences between

Jesus’ message in Galilee and the one inNazareth?

➤ What did Jesus do to enrage his listenersin Nazareth?

➤ How might the Devil have used theexperience in Nazareth to tempt Jesusagain?

Questions for All Adults➤ How does the modern church continue

Jesus’ mission in today’s world?➤ On the contrary, how does the modern

church fail to continue Jesus’ mission?➤ How do you typically handle rejection?

Questions for Mature Adults➤ Who in your family has influenced you

the most?➤ How have you defined your own

mission and purpose?➤ How do the temptations you face today

differ from those you faced 30 yearsago?

Questions for Younger Adults➤ If you were to write a mission state-

ment about your life, what would itsay?

➤ How would your mission statementaffect your career goals?

➤ How does applying ourselves to God’smission also fill our lives with purpose?

Questions for Adults with Children➤ What stories do you want to pass down

to your children about either you ortheir grandparents?

➤ To what extent do you think childrenunderstand the concepts of missionand purpose?

➤ How do you console a child who hasbeen rejected?

Teaching Guide 21

22 Lesson 4


❍ Hometown HeroesOften when a certain youngster “makes itbig,” their hometown responds with ahuge celebration. As a matter of fact,some hometown heroes have streets,buildings, even parks named in theirhonor. Ask the members of your group toname their hometown heroes, explaininghow the town chose to honor them. Next,compare and contrast any examples theymention to the reception that Jesusreceived from his hometown. You mayalso want to ask your learners to think ofindividuals in your community whodeserve be honored, but for whateverreasons, have been ignored. Finally, towrap up your discussion, invite yourgroup to comment about the “types” offame our hometowns find it easiest tohonor.

❍ Family Scrapbook When Jesus came home, he preached tothe hometown crowd. Imagine what itmust have been like for him to standbefore all those people he had grown upwith. One thing is for sure: going homealways brings back memories.

Throughout the study of this unit, wehave been putting together a “scrapbook”of memories, so to speak. Reflecting onthis session, what “snapshot” could serveas a trigger to remind you of the story’sfocus? After everyone who wishes to do sohas had an opportunity to respond, askyour participants to work collectively toput together a tangible “snapshot” of theaccount in this lesson’s Scripture passage,using a sheet of butcher paper that youhave placed on a focal wall. The “snap-shot,” for the record, can be anythingfrom a drawing to a word description.


❍ The Tree of Life If you used the“Family Tree”Resource Kit page

from earlier in the session,have the group refer totheir sheets once more. Ifnot, give each person acopy of the page now, asking them toimagine that the root of the tree repre-sents Jesus, while the trunk represents theministries each of us has been called toperform. The branches, of course, repre-sent each of us. Ask your learners wherethey see themselves within the branches.Are they close to Jesus or just barelyhanging on “by a limb”? After a fewmoments of discussion, close with thefollowing prayer, or use the “Confession”Resource Kit page as a responsive prayer:

You asked for my hands that youcould use them for your purpose.

I gave them for a moment and thenwithdrew for the work was hard.

You asked for my mouth to speakagainst injustice.

I gave you a whisper that I might notbe accused.

You asked for my eyes to see the painof poverty.

I closed them for I did not want toknow.

You asked for my life that you mightwork through me.

I gave you a fractional part that Imight not get involved.

God, forgive me for calculated effortsto serve you only when it’s conven-ient to do so, only in places where itis safe to do so.

Creator God, forgive me, renew me,and send me out as a usable instru-ment, that I may take seriously themeaning of Your Cross. (Women’sCaucus, 52)

Page 23

They’ll Know We

Are Christians by Our Love

We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord.We are one in the Spirit. We are one in the Lord.And we pray that all unity may one day be restored.And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

We will walk with each other. We will walk hand in hand.We will walk with each other. We will walk hand in hand. And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

We will work with each other. We will work side by side.We will work with each other. We will work side by side.And we’ll guard each one’s dignity and save each one’s pride.And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

Peter Scholtes, words and music, “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love” (F. E. L. Publications, copyright 1966) from The Hymnal for Worship and Celebration(Waco TX: Word Music, 1986).

Page 24

How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place

How lovely is Thy dwelling place, O Lord of hosts, to me!My thirsty soul desires and longs within Thy courts to be;My very heart and flesh cry out, O living God for Thee.

Beside Thine altars, gracious Lord, the swallows find a nest;How happy they who dwell with Thee and praise Theewithout rest,And happy they whose hearts are set upon the pilgrim’squest.

They who go thro’ the desert vale will find it filled withsprings,And they shall climb from height to height till Zion’s templeringsWith praise to Thee, in glory throned, Lord God, great Kingof kings.

One day within Thy courts excels a thousand spent away;How happy they who keep Thy laws nor from Thy preceptsstray,For thou shalt surely bless all those who live the words theypray.

Carl P. Daw Jr., “How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling Place,” from Baptist Hymnal (Nashville:Convention Press, 1991).

Page 25

Family Tree

Family Name

MotherFather

GrandmotherGrandfather

Great-grandfather Great-grandmother

Hometown

Hometown

Hometown

GrandmotherGrandfather

Hometown

MotherFather

Hometown

MotherFather

Hometown

MotherFather

Hometown

Page 26

Right Side: You asked for my hands that you could use them foryour purpose.

Left Side: I gave them for a moment and then withdrew,for the work was hard.

Right Side: You asked for my mouth to speak against injustice.

Left Side: I gave you a whisper that I might not be accused.

Right Side: You asked for my eyes to see the pain of poverty.

Left Side: I closed them, for I did not want to know.

Right Side: You asked for my life that you might work throughme.

Left Side: I gave you a fractional part that I might not getinvolved.

Right Side: God, forgive me for calculated efforts to serve youonly when it’s convenient to do so, only in placeswhere it is safe to do so.

Left Side: Creator God, forgive me, renew me, and send meout as a usable instrument, that I may take seri-ously the meaning of Your Cross.

All: In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Confession

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